 Posted: Sat Oct 24, 2009 8:09 pm Post subject: A Tamron Sonnar |
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luisalegria wrote:
Tamron model 860 - "Spectra Coligon" branded - 200mm f/2.8, apparently Sonnar-formula - exactly the same as the Olympia Sonnar, 5 elements in three groups, the middle 3 cemented.
This is a very odd duck - one of the most difficult early Tamrons to find, and possibly the most ambitious lens Tamron tried to make.
I picked this up recently in a very interesting lot (see the Steky subminiature I'm selling in the Marketplace), and it came with all accessories, including case, hood, caps, etc. It just needed a bit of cleaning internally and externally.
I will work up a portfolio with this thing, but the initial impressions are very positive. It is a beast of a lens though, and thats because it has an extremely thick third element (as it would as a Sonnar), and, basically because this thing is not only heavily built, its full of glass.
This was obviously meant to be a prestige product for Tamron, along with other big glass of 1960, the 5.6/400 and 1.2/58 (AKA "Taika Harigon"). Nothing like going after the Zeiss Sonnar to make a reputation. I guess it didn't work too well, as later Tamron lenses were all much less ambitious. Maybe all this big glass was too expensive to make.
Some items of interest - Just like some other early Tamrons, it has a rear filter holder that takes Series V, identical to the one Tamron used in the 5.6/400 model 340. It is a T-mount, and it came with a VERY nice chrome brass Exakta mount. Considering that this thing came out in 1960, that may be one of the first T-mounts made. "Spectra" was an early US distributors brand that seems to have pre-existed Aetna, which took over trademarks like "Coligon". These trademarks are also seen under the "Taika" brand. Very few Tamrons of the time were sold under the Tamron brand.
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I like Pentax DSLR's, Exaktas, M42 bodies of all kinds, strange and cheap Japanese lenses, and am dabbling in medium format/Speed Graphic work. |
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