Help with lense's i have just aquired (please)

[The Tea Boy]

Hi guys/girls,

A relative died recently at the ripe age of 92, unbeknown to me she was a keen tog back in the day and up until the mid 90's i might have some cameras from the 20's/40's coming my way soon but if so that will be another thread!!)
I have been given a 300mm lense and a 125mm lense (not so sure on the second) now what i need to know is what kind of camera they belong to and weather or not i can get a lense converter for my A200.

so Lense 1 (125mm?),





Lense 2 (300mm),






Thanks again guys.

Matt

[mikee boy]

To me the first lens looks like an enlarger lens.

We'd have a better chance if you could show the mounting end.

[VxDuncan]

mikee boy said:

To me the first lens looks like an enlarger lens.

We'd have a better chance if you could show the mounting end.

Can't see why it would focus that far though (though I know what you mean). Second has hints of m42 mount about it.

[The Tea Boy]

ok guys ill take some pics of mountings tomorrow when im not half asleep

Thnaks in advance.

Matt

[beano500]

M42 mount Carl Zeiss, I reckon...

http://www.mflenses.com/index.php/Carl-Zeiss-Jena-...

Possibly a smart little performer and relatively highly regarded in some circles.

The "Prinz Galaxy" is, IIRC a cheap but cheerful - I'm guessing again it might be in "M42" which is basically a screw mount that was very popular before the breechlocks and bayonets really took a hold across the board.

[beano500]

..and another review here:

http://www.retrocamera.net/2008/07/review-of-carl-...

[tog]

The Tea Boy said:

That's a 135mm not a 125mm, and it looks like a screw fit (probably M42) as well - you can just see the mount in the first pic. It's definitely a camera lens not an enlarger lens, not least because it wouldn't need a focussing scale or depth of field scale on an enlarger.

I don't know off the top of my head, but you can probably get a M42-Minolta / Sony AF adapter. Obviously with no aperture or focus control.

[onomatopoeia]

tog said:

I don't know off the top of my head, but you can probably get a M42-Minolta / Sony AF adapter. Obviously with no aperture or focus control.

You can and with focus to infinity.

Have a look on dyxum, advert on the right hand side of the home page for M42 > MAF adapter

[The Tea Boy]

Right guys think i will have sorted this, yes they both need the M42 adapters so have purchaed one of fleabay for circa £9 will see what happens when it arrives at the end of the day if the lenses turn out to be crap it has only cost me £9 and there will be an adapter up for grabs if this is the case!!
you lot know far too much about these things im jellous!!

Thanks again

Matt

[The Tea Boy]

right guys ordered the M42 thingy i needed, it has now arrived andeverything seems to fit fine, BUT my camera still thinks there is no lense attached, any ideas anyone?

Matt

[beano500]

The Tea Boy said:

right guys ordered the M42 thingy i needed, it has now arrived andeverything seems to fit fine

Good stuff - look forward to the results.

The Tea Boy said:

BUT my camera still thinks there is no lense attached, any ideas anyone?

Ah - what camera body are you using? A Minolta A200 I believe.

You see, them lenses were designed before elektricky were even invented - I cannot imagine you have any electrical or manual contacts between camera and lens - so naturally you will be using it fully manual, right? You may need to RTFM for your camera if you're not familiar with what it will do for manual metering, for example.

[The Tea Boy]

beano500 said:

Ah - what camera body are you using? A Minolta A200 I believe.

Yes well Sonay A200 (same thing i think)

beano500 said:

You see, them lenses were designed before elektricky were even invented - I cannot imagine you have any electrical or manual contacts between camera and lens - so naturally you will be using it fully manual, right? You may need to RTFM for your camera if you're not familiar with what it will do for manual metering, for example.

yes im sure that i will be using all focus and other manual settings as i know this wont have auto focus etc, but im confused by what you mean especially RTFM


sorry for these thick posts, im so new to all this and not much of it is making sense, so can i have a think persons explaination, PLEASE!!


Thanks again

MAtt

[SamHH]

It's Internet speak for 'read the manual'.

[Simpo Two]

Essentially you have a modern camera and a very old lens. To work to its full functionality the camera needs to exchange data with the lens - that's what the ring of small contacts inside the mount is for. It's not just AF (autofocus), it's TTL (through the lens) metering, aperture control and perhaps even distance information fed back from lens to camera for flash exposure.

Because your lens has no contacts and the camera can't recognise it, the camera is thinking 'WTF?' and may not even know it's got a lens on. I don't know the Sony A200 or whether it can even work with a purely manual lens - hence the need to read the manual and find out.

You may well find it's simply not worth the aggro and buy compatible (ie modern) lenses.

Edited by Simpo Two on Saturday 28th February 10:09

[The Tea Boy]

right guys, i have finally sorted it, about 2mins worth of googling sorted it, all to do with being in manual function.

Thanks again

Matt

[Balmoral Green]

We should go on a photography day out Matt, it will be the blind leading the blind

[The Tea Boy]

Balmoral Green said:

We should go on a photography day out Matt, it will be the blind leading the blind

hah sounds like a cunning plan baldrick!!!

[LongQ]

Matt,

Does your adapter come with a lens fitted. (They usually do I think, to allow focus to infinity due to the optics design shifting a tad 'cos of the adapter.)

If it does and the results are disappointing, don't give up.

Firstly remove the adapters lens if possible and try shooting something relatively close. If the results are good the main lens is OK but the adapter glass could be iffy - as one might expect for 9 notes.

A bit further up market on the adapter and things may improve a lot. Maybe worth it if you know the lens(es) are worth using. If you are happy to work with manual (good experience) there are many very inexpensive lenses out there to enjoy, especially with M42 mount.


Grant