Lens mounts

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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.

Sortable table of lens mounts[2]
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

  1. David Kilpatrick. "Sigma launch mount switching service". 2013.
  2. Camera mounts by Stephen H Westin
  3. AGFA Ambi Silette Ersatzteilliste - 681 defs.-0557 1957
  4. 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. 5.0 5.1 Samuelson, David (1994) Hands-On Manual for Cinematographers. p 62 ISBN 0240514807 Google Books view
  6. 6.0 6.1 6.2 Shashin Kōgyō(Photographic Industries) vol. 41 no. 9 '83 p. 80
  7. 7.0 7.1 Ray (1988), p 634.
  8. 8.0 8.1 WJ's Camera mounts & registers (archived)
  9. Fujifilm-X Official Website
  10. Osterloh, Günter (1985). Leica M: Hohe Schule der Fotografie. ISBN 3524680429
  11. Nikon Z official

Links