M42 on Micro 4/3 - which adapter

[jvanmil]

Hey All,

I still have some old M42 lenses (Ennalyt 35mm F3.5; Domiplan 50mm F2.8; Helios-44 58mm F2; Crestar auto 135mm F2.8). Which adapter should i get to use these lenses on a Micro 4/3 system?

Thanks Jan

--
'In Wildness is the Preservation of the World'

 

[tyampel]

There are no electronics in the adapter, it is just a metal tube.
So any adapter from a reputable source will work.
Mine is from RJ Camera.

Good luck.

--
Tod Yampel

Duck Club member

 

[John Bean (UK)]

There are no electronics in the adapter, it is just a metal tube.
So any adapter from a reputable source will work.

Not quite. Some adaptors have a ring to depress the stopdown pin, some don't, similarly some lenses have an auto/manual aperture switch and some don't.

So if you have a lens with no A.M switch you must use an adaptor that has the pusher ring if you want to be able to stop down the lens. On the other hand if all your lenses have A/M switches it's better to use a "plain" adaptor so you can use the A/M switch to quickly open the lens for focusing without changing selected taking aperture.

If in doubt buy one with the pusher ring.

--
John Bean [GMT]

 

[Brad Franklin]

One caveat, adapters with the rings may have clearance problems with certain lenses - specifically the one I have in mind is the Pentax SMC 50mm 1.4. Fabulous lens, but the adapters with the rings will interfere with the rear element as you focus to infinity. Also will interfere with the aperture ring movement. Most lenses will probably be fine though.

 

[John Bean (UK)]

One caveat, adapters with the rings may have clearance problems with certain lenses - specifically the one I have in mind is the Pentax SMC 50mm 1.4. Fabulous lens, but the adapters with the rings will interfere with the rear element as you focus to infinity. Also will interfere with the aperture ring movement. Most lenses will probably be fine though.

Good point. So yet another case of "one size fits all"... not :-(

Happily most lenses with auto aperture also have A/M switches (all Pentax do) so perhaps on reflection the plain adaptor may be the better choice if buying only one.

--
John Bean [GMT]

 

[filzer]

you might consider this adapter:
http://43rumors.com/7mm-focusing-helicoid-m42-lens-to-micro-m-43-adapter/
(i must say i did not really understand what it is good for, but maybe you do

 

[John Bean (UK)]

you might consider this adapter:
http://43rumors.com/7mm-focusing-helicoid-m42-lens-to-micro-m-43-adapter/
(i must say i did not really understand what it is good for, but maybe you do

Heh. A bit OTT for me.

The supplier (Roxsen) is the same one I've used for several items including adaptors and step rings. Very reliable, seems to sell good quality stuff very cheaply.

--
John Bean [GMT]

 

[Iagoman]

All I can say is, this site is the greatest. The responses I have received and the info supplied have made my search for the correct item a lot easier.

I have gone from the idea of spending hundreds on a new DSLR to the possibility of using my Olympus Pen Lite E-PLS by just trying out an adapter that goes from m4/3 to

M42. I didn't think that was possible. If it is, then I'm set and can use all my older

Pentax lenses (about 6 of them). If it doesn't work, I'm out the cost of an adapter and can then look at the more costly option. I'll post back and let all those who helped me

make a choice know the end result.

Iagoman

 

[Iagoman]

I was (am) pretty new at this adapter idea and this site. The mavens on this site were instrumental

in heading me in the right direction. I was going to scrap my old m42 lenses from the 1970's but they suggested I could get an adapter that would connect those lenses

to my Olympus Pen lite, which I thought would not be possible. It is possible and today my lens adapter for Pentax lenses to Micro 4/3 arrived and it works beautifully.

I bought it from B&H Photo in NY for $49.99 free shipping. It arrived the day after I ordered it.

Any good camera store probably has one you need. The one I selected doesn't allow my behind-the-lens metering, but I can usually calculate which film speed/f-stop etc I need.

There are a myriad of these adapters available and can cost into the high hundreds.

I went for the basic one. Perhaps in the future, I might go for one that allow the metering.

Good luck. I'm quite happy with mine, Brand name is DLC # DL0807 (Dot Line).

The instructions with the adapter state that The camera must be set in the

"shoot w/o lens" mode in the custom menu depending on the camera brand.

I haven't done that, since I just read it on the back of the package.

Iagoman