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Auto Sears 28mm f:2.8 - who made these?
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Posted: Tue Oct 30, 2012 8:19 am
Post subject: Auto Sears 28mm f:2.8 - who made these?
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Posted: Tue Oct 30, 2012 8:19 am
Post subject: Auto Sears 28mm f:2.8 - who made these?
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picked up one of these from local craigslist today just to check it out. Can't seem to find any information about this particular one on the net.

curious about who actually made these..and what was the deal with these Sears lenses in general...rebadges of other manufacturers i'm guessing? Havent gotten a chance to really test it out yet.





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Posted: Tue Oct 30, 2012 1:22 pm
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Posted: Tue Oct 30, 2012 1:22 pm
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I think the general view is that Sears lenses are rebadged, they seemed to source slightly better than average lenses compared to the other rebadgers.


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Posted: Tue Oct 30, 2012 1:34 pm
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Posted: Tue Oct 30, 2012 1:34 pm
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I don't know who made this lens, but it was sold here in the UK by Dixons as a Prinzflex and a Chinon, so possibly Tomioka?


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Posted: Tue Oct 30, 2012 4:02 pm
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Posted: Tue Oct 30, 2012 4:02 pm
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Ah thought about buying a couple of these, a while ago, from the USA but the postage charges deterred me (the lenses were cheap enough). Any saving on the lenses was lost.

Did a wee bit research and it seems that a few to several (depending on which site ye visit) manufacturers were involved. Ricoh seems tae be the largest producer along with Vivitar, though ah think Vivitar just rebranded. Chinon is another possibility. There's disputes that Mamiya were involved but others say that Tomioka produced the Mamiya ones, amongst others. Email Sears?

Cool


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Posted: Tue Oct 30, 2012 4:54 pm
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Posted: Tue Oct 30, 2012 4:54 pm
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Looks like the first generation Tokina auto lens.
These were sold under many brands including Sears, with different cosmetics at different times.
This looks like one of the late period types, maybe 1976 or so. I think I saw this in a Sears catalog from that time posted online.


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Posted: Mon Nov 12, 2018 10:00 pm
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Posted: Mon Nov 12, 2018 10:00 pm
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This is some master-level thread necromancy, but in truth there's still very scant information to be found about these lenses. I thought I'd post some shots of mine. It's all metal and has eight rounded aperture blades so it makes pointy star-shaped bokeh with bright lights if you close down the iris. The focus is smooth, but not as silky-easy as a Takumar.

It has a hidden quality I love, though. I use it with my M42-FX adapter with a macro helicoid. If I extend the lens as far as possible, the focal plane is only about half a centimeter from the filter over the front element (I always use a filter for this reason). It takes brilliant close-up shots.


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No idea what the red "P" means on the bottom.


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Posted: Mon Nov 12, 2018 10:06 pm
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Posted: Mon Nov 12, 2018 10:06 pm
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P for either Pentax or Praktica

Its the usual marking of the time for M42


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Posted: Tue Nov 13, 2018 5:33 pm
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Posted: Tue Nov 13, 2018 5:33 pm
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KEO wrote:
This is some master-level thread necromancy, but in truth there's still very scant information to be found about these lenses. I thought I'd post some shots of mine. It's all metal and has eight rounded aperture blades so it makes pointy star-shaped bokeh with bright lights if you close down the iris. The focus is smooth, but not as silky-easy as a Takumar.

It has a hidden quality I love, though. I use it with my M42-FX adapter with a macro helicoid. If I extend the lens as far as possible, the focal plane is only about half a centimeter from the filter over the front element (I always use a filter for this reason). It takes brilliant close-up shots.


#1


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No idea what the red "P" means on the bottom.


AFAIK, it's a Tokina lens, made for Mamiya and Soligor too.

The P is because the Pentax (M42) Mount


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Posted: Tue Nov 13, 2018 10:34 pm
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Posted: Tue Nov 13, 2018 10:34 pm
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luisalegria wrote:
P for either Pentax or Praktica

Its the usual marking of the time for M42


Thanks.

papasito wrote:
AFAIK, it's a Tokina lens, made for Mamiya and Soligor too.

The P is because the Pentax (M42) Mount


Thanks.

It's a very well-made lens.

Any thoughts on how old it might be? I'm guessing it's older than the versions with the rubber grip on the focus ring. I got it in a package deal with a Sears brand Ricoh TLS camera which also included an Auto Sears 55/1.4 and an Auto Sears Tele-Zoom 90-230/4.5.


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Posted: Tue Nov 13, 2018 11:03 pm
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Posted: Tue Nov 13, 2018 11:03 pm
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Nevertheless original post Sears is not Tokina. Chinon labeled well seen here: https://simonhawketts.co.uk/2016/03/03/auto-chinon-28mm-f2-8-m42-lens-on-digital-cameras/ six blades only. Not sure if CHINON is manufacturer though.


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Posted: Wed Nov 14, 2018 5:53 pm
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Posted: Wed Nov 14, 2018 5:53 pm
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KEO wrote:
luisalegria wrote:
P for either Pentax or Praktica

Its the usual marking of the time for M42


Thanks.

papasito wrote:
AFAIK, it's a Tokina lens, made for Mamiya and Soligor too.

The P is because the Pentax (M42) Mount


Thanks.

It's a very well-made lens.

Any thoughts on how old it might be? I'm guessing it's older than the versions with the rubber grip on the focus ring. I got it in a package deal with a Sears brand Ricoh TLS camera which also included an Auto Sears 55/1.4 and an Auto Sears Tele-Zoom 90-230/4.5.


Your Sears is the Mamiya TL/DTL version lens.

It has 7 elements in 6 groups.

Filter size 58 mm.

Minimun aperture F 16

MFD 45 cm (TL version. The first)

30 cm (DTL version. The last before the CS lenses).

From middle 60's to early 70's


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Posted: Wed Nov 14, 2018 11:05 pm
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Posted: Wed Nov 14, 2018 11:05 pm
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papasito wrote:

Your Sears is the Mamiya TL/DTL version lens.

It has 7 elements in 6 groups.

Filter size 58 mm.

Minimun aperture F 16

MFD 45 cm (TL version. The first)

30 cm (DTL version. The last before the CS lenses).

From middle 60's to early 70's


Thank you, papasito! Much appreciated info.
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