FiZZ Posted July 10, 2011 Share #1 Posted July 10, 2011 Advertisement (gone after registration) A couple of years ago I bought an M2. The camera came with a Nippon Kogaku 5cm f/2.0. I haven't been able to find any info on this particular lens. I read from an unconfirmed source that Nikon made their lenses with the Leica M mount, but I haven't been able to find any official literature from Nikon themselves. Any help would be appreciated. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted July 10, 2011 Posted July 10, 2011 Hi FiZZ, Take a look here Nippon Kogaku Leica Bayonet Mount. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
zeitz Posted July 10, 2011 Share #2 Posted July 10, 2011 Nikon made many of its rangefinder lenses in Leica thread mounts. (Rotoloni's big book gives production numbers.) These can be used on M cameras with the standard Leica adapters. Leica owned the patent on the mount at that time. I don't see how Nikon could make M mount lenses. LTM patents were negated after WWII. I still use a 105mm f2.5 lens frequently on the M9. I'm very fond of this lens. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
doubice Posted July 10, 2011 Share #3 Posted July 10, 2011 .......... I read from an unconfirmed source that Nikon made their lenses with the Leica M mount, but I haven't been able to find any official literature from Nikon themselves...... I don't know who or what your 'unconfirmed source' is but, there is a good reason for it to be unconfirmed......... Nikon never made lenses in Leica M mount, only in Leica Thread Mount and of course in their own Nikon RF mount (practically the same as the original Zeiss Contax RF). If you find a Nikon RF lens that fits an M body directly, it is most certainly a Leica Thread Mount lens with an LTM to M mount adapter. This is from a source that can be confirmed many times over..... Best, Jan Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
FiZZ Posted July 11, 2011 Author Share #4 Posted July 11, 2011 I don't know who or what your 'unconfirmed source' is but, there is a good reason for it to be unconfirmed......... Nikon never made lenses in Leica M mount, only in Leica Thread Mount and of course in their own Nikon RF mount (practically the same as the original Zeiss Contax RF). If you find a Nikon RF lens that fits an M body directly, it is most certainly a Leica Thread Mount lens with an LTM to M mount adapter. This is from a source that can be confirmed many times over..... Best, Jan Thanks Jan. I don't see any adapter attached so I'm assuming that the mount was custom milled by the original owner. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
giordano Posted July 11, 2011 Share #5 Posted July 11, 2011 Does the front of the lens rotate when you focus it? Can you show us a photo? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
iphoenix Posted July 11, 2011 Share #6 Posted July 11, 2011 Thanks Jan. I don't see any adapter attached so I'm assuming that the mount was custom milled by the original owner. I'm sure it would be of interest to all of us to see pictures of the lens and mount. Is that possible? Then further information could possibly be given. David Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
FiZZ Posted July 11, 2011 Author Share #7 Posted July 11, 2011 Advertisement (gone after registration) Excuse the poor quality, taken with my webcam. The front of the lens does not rotate. The distance markers are in feet, and the lens says Nippon Kogaku Japan. According to the Interwebz, that means it was made in Occupied Japan after the war, and I'm assuming that since it's in feet, it was meant for export to the US market. Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here… Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! Link to post Share on other sites Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! ' data-webShareUrl='https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/156561-nippon-kogaku-leica-bayonet-mount/?do=findComment&comment=1730395'>More sharing options...
wizard Posted July 11, 2011 Share #8 Posted July 11, 2011 To me that looks like a Nikon lens with Leica thread mount, on which there is mounted an original Leica LTM to M adapter. At least my own original adapters look exactly like this. Andy Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
FiZZ Posted July 11, 2011 Author Share #9 Posted July 11, 2011 To me that looks like a Nikon lens with Leica thread mount, on which there is mounted an original Leica LTM to M adapter. At least my own original adapters look exactly like this. Andy I thought so too, but upon closer inspection I see that the lens mount is attached directly to the body, not to another mount. The red dot that lines up the lens mount with the body bayonet is one piece, no seams. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
gyoung Posted July 11, 2011 Share #10 Posted July 11, 2011 I thought so too, but upon closer inspection I see that the lens mount is attached directly to the body, not to another mount. The red dot that lines up the lens mount with the body bayonet is one piece, no seams. If its an adaptor surely there would not be a red dot, unless its been glued on separatley, the adaptor has a red line on it which on all my screw lens (admitedly not Nikon) just shows beyond the lens body. A close up of the 'red dot' would help think! Gerry Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
giordano Posted July 11, 2011 Share #11 Posted July 11, 2011 What seems conclusive to me is the U-shaped cutout near the OP's thumb in the second photo. Leica bayonet adapters had this (it engages with a lug on the back of a lens rear cap to make it easy to remove a lensless adapter from an M body) but M-mount lenses don't need it and don't have it. I'm less sure about the ring of naked brass, though it's also something that seems to exist on all old bayonet adapters but not on M-mounts. More photos please! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
