Talking M42 Lenses

steveo_mcg

steveo_mcg

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Steven
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I've accidentally bought a zenit e, it was local and going for a pound so I figured what the hell.

It has no lens, I know little about m42 and just wondering if there is anything interesting or cheap I should look out for?


Still not sure why I bought another 35mm slr, I have an ample collection but the deed is done,
 
The Helios 44 was the standard lens with these. Almost anything with an M42 mount should work though.


Steve.
 
There are some very good lenses in M42 but the digital guys have put the prices up for these. The Helios 44m (and similar) 58mm f2 is very common and is a good lens to start with.
 
Right oh, I'll keep an eye out for one of the standard lenses.

Presumably anything particularly wide will be affected by the m4/3 boys.
 
steveo_mcg said:
Right oh, I'll keep an eye out for one of the standard lenses.

Presumably anything particularly wide will be affected by the m4/3 boys.
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Anything decent will be wanted by anyone with a Pentax, Canon or CSC, better loosen the purse strings a bit! :p
 
steveo_mcg said:
Presumably anything particularly wide will be affected by the m4/3 boys.
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Well yes, but there are very few decent lenses below 28mm, and if you are going to spend any decent money on screw lenses you might as well get a better M42 camera at the same time.
I got all my recent screw lenses at boot sales for peanuts....from CZJ 35mm flek to Fuji EBC 200mm, but the digital guys are on to this as so far this year I haven't seen anything decent..sorta film gear (except for compacts) has dried up. :'( What a difference in only 3 years :'(

Oh forgot:- there are old m42 zooms that are cheap still (but don't expect digital zoom quality :) ) and the only m42 zoom I own, I picked up in a collection and was a Sun 85-210mm and the results were quite good.
 
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Alan Clogwyn said:
Anything decent will be wanted by anyone with a Pentax, Canon or CSC, better loosen the purse strings a bit! :p
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...and so I've read, old prime lenses are used for video as well. :shrug:
 
Just remember there's no auto diaphragm with this camera. You need to choose a lens with an auto / manual switch or a pre set ring.
 
I never heard of a Zenit E that works the pin! Steve you must have some mutant! haha

Most likely your Zenit doesn't so make sure to buy the Helios 44-2 or any M42 lens with a Manual/Auto switch.

Good luck.
 
I picked it up to check just before I made the post. I will check it again when I get home!


Steve.
 
Cezar said:
I never heard of a Zenit E that works the pin! Steve you must have some mutant! haha

Most likely your Zenit doesn't so make sure to buy the Helios 44-2 or any M42 lens with a Manual/Auto switch.

Good luck.
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I've checked and the auto diaphragm pin was a new feature on the Zenit EM (I have one of them) so I think you must have one of them.

Most of the Helios 44m series have the manual switch anyway, the best version to get probably is the 44m-7 as it was the highest number version they produced (the last number designates the optical quality of the lens apparently) and is probably helped by it being multicoated.
 
s162216 said:
I've checked and the auto diaphragm pin was a new feature on the Zenit EM (I have one of them) so I think you must have one of them.

Most of the Helios 44m series have the manual switch anyway, the best version to get probably is the 44m-7 as it was the highest number version they produced (the last number designates the optical quality of the lens apparently) and is probably helped by it being multicoated.
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H'mm I think the "7" is for the number of blades (or it's a coincidence it has seven), anyway I've read:- the better Helios ones came from a factory that had more "caring" workers and has a trapezoidal symbol on the front of the lens.
 
s162216 said:
I've checked and the auto diaphragm pin was a new feature on the Zenit EM (I have one of them) so I think you must have one of them.
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Correct.

In my defence, most of the M has worn off and I had just woken up!


Steve.
 
Picked it up all seems to work. My mates got a sigma zoom that should work so that'll do for the moment.
 
excalibur2 said:
H'mm I think the "7" is for the number of blades (or it's a coincidence it has seven), anyway I've read:- the better Helios ones came from a factory that had more "caring" workers and has a trapezoidal symbol on the front of the lens.
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No all of them have 6 (mulitcoated versions) or 8 (single coated versions) blades apart from the very early original ones that were a direct copy of the Carl-Zeiss design and have 13 (they have even more wonderful bokeh from the examples I've seen), somehow I don't think that if a 44m-2 for instance had 2 blades then it would produce such wonderful, swirly bokeh!. The higher numbered ones are newer versions anyway so any improvements in optical resolution probably come from the improved coatings etc.
All Helios lenses were made at KMZ (apart from a few in Japan in the mid - late 80's but their still labelled KMZ so their difficult to identify).
 
