Lens mounts
A lens mount is a mechanical and also sometimes an electrical interface between a camera and a lens that allows cameras to have interchangeable lenses. Still and motion picture cameras, as well as other optical equipment, use lens mounts. Some are unique to a particular device or manufacturer (and protected by patent); for some, the patent has expired; and others again are designed to be shared by cameras from multiple manufacturers.
|
Most lens mounts fall into one of several categories of mechanical operation: threaded screw, bayonet, or breech lock. A few additional variations or combinations are rarely used such as multi-start threaded screw mounts. The primary motivation for the proliferation of lens mounting systems and the incompatibility between different manufacturers' mounting systems is vendor lock-in; the desire to force a consumer to continuing buying hardware of a given brand by assuring their hardware will not be compatible with other brands.
In contrast to camera manufacturers' desire for incompatibility, consumer demand for interchangeability has driven the development of lens mount adapters and interchangeable mount systems by third-party lens manufacturers. In principle a mechanical lens mount adapter can be created for a camera with a given register (aka Flange Focal Distance or FFD) that will mount lenses designed for cameras of any greater register. Adapting a lens designed for a smaller register either (a) requires an optical adapter (which lowers image quality), or (b) prevents focussing beyond a certain distance. (Even with a greater register, there may be mechanical limitations.)
Some lens manufacturers specifically design lenses to be relatively easy to convert to any one of several different proprietary mounts.[1]
Lens mount table
The table below lists known camera lens mounts by name, register (Flange Focal Distance), and mechanical description. The table can be sorted by any of these parameters by clicking the sort icons in the table header. The data in this table has been compiled from a variety of sources including our own pages, the Cornell University camera mount list, and William-Jan Markerink's lens flange distance table. See the Links section below for some of our sources.
Certain bodies (e.g. the Contax Kiev or the Canon 7) have two mounts, for either of two kinds of lens.
This table necessarily lacks detail that has important implications. As an example, both Nippon Kōgaku and Cosina have made specialist lenses popularly termed "Nikon F mount" that are much as described below but extend backward so far that the camera's mirror must be locked up; this in turn (i) limits the usable "Nikon F mount" cameras to those that have mirror lock-up and (ii) means that the resulting combination is no longer a SLR. Therefore the table should only be taken as an introductory guide to which lenses work with which bodies.
Mount name | Register | Mechanical desc. | Coverage area | Throat dia. | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Aaton mount | 40 | breech | 50 | ||
AGFA Ambi | 41.3 [3] | Clamp | 24x36 | 25 | Rangefinder lens mount unique of the Ambi Silette camera |
