Auto Sears/Ricoh 55/2.8 - unique design - thanks Andy !

luisalegria · Expire: 2018-01-18

Andy (F16Sunshine) very kindly gave me this quite unusual lens -

Its an M42 Automatic Ricoh lens sold by Sears, and it was apparently a standard option - the cheapest "kit lens" - on the Ricoh Singlex TLS. I don't know if its rare, though this is certainly the first one I've seen. The usual normal lens found on the TLS are the 55/1.8 or 1.4.

I have no specific information on who made it. Since the other Ricoh normal lenses were made by Tomioka they may have made this one too, but it is substantially different in construction though it shares all the cosmetic details.

The curious thing about it is the Auto-Manual switch. Note that it has two aperture scales, going both right and left. Turn it to the left scale and it engages Automatic mode, to the right it is in Manual mode. Its a neat feature.

Other lenses have dual scales, like all the T4/TX interchangable mount lenses, but this is just as a convenience to enable support for lens mounts that might require them to go either way. On this one it actually has a purpose. It removes the need for a separate switch.

Its almost as large as the Sears/Ricoh 55/1.8, but I think it was deliberately bulked up for marketing or ergonomic reasons.

Performance is excellent, as good as the 1.8 and 1.4's, as far as I could tell in an afternoon. The only serious problem is that the minimum focus is only 3 feet/1m, which is poor compared to the 1.5feet / 1/2m of its big brothers.

Football practice, City College

The dog - birds were not available -

crop -

glockman99 · Joined: 23 Jul 2008 Posts: 233 Location: Aberdeen, WA USA

Judging by those photos, that is a very good, sharp lens that Andy gave to you. What a nice gift, from a nice guy. Cool

BTW...I noticed the the front lens element is sunk way in, just like my Nikon MF 50mm f/2 lens...Nice design, as it helps to protect the front glass of the lens, and somewhat acts as a built-in lens hood.

F16SUNSHINE · Expire: 2011-11-18

Hey I know that lens Wink

Luis it is really so great that you not only collect and preserve these lenses but you also give them life.
These shots are really great from a old school bargain "kit" type lens.
I have never seen this design "style" before. And having it in hand personally it seems very little used.
The thing that impresses me with so many of these Sears branded lens is the incredible condition many of them are in.
The lenses well mad to begin with and then purchased by folks who did not seem to use them much.
I don't know if you feel the same as I. It sure seems to be the case though.
I know when I was a kid and wanted my first guitar my parents would not help get the Fender but rather a Sears copy (I played the shit out of it BTW and then got the fender(s)).
I visualize the same thing for thousands of teen photog students. Half of which lost interest and now ebay these great pieces off as empty nesters loading the motorhome for retirement.
It's kind of a funny take on Americana if my theory holds true Cool

I will continue to keep my eye open although you must be close to done (other than that macro aye?).

Cheers
Andy

Orio · Expire: 2012-12-04

Wow, seems an excellent lens!

And... I love picture #3 !!!

casualcollector · Posted: Sun Sep 07, 2008 2:39 pm Post subject:

I recently acquired one of these attached to a Sears SL-11. Only the front group moves to focus, the rear stays fixed. Also, the front group revolves indicating a simple helical rather than the compound helical of the more common lenses. Much simpler and far less expensive to produce. I've also seen similar lenses in Ricoh and Cosina-Vivitar guise while watching e-bay auctions.

I imagine the same optics are used on the Sears/Ricoh 126 Reflex and Mamiya 528TL fixed lens reflex.

Look at Roland Stauber's Mamiya site and you'll see a 50mm f-2.8 lens in M-42 guise but with single aperture scale. Probably this lens again with different markings and cosmetics

luisalegria · Expire: 2018-01-18

Hi Andy,

My theory on these things is that in part they were made to satisfy a craze - there was a huge expansion of the SLR market until its peak in the late 1970's. It was fashionable to have an SLR when earlier the same people would have bought the equivalent of the Kodak Brownie. Many of these buyers were only marginally interested in photography as such, used them for family snapshots maybe, and kept them in the closet.