zeitz Posted July 11, 2011 Share #12 Posted July 11, 2011 A Leica adapter is attached. You can see the U cut under the lens mount and the smaller notch at 12 o'clock. Put the lens/adapter on the M camera and unscrew the lens from the adapter. The adapter is then removed with a Leica M rear lens cap that has the three little protrusions that engage the cuts mentioned in the first sentence. (There are three rear cap types, make sure you have the one the black and grey version with the protrusions.) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
zeitz Posted July 11, 2011 Share #13 Posted July 11, 2011 One other thing. The M mount came out in 1954. By then Japan was no longer occupied. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
doubice Posted July 11, 2011 Share #14 Posted July 11, 2011 Fizz, you will have accept the hard truth...... You have a Nikon lens in Leica Thread Mount, with a Leica LTM to M mount adapter attached. End of story. Removal of the adapter may be as simple as described in above posts or, the original owner may have used glue for a rather permanent fit. If the lens does not unscrew from its locked position on the body, unlock the lens, turn it as when removing, and try to unscrew it in that position. Reason for that is that, sometimes the unlock grove in the adapter may give way and slip when lots of force is applied. By unscrewing aganst the body lens mount more force can be applied, should it be needed. I hope my instructions make sense.... Good luck, Jan Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
FiZZ Posted July 12, 2011 Author Share #15 Posted July 12, 2011 Fizz, you will have accept the hard truth...... You have a Nikon lens in Leica Thread Mount, with a Leica LTM to M mount adapter attached. End of story. Good luck, Jan No! I refuse to accept it! There has to be a deeper story to this!!! =( Whoever attached the adapter did a damn good job. I've had the lens for two years and been trying to unscrew it and haven't been lucky. Glued on there damn good. Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here… Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! Link to post Share on other sites Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! ' data-webShareUrl='https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/156561-nippon-kogaku-leica-bayonet-mount/?do=findComment&comment=1731486'>More sharing options...
FiZZ Posted July 12, 2011 Author Share #16 Posted July 12, 2011 For those of you wondering about the performance of this lens: I find it a bit soft wide open, but I like it because it has this smooth creamy bokeh. A bit dream like. Will be posting shots once I finish the current roll of colour 800 Portra. Film shot here was Kodak 400CN. Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here… Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! Link to post Share on other sites Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! ' data-webShareUrl='https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/156561-nippon-kogaku-leica-bayonet-mount/?do=findComment&comment=1731615'>More sharing options...
iphoenix Posted July 13, 2011 Share #17 Posted July 13, 2011 No! I refuse to accept it! There has to be a deeper story to this!!! =( Whoever attached the adapter did a damn good job. I've had the lens for two years and been trying to unscrew it and haven't been lucky. Glued on there damn good. To accept it or not is up to you. The fact is that you have a screw mount lens which has an "M mount" adaptor fitted to it. Leica and Voigtlander, plus some other companies made these adaptors and Giordano's advice about the "U shaped cut-out" being the clue to this being an adaptor is, in my humble opinion, totally correct. If you wish to separate the lens from the adaptor, it seems the specialised tools and expertise of a good camera repairer should be sought. It may be that the adaptor has been cross threaded or, as previously suggested, glued; or, simply, overtightened. Another possibility (though slim) is that the adaptor thread does not exactly match that of the lens. I have seen this on one occasion, but not with Leica or Voigtlander adaptors. Kind regards, David Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TomB_tx Posted July 13, 2011 Share #18 Posted July 13, 2011 No! I refuse to accept it! There has to be a deeper story to this!!! =( Whoever attached the adapter did a damn good job. I've had the lens for two years and been trying to unscrew it and haven't been lucky. Glued on there damn good. Sometimes owners attach the adapter with Loctite thread lock, which is strong enough (due to the area of the bond) that it is permanent. Enough heat to loosen it would destroy the lens. There is no need to lock an adapter on like this, but... Here is a Leica-made adapter removed from a lens to compare: Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here… Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! Link to post Share on other sites Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! ' data-webShareUrl='https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/156561-nippon-kogaku-leica-bayonet-mount/?do=findComment&comment=1733161'>More sharing options...
LeicaTom Posted July 29, 2011 Share #19 Posted July 29, 2011 Does anyone know where I can buy a LATER version of this lens - non close focus - with a serial number starting with the number #7 ? - Like #71xxxx or #72xxxx Nikkor HC f2/50 JAPAN in LTM Write me to my email please, I NEED the lens A.S.A.P. for a magazine shoot ohh and there's NONE on ebay BTW - I have to find one OUTSIDE of there...... Tom Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xmas Posted July 30, 2011 Share #20 Posted July 30, 2011 Hi The Nikkor HC f/2 LTM are cult lenses you normally have to buy a Nicca IIIs (or equivalent) to get one. I did not know they did non close focus ones... Noel Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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