Sounds to me like he's got one of the older models with a 3/8th inch socket. If so, you just need a 1/4 inch to 3/8 inch adapter. You can find them on Amazon or Ebay.Has anyone come across anything that would work?
I found these reports that point to the same owner
https://www.imaging-resource.com/ne...r-lens-provides-a-lot-of-reach-without-breaki
https://petapixel.com/2016/04/27/soviet-1100mm-lens-basically-telescope-camera-mount/
Hopefully some clues to get you started
Thanks for this. Can I just clarify your point? The lens come with a bracket that has 3 holes in it: a central one that is 1cm diameter and a smaller one on each side each with a diameter of 5mm. What is the adapter you refer to for? I don’t see how you could attach the lens to the tripod head with it. Probably me being a bit dense!Sounds to me like he's got one of the older models with a 3/8th inch socket. If so, you just need a 1/4 inch to 3/8 inch adapter. You can find them on Amazon or Ebay.
https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/61+vo0etOYL._SL1000_.jpg
That sounds like it's 3/8 inch and should be threaded.a central one that is 1cm diameter
If these have threads they might be 1/4 inch.and a smaller one on each side each with a diameter of 5mm.
If you only have a 3/8 inch screw hole the adapter screws into that and the tripod screws into the adapter.What is the adapter you refer to for?
That sounds like it's 3/8 inch and should be threaded.
If these have threads they might be 1/4 inch.
If you only have a 3/8 inch screw hole the adapter screws into that and the tripod screws into the adapter.
My MTO 1000 had a single 3/8 inch screw hole so it was simple but it sounds like you have a different version. Perhaps a picture or two showing the mount will clarify what is happening.
It looks to me like you are going to need something bespoke made.....
.. either a threaded stub to fill the bigger hole which will receive the tripod screw.
Or and possibly the best option something more substantial attached to it with the tripod size hole(s) drilled and tapped into it
??????
@GyRob is a skilled engineer/maker of things......I wonder if, for an appropriate exchange of £'s, he can help???
The central hole is obviously plain, but looking at the 2 outer holes, there's a hint that they are threaded - is this the case? The possible thread looks quite coarse and could well be 1/4" Whitworth as per standard tripod mount. But I'm thinking that a simple adapter plate could be fashioned in any case.
Ideally, I'd like the lens in front of me for this. But if I was to make a plate, I'd need to know the exact centres (spacing) of those outer holes. If they are threaded, test them by lightly attempting to engage a 1/4" tripod screw. But the main issue is the spacing, & accuracy is paramount. Maybe a pencil & paper rubbing would do it?
And the head I think has a Manfrotto 200pl plate with 1/4" screw? All my taps are metric, so I'd have to buy a tap (about a fiver). Postage, about £4?
Material would be from my scrap box. My time would be free. Want to talk?
Sounds good. Is there a way on here to DM?
That looks like the fitting I had on my MTO 500. The MTO 1000 only had the 3/8" hole (which makes sense given its weight).I found this photo I think it is one of the bracket fixings you may have the fixing you need under your bracket ?
Ah yes. It appears that if the large bracket is removed there will be two 3/8-16 and two 1/4-20 threaded holes which any standard tripod/head/plate can mount to.Maybe the solution is more simple than it at first appeared to be
Thanks for finding that! Very helpfulI found this photo I think it is one of the bracket fixings you may have the fixing you need under your bracket ?
Rob.
View attachment 262893
Thanks for that.That looks like the fitting I had on my MTO 500. The MTO 1000 only had the 3/8" hole (which makes sense given its weight).
@mercurius
I just had a look at the video in the Imaging Resource page I linked to here
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W0G28qggxYM#action=share
And at approx 17 and 26 seconds in, as he is handling it, you can see two off of the dual threaded holes shown in @GyRob 's image. To me that re-enforces that the bracket @mercurius has on his lens is a home brew one and if removed will yield suitable points to attach some form of standard plate???
In an ideal world to avoid/reduce rotational skewing if fitted to one hole you need to affix to both holes....................this lens plate comes with two screws ~ one of each standard sizes
Manfrotto 500PLONG Video Camera QR Plate
https://images.uttings.co.uk/images/products/manfrotto/video-camera-qr_CD364A4B_large.jpg
No doubt others could be found.............and pre-suppose that the holes are the (now) standard 1/4" and 3/8" ones, though that should be easy to check
@mercurius
PS
The image I have found, below the one here copied from your post #7, clearly shows what is (or seems to be) the same lens as yours ~ it shows the same curve edge to the mounting point as seen in your picture here:-
.
