Nikkor LTM Nikkor HC 50mm F2... Wow, I am impressed

Nikkor M39 screw mount lenses
Dez said:
I recently bought a 50mm f2 Nikkor in LTM. I am not very familiar with this version of the lens, and was surprised to see that the focusing mount seems to have two stages- down to a little less than 3.5 ft in black, and a continuation down to 1.5 ft, in red. There are not many index marks in this close range, so using the red focus scale for accurate close focus seems improbable. The focus cam keeps moving as the lens focuses closer, but uncouples from the M-mount camera (I have tried a few) at the end of the first focus scale. Is this the normal design for this lens? I am a bit mystified at the purpose of the close focus capability.

Cheers,
Dez
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I also have this lens and have been using it on my Tower/Nicca Barnack clone. I am wondering if anyone has tried the close focus capability on a digital camera and how well it works?
 
My AI'ed Nikkor-HC 50/2 (F-Mount) is my main walking around lens. I took all of my film shots on my recent Israel/Palestine trip through it. It's just so... creamy.

Jerusalem:
13439743984_5ec49d3f56_c.jpg


Back in NYC:
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12555456175_921b1e57cf_c.jpg
 
Can someone confirm the pitch of the 40.5 thread please? There seems to be conflicting opinions on this.
Thank you
 
megido said:
Thank you Erik, are you referring to 0.5 or 0.75 when you say 'old'?
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I really don't know, but I had a lot of trouble of finding a fitting shade for the lens. Finally I found a plastic Nikkorex shade with a chrome fitting for the Nikkorex 5cm f/2.5 lens that fitted well. Very nice shade that also fits the Nikon rangefinder version of this lens.

Erik.
 
Erik van Straten said:
I really don't know, but I had a lot of trouble of finding a fitting shade for the lens. Finally I found a plastic Nikkorex shade with a chrome fitting for the Nikkorex 5cm f/2.5 lens that fitted well. Very nice shade that also fits the Nikon rangefinder version of this lens.

Erik.
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Hmm -- my Nikkor-H.C 50/2 LTM has no trouble mounting a modern generic 40.5mm screw-in hood. Maybe Nikon changed the thread pitch at some point?
 
kermaier said:
Hmm -- my Nikkor-H.C 50/2 LTM has no trouble mounting a modern generic 40.5mm screw-in hood. Maybe Nikon changed the thread pitch at some point?
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That's what I'm thinking. What number is yours?
I'm hoping to be able to use screw in Heliopan filters and hood with 0.5 pitch.
 
From recent information the optical formula of the Nikkor-H 5cm/2 did undergo some changes during it's production.
The Nikkor-H 5cm/2 was originally designed in 1946 using German Schott "barium" glass and a collapsble mount.
When the new Nikon 1 camera was produced in 1947 a very small number of these cameras were fitted with Nikkor-H 5cm/2 lenses serial nos.609xxx.Due to the stock of German Schott "barium" glass running out Nippon Kogaku had to re-design and re-formulate the Nikkor-H 5cm/2 using "non-barium" glass that they had in stock as they were not allowed to produce their own "barium" glass because of restrictions made by the Occupation government.This series of lenses was the 708xxx and was supplied with most early Nikon 1 cameras.By late 1948 to 1950 supplies of newer glass types became available and presumably the 5008xxxx series in a fixed mount stabilised the design for the later series of Nikkor-H 5cm/2 lenses.
More info on this thread:-
http://www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=148887
 
PAN F said:
From recent information the optical formula of the Nikkor-H 5cm/2 did undergo some changes during it's production.
The Nikkor-H 5cm/2 was originally designed in 1946 using German Schott "barium" glass and a collapsble mount.
When the new Nikon 1 camera was produced in 1947 a very small number of these cameras were fitted with Nikkor-H 5cm/2 lenses serial nos.609xxx.Due to the stock of German Schott "barium" glass running out Nippon Kogaku had to re-design and re-formulate the Nikkor-H 5cm/2 using "non-barium" glass that they had in stock as they were not allowed to produce there own "barium" glass because of restrictions made by the Occupation government.This series of lenses was the 708xxx and was supplied with most early Nikon 1 cameras.By late 1948 to 1950 supplies of newer glass types became available and presumably the 5008xxxx series in a fixed mount stabilised the design for the later series of Nikkor-H 5cm/2 lenses.
More info on this thread:-
http://www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=152393
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I recently read about this in ニコン物語 (Nikon Story) and 明るい暗箱 (Bright Dark Box), which are the two most detailed books in Japanese on Nikon's early history. Its true that the optical formula of the Nikkor-H 5cm F2 did go through some changes very early on in its production cycle. Different glass had to be used for one particular element, so the design was tweaked to accommodate that. I'd have to go back and reread the sections again, but I don't think the story above quite fits what is written in these Japanese books though.
 
I recently found a nice Nikkor HC 50mm f/2 in LTM and I am quite happy with this lens.

However, the filter thread size is a mystery to me. I tried 43mm, 40.5mm, 40mm, 39mm, but none of my filters fits. I guess there is some kind of special filter needed. Hmmmmm, can anybody help me? :(
 
Lavertezzo said:
I recently found a nice Nikkor HC 50mm f/2 in LTM and I am quite happy with this lens. However, the filter thread size is a mystery to me. I tried 43mm, 40.5mm, 40mm, 39mm, but none of my filters fits. I guess there is some kind of special filter needed. Hmmmmm, can anybody help me? :(
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40.5 but a different pitch. Hoya filters should work; B+W filters are not so tolerant.

D
 
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