Alpa mount | 37.8[4] | bayonet | 42 | ||
Argus mount | 44.45[4] | bayonet | 24x36 | Used in C44 | |
Arriflex mount | 52[5] | bayonet | varies | 54mm | 16/35mm motion picture cameras, includes Arri Standard, Arri Bayonet, and Arri PL. Some cameras may use a 51.97 FFD |
Asahiflex mount | 45.46 | M37x1 screw | 24x36 | 37 | Asahi Optical mount for their first SLRS. |
B4 mount | 48 | bayonet | |||
Bolex H8RX mount | 15.31 | 1″x32tpi thread | |||
Bolex mount | 23.22 | breech | |||
Bronica mount | 101.7 | bayonet and 57x1 thread | 57 mm | aka Bronica S, Bronica S2, Bronica S2A, 6x6 medium format | |
Bronica ETR mount | bayonet | 6x4.5 medium format | |||
Bronica GS1 mount | 85[6] | bayonet | 55.6x69.0mm[6] | 6x7 medium format | |
Bronica RF mount | bayonet | 6x4.5 medium format | |||
Bronica SQ mount | 85[6] | bayonet | 6x6 medium format | ||
C-mount | 17.526[7] | 1″x32tpi thread | 7.49x10.26 mm | 25.4mm | 16mm film camera, video cameras |
C-S mount | 12.526[7] | 1″x32tpi thread | 7.49x10.26 mm | 25.4mm | 16mm film cameras, video cameras |
Canon EF / EF-S mounts | 44[4] | bayonet | 24x36 mm | 54 | Canon EOS 35mm SLR and DSLRs |
Canon RF / EOS-R mount | 20 | bayonet | 24x36 mm | 54 | Canon EOS-R 35mm and APS-C mirrorless cameras |
Canon R/FL/FD mounts | 42.1[4] | breech or bayonet | 24x36 mm | 42mm | 35mm SLR |
Canon screw mount (early) | 28.8 [4] | M39x1 thread | 24x36 mm | aka Canon S mount, 35mm rangefinder; all but the earliest are regular Leica screw mount | |
Canon SV mount | still video camera | ||||
Canon VL mount | 20 | bayonet | EX1, EX2 camcorders | ||
Contarex mount | 46[4] | bayonet | 24x36 | ||
Contax 645 mount | 6x4.5 medium format | ||||
Contax N mount | 48 | bayonet | 24x36 | 55 | |
Contax G1 mount | 29[4] | bayonet | 24x36 | 44 | |
Contax RF mount | 34.85[4] | bayonet | 24x36 | 44 | aka Contax/Kiev mount |
Contax/Yashica mount | 45.5[4] | bayonet | 24x36 mm | 42mm | aka C/Y mount or Y/C mount, for 35mm SLR |
D-mount | 12.9 | 0.625″x32tpi thread | 4.8x3.5 mm | 15.88mm | 8mm film cameras |
DKL/Deckel mount | 44.7 | bayonet | 24x36 mm | 22.5 mm | Series of German leaf shutter cameras (both rangefinder and SLR), offered from 1956 to about 1970 |
Eclair mount | 48 | bayonet | |||
Exakta 66 mount | 74.1 | breech | 60 | ||
Exakta/Topcon mount | 44.7[4] | bayonet | 24x36 mm | 42mm | 35mm SLR |
Four-Thirds | 38.67 (or 38.80)[8] | digital still | |||
Fuji 680 mount | 6x8 medium format | ||||
Fuji 690 mount | 6x9 medium format rangefinder | ||||
Fuji 617 mount | 6x17 medium format panorama | ||||
Fujica S mount | 45.5[4] | screw | 24x36 mm | 35mm SLR, same as M42 mount | |
Fujica X mount | 43.5 | bayonet | 24x36 mm | 35mm SLR | |
Fujifilm X[9] | 17.7 | bayonet | 23.6 x 15.6 | 44 | Mirrorless |
Fujifilm G | 26.7 | bayonet | 43.8 x 32.9 | 65 | Mirrorless (Fujifilm GFX cameras) |
Hasselblad 500/2000 mount | 74.9 | bayonet | 56x56 mm | aka Hasselblad V-System, for 6x6 medium format | |
Hasselblad Xpan mount | 34.27mm +/-0.03mm | bayonet | 35mm panoramic camera Fujifilm TX cameras | ||
Hasselblad/Kiev88 mount | 82.1 | multi-start thread | 56x56 mm | 6x6 medium format | |