The picture appears to show a modern QR type head with what must be standard QR plate attached to it.
Maybe the solution is more simple than it at first appeared to be
Full address for clarity and attribution https://live.staticflickr.com/5039/6938114350_fcf805c752_b.jpg
Close up of the mount point
View attachment 262896
Ah yes. It appears that if the large bracket is removed there will be two 3/8-16 and two 1/4-20 threaded holes which any standard tripod/head/plate can mount to.
If yours turns out to be just 3/8 you only need a thread adapter .
Rob.
Do you think one screw will be enough to hold it with out it sheering off? It's a real beast of a lens - weighs about 5-6kg!
If you have the two holes illustrated.......I refer you to my post ref: using two screws
Yes, saw your post, but I don't think that baseplate would fit his tripod mount.
Hopefully the Manfrotto plate's screw will be high-tensile steel rather than budget material, and will do the job ...
The head mentioned seems to require the 200PL plate as the only interface it will accept, so all else in that case is subservient to that.
The lens body is almost certainly aluminium, though, and one wouldn't want to strip its threads - ie don't use pliers to magnify the torque on the plate screw!
One screw should be more than enough... even if it was made out of aluminum. The biggest issue will be the weight wanting to twist it on the plate, which one screw may not be able to prevent.Do you think one screw will be enough to hold it with out it sheering off? It's a real beast of a lens - weighs about 5-6kg!
One screw should be more than enough... even if it was made out of aluminum. The biggest issue will be the weight wanting to twist it on the plate, which one screw may not be able to prevent.
TBH, if it were mine I would probably buy another 200PL plate, remove it's existing screw, drill two holes through it and that bracket (opposite sides of the large hole), and then permanently bolt the plate in place with nuts/washers on the backside of the bracket.
If, by some miracle, both the screw and one of the stop pin holes line up with both threaded openings on the lens well enough; then the 3/8-16 adaptor could be used on the screw and the pin in the 1/4-20 threaded hole to prevent twisting. It looks like the pin is just a press fit, not threaded.I think the plate has a removable "stop pin" used to stop rotation when used with video cameras....but it goes into a corresponding hole.
If, by some miracle, both the screw and one of the stop pin holes line up with both threaded openings on the lens well enough; then the 3/8-16 adaptor could be used on the screw and the pin in the 1/4-20 threaded hole to prevent twisting. It looks like the pin is just a press fit, not threaded.
Hopefully the Manfrotto plate's screw will be high-tensile steel rather than budget material, and will do the job ...
The head mentioned seems to require the 200PL plate as the only interface it will accept, so all else in that case is subservient to that.
The lens body is almost certainly aluminium, though, and one wouldn't want to strip its threads - ie don't use pliers to magnify the torque on the plate screw!
I think the plate has a removable "stop pin" used to stop rotation when used with video cameras....but it goes into a corresponding hole.
As it, I think can be unscrewed and located into one of four positions...... could it be used like a 'grubscrew' lock? Though doing so means it will likely be cutting into either the lens mount point plate (the part seen with 4screws holding it) or the lens barrel. If the latter, not a good idea!
If, by some miracle, both the screw and one of the stop pin holes line up with both threaded openings on the lens well enough; then the 3/8-16 adaptor could be used on the screw and the pin in the 1/4-20 threaded hole to prevent twisting. It looks like the pin is just a press fit, not threaded.
Just found another image........yup, a push fit 'stud' so yes if it lines up it has the potential to act as a "stop" should weight shifting loosen the connection!
To help stop twist double sided carpet tape works well on any single screw fitting plate as does carpet glue and if you ever want to take it off just soak in warm water Iv used this on thousands of gimbals to help stop the clamp from twisting as a fail safe with my screw and never had one come undone or twist .
Rob.
Not really any significant advantage to that though... a single 1/4-20 screw is more than strong enough to handle the weight.One thing that could be easily done is to replace the 1/4 plate screw with a 3/8 one - but you'd have to drill out the plate to take it, and make sure that the screw head was shallow enough to fit within the depth of the recess under the plate.
Is that your gut feeling, Steven, or have you done some calculations?a single 1/4-20 screw is more than strong enough to handle the weight
General mechanical properties... i.e. an annealed 1/4-20 stainless steel bolt has a yield strength of at least 30ksi and a shear strength of over twice that (hardened stainless is much higher). Even 6061 aluminum has a shear strength of 30ksi. And when threaded engagement is equal to diameter you get a failure strength close to that of the material itself. Granted, 1/4" diameter is nowhere near 1si, but the joint's tensile strength is probably at least 1000lb.Is that your gut feeling, Steven, or have you done some calculations?