Zenitar 2/50 lens question

Hi users, I have taken the back off my zenitar 2/50mm trying to solve the problem of the aperture settings not changing when fitted to my Canon DSLR with an adapter. As i pulled it apart a ball bearing came out...where do i put that back?!
Also, any advice on how i may modify the lens so it holds down the spring lever which allows you to change the F/ stop setting?
I'm very much a novice to mechanics.
Robert

Robert,
which adapter do you have (or if you don't know, how much did you pay for it)?
Zenitar 2/50 using with the simplest adapter is a 100% manual lens. That means you must set the aperture completely manually without any automatics.

Regards, Alexander

That ball-bearing is what makes the aperture ring 'click'. If you remove the aperture ring, you will see on its inner surface a series of notches. These were meant to have friction with the ball to click. Where these notches engage with the lens barrel body, you should be able to find a hole slightly larger than that ball-bearing. In that hole there will be a spring too. Place the ball-bearing so that it sits on that spring.

Hi thanks for the helpful answers, finally i've refitted the ball bearing.
I've discovered that the adapter ring i need is a simple M42 - Canon bayonet WITH flange, which is basically an adapter with an extended rim which should push down the aperture trigger once its screwed onto the mount. Can't wait to get it delivered off ebay so i can take some sick pics!
Lens looks cool, if anyone can reccomend any other classic soviet gear that i can hook onto my canon i'd love to hear about it.
Does Zenitar still make cameras? Does any camera gear still get manufactured in russia?

You may also need a split-type focusing screen replacement. 8 times in 10, what you thought to be focused in an exposure made at f/2, will turn out to be out of focus when you review the photo on your computer's screen. That, or one of the chipped adapters which will engage the camera's electronic focus confirmation. Or use 'live view' if your camera has it for critical focusing at full apertures.

The adapter which bears on the auto diaphragm pin may catch on your camera's mirror. I also don't think you can find those adapters easily now. Most of the adapters found now are the "chipped" type.

If you can avoid the auto-diaphragm only lenses, avoid them. Go for the preset types, or at least choose the ones with Auto/Manual diaphgragm stopdown switches.

The Helios 44 2/58 (preset version) is a great lens to have on the Canon. The preset diaphragm eliminates the need have a diaphragm pin stop on the mount. OTher lenses I tried on my Canon and Pentax DSLRs:

1. Industar 61 L/Z 2.8/50 (preset diaphragm)- good for close ups.

2. Jupiter- 9 2/85 (preset diaphragm).- Good for portraits, but stop down to f/4. At f/2, the photo looks very flared and mushy.

3. Jupiter-37A 3.5/135 (preset diaphragm)-Extremely sharp, nice contrast and colours. Even at maximum f/3.5 aperture, this lens makes really snappy photos.

4. Tair 300mm from Fotosnajper (semi-auto diaphragm)- make your Canon a Digital Fotosnajper.

5. Mir 20 20mm (Auto/Manual Diaphragm)

6. Zenitar 16mm (Auto/manual diaphragm) Make sure you check the focusing ring- this lens is often defective in this part.

7. Helios-44 1.5/85mm (Preset Diaphragm)- fast and heavy lens. Really soft at full apertures, but on digital this softness appears to be more pronounced. Useful at about f/2.8 or smaller.

The one lens which doesn't do well on the DSLR is the Mir 1V 2,8/37mm. It is hard to focus - the image does not appear to pop in and out of focus- the image always appears sharp on the focusing screen. But the picture often comes out blurry.

Hi Alexander. The adapter ring is just a generic m42-canon EF. I only paid $10 for it, so its not a disaster. I have just today bought another m42 but with a flange which covers & pushes down the aperture release once it is mounted. Can't wait for it to arrive in the mail.
Same deal, $10.


<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="MS Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by AlexanderK</i>
<br />Robert,
which adapter do you have (or if you don't know, how much did you pay for it)?
Zenitar 2/50 using with the simplest adapter is a 100% manual lens. That means you must set the aperture completely manually without any automatics.

Regards, Alexander
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></font id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Hey Zoricat,
Thanks for the info, i'll check those lenses out on ebay or something. I've heard good thing about the Helios lenses, apparently they're based on much more expensive Zeiss equivalent.
For your own interest, i've found some good value adapter rings without chips here http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/110776453780

<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="MS Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by ZorkiKat</i>
<br />You may also need a split-type focusing screen replacement. 8 times in 10, what you thought to be focused in an exposure made at f/2, will turn out to be out of focus when you review the photo on your computer's screen. That, or one of the chipped adapters which will engage the camera's electronic focus confirmation. Or use 'live view' if your camera has it for critical focusing at full apertures.

The adapter which bears on the auto diaphragm pin may catch on your camera's mirror. I also don't think you can find those adapters easily now. Most of the adapters found now are the "chipped" type.

If you can avoid the auto-diaphragm only lenses, avoid them. Go for the preset types, or at least choose the ones with Auto/Manual diaphgragm stopdown switches.

The Helios 44 2/58 (preset version) is a great lens to have on the Canon. The preset diaphragm eliminates the need have a diaphragm pin stop on the mount. OTher lenses I tried on my Canon and Pentax DSLRs:

1. Industar 61 L/Z 2.8/50 (preset diaphragm)- good for close ups.

2. Jupiter- 9 2/85 (preset diaphragm).- Good for portraits, but stop down to f/4. At f/2, the photo looks very flared and mushy.

3. Jupiter-37A 3.5/135 (preset diaphragm)-Extremely sharp, nice contrast and colours. Even at maximum f/3.5 aperture, this lens makes really snappy photos.

4. Tair 300mm from Fotosnajper (semi-auto diaphragm)- make your Canon a Digital Fotosnajper.

5. Mir 20 20mm (Auto/Manual Diaphragm)

6. Zenitar 16mm (Auto/manual diaphragm) Make sure you check the focusing ring- this lens is often defective in this part.

7. Helios-44 1.5/85mm (Preset Diaphragm)- fast and heavy lens. Really soft at full apertures, but on digital this softness appears to be more pronounced. Useful at about f/2.8 or smaller.

The one lens which doesn't do well on the DSLR is the Mir 1V 2,8/37mm. It is hard to focus - the image does not appear to pop in and out of focus- the image always appears sharp on the focusing screen. But the picture often comes out blurry.

<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></font id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">