These things only get worn if owned by a pro or a really mad amateur. Theres a lot of trouble and expense for the scale of film processing that would wear lenses.

The teen photo students are another likely situation. By the time they were done with their photo class they were getting into computers (which killed the amateur photo market).

As for the Sears lens collection, I am almost done. I have the 55/2.8 Macro, though it is the slightly later version with a rubber grip. I wouldn't mind having the knurled grip version. Its a nice lens, the specs are similar to the Volna-9.

I am missing the 105/2.8 and the 135/3.5 and possibly the 35/2.8, in Sears brand. I have these as Vivitars and Soligors. I have spotted the first two and missed them a couple of times. I am still not sure whether the 35 exists.

estudleon · Joined: 15 May 2008 Posts: 3754 Location: Argentina

[quote="casualcollector"]I recently acquired one of these attached to a Sears SL-11. Only the front group moves to focus, the rear stays fixed. Also, the front group revolves indicating a simple helical rather than the compound helical of the more common lenses. Much simpler and far less expensive to produce. I've also seen similar lenses in Ricoh and Cosina-Vivitar guise while watching e-bay auctions.

I imagine the same optics are used on the Sears/Ricoh 126 Reflex and Mamiya 528TL fixed lens reflex.

Look at Roland Stauber's Mamiya site and you'll see a 50mm f-2.8 lens in M-42 guise but with single aperture scale. Probably this lens again with different markings and cosmetics[/quote]

That lenses change the focal distance (some rangefibder came with this type of lenses) when you focus.

luisalegria · Expire: 2018-01-18

Hi Casual,

You're right.

I didn't notice before, but the lens does rotate, the rear element doesn't move while focusing, and the total focus movement from infinity to 3' is much less than for the 55/1.8's. Its probably the same lens you have.

Katastrofo · Expire: 2013-11-19

Great shots as usual, and that lens is a performer (with attached photographer). Wink

merelyok · Joined: 03 Aug 2008 Posts: 118

Wowee!

Interesting indeed!

And what wonderful resolution and detail from a supposedly "kit" lens.

The contrast is very good.

patrickh · Expire: 2011-11-18

Luis

Thanks for sharing that surprise with us. You certainly know how to make a lens sing and who would have expected sucha great result from that? Andy also put me onto a Sears 55/1.4 which was attached to a Sears TLS camera and it is one of the sharpest I own (and some of my nikkors are pretty good)

patrickh

pixelbart · Posted: Tue Sep 09, 2008 7:41 am Post subject:

I have two of these lenses. The other one is a Cosinon, attached to a Cosina 1000 S...

I never tried them, though, because they have 'pathetic' written all over them. Front lens focus, rotating front lens, f/2.8, 55mm, all the compromises you can imagine. Really a 'cheapest option' lens.

But that's all just prejudice. I'll try them. Soon. After those ten other lenses. Smile

Helios · Joined: 05 Jan 2008 Posts: 537 Location: East of France

I have this lens under the brand "Universar" .Made by Cosina , ( lens cap "blank" , - i own several cosinon lenses with "cosina" marking on - gave me the origin of the maker ) and astonishing good !
Luis , sorry to hack "a little" your post .... Mr. Green

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3009/2842687870_2cb508d6c4_b.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3128/2842681090_eefe5ed261_b.jpg

luisalegria · Expire: 2018-01-18

Hi Helios,

Thanks for the addition ! Thats a perfect still-life, colors and lighting are wonderful.

hi Pixelbart,

I'm not surprised that this thing was a Cosina also. All these second-tier Japanese camera makers seem to have shared the same sub-contractors, for lenses, shutters, and who knows what else. And the lens-makers also seem to have sub-contracted with each other.