"default" wrote:

Looking through your website, I was wondering if you would share how you got
the Canon 800mm lens onto your Nikon? Since the Canon has a shorter
register distance, I presumed that you must have removed part of the rear of
the lens and put on a Nikon mount, but I was wondering if you could share
the details.

I don't really know the details, other than it is a rather well
done permanent conversion to a Nikon F mount on some kind of a
contract for a number of lenses (both Canon SSC 600mm f/4 and
800mm SSC f/5.6) by Tempe Camera Repair in Tempe AZ.

I'm not sure when was done, but assume that it would have been
modified in the late 70's or even early 80's. The lense was
designed for the 1976 Montreal Olympics, and was in production
until 1981, when Canon came out with a newer L version.

Adorama sold four or five each of the modified 600mm and 800mm
lenses on eBay. I've seen other odd lenses that Tempe Camera
had modified too, so apparently they did more than just a few.
All of them have been obviously well used, though also well
maintained, lenses. The one I have is in good condition, but
the case had clearly been shipped around the world a few times
and suffered the consequences. The outside was beat to pieces
while the inside was in very nice condition.

I considered it quite a find, because it sold for not only far
less than any other decent quality Nikon mount lense, the ones
modified for the Nikon mount sold for less than other unmodified
Canon 800mm lenses had sold for. It isn't like having an
autofocus lense, but that of course would cost thousands of
dollars more.

What is really astounding is that it works well with a selected
pair of telconverters, a 1.6x and a 2x, or with another specific
2x (I tested it with a number of different combination and
individual teleconverters to find ones that make a good match,
because most of them simply do not work well at all). Can you
imagine how hard it is to focus an 800mm lense with a 1.6x and a
2x teleconverter, making it into a 2560mm focal length! It
requires a *sturdy* tripod.

(Right now it is in the box, stored away, waiting for the sun to
come back up in late January. :-)

Presumably it would also be possible to put a Canon EF mount on in a
similiar manner and FD lenses are sooo cheap now ...

Of course there are adapters that allow infinity focus for Canon FD to EF,
but the real Canon one is expensive and rare, and the $40 is apparently not
great.

Tempe Camera Repair is still in business, and is a very
interesting outfit. I have no idea if they would consider doing
such modification today or not. Do a web search for them, it is
interesting reading!

--
Floyd L. Davidson http://www.apaflo.com/floyd_davidson
Ukpeagvik (Barrow, Alaska)