I am a retired sales engineer in the filtration industry, having worked for some of the leading companies in this field for close on 35 years.

Retrofitting was vital in this industry and the top 3 or 4 companies manufactured filter cartridges to fit in each other's housings whether the filter was used in the process or fluid power industries.

This has led me to wonder why for example, Nikon do not make their lenses available in a Canon fit and vice versa. From the customers point of view it would be great to be able to obtain the features of another makers lens without having to buy another camera body.

And I am sure the top manufacturers are missing out on a great deal of revenue by leaving the retrofit business to a few independant companies, many of whom don't even make cameras.

What do you think?  

 I think the crumbs from the table are left to the likes of Sigma and Tamron, the likes of Nikon value those with silly money to give away, I supose it depends on how serious you are and weither the extra money is justified by the extra cash

Murphy's 17th Law applies -

"Interchangeable parts don't." 

"Just enjoyed reading it again!"

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Sorry, Monk's a dab at taking threads off-track. Luckily Ron and he are long time friends.

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Ron, What's the difference between Nikon and Canon and Shimano and Daiwa (fishing reel manufacturers)? You can't you buy a Shimano reel and fit a Daiwa spool to it.

I think Jeff that with reel spools there is not much of a difference that can be offered between one company and the next. And such items are of low value.

With photo equipment, it is often a case where one manufacture produces a unique feature in a lens, and he is limiting his sales by producing that lens with only one fitting. 

Six of one and half a dozen of the other.

They would have ex-Nikon users taking their lenses over to their new Canons and v.v., thereby losing sales of their own new lenses.

Being backwards compatible within the same maker is another matter. If you find that a maker is not ensuring his old kit works as well with new cameras, swap maker. 

So which is the best and most secure lens mount of the lot?

Nikon F?

The Monk wrote (see)

was the M42 the old Zenith threaded mount?, had a Zenith E many years ago, built like a Russian tank, you wouldnt want to drop one of those on your foot!

Yes it was and yes, I did (in Llanfairfechan actually). Ouch!

M42 thread, 42mm I think.

This could have been the same as the Leica thread.

 No, No, No ! 42mm was the old Pentax thread, the Leica was 39mm.

used both, still have both.

 Just back from Llanfairfechan.  

"Just back from Llanfairfechan."

How is the old place, Harry? We've spent many happy holidays there, my mate's dad used to have a bungalow in Nant-y-Glyn Close, I think it was called. About 2 mins from the beach and not too far to the shops.

There used to be a grocers, Jones (what else in Wales), sold the best bacon ever, sliced straight off the carcus. It was there I took up sea fishing as well, casting off the rocks at the top end of the beach. My dog at that time, a labrador, used to get in the surf and swim back all the way back to the cafe between the 3rd and 4th waves. Brings back a lot of memories that.

The first time we went, we took a spit roated chicken with us and after finishing it we put the carcus on the back lawn. A crow came a swiped the whole thing carrying it off over the town until we saw it drop it somewhere, probably on someone's roof or back garden. Never did find out who.

PS Wasn't the 39mm thread used on enlargers? I'm sure my Rokkor enlarger lens is a 39mm. 

Yes, it was, but leica lenses were'nt generally as good on enlargers as on leicas!

 My daughter lives in Llanfair, & my 21yr old grandson is a great sea fisher, & has fished for Wales against Ireland

Gees, I just looked on a map.

First of all it was Maes-Y-Glyn the bungalow was on, so it was probably called Nant-Y-Glyn. Beyond "Bore da" I was never any good with Welch.

I see though that the other half of the close was knocked down and a bl**dy motorway now passes with yards of the house! What a mess!

Is that mountain still there on the east side, Penmeanmawr? Or is it all quarry now?

It's 25 years since I last went.  

 Although this is not strictly the place for reminiscing, I'msure the "Powers-that-be" won't mind too much.

 Yes, the motorway passes where you say, but its not amess, it's a marvellous feat of engineering, & not many people even notice it's there, now. they've done some very clever work  with sound barriers.

mountains are not easily got rid of!