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M42 Thread Anonymous
Hi /p/, I recently acquired some M42 gear. Is this win?
Also, what DSLR system (if any) works well with an M42 adapter? I'm a Nikonfag but I haven't actually bought a DSLR body yet, so I may consider switching if you really lose that much optical quality from an M42 ring with a lens (to compensate for Nikon's flange difference). Are any of these lenses even worth trying to use on a DSLR?

Pic related, my M42 gear:
Pentax Spotmatic
Pentax ES (Electro Spotmatic)
Asahi super-takumar 55mm f/1.8
Asahi SMC takumar 50mm f/1.4
Asahi Super Multi Coated takumar 135mm f/3.5
Sigma-tq 39-80mm f/3.5
Tamron-f 200mm f/3.5
Lentar auto telephoto 135mm f/2.8
Super lentar 28mm f/2.8
(Also pictured is an apparently nonworking Olympus XA, some hoya filters, an old Nikon SB-15, and some Sunpak flash.)

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>> Anonymous
>Pentax Spotmatic
Nice.
>Asahi SMC takumar 50mm f/1.4
Very nice.
>Asahi Super Multi Coated takumar 135mm f/3.5
Nice.
>Tamron-f 200mm f/3.5
Nice.

The rest is meh. Great haul overall. All the lenses there are worth trying on a DSLR, they transition over really well.
>> Anonymous
M42 lenses work beautifully on a Canon DSLR. That's why I chose Canon when it came time to go digital. In fact, I own a Spotmatic and all three of your Takumar lenses (plus many others) and shoot with Super-Taks almost exclusively.

My favorites, I think, are the 135/2.5, 105/2.8, 35/2 and 50/1.4.

So yes, M42 lenses work beautifully on a Canon DSLR. I haven't tried them on a Nikon, but the lens in the adapter is bound to fuck up something. If you can, aim for a camera with a large focusing screen, since you'll be using manual focus and that's hard with faster lenses on the crap screens that most DSLRs have today. (The Spotmatic has a focusing screen that puts _every_ DSLR out there today to shame - big, bright, lots of coverage and a wonderful split-prism - and I would KILL to get it in ANY digital body).
>> Anonymous
>>227722

I see.
Speaking of which, there's crap all over it. It looks like dried on dirt. I can still see just fine though, so is it worth figuring out how to clean it off?

Also, where can I find a compatible battery?
>> Anonymous
Dried on crap on the Spotmatic's ground glass? You can try to clean it if you want, but if it doesn't bother you, then it doesn't matter. Both my Spotmatic bodies have crud all over the screen, but since it's around the edges I don't mind. Still takes great photos :)

Also, Pentax was smart and built a bridge circuit into the camera, so you don't need the old mercury cells for the meter to work properly - it can accept any voltage within a certain range. Go to your local camera store and get the battery that fits (I forget the model number off the top of my head) and it should meter fine. There are plenty of sites if you google "spotmatic battery replace" that will help you out with that.
>> Anonymous
>>227729

Wow, thanks!
The last thing - I just noticed it while testing all of the shutter speeds.

Sometimes the mirror gets stuck in the up position. I don't know how I manage to get it down. Is this just something I have to have professionally fixed?
>> Anonymous
>>227737

Just a continuation to this -
I managed to get it to happen a few more times. I tried pulling the mirror down gently - to see if it was stuck in foam. The mirror moved very easily, and this was not the case. I noticed actually that the mirror wasn't going up all the way. I noticed that if I nudged the mirror up, then pressed the shutter release (without the shutter even being cocked) it would return to it's normal position.

I may have to invest in a CLA, which really wouldn't hurt.
>> Anonymous
>>227722
Also Pentax.

If you're not going to get a 5D or 1Ds of some sort, I'd go with Pentax; their *ist D and Kx0D DSLRs have more viewfinder magnification than any other DSLR, which is important with manual lenses.
>> Anonymous
!! Warning !!

The 5D has a slight mirror issue where it grazes the back of a few wide-angle M42 lenses when they're focused at infinity. Among them are (apparently, I haven't tried it cause I don't want to break the camera store's 5D) the 35/2 Takumar, my favorite lens on full frame. That's the only reason I've stuck with crop sensors for now (the 1Ds doesn't have that problem, and the MkI and MkII are cheap now, but it's fucking huge).

So if you're going to go full-frame, be careful of the 5D. 1Ds is fine though, as are all 1.3/1.5/1.6 crop sensor cameras, and presumably the D3/D700 are fine as well but then you have the issues with the F-mount adapter.
>> Anonymous
>>227747

I'm certainly in no market for any sort of 5D!
I'll have to look in to the Pentax line.

Also, I found a 50mm f/1.4 manual focus Nikon lens. So I might just stick with Nikon. A Pentax system is a definate possibility though. I have plenty of time to read more, I won't have enough money for a DSLR for several more months.

Also, I fixed the mirror problem. Evidently the switch on the left side of the camera used to "lock" the lens into place has to be down. I didn't notice it was up. I understand now.
>> Anonymous
What locking switch? M42 lenses don't lock into place - you just screw them on tight. The switch I think you're talking about (black slider that moves up and down on the side of the lens mount) turns the meter on and off. Push it up to stop down the lens and meter the exposure, then when you release the shutter it snaps back down. It's basically a power button for the only powered part of the entire camera.
>> Anonymous
>>227756

Whoops. I was a bit confused.
Okay, upon further investigation, for whatever reason, the mirror will not go all the way up when I flip the switch for the meter. Jiggling the switch for some reason sometimes causes it to go all the way up, but otherwise, I have to open the camera and tip it up. After that, it works fine.

Hopefully this will be fixed when I put the meter battery in? But I highly doubt it, since it doesn't power the camera at all..

:-/
It looks like I may have to spend some money.
Damn.
>> Anonymous
(Saging to prevent bumping)
As a second update, I found this:
"The Pentax Spotmatic I passed on to my son had that problem. Initially intermittent but gradually more and more common.
It seemed to be related to the iris preview latch. That is, the lever one pushes up to preview the DoF. Eventually it didn't even need pushing up to stick. It was a pointer, tho.
I looked closely at the repair manual in the 'net and from the exploded view I was left wondering if the little lever that the mirror strikes as it flicks up as it closes wasn't clearing the mirror and catching it semi-permanently, so to speak. This lever resets the diaphragm to wide open ready for its close -> open sequence during exposure. It then should get out of the way. It wasn't.
Long story short - I took an oiler can with a 'very' fine applicator and without dismantling the camera, placed one drop of oil in this lever hole and laid it on its side so it would run to the left (from the back) and into the region mentioned. It worked.
You can just see this little projection if you look carefully into the mirror space high up on the side. The matt black doesn't help, but with persistence it is visible."

I think I may try this, 'cause it sounds a lot like my situation.
In my situation, when the meter is activated, the mirror doesn't go all the way up, and I think that's what he meant. I may try this. I don't know. I'm probably better off having it professionally looked at anyway.