Adapters for dslr-lenses -> Atik

[jorma_mantyla]

Are there anywhere available adapters for various modern dslr-lenses to be used with Atik-cameras? I mean Canon, Nikon, Pentax and Sony/Minolta lenses.

Atik-cameras use the traditional M42-screw for connection with telescopes. Almost all telescopes have this same screw for connection with camera. However, adapters dslr->M42 are rare and I have not found any adapters for Pentax->M42. For Canon such adapters exist, as you can see:

http://www.astroanarchy.blogspot.com/2012/01/what.html

But these adapters are rare. I'd like to use Pentax dslr-lenses with Atik 383L.

Of course, old M42 lenses can be used with Atik. These are easily available but some of them are of moderate or poor quality in astrophotography (chromatic aberration etc.). Modern dslr-lenses are generally of better quality thanks to CNC-techniques used in lens production.

Thanks for info in advance.

Jorma Mantyla
Kangasala
Finland

[MikeM]

If you are using Pentax K lenses then an adapter is available by Hutech (Borg). The show a setup using an Orion camera that has a t-thread.
You maybe able to find what you need there. Also I know that Geoptik makes lens adapters, but not sure if they have one for Pentax.
Hope this helps.

[bwa]

Are there anywhere available adapters for various modern dslr-lenses to be used with Atik-cameras? I mean Canon, Nikon, Pentax and Sony/Minolta lenses.

Atik-cameras use the traditional M42-screw for connection with telescopes. Almost all telescopes have this same screw for connection with camera. However, adapters dslr->M42 are rare and I have not found any adapters for Pentax->M42. For Canon such adapters exist, as you can see:

http://www.astroanarchy.blogspot.com/2012/01/what.html

But these adapters are rare. I'd like to use Pentax dslr-lenses with Atik 383L.

Of course, old M42 lenses can be used with Atik. These are easily available but some of them are of moderate or poor quality in astrophotography (chromatic aberration etc.). Modern dslr-lenses are generally of better quality thanks to CNC-techniques used in lens production.

Thanks for info in advance.

Jorma Mantyla

Pentax adapters: http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/search?Ntt=C-Mount+Adapter+for+Pentax+Lens&N=0&InitialSearch=yes

Of course the link above is for C-Mount to Pentax.  Depends on the ATIK camera being used.  On the 428Ex I use these with a M42(T) to C-Mount adapter, then the pertinent Pentax adapter.  As you mentioned there are a lot of M42(T) to EOS adapters.

A lot of old M42 lenses do NOT have the same thread as ATIK cameras.  ATIK cameras have M42(T) thread which has a different pitch than say the M42 thread on MTO and Rubinar lenses.  If you use the old M42 mount on your ATIK camera you'll mess up the M42(T) thread!!  You actually require a M42 to M42(T) adapter to use the old M42 lenses.

bwa

[bwa]

If you are using Pentax K lenses then an adapter is available by Hutech (Borg). The show a setup using an Orion camera that has a t-thread.
You maybe able to find what you need there. Also I know that Geoptik makes lens adapters, but not sure if they have one for Pentax.
Hope this helps.

Thanks for the suggestion.  I took a look at http://www.hutech.com/astro/deepskycam/index.htm .  Looks like quite a good setup!?

bwa

[jorma_mantyla]

Pentax adapters: http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/search?Ntt=C-Mount+Adapter+for+Pentax+Lens&N=0&InitialSearch=yes
A lot of old M42 lenses do NOT have the same thread as ATIK cameras.  ATIK cameras have M42(T) thread which has a different pitch than say the M42 thread on MTO and Rubinar lenses.  If you use the old M42 mount on your ATIK camera you'll mess up the M42(T) thread!!  You actually require a M42 to M42(T) adapter to use the old M42 lenses.
bwa

Yes, I know there are at least two M42 screws, 0,75 and 1,00 mm. I have adapters for both of them.
Now it seems that Bhphotovideo and Hutech have the correct adapter Pentax->M42.  The price of Bhphotovideo adapter is $29.95 while the Hutech price is $149.00. Or are these different adapters?

BTW, I have a hint for Steve Chambers and Rui Tripa. Atik should produce dslr-> M42 adapters so that dslr lenses can be used with Atik cameras. These lenses are nowadays of high quality. They can be used if wide areas of sky are photographed. Adapters should be designed so that the Atik filter wheel can be placed between the camera and the lens.

Jorma Mantyla
Kangasala
Finland

[bwa]

Now it seems that Bhphotovideo and Hutech have the correct adapter Pentax->M42.  The price of Bhphotovideo adapter is $29.95 while the Hutech price is $149.00. Or are these different adapters?

You might wish to contact Ted Ishikawa at ishikawa@hutech.com and ask him what it includes.  Not too easy to determine from info on the site...

bwa

[Konihlav]

Vast majority of CCD cameras has M42x0.75 female thread (T-thread) with some backfocus requirement (13-20mm usually).

The cheap chinese or expensive re-selled chinese adapters are not worth the money. All DSLR lens adapters that I had in my hands were poor design and waste of money.

There is only one thing that works well:
http://www.teleskop-express.de/shop/product_info.php/info/p2836_Geoptik-T2-Adapter-fuer-CANON-EOS-Objektive---mit-Stativanschluss.html

it has perfect system to attach lenses that assures the focal planes are square! therefore your stars are as pin-point as your lens can do at given F-stop. The only downside of this Geoptik adapter is that it doesn't have a filter holder. For mono CCD's there's almost no way how to couple CCD camera with FW (filter wheel) to DSLR lens (only expection was my old Atik 314L+ with 12mm backfocus with 15mm T-2 based filter drawer from TeleskopService: http://www.teleskop-express.de/shop/product_info.php/info/p2165_Filterschublade-inkl--1-Einschub-fuer-1-25--Filter---kurzbauend.html AND some of these cheap and poor aluminium EOS bayonet to T2 adapters like:
http://www.teleskop-express.de/shop/product_info.php/info/p4511_T2-Adapter-fuer-Canon-EOS-Objektive---nur-14-5mm-Baulaenge.html

BTW I do own (at the moment) a custom build part that has front side like Geoptik and rear side like filter drawer so I can use all kind of 1.25" and 2" filters with almost any CCD no matter if color or mono...

[jorma_mantyla]

Vast majority of CCD cameras has M42x0.75 female thread (T-thread) with some backfocus requirement (13-20mm usually).
The cheap chinese or expensive re-selled chinese adapters are not worth the money. All DSLR lens adapters that I had in my hands were poor design and waste of money.
There is only one thing that works well:
http://www.teleskop-express.de/shop/product_info.php/info/p2836_Geoptik-T2-Adapter-fuer-CANON-EOS-Objektive---mit-Stativanschluss.html

I agree with you. Now I am somewhat confused. Possibly the Hutech/Borg adapter might be the best available for Pentax optics? Until Atik produces adapters for dslr-lenses + Atik cameras. Hopefully Rui and Steve have read our discussion.

The German Teleskop-Express adapter really works. Finnish astrophotographer J-P Metsavainio uses this with Canon 200 mm lens:

http://astroanarchy.blogspot.com/

The poblem is that Teleskop-Express has adapters for Canon and Nikon lenses only. I have asked them because I have many years used Pentax (currently K-x, which is a good camera indeed) and I have a bunch of Pentax lenses ranging from 14 to 135 and 200 mm. Wouldn't like to buy expensive Canon or Nikon lenses for astrophotography only.

Jorma Mantyla
Kangasala
Finland