M-Mount Lens Conversions Now Available from Omnar Lenses and Skyllaney Opto-Mechanics

By Hamish Gill

Omnar Lenses and Skyllaney Opto-Mechanics are offering a new one-off, high-quality service converting non-rangefinder lenses to rangefinder coupled M-Mount lenses. The conversion service provides full RF coupling from 0.67m to Infinity and takes advantage of the Omnar lens platform that was developed for the batch conversion of lenses such as the Canon 26mm f/6 optic that was used to produce Omnar CN26-6.

Rather than batch conversions, these lens conversions are one-offs and make use of some of the mechanical parts of the original lens. Skylanney Opto-Mechanics are offering this service to customers who either have a working lens that they would prefer to use on an M-mount camera or who have lenses with various mechanical issues that could be fixed by changing the mount and focusing helical.

The Omnar lens platform is capable of converting optical blocks from lenses with 8mm to 52.4mm in focal length. This includes, but is not limited to lenses such as the 42mm Summar, 50mm Sonnar, 28mm Tessar, 35mm Biometar, 40mm Rollei, 21mm Biogon.

The process of conversion differs for each lens, but all conversions include:
– Reverse engineering the optical block to extract the true EFL value of the lens formula, and design of the adaptation mechanics to rehouse the lens into the Omnar lens platform.
– High precision calculation and machining of the rangefinder cam to ensure RF coupling from 0.67m to Infinity for M, VM and ZM bayonet rangefinder cameras.
– A high precision, all brass helicoid system designed and manufactured here in the United Kingdom.
– Laser engraved focus ring with your choice of metric or imperial distance increments.
– All brass finger tab.
– A clean, lubrication, and adjustment (CLA) of your existing optical block.
– A choice of Antique Brassing, House Black Matte or House Gloss Black on the new conversion parts (does not include re-paint of existing parts on the optical block such as aperture rings).
– 1 Year warranty on all parts and work.

In case you didn’t already know, Omnar Lenses is mine and Chris Andreyo of Skyllaney Opto-Mechanics collaborative project. Me and Chris share a passion for rangefinder lenses, but also hold the same views when it comes to the build quality of lenses and the optics found within them. Owning a rangefinder camera need not be about owning lenses made by the same brand, nor should it need to be about shooting lenses that fit the commonly held view that sharpness is king, and aberrations should be avoided at all costs. In fact, choosing a lens should be about choosing image qualities that suit the goals and needs of the photographer, whatever those needs might be. Omnar Lenses was created to fill a niche hole in the marketplace. Unusual or otherwise difficult to mount to rangefinder camera optics, housed in no-compromise mechanics.

Conversions start at £1249, and currently have a 8-12 week lead time.

You can find more information on our website here.

 

 

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About The Author

By Hamish Gill
I started taking photos at the age of 9. Since then I've taken photos for a hobby, sold cameras for a living, and for a little more than decade I've been a professional photographer and, of course, weekly contributor to 35mmc.
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