Arco Colinar 135/3.5 M42 mount - very early third-party lens

[luisalegria]

This is the same model lens hacksawbob tried out last year -

http://forum.mflenses.com/review-of-arco-tele-colinar-t7694,highlight,arco.html



Arco (an early camera maker) was a pioneer in the Japanese third-party lens business, making a very limited range of Exakta, Leica and M42 mount lenses from 1952. Its principal product was this model of 135/3.5. I believe the Exakta versions are more common, but I found this one in M42. Arco stopped making lenses after only a few years. I have a feeling that Arco's trademarks may have been sort-of copied by others who wanted to get into the third-party lens business, notably the distributor Taika, who probably came up with the trademark "Coligon" - later seen on Aetna and other brands.

Its a very standard preset, with some odd construction details. Among them is a stop-screw that goes in a threaded hole right at the junction of two threaded rings at the bottom of the mount - an interesting machining job ! The styling is very 1952, almost all aluminum. This may be one of the later series as the earlier ones may have been nickel-brass. It certainly is coated, with a blue tint. It focuses quite close for its day, 4.5ft/1.5m

As for performance - Hack's version had problems with flare and contrast. I have to say I saw nothing of the sort on mine, which goes to show that these old lenses are very variable ! One could be a dud and another a gem. This one is closer to being a gem, sharp and contrasty under all conditions, and very easy to manually focus, perhaps because of the high contrast.





Between the hulls of a catmaran ferryboat -









With an extension ring -







The bird -



crop -


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Pentax K100D, SV, SP1000, SP500, LX, SF10, Mamiya 1000TL, Sears/Ricoh TLS, Exakta VX, VXIIb, Olympus OM-10, Nikon FM, Zeiss Contaflex B, Retina Reflex S, IV, Rolleiflex, Speed Graphic & Meridian 4x5, misc. rangefinders and folders, several dozen lenses and etc., et. al., ad infinitum.

[Laurence]

You could probably make a plastic lens look good!

That said, this lens's performance is super fine!

I think the lens is showing BEAUTIFUL lines on its style! Almost like art, just looking at the shapes and curves! NICE!

It looks GOOD with the Pentax.
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Cameras in Use: Yashica Mat 124 w/ Yashinon 80/3.5, Revueflex 3003 w/ M42 lenses, Yashica Electro 35 w/ Yashinon 1.7, Voigtlander Bessa R w/ APO Lanthar 90/3.5, Contaflex 126 w/ Zeiss Pantar, Tessar, Sonnar, and Distagon

[F16SUNSHINE]

Beautiful presentation Luis.
"The bird" has amazing gray eyes.
I don't recall that they are this color usually.
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Current Kit
Canon 5D, 40D
Contax 4/18, 1.4/50, 1.4/85, 2.8/85, 2/100, 3.5/100, 2.8/180, Rollei HFT 1.4/35, 1.4/85, Zuiko 2/21, 2/24, 2/28, 2/35, 2/80, Yashica ML 3.5/21, 2.8/24, Helios 40 protype, Trioplan 2.8/100, Tair 11A,
Epson R D1(s), Bessa L, Bessa R2m, Leica CL, CV 4.5/15, 4/25, 1.4/40, Zeiss ZM 2/35, Yashinon1.8/50, CLE 4/90, Zeiss Opton 4/135 T, Electro GT, Electro GX, Electro CC

[luisalegria]

Hi Andy !

We have our own species and breed of seagull here in San Francisco, our variety of the Western Gull. We also get a couple of other species that may not make it to where you are, like California Gulls.
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Pentax K100D, SV, SP1000, SP500, LX, SF10, Mamiya 1000TL, Sears/Ricoh TLS, Exakta VX, VXIIb, Olympus OM-10, Nikon FM, Zeiss Contaflex B, Retina Reflex S, IV, Rolleiflex, Speed Graphic & Meridian 4x5, misc. rangefinders and folders, several dozen lenses and etc., et. al., ad infinitum.

[patrickh]

Luis

How do you find these gems. I am glad you do because you demonstrate them to their best


patrickh
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DSLR: Nikon D70 Nikon D200 Canon 40D
MF Zooms: Kiron 28-85/3.5, 28-105/3.2, 75-150/3.5, Nikkor 50-135/3.5 AIS // MF Primes: Nikkor 20/4 AI, 24/2 AI, 28/2 AI, 28/2.8 AIS, 28/3.5 AI, 35/1.4 AIS, 35/2 AIS, 35/2.8 PC, 45/2.8 P, 50/1.4 AIS, 50/1.8 AIS, 50/2 AI, 55/2.8 AIS micro, 55/3.5 AI micro, 85/2 AI, 100/2,8 E, 105/1,8 AIS, 105/2,5 AIS, 135/2 AIS, 135/2.8 AIS, Nikkor 200/4 AI, 200/4 AIS micro, 3004.5 AI, 300/4.5 AI ED, Kiron 28/2 Panagor 135/2.8, Tamron 28/2.5, Tamron 90/2.5 macro, Vivitar 90/2.5 macro (Tokina) Voigtlander 90/3.5 Vivitar 105/2.5 macro (Kiron) Kaleinar 100/2.8 AI Tamron 135/2.5, Vivitar 135/2.8CF, 200/3.5, Tokina 400/5,6
M42: Vivitar 28/2.5, Flektogon 35/2.4, Takumar 35/3.5, Curtagon 35/4, Arsat 50/1.4, Volna-6 50/2.8 macro,Mamiya 50/1.4, CZJ Pancolar 50/1,8, Oreston 50/1.8, Industar 50/3.5, Sears 55/1.4, Helios 58/2, Jupiter 85/2, Helios 85/1.5, Jupiter 135/4, Jupiter 135/3.5, Takumar 135/3.5, Tair 135/2.8, Takumar 150/4, Jupiter 200/4
Exakta: Topcon 100/2.8, 35/2.8
C/Y: Yashica 28/2.8, 50/1.7, 135/2.8
P6 : Mir 38 65/3.5, Biometar 80/2.8, Kaleinar 150/2.8, Sonnar 180/2.8