Wed Sep 25 07:16:41 UTC 2024: ## Old Tech, New Trick: M42 Mount Reemerges as Universal Lens Adapter Solution
**Ocean Springs, MS** – The world of photography has always been a battleground for lens mount compatibility, with photographers often finding themselves limited by the specific mount of their camera. But a clever revival of an old technology could be the answer to this frustrating dilemma.
Inspired by Dr. Leonard McCoy’s infamous “I’m a doctor, not a bricklayer!” quote from Star Trek, lens manufacturers are now embracing the M42 universal thread mount, a familiar sight on vintage cameras like the Honeywell Pentax Spotmatic. This seemingly antiquated technology is experiencing a renaissance thanks to companies like TTArtisan and Meyer-Optik Gorlitz.
TTArtisan has begun producing lenses with an M42 mount, allowing them to be used natively on any M42 camera body. But the true magic lies in the abundance of available lens conversion adapters, enabling these lenses to be easily adapted to modern mirrorless camera systems like Sony E, Canon RF, FujiFilm X, Nikon Z, and Leica L.
Meyer-Optik Gorlitz, while not specifically promoting their lenses as convertible, has also embraced the M42 mount in their Version II lens series. This offers photographers the same versatility as TTArtisan lenses, allowing them to use these lenses on modern mirrorless cameras.
The beauty of this approach lies in its simplicity. Instead of creating a myriad of proprietary adapters, manufacturers can leverage the existing infrastructure of the M42 mount, making production easier and more cost-effective.
This resurgence of the M42 mount could represent a significant shift in the lens market, providing photographers with a universal solution for their lens needs. As Dr. McCoy might say, “Of course. A child could do it!”
First Piper 