Iscorama M42 monobloc questions

[QuickHitRecord]

I just got an M42-mount Iscorama in the mail. Beautiful glass and I have not yet had a chance to shoot anything with it, but I already have some mechanical questions about it. I have never worked with one of these before and I don't want to force anything and damage the lens.

First here are some pictures for context. This is not my lens, but mine is the same model:

[img]http://www.eoshd.com/comments/uploads/gallery/album_14/gallery_18451_14_1333.jpg[/img]
[img]http://www.eoshd.com/comments/uploads/gallery/album_14/gallery_18451_14_67878.jpg[/img]

1) I have not been able to detach the anamorphic adapter from the taking lens. How do I accomplish this? The pushable buttons highlighted in green can be pressed in and the adapter can be re-oriented (possibly refocusing the taking lens beneath?), but twisting it does not cause it to detach. Also, the conical ring below them rotates freely when I do this -- I would think that it would stay put so that I could unscrew the taking lens.

2) In the purple: Is there a way other than twisting to adjust this? Mine does not budge with twisting. Could it be stuck?

3) In the red: What is this for? It looks like it would take a lever for more torqued focusing like the Lomo square fronts, but that doesn't seem right here. Old-school mounting hole perhaps?

Any insight would be much appreciated.

[richg101]

hi Nick.

the two sections are attached via a standard 49mm filter thread. grasp the widest ridged part of the taking lens, and the tapered area of the anamorphot nearest the ridged part of the taking lens (where both parts meet). try not to grip any other part of the amamorphot or compress the two buttons either side otherwise you will force the alignment grip and maybe damage the fine teeth inside. Might need a bit of force, just use hand strength. if you need more grip put an elastic band around the tapered part of the anamorphot for extra grip.

cant help with that funny bolt on the camera end of the taking lens. maybe to preset the aperture to a specific amount?

[richg101]

[img]http://www.eoshd.com/comments/uploads/inline/18719/508adaea4a981_gallery_18451_14_1333.jpg[/img]

colored bits are where you grip. untwist in the same direction as you would a 49mm filter from a normal lens.

[QuickHitRecord]

[quote name='richg101' timestamp='1351276997' post='20396']
hi Nick.

the two sections are attached via a standard 49mm filter thread. grasp the widest ridged part of the taking lens, and the tapered area of the anamorphot nearest the ridged part of the taking lens (where both parts meet). try not to grip any other part of the amamorphot or compress the two buttons either side otherwise you will force the alignment grip and maybe damage the fine teeth inside. Might need a bit of force, just use hand strength. if you need more grip put an elastic band around the tapered part of the anamorphot for extra grip.

cant help with that funny bolt on the camera end of the taking lens. maybe to preset the aperture to a specific amount?
[/quote]

Worked like a charm. Thanks, Rich.

[ipcmlr]

Whoa! You got it!

Screw might be this according to Wikipedia:

"The first was the inclusion of a small grub screw which could be adjusted to allow closer focusing. Unfortunately, the resultant image quality is very soft, and there are also extremely high levels of edge fringing, making the hack unsuitable for conventional video and still image capture.[6] "