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Don't give up - there are bargains out there. My pride and joy is a massive great minty Yashica Yashinon 75-230 f4 M42 Auto zoom lens from ebay last year for the princely sum of £2.90. Tho you look and feel like a real man (or something) toting that monster around, I can tell you. It's not a bad performer either.
 
s162216 said:
No all of them have 6 (single coated versions) or 8 (multicoated versions) blades apart from the very early original ones that were a direct copy of the Carl-Zeiss design and have 13 (they have even more wonderful bokeh from the examples I've seen), somehow I don't think that if a 44m-2 for instance had 2 blades then it would produce such wonderful, swirly bokeh!. The higher numbered ones are newer versions anyway so any improvements in optical resolution probably come from the improved coatings etc.
All Helios lenses were made at KMZ (apart from a few in Japan in the mid - late 80's but their still labelled KMZ so their difficult to identify).
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Hey you are right I've just counted my 44m-7 and it does have 8 blades..I bought mine 3 or 4 years ago for £1 and haven't used it for ages as I have better nifty fifty's now.
Another nice M42 lens I also got for a £1 is the Meyer 50mm f1.8 Orestor it's quite sharp and it's a good poor man's macro as it will focus down to about 14 inches.
 
Guys, thanks for the info on the aperture pin; the sigma looked good but it was to "advanced" for the zenit having a pin.

The pin didn't seem to close the aperture, I take it this lens was knackered? My mate didn't know much about it he just happened to have a load of old film stuff kicking around.
 
steveo_mcg said:
Guys, thanks for the info on the aperture pin; the sigma looked good but it was to "advanced" for the zenit having a pin.

The pin didn't seem to close the aperture, I take it this lens was knackered? My mate didn't know much about it he just happened to have a load of old film stuff kicking around.
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If you've tried the lens on your Zenit E then the pin won't operate the iris as the E version of the zenit doesn't have the necessary mechanism to push the pin....You need the EM model for that.

The lens aperture has to be stopped down manually on the E model.

I have an old well battered helios lens knocking about which i think still sort of works...I'd send it to you but will cost more to post than what you could buy a better one for on fleabay.

I could always bring it with me to the UK later this month if you wanna have a nice long drive to Yorkshire to collect it:D
 
It wasn't working when the pin was pressed by hand either so I'm guessing somthing inside had died.

Thanks for the offer Asha, I'll keep my eye on ebay and local sources and see what I can source. Not sure a drive to Yorkshire would help with the cheap camera once you include fuel and I reckon its a little far to cycle.
 
steveo_mcg said:
I reckon its a little far to cycle.
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Man up Steveo.....:D :D

Just imagine how fit you'd be when you got back home......fit to drop :gag: :D

I'd make you a cuppa ( laced with Blix :nuts:) to set you up for the return journey!
 
mmmm blix tea.

/homer

I'd quite happily ride down but the commie anchor weighs about the same as my good bike and it have to take the RB67 along too I couldn't have it feeling left out, I'd need an OM to do double duty as a light meter as well...
 
steveo_mcg said:
mmmm blix tea.

/homer

I'd quite happily ride down but the commie anchor weighs about the same as my good bike and it have to take the RB67 along too I couldn't have it feeling left out, I'd need an OM to do double duty as a light meter as well...
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6-8lbs of fat=a RB67 ;)
 
steveo_mcg said:
mmmm blix tea.

/homer

I'd quite happily ride down but the commie anchor weighs about the same as my good bike and it have to take the RB67 along too I couldn't have it feeling left out, I'd need an OM to do double duty as a light meter as well...
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Ladened up like a donkey then with kit....sounds like me on a typical outing:D

As for the Bilx tea.....I make it just like the Mrs does.....a recipe that I understand, she got from:









YOU!!!! :D :D :D
 
I think we have the makings of a "celebrity diet" here. Ride 200 miles with 20kg of camera kit and all the nutritional supplement required will be delivered by my patented mixture of herbal teas and blix, the budget version uses Tetley and rodinal.
 
steveo_mcg said:
I think we have the makings of a "celebrity diet" here. Ride 200 miles with 20kg of camera kit and all the nutritional supplement required will be delivered by my patented mixture of herbal teas and blix, the budget version uses Tetley and rodinal.
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LMAO :lol:
 
I have a Helios 44-2 and an Industar 50-2 in m42 fitting if you need to try them out. They both work and I'm closer than Yorkshire!
 
And what are your feelings on blix tea? :D

Cheers for the offer but I've just bought another zenit, slightly faulty, but with a working Industar.
 
I prefer Duff.
 
Additional zenit arrived with industar lens. Body is broken shutter won't cock but I knew that. Focus ring is a little lose but it'll do given what I paid.
 
Ah ha, that was to be my next question! Cheers. I'm not that fussed about fixing it but I'm curious to look at the guts. Besides the meter is knackered too.
 
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