Bellow Help!

[Marcio]

I have a Novoflex bellow M42. What do I need to get from the front of the Novoflex bellow to mount an EL-Nikkor 50mm f/2.8 enlarging lens?

I need the exact specifications as I am a beginner.

Thank!

[Pau]

Because for macro work enlarger lenses work better reversed, you need a reversing ring with two male trheads, one M42 and the other with the filter diameter of your lens, I can't specify more because there are different sizes. If you don't find the exact one, you can buy a reversing ring and some step up or step down filter adapter rings. These adapters are usualy available for little money in eBay form chinese sellers.

[rjlittlefield]

Marcio, welcome aboard.

As Pau says, you need two things:

1. an M42 "reverse adapter", such as the M42-MACRO-REVERSE-ADAPTER-RING-55mm

2. one or two "step up" ring(s) to fit between the reverse adapter and the front of the enlarging lens. Many of the EL Nikkor 50 mm f/2.8 lenses have a 40.5 mm front thread, but there are other sizes so measure to be sure. The 40.5 mm thread will measure as about 40 mm inside diameter; other sizes will be off by the same 0.5 mm difference. Given the 55 mm reverse adapter noted above, you would need a pair of rings such as 40.5mm to 52mm and 52mm to 55mm.

I do not know anything about the specific eBay vendors at those links. These parts are entirely mechanical so any units with the same specs should work fine.

--Rik

[Craig Gerard]

The EL-Nikkor 50mm/f2.8 (both the older and the more recent versions) have a 40.5mm filter thread on front of the lens.

Best to use it reverse-mounted as already mentioned.

So, thinking in reverse....If the Novoflex bellows has a female thread, then here is another, similar alternative to those already mentioned by Pau and Rik.

Macro Coupler Male 42mm (1.0) to Male 52mm:
This screws into the end of the bellows via the male M42 thread and leaves an exposed 52mm male thread to which a 40.5mm to 52mm step ring is attached. The 52mm female thread of the latter attaches to the Macro Coupler male 52mm thread. The 40.5mm thread screws into the front filter thread of the EL-Nikkor....and you are good to go

Some examples of the parts mentioned:

Macro Coupler: (these are not common)
http://cgi.ebay.com/Macro-Coupler-Rever ... 0324995025

40.5mm to 52mm Adapter: (you can almost always find these available)
http://cgi.ebay.com/40-5-52-MM-40-5MM-5 ... 0574048516


Craig

[rjlittlefield]

If the Novoflex bellows has a female thread, then here is another similar approach to those mentioned by Pau and Rik.

Ah, good -- you've found an M42 to 52 mm reverse adapter. I looked for one of those but couldn't find it, so I used an M42 to 55 mm and then a step ring to make up the difference.

--Rik

[Craig Gerard]

Rik,

I've just purchased one of those couplers.
I don't have one in my box'o'things and could use one right about now. I have other bits I can use; but the coupler presents a cost-effective solution.

The parts may be sourced from sellers nearer to where Marcio is based. I posted the links as examples.

Marcio, let us know if this all makes sense. I used to get headaches working out which step-up/step-down ring, adapter or coupler I needed for various applications....still do to some extent; it also pays to read the various sellers' descriptions of the item and not rely solely on the listing image(s) when making a decision. Sometimes the image does not correspond to the details in the actual listing.

The EL-Nikkor 50mm/f2.8 is very nice when reverse-mounted and the aperture set in the f4 - f5.6 range.

Craig

[Marcio]

Thank you for your help and your explanations. Everything is making sense now! Thanks a lot.