# Anybody know what this fits?



## Mike_E (Mar 18, 2009)

While sitting around waiting for files to upload I came across this..

Leica Lens F4.5 50mm Nickel Elmar Lens 1930's 146061 - eBay (item 200320423897 end time Mar-19-09 18:49:52 PDT)

I got the Leica part and was mainly A: just wondering and A2: thought someone might like to know.


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## compur (Mar 19, 2009)

It fits the Leica screw mount cameras and copies.


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## Battou (Mar 19, 2009)

I have an older version of that very lens.... (Note the sellers typo, that is a 50mm 3.5 not a 50mm 4.5)

It fits the Leica M-39 x 26tpi (Leica LTM) Screw mount found on Leica I/II/III (up to the IIIg), Canon II/III/IV and Canon VT and FED/Zorki, rangefinders and some other Soviet Leica knockoffs, there is more but I am not sure what off hand. Note however some early Soviet models do have trouble mounting it due to thread variation (M-39x1.0)


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## compur (Mar 19, 2009)

It fits my Canon L-1






and my "Voightlander" Bessa R:





and other "Leica copies."  

In addition to Battou's list there were cameras from Minolta, Yashica,
Nicca, "Tower,"  and others including even some Russian SLRs that used
this lens mount.


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## Dwig (Mar 19, 2009)

compur said:


> It fits my Canon L-1
> 
> 
> 
> ...



That should read "Russian RF's", I believe. The only Russian SLR's I've encountered that had a tread mount had clones of the Praktica (virtually the same as the Asahi Pentax) mount. 

Leica Thread Mount (LTM) lenses also fit Leica M bodies, along with other manufacter's M-mount bodies (e.g. Minolta CL, ...), via simple adapters and also fit the new Panasonic micro 4/3s models with adapters.

BTW, my reference books place this lens as being from 1932 or late 1931 (my lens serial number list begins in 1933 with #156001 so probably mid to late 1932 for this lens). It is a "standardized" lens (the tell-tale "O" is visible in one of the photographs) so it is compatible with modern (post 1931) bodies. Earlier samples had to be serial number matched to their respective bodies for proper focus. Some very early standardized lenses did not couple to the RF. RF coupling was introduced in 1932 when the Model II (then called the Model D) was introduced.


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## compur (Mar 19, 2009)

Dwig said:


> That should read "Russian RF's", I believe. The only Russian SLR's I've encountered that had a tread mount had clones of the Praktica (virtually the same as the Asahi Pentax) mount.




That's not a typo.  Early Zenit SLRs had a Leica 39mm screw mount.  There
was a difference in flange-to-film distance so focusing was not always
possible at all distances but a Leica screw mount lens can be used on
one of these old Zenits for close-focusing purposes.

The Pentax/Praktica mount you mentioned is entirely different, being a
42mm thread mount.  Though it is sometimes called the Pentax/Practica 
mount, it first appeared in 1959-60 on the East German Zeiss Contax S 
and has been used on many SLRs from Europe, Russia and Japan.  It's
now usually referred to as the M42 mount and the Leica mount as the
M39.

There have been other threaded mounts as well such as the M37, M44
and others.


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## Battou (Mar 19, 2009)

Lol I had included a picture in my original post but then edited it out, but since there are other pics I guess I'll go ahead.  It dosen't really count as it's on a lieca but still....





bigger here


I too have heard of but not encountered the Soviet SLR using the M-39 mount...Not sure where I put it but I had a few written down somewhere. They where classic soviet inconsistancy the same model body had one of three different mounts pending it's manufacturer period :lmao: I learned of them wile doing research for this


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## compur (Mar 19, 2009)

I've seen a few of the 39mm Zenit SLRs at camera shows over the years.
I didn't pay much attention to them though. Now I might pay more attention
but haven't seen any in a long while. But, on second thought -- it would
be a pain trying to find lenses so maybe not. 

There's a similar situation with the earlier Braun Paxette and Dejur D-1 & D-3
cameras.  They use a 39mm threaded mount and Leica lenses will fit but not
focus properly.  I don't know if the Russian Zenit SLR lenses will work on
those cameras or vice versa.

That's an impressive list of M42 cameras. I wonder if I can find one that's
not on there? 

Nice Leica by the way.


