Mitchell R35 mkii lens mounts / Options

[Nicholas Lymberis]

Hi All,

I have a Mitchell R35 Mkii in fairly good condition barring a motor problem. I am trying to assemble the various pieces I need to get it running again and am stumbling at the lens mount. It has the original R35 mount on the hard front. I want to convert it to work with EF or M42 as that's most of my lenses.

Does anyone have any experience or knowledge on whether it's possible?

I found online someone quoting the 73' AC manual saying the S35R's mount was 2.25inches so 56.25mm - EF is 44mm so I'd assume it's possible, subject to any obstruction in the camera body?

If so, does anyone know anyone in the UK or otherwise that does this?

Cheers, Nick

[Mark Dunn]

I think you may have it backwards- you can adapt a short FFD lens to a long FFD body, but not vice versa unless you can recess the lens inside the body. The EF lens flange needs to be 44mm from the film but the R35's is 56.25.

In stills photography, DSLR lenses (long FFD) will always adapt to mirrorless (short FFD) but not the other way around.

The classic case is Stanley Kubrick machining out the front of a BNC to take the fast Zeiss lens for Barry Lyndon.

[Nicholas Lymberis]

Hi Mark,

Yes I understand the FFD, what I meant sorry is how can I replace the R35 mount in the hard front with an EF mount.

The R35 has versions where the hard front has and Nikon F mount which is 44mm so I think it's technically possible but I need to find someone that has or can engineer an EF mount to go on the hard front in place of the R35 mount :)