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Explore the world of vintage lenses through repair notes, real test