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## Battou (Mar 19, 2009)

compur said:


> I've seen a few of the 39mm Zenit SLRs at camera shows over the years.
> I didn't pay much attention to them though. Now I might pay more attention
> but haven't seen any in a long while. But, on second thought -- it would
> be a pain trying to find lenses so maybe not.
> ...



Yeah it was for that reason that list is ended with "Some Zenit Modles" because I was unable find an adiquate information as to what all had the M-42 VS the M-39 mounts, I had a bunch of ones that had only the M-42 but dropped them as I began to run into the ones that had both.



compur said:


> That's an impressive list of M42 cameras. I wonder if I can find one that's
> not on there?


 Maybe , I know I dropped a handfull (but not all) of alternate nameplates for the same body. 

Also I have plans on constructing one of those for every mount I can. So far all I have done is the M-42 and the Canon FD mounts. I have to reshoot most of the others due to my own errors in processing and transport to and from work, I somehow ended up with four of the same folder on my PC and I don't know what is processed to what point. Since I have picked up another mount to add to the list that needs to be shot, it'll be easier on me to start from scratch on them when I shoot the Nikon F.



compur said:


> Nice Leica by the way.


 Thanks, She is a beauty, but in need of a CLA so she rides the pine at the moment.


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## compur (Mar 20, 2009)

I see you have the Ricoh Singlex on the M42 list.  The later Ricoh Singlex *TLS* 
was an M42 camera but not the original Singlex -- it had a Nikon mount, oddly
enough.  The Singlex came with a 55mm f/1.4 Rikenon lens.  The Singlex body
will accept Nikon lenses but the Rikenon lens will not mount on Nikon
bodies.

Here's mine:





Rumor has it that it's actually a 58mm Nikkor with a new name ring.

And, this may surprise you. Here's my Sears SL II (also on your M42 list)
with a Nikon lens on it. No adapter was used and the camera and lens are
100% original:








The reason for the above craziness is that there were 2 cameras called "Sears SL II"

One was really a Ricoh Singlex and the other was really a Ricoh Singlex TLS.  And, 
to further confuse things, the Ricoh Singlex was also marketed as the Nikon Nikkorex F.


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## Mitica100 (Mar 20, 2009)

^^ Oh...  I'm getting a headache!


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## compur (Mar 20, 2009)

OK then, I won't mention they were all really made by Mamiya. :lmao:


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## Battou (Mar 20, 2009)

compur said:


> And, this may surprise you. Here's my Sears SL II (also on your M42 list)
> with a Nikon lens on it. No adapter was used and the camera and lens are
> 100% original:
> 
> ...



No actually it does not surprise me, there where two versions of the Sears SLII. The first being the Nikkorex F, Ricoh Singlex, Sears SL11 triplets with Nikon F bayonet mount. The second Sears SLII was said to be a meterless Ricoh Singlex TLS body.

I also read somewhere that the Ricoh Singlex had an M-42 mount variant, however since I have not owned any of the cameras listed (with the exception of the Chinion CS and Pentax H2) I am going soly on what I have read. That said it is possible that there may be flaws in the information. Feel free to help me clear that up.


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## compur (Mar 20, 2009)

I'm not aware of an M42 Singlex model other than the later "TLS" cameras.
The idea may be based on the 2 Sears SLII models with different mounts.

But, that's just my conjecture.  Who knows what those 2 SLII cameras may
have been called in other countries? There was so much brand switching and 
re-naming going on in that period that it's certainly possible.


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## Dwig (Mar 20, 2009)

compur said:


> That's not a typo.  Early Zenit SLRs had a Leica 39mm screw mount. ...


Your right; I'd forgotten about those Russian M39 SLRs. They're not technically "Leica screw mount" as the flange to film distance is different, substantially greater, than the 28.8mm Leica standard ,but they do use the same thread and LSM lenses fit and work for closeup and macro use.



compur said:


> ... the Pentax/Practica
> mount, it first appeared in 1959-60 on the East German Zeiss Contax S ...



Right camera, wrong decade. Production began on the Contax S in 1949 though development began several years earlier. It is supposedly the first SLR with a pentaprims (actually penta-roof prism) for correct left/right and right side up eyelevel viewing. There was another camera (Italian?) that appeared at about the same time with a pentaprism. Here's a quick snap of my poor old Contax S with a 58mm f/2 Biotar.


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## compur (Mar 20, 2009)

Yes, 1949, not 59.


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