MC Zoom-Macro 37-105 1:3.5

[Shinnen]

Hi all,
I got this lens really cheap today, thinking that it might fit my my FX-3, but, alas, it does not. Well, it does, sort of, but it doesn't lock, and tends to fall off. Fortunately it hasn't hit the floor .... yet.
It's a very impressive looking piece of hardware, and I have no idea what I'm going to do with it.
Here's a couple of photos.
One other thing. Who makes it? The front of the lens says only,"67Ø No. 303251"



.... john

[Ozzie_Traveller]

G'day John

The mount sort-of looks like an old Canon mount - does the mounting ring rotate? ... maybe a canon film camera bod here will know more than I do

Certainly - if you can nail down the mount, there's a good chance you can obtain a 'xxx' > m4/3 adapter somewhere
Phil

[Shinnen]

Hi Phil,
Thanks for replying. Yes, the mounting ring does rotate. I was hoping to adapt it to one of my digitals; but it's so bloody heavy that it would surely screw up the zoom mechanism. I know pretty much nothing about these lenses, but it sure looks nice. I bought it for $8. It was probably several hundred dollar new. It's amazing how cheaply these things can be had.
.... john

[Ozzie_Traveller]

G'day John

Have a talk to google & maybe B&H - Dino Direct or AliBaba - etc. and see what m4/3 adapters are already available ... I have a couple for the Panny and each cost about the same as your lens !!

Phil

[Shinnen]

Thanks Phil,
Just to be clear. Are we talking about connecting this to a digital, non interchangeable lens camera, like my FZ150?
.... john

[Ozzie_Traveller]

Originally Posted by Shinnen

Thanks Phil,
Just to be clear. Are we talking about connecting this to a digital, non interchangeable lens camera, like my FZ150? .... john

Whoops matey ... NUP - it would be to a m4/3 mirrorless
Back to square one

Phil

[Ozzie_Traveller]

Okay John - thinking this thru a tad further ...

Panny in their design wisdom do offer an accessory lens tube that is attached to the lens body -not- the lens itself. This is MUST-HAVE for you. You will find it described in your instruction manual as the "lens adapter'

This hollow tube screws onto the camera body =outside= the zoom lens and is about 35mm long, and finishes with a 55mm dia filter thread. Therefore any filter or lens or whatever that has a 55mm dia thread then goes into the adapter and the zoom lens is unaffected by the attached device ... it can zoom in & out quite happily

Here's a snap from the FZ-200 book - your FZ-100/150 will be almost identical



What this 'could' mean for you is that you could get the zoom lens shown above, then glue a 55mm UV filter to the original lens mount, then screw it onto the Panny lens adapter and experiment from there. A cheaper option would be to hunt up some 'step-up' or 'step-down' rings that were 55mm dia for about $5ea and use these instead of a more expensive UV filter

Hope this helps
Phil

[Shinnen]

Originally Posted by Ozzie_Traveller

Okay John - thinking this thru a tad further ...

Panny in their design wisdom do offer an accessory lens tube that is attached to the lens body -not- the lens itself. This is MUST-HAVE for you. You will find it described in your instruction manual as the "lens adapter'

This hollow tube screws onto the camera body =outside= the zoom lens and is about 35mm long, and finishes with a 55mm dia filter thread. Therefore any filter or lens or whatever that has a 55mm dia thread then goes into the adapter and the zoom lens is unaffected by the attached device ... it can zoom in & out quite happily

Here's a snap from the FZ-200 book - your FZ-100/150 will be almost identical



What this 'could' mean for you is that you could get the zoom lens shown above, then glue a 55mm UV filter to the original lens mount, then screw it onto the Panny lens adapter and experiment from there. A cheaper option would be to hunt up some 'step-up' or 'step-down' rings that were 55mm dia for about $5ea and use these instead of a more expensive UV filter

Hope this helps
Phil

Hi Phil,
Ah yes, now we're on the same page. Great ideas. There is 1cm. wide ring on the FZ150, just behind the lens, with ridges, seemingly so that one can unscrew it, but I can't move it. Do you have any clue how this works? Maybe it's locked?
..... john

[Ozzie_Traveller]

G'day John

I've downloaded & sqwizzed the FZ150 user manual to confirm the details ... it's on pg 174

Here's where the Accessory Ring attached to the camera


ps- I think that the dia of these accessory rings is the same - the length alters to fit the zoom length of the main lens. If you can't find the exact one, probably another will do just as well ~ a bit of checking will confirm

Hope this helps
Phil

[Shinnen]

H Phil,
I looked at Graham Houghton's accessories for the FZ150 video, and he says that the tread size for the adapter is 62.5mm, an odd size from what I can see. So, I may be stuck with trying to find the recommended one, as opposed to jury rigging one out of step ups and downs. I also checked the Panasonic website and they're no longer selling the adapter, although they do sell the lenses that fit on it ...... interesting.
Thanks again,
.... john