Icarex mount | 48 | bayonet | |||
Kiev 60, Kiev Six mounts | 74.1 | breech | |||
Kiev 88 mount | 82.1 | multi-start thread | 56x56 mm | 6x6 medium format | |
Kilarflex mount | 92.3 | ||||
Kilarscope mount | 78.8 | ||||
Kodak Retina Reflex mount | 44.7 | bayonet | 24x36 mm | ||
Konica Autoreflex mount | 40.7[4] | bayonet | 24x36 mm | ||
Konica F | 40.5 | bayonet | |||
Konica Hexar RF mount | 27.8[4] | bayonet | register +/- 0.03mm to pressure plate | ||
Kowa Six, Super 66 mounts | 79 | breech | 56x56 mm | ||
Leica M mount | 27.8[10] | bayonet | 24x36 mm | 44mm | 35mm rangefinder |
Leica R mount | 46.9[4] | bayonet | 24x36 mm | 42mm | 35mm SLR |
Leica screw mount | 28.8[4] | M39x26tpi thread | 24x36 mm | 39mm | aka M39 mount, use for enlargers and some 35mm rangefinders |
Leitz Visoflex I mount | 62.5 | M39x26tpi thread | 24x36 mm | 42mm | 35mm SLR |
Leitz Visoflex II, III mount | 40 | bayonet | mechanically identical to Leica M except flange distance | ||
M42 screw mount | 45.46 | M42x1 thread | 24x36 mm | 42mm | aka Pentax thread mount, Universal screw mount, and Praktica thread mount, for 35mm SLR |
Mamiya 6 mount | bayonet | 6x6 medium format RF | |||
Mamiya 7 mount | bayonet | 6x7 medium format RF | |||
Mamiya 645 mount | 63.3 | bayonet | 41.5x56 mm | ||
Mamiya Press mount | |||||
Mamiya RB mount | 112 | bayonet | 56x68.4 mm (Pro-S) 56x69.5 mm (Pro-SD) | 6x7 medium format | |
Mamiya RZ mount | 105 | bayonet | 56x69.5 mm | 6x7 medium format | |
Mamiya TLR mount | medium format C series TLR lens | ||||
Micro Four Thirds System mount | 19.20[8] | bayonet | 17.3x13 mm | 44mm | also known as µ4/3, M4/3 or MFT mount |
Minolta MD | 43.72 +.01/-1.02 | bayonet | 24x36 mm | 42mm | 35mm SLR |
Minolta V-mount | 38 | bayonet | 16.7x30.2 mm | aka Vectis mount, for APS film cameras | |
Miranda BM mount | 41.46 | M44x1 thread w/external bayonet | |||
Miranda Laborec mounts | 41.46 | M44x1 thread | |||
Narcissus mount | 28.8 | M24x1 thread | |||
Nikon 1 mount | bayonet | 13.2x8.8 mm | digital still CX format | ||
Nikon F mount | 46.5[4] | bayonet | 24x36 mm | 42m | 35mm SLR |
Nikon S mount | 34.85 | bayonet | 24x36 mm | 35mm rangefinder; earlier bodies for 24x32 and 24x34 mm | |
Nikon Z mount[11] | 16.0 | bayonet | 24x36 | 55 | Mirrorless |
Novoflex mount | 100 | ||||
Olympus OM mount | 46[4] | bayonet | 24x36 mm | 42mm | 35mm SLR |
Olympus Pen F mount | 28.95[4] | bayonet | 24x18 mm | 35mm half-frame cameras | |
Opema mount | 38mm thread | 24x32 mm | 35mm viewfinder/rangefinder cameras | ||
Panavision PV mount | 57.119[5] | varies | 49.50mm | 35mm motion picture cameras. FFD is sometime specified in inches as 2.2488 rather than in mm. | |
Paxette mount | 44 | M39x1 thread | |||
Pentacon 6 mount | 74.1 | breech | 56x56 mm | ||
Pentax 6x7 mount | 84.95 | bayonet | 56x70 mm | 6x7 medium format | |
Pentax 645 mount | 70.87 | bayonet | 41.5x56 mm | ||
Pentax 110 mount | bayonet | ||||
Pentax K mount | 45.5[4] | bayonet | 24x36 mm | 42mm | 35mm SLR |
Pentax Q mount | 9.2 | bayonet | digital still | ||
Pentax/Praktica mount | 45.46 | M42x1 thread | 24x36 mm | ||
Petri mount | 45.5 | bayonet | 24x36 mm | ||
