New 3D-printable M42 adapter to Sony E/FE

[ProfHankD]

Announcing a new, improved, 3D-printable design for a family of M42 lens to Sony E/FE mount body adapters that I have posted on Printables: Mamiya Sekor-compatible M42 Lens To Sony E/FE Body Adapter











The M42 “universal screw thread” mount for camera lenses was, and remains, very popular despite the fact that no camera bodies natively accept M42 lenses. Although there are many adapters available, there are several variations that require slightly different adapters. The most challenging is the Mamia Sekor SX lens series; the 135mm f/2.8 is shown here:







The Mamiya Sekor's SX lenses use M42, but extend the aperture ring back over the M42 front plate, which doesn't work with most adapters because they have a larger faceplate diameter, but works fine with these 3D printable adapters. Beyond that, there is the issue that some M42 lenses require that an auto-aperture pin be depressed in order for the aperture blades to respond to the aperture ring setting; this can be solved in a variety of ways, but incorporating a ledge in the adapter to depress the pin is common. On the other hand, such a ledge interferes with some M42 lenses that don't need the pin depressed. There can also be minor corner vignetting with 3D-printed adapters to E/FE mount because the thickness of the adapter's E/FE mount reduces the clear diameter a bit more than typical metal mounts do.

The result is that I have posted a bunch of versions on Printables. The files are named by the version date, but also have a suffix after ‘_’ that says what they contain. The meaning of those codes is:

• p: Plain version for single-color printing
• pv: Plain version with extra-thin E/FE mount to minimize vignetting
• ps: Plain version with shelf to depress the stop-down pin
• psv: Plain version with shelf and thin E/FE mount to minimize vignetting
• e: Embossed adapter body
• ev: Embossed with extra-thin E/FE mount to minimize vignetting
• es: Embossed with a shelf to depress the stop-down pin
• esv: Embossed with shelf and thin E/FE mount to minimize vignetting
• t: The text and E/FE alignment for 2nd-color filling adapter embossing
• sup: A simple printing support structure for the versions with a shelf

For example, for a plain M42 adapter with a shelf suitable for Mamiya Sekor SX lenses, print the ps or psv version and either enable support generation or include sup for support. A standard labeled M42 adapter would be a two-color print with e in black and t in a contrasting color (e.g., copper). Printed in standard PLA using a Bambu X1C with default settings, even the v versions seem plenty strong. The biggest issue is that dyes used in PLA often are transparent in NIR, so you'll need to check your PLA is truly opaque and paint it with something like Black 2.0 if it isn't.

Note that the E/FE mount here is designed to fit both the all-metal and plastic-insert (original NEX) versions of the E/FE body flanges. As a result, it may feel slightly loose on the older plastic-insert E mount bodies. If it is very loose, your mount's plastic part probably has been slightly deformed or even cracked by use of oversized adapters (most commercial adapters sold for NEX models and not A7RII, etc., were deliberately made with slightly too thick bayonet wings so they would feel tighter).

Enjoy!

 

[E Dinkla]

Incredible job again for so many variations! Detailed designs, nicely categorized and well explained!

Yes, a pity that the Sony E/EF mount is that narrow. For me the best way to cope with that is using the Chinese alu reverse ring EF adapters. The male filter thread on them usually gives enough bonding with glue to a recession in the 3D part I make. Or I make some countersunk holes for screws when the lens is too heavy or the adapter too long. The internal diameter at the rear of them is 41,63mm, wall of the FE bayonet 0,92mm at most.



Met vriendelijke groet, Ernst
No photographer's gear list is complete without the printer mentioned !

 

[ProfHankD]

Incredible job again for so many variations! Detailed designs, nicely categorized and well explained!

Yes, a pity that the Sony E/EF mount is that narrow. For me the best way to cope with that is using the Chinese alu reverse ring EF adapters. The male filter thread on them usually gives enough bonding with glue to a recession in the 3D part I make. Or I make some countersunk holes for screws when the lens is too heavy or the adapter too long. The internal diameter at the rear of them is 41,63mm, wall of the FE bayonet 0,92mm at most.

That's about 1mm wider than the thin version here. The truth is, even a 0.5mm wall can be strong enough in a 3D print, but then again, it also cannot be strong enough if your printer messes up in any way. The Bambu X1C can get away with things as thin as the nozzle diameter, but I always use, and assume others will use, a 0.4mm. Printing this with a 0.2mm, I'd bet I could get a very acceptable 0.4mm wall in the E/FE mount.

 

[E Dinkla]

A Bambu Mini is what I need, saw the positive reviews of all the Bambu models The thing its users fear is a less friendly policy of the Chinese company in the future.

The old 3D printer I have is not up to that quality mark or as convenient in use.

I mentioned E/EF adapter in the first message, should be E/FE.

Met vriendelijke groet, Ernst
No photographer's gear list is complete without the printer mentioned !

 

[Tom Caldwell]

I have to add my thanks for your generous supply of "Printables" ProfHank.

It is appreciated.