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Auto Promaster 200mm, f3.3
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PostPosted: Sun Apr 03, 2011 8:38 pm    Post subject: Auto Promaster 200mm, f3.3 Reply with quote
Hi all,
I have the possibility of buying this lens and I was wondering if anyone heard of it?
This is it, looks pretty good:

http://www.njuskalo.hr/image-w450/objektivi/objektiv-m42-auto-promaster-200mm-f-3.3-slika-6341885.jpg

http://www.njuskalo.hr/scripts/get_image_variation.php?image_id=6341886&quality=90&var_suff=w450

It's m42 mount.

But, I won't buy it if it's crappy. Any info on it?


PostPosted: Sun Apr 03, 2011 8:50 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Looks quite similar to the Hanimex branded - I had this Hanimex and even at f/5.6, it performed poorly, I hope for you, if you buy it, that it has not the same optical formula.


PostPosted: Tue Apr 05, 2011 11:51 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
The additional speed is an illusion as, for portrait, while it will be OK, if you like a lack of definition, as CarbonR says, the sharpness is very slow to kick in and it is a lot heavier than f4 and the better f3.5 lens designs, some of which are as sharp as you would like at max aperture.

You should only buy it if it is at market value, quite low, as you may wish to resell? Over $30, pass!


PostPosted: Wed Apr 06, 2011 1:04 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
Looks Hanimex, sharpness is poor acceptable from f5.6 or F8 , colors are great.

http://www.mflenses.com/gallery/v/japenese/othermaker/hanimex_200/?


PostPosted: Mon Apr 11, 2011 10:05 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
Thx all for the replies, I decided to pass, especially after using Jupiter 37a. Smile


PostPosted: Mon Apr 11, 2011 5:54 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Volunteer wrote:
Thx all for the replies, I decided to pass, especially after using Jupiter 37a. Smile


Probably best that you passed.

I have a 3.3/200 badged Super Paragon and it's not very good. Not as bad as the Promura 5/300 I have but not a great lens. It's useable but I doubt many people would not want something a little better.

I am looking for a replacement 200mm, my shortlist to keep an eye out for is these:

Jupiter 21M (are there any other Russian 200s? A Tair maybe?)
Meyer/Pentacon 4/200
Fujinon EBC 200
Pentax Takumar 200

The Jupiter tends to go for at least 30-40 ukp, same with the Pentacon although I have seen them for 20-30ukp, the Fujinon I have seen for 10ukp and I am still sad I never bought the one I saw in good condition for 5.99, at the time I didn't know how nice Fujinon lenses are. The Takumar is often expensive but sometimes turns up cheap.

What other 200s (that will hit infinity on an EOS 10D) do people recommend?

I've just bought an Albinar 3.5/200, was only 8ukp inc postage, I will trial it against my Paragon.

I doubt I'll want to keep both the Paragon and the Albinar, I don't know where the OP is located, but I'm in England and would be willing to pass on whichever of my 200s I decide to part with for the shipping cost. I only paid the price of two pints of beer for them and would much prefer them to be used by an enthuiastic photographer then go on ebay.

www.rockycameras.com in the UK always has quite a few 200mm lenses for sale at good prices, they have a 4/200 Pentacon M42 listed for 24.99 I see.

Couple of shots I took with my Paragon 3.3/200, not awful but not great.









What I'm looking for is a lens in the 180-250mm range that matches the IQ of my Tair-3C 300mm but is not so heavy to need a monopod like the Tair. I have a Jupiter-11A 135mm I am very happy with so I just need something to fill the gap between the Jupiter and Tair.


PostPosted: Tue Apr 12, 2011 6:06 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
Wow, old lenses in UK are cheaper comparing to Croatia. The cheapest one I can find here is 10gbp> and that's REALLY rare and it's usually Helios.
For example, I'm bidding for a Pentacon 28mm/f2.8 and I'll probably get it for 25gbp. And it'll probably turn out to be not a great lens (I see you have one). I'm assuming you could buy it for less. Or am I wrong?

Sorry for the offtopic.

Ian, thank you for the excellent review and for your kind offer. Smile


PostPosted: Tue Apr 12, 2011 6:26 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
Volunteer wrote:
Wow, old lenses in UK are cheaper comparing to Croatia. The cheapest one I can find here is 10gbp> and that's REALLY rare and it's usually Helios.
For example, I'm bidding for a Pentacon 28mm/f2.8 and I'll probably get it for 25gbp. And it'll probably turn out to be not a great lens (I see you have one). I'm assuming you could buy it for less. Or am I wrong?

Sorry for the offtopic.

Ian, thank you for the excellent review and for your kind offer. Smile


Yes, I have a Pentacon 2.8/28, they are extremely common in the UK in both Praktica Bayonet and M42. The PB version won't hit infinity on my EOS 10d with an adapter so I modified it by removing the PB mount and replacing it with a canon one machined to fit, very simple conversion, this lens is very easy to work on, good strong German screws not the nasty easy to destroy Japanese ones!

That Pentacon can be had for 5-10ukp here easily, I like it a lot and find it to have both nice bokeh, good colours and contrast (good coatings) and to be sharp even wide open. Never used a Flektogon or any other more expensive 28mm lens bu the Pentacon certainly doesn't disappoint me.

Here are some test shots taken with my Pentacon 2.8/28 before I modified it, all taken wide open just after dawn when there was not much sunlight.














These are the only shots I've taken since the conversion, I need to take some better ones and test if she will now hit infinity!





PostPosted: Tue Apr 12, 2011 6:52 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
Well, when I stop it down a bit I guess it will be great for my needs. Smile


PostPosted: Tue Apr 12, 2011 7:01 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
Volunteer wrote:
Well, when I stop it down a bit I guess it will be great for my needs. Smile


I expect you will like it, stopped down both sharpness and contrast improve. Very well made lens, feels as strong as a Zeiss and has more reliable aperture mechanism than many Zeiss lenses. I had an M42 Pentacon 2.8/28 in the 1990s and abused it a lot in my student days, never let me down, I put a nasty scratch in the rear element sadly.


PostPosted: Tue Apr 12, 2011 8:07 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
Attila wrote:
Looks Hanimex, sharpness is poor acceptable from f5.6 or F8 , colors are great.

http://www.mflenses.com/gallery/v/japenese/othermaker/hanimex_200/?


Makinon made
Part of the first makinon lens made = poor quality
After Makinon lenses were ok/good

For that particular lens : Lot of spherical aberration at full opening
No good before 5.6/8.0
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