Petriflex mount | 43.5[4] | bayonet | |||
Praktica mount | 44.4[4] | bayonet | |||
Practiflex mount | 45.5 | M40x1 thread | 24x36 mm | 35mm SLR | |
Praktina mount | 50 | breech | |||
Rectaflex mount | 43.4 | ||||
Ricoh XR mount | 45.5[4] | bayonet | |||
Rolleiflex SL mount | 44.5[4] | bayonet | |||
Rolleiflex SL66 mount | 102.8 | bayonet | 56x56 mm | ||
Samsung NX | 25.5 | bayonet | 23.5x15.7 mm | Samsung NX cameras (APS-C) | |
Schneider | M26x0.5 | ||||
Sigma SA mount | 44 | bayonet | 24x36 | 44 | |
Sigma YS mount | 55 | M42x0.75 thread | 24x36 mm | 42mm | T mount with aperture coupling |
Sony A mount | 44.5[4] | bayonet | 24x36 mm | 42 mm | Original called Minolta A mount (aka Sony Alpha mount, Minolta Alpha mount, Minolta AF mount) |
Sony E-mount | 18 | bayonet | 23.4x15.6 mm | 46 | Sony NEX cameras (APS-C) |
Start mount | breech | used on KMZ Start SLR and one Helios-44 58mm lens | |||
T mount | 55 | M42x0.75 thread | 24x36 mm | 42 mm | T stands for Taisei. aka Tamron T mount, T2 mount, for 35mm SLR |
T-4 mount | bayonet | 24x36 mm | 42 mm | used by Vivitar/Soligor lenses | |
TX mount | bayonet | 24x36 mm | 42 mm | used by Vivitar | |
Topcon UV mount | 55 | bayonet | |||
Voigtländer Bessamatic mount | 44.7[4] | bayonet | |||
Wrayflex mount | 42.05 | M41.2x26tpi | |||
Yashica Pentamatic, Pentamatic II | 43 | bayonet | |||
Zeiss Ikon Flektoskop, Flektometer mounts | 84.5 | ||||
Zeiss Ikon Panflex mount | 64.5 | ||||
Zenit 80 mount | 74.1 | multi-start thread | |||
Zenith S mount | 45.46[4] | M39x1 thread | aka Zenith 3M mount |
Notes
- ↑ David Kilpatrick. "Sigma launch mount switching service". 2013.
- ↑ Camera mounts by Stephen H Westin
- ↑ AGFA Ambi Silette Ersatzteilliste - 681 defs.-0557 1957
- ↑ 4.00 4.01 4.02 4.03 4.04 4.05 4.06 4.07 4.08 4.09 4.10 4.11 4.12 4.13 4.14 4.15 4.16 4.17 4.18 4.19 4.20 4.21 4.22 4.23 4.24 4.25 Ray, Sidney F. (1988) Applied Photographic Optics: Lenses and Optical System for Photography. p 272 ISBN 0240515404, Google Books view
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Samuelson, David (1994) Hands-On Manual for Cinematographers. p 62 ISBN 0240514807 Google Books view
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 Shashin Kōgyō(Photographic Industries) vol. 41 no. 9 '83 p. 80
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 Ray (1988), p 634.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 WJ's Camera mounts & registers (archived)
- ↑ Fujifilm-X Official Website
- ↑ Osterloh, Günter (1985). Leica M: Hohe Schule der Fotografie. ISBN 3524680429
- ↑ Nikon Z official
Links
- Camera mounts & registers Data by William-Jan Markerink compiled by Stephen H Westin at Cornell University
- List of Camera Mounts in alphabetical order Data by William-Jan Markerink compiled by Stephen H Westin at Cornell University
- Interchangeable non-AF lenses - an attempt at basic classification
- Rick Oleson's SLR Lens Mount Identification Guide
- Lens Mount Guide Part 1, Part 2, Part 3 on KEH Cameras
- Lens and lens mount pages, including Vivitar T-4, Sologar T-4, Adaptall, Spiratone/Y-S and lens specs from various manufacturers from www.OrphanCameras.com
- Wikipedia: lens mount