Using M42 lenses on canon eos

ThomasB

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Hi, just got a M42 to canon eos AF adapter.
anyone know any good links to somewhere that explains using one of these with m42 lenses/
sorry if it's in the wrong section..
maybe it should be in beginners section?
 
I belong to this forum: http://forum.mflenses.com/ Great site with everything you want to know about MF lenses.

M42 seems to be the most common fitting and there are tons of lenses to choose from.

For less than £15 you can get a good Helios 44/2 [58mm f2] lens which is a great lens!

If you need any help just ask. It's all very simple.

Prepare to have fun!!
 
Thanks Andy, that just what I was looking for , tried another MF forum that wasn't accepting new members.
 
I bought a Paragon F2.8 135MM from ebay after i got my M42 adapator,but not working for me.
Its just dark looking through the viewfinder,can,t get it sharp at all,but i got my money back,still got the crap lens here.:shrug:
 
Hi, just got a M42 to canon eos AF adapter.
anyone know any good links to somewhere that explains using one of these with m42 lenses/
sorry if it's in the wrong section..
maybe it should be in beginners section?


Try THIS one to start with!
 
I bought a Paragon F2.8 135MM from ebay after i got my M42 adapator,but not working for me.
Its just dark looking through the viewfinder,can,t get it sharp at all,but i got my money back,still got the crap lens here.:shrug:


From the above link.
Set your lens to its widest aperture, i.e. smallest f/number. You need to do this to make the screen as bright as possible for focusing.
Thats ALWAYS worked for me! (still can't get them sharp though!)
 
I have 3 M42 lenses for sale

it really is as simple as screw them in your adapter and away you go, you must of cause meter manually and focus manually, just like the old days.

http://www.talkphotography.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=196669


I only know how my 350D works but set the lens to manual and the camera will meter in Aperture Priority as well as manual although it is stop down and the viewfinder darkens as the aperture closes down
 
Vivitar Series 1 is a good staring point ,there are an incredible amount of M42 mount lenses out there ,Pentax ,Carl Zeiss ,i bought a pentax A 50mm f1.7 for £25 of another forum the images i'm getting from that are amazing :thumbs:
 
I've now got loads, mostly of Ebay for next to nothing. They're all sharp, some razor sharp like my Carl Zeiss 135mm, love 'em.

It's essential to set your widest aperture to focus, then you can close it down. It's not that hard, I've only been doing for a few weeks myself and its already second nature.
 
From the above link.
Set your lens to its widest aperture, i.e. smallest f/number. You need to do this to make the screen as bright as possible for focusing.
Thats ALWAYS worked for me! (still can't get them sharp though!)

Yep tried all that & more,maybe just a crap lens.:)
 
Quote:
Originally Posted by wontolla View Post
From the above link.
Set your lens to its widest aperture, i.e. smallest f/number. You need to do this to make the screen as bright as possible for focusing.
Thats ALWAYS worked for me! (still can't get them sharp though!)


Yep tried all that & more,maybe just a crap lens.:)

Keep the lens wide open and therefore have a bright screen for focussing then stop the lens down to the taking aperture for metering and taking the shot
 
I've now got loads, mostly of Ebay for next to nothing. They're all sharp, some razor sharp like my Carl Zeiss 135mm, love 'em.

I think this will be my next purchase. The pics i have seen with this lens are pretty spot on and up to 'L' glass quality!

I have been told by many that there is no such thing as a bad 135mm lens!! Perhaps you have a bad lens Jockwav. Have you tried a different lens?
 
I think this will be my next purchase. The pics i have seen with this lens are pretty spot on and up to 'L' glass quality!

I have been told by many that there is no such thing as a bad 135mm lens!! Perhaps you have a bad lens Jockwav. Have you tried a different lens?

I have a Soligor 135 its 35 years old was only a budget brand but it is pin sharp
 
Quote:
Originally Posted by wontolla View Post
From the above link.
Set your lens to its widest aperture, i.e. smallest f/number. You need to do this to make the screen as bright as possible for focusing.
Thats ALWAYS worked for me! (still can't get them sharp though!)




Keep the lens wide open and therefore have a bright screen for focussing then stop the lens down to the taking aperture for metering and taking the shot

As i said i have tried all that & everything else i can think of,no luck.:|
 
I think this will be my next purchase. The pics i have seen with this lens are pretty spot on and up to 'L' glass quality!

I have been told by many that there is no such thing as a bad 135mm lens!! Perhaps you have a bad lens Jockwav. Have you tried a different lens?
Yep i think i was just unlucky,but at least it never cost me,i dont have any more of these lenses yet.:)
 
Yep i think i was just unlucky,but at least it never cost me,i dont have any more of these lenses yet.:)

Its a shame you're so far away, I'd gladly let you try out my lenses. I have found my viewfinder is still bright enough to focus in good daylight, at f11 and with some of the lenses even f16. Indoors I am pretty much limited to the widest aperture for focusing.
 
Its a shame you're so far away, I'd gladly let you try out my lenses. I have found my viewfinder is still bright enough to focus in good daylight, at f11 and with some of the lenses even f16. Indoors I am pretty much limited to the widest aperture for focusing.

Cheers m8,i will just have to keep a lookout for any cheap ones that come along.:):thumbs:
 
Helios 44/2, cheap as chips and a great lens. Look to pay no more than £15
 
I bought my 1st one for £6 and the 2nd was £9. They are going up in price!!

Keep an eye on charity shops and markets/boot fairs. Doing it this way is very cheap.
 
Just have to wait & see what comes along.:)
 
I bought a Paragon F2.8 135MM from ebay after i got my M42 adapator,but not working for me.
Its just dark looking through the viewfinder,can,t get it sharp at all,but i got my money back,still got the crap lens here.:shrug:

when you take it off the camera and look down it can you see the aperture blades, and do they move when you adjust the aperture. sounds like they are stuck closed, quite common and not the hardest lens problem to fix (but can be a bit of a pain).
 
I think you have hit the nail on the head,i think the aperture blades are stuck closed.:):shrug:
 
I've sorted the blades on a couple of m42 lenses. getting fully to the blades can be a pain, but i found if you can get the rear element off then you can get a cotton but to them. put petrol of the lighter fluid variety on it to and swab off to remove the grease, and then as a final degrease use alcohol (eg isopropanol) in the same manner. its not quite as good as taking the aperture blades out and cleaning from both sides, but you much more likely to get it back together and working afterwards!
 
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