The 46mm Hoya +1 option looks good. Somehow I missed this option when browsing through the thread. For the 46mm Hoya +1 I hope Contax 46mm UV filter frame work:
It standard accessory for all sold G45 and G90 (maybe other G lenses as well?).
I don't even dream on using 55mm (or 46mm) polarizer and ND, I have no problem stepping up to 58/67/82mm when filter is needed. I don't think I have ND filters other than 58/67/82mm. So as long as I can attach step-up ring I'm fine. Step-up ring adds ~1.25mm height, and the inner diameter reduces 1.95mm (46mm) or 2.25mm (55m).
GMPhotography wrote:
I'm wondering if your ELPro retaining ring is too thick. I have 46-55 and a thin empty 55 with retaining ring built in it . I'll get a link to that up. I actually think I can add a CPL with it. I just don't have anything in 55 to try. I'll take a shot of my setup and I'm going to count how many shims are removed as well, I hit infinity right at the hard stop with a Fotosy adapter.
It might be - at the moment it's only retaining ring I own, which will hold Proxar lens. Proxar diameter is 51.0mm. Elpro retaining ring inner diameter is 49.1mm, so it could be ~1.5mm larger in diameter and still keep Proxar in place. For example Contax UV filter retaining ring is 51.65mm and other 55mm filters I found from my boxes and drawers are about the same => they will not hold Proxar in place.
GMPhotography wrote:
I have my Hawk on my ZM 35 and another Fotosy on my ZM 85. These cheap adapters from Amazon are actually quite nice. So all three lenses have a adapter so I don't have to carry the Zeiss M rear caps with me. So everything is FE caps. Love this. I hate caps to begin with.
Most M-adapters are nice - much bigger quality differences in C/Y adapters for example. Few year ago purchased cheap ones have light leaks, but as I have strict "adapter for each lens"-policy that is no problem; I just add black tape to bottom of the lens/adapter. New ones I have recently received from eBay have been very good and no light leaks.
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GMPhotography wrote:
Okay first things first Shims. . Taken out of the front 2 Gold and 1 Bronze. I believe I have a silver in the front. On the rear i took out the Bronze left the rest in there. ZM 25
Based on these color definitions I had 3pcs "Gold" and 1pcs "Bronze", and I assume I can put one of them back and still reach infinity.
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artur5 wrote:
...if all these shims stacked are 0.71mm, according to theory that's enough for reaching inifnity with a +1 front element and any adapter that focuses normally up to infinity or a bit past it.
That was just one lens sample - the shims are installed by Zeiss on factory to match some tolerances => your lens may have different shims. Before attaching the filter and removing shims the lens did focus quite much over infinity, I forgot to write down (and my memory is worth maximum for some minutes...) where real infinity focus was on focus scale - between 5m and infinity for sure, but no idea was it closer to infinity or 5m. Next time I open the lens I'll add one of the shims back and see if it still can focus to infinity, now infinity is between 5m and infinity.
artur5 wrote:
I believe that the most convenient setup for using the ZM25 without additional filters is what Guy did: get a 46mm +1 Hoya HMC close up filter..Remove the glass from the mount (it's too thick and vignettes a bit with a 25mm lens). Relocate the glass to an empty ring from another 46mm. filter (UV or similar. Those come in thin mounts that won't vignette.). If possible, use a filter with a retaining ring system, as they're easy to remove and reinstall.
This way you can use the original hood on the lens. Step-up rings will not allow that, except maybe a 46-49
Yes, I somehow missed this option - I assumed Hoya doesn't even make close-up filters on this rare filter size. However if also Hoya doesn't solve boke issues, only provides nice infinity performance, then I anyway need to try the plano convex lenses - which will cause need for similar mounting mechanism, and makes choice of retention rings even more narrow as OptoSigma lenses are 1mm smaller diameter than Proxar lenses. One option glue; attach 46-67mm step-up to lens and glue the lens to the step-up adapter. Then just add empty filter to attach filters to the 67mm side (depending on filter it will touch the plano convex lens, most of my filters would touch).
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polylepis wrote:
Effusive thanks Samuli for addressing most of my basic questions about modding the ZM25. It is just so helpful to have this information collected in one place. 24-28 is my preferred FL for landscapes and an excellent, compact lens has been elusive for use on the Sonys. The many knowledgeable contributors on this thread have really moved this discussion forward. Hats off to everyone!
And as you see from discussion the "article" is not ready yet. I'll update once I get 46mm Hoya +1 and OptoSigma 1500mm = in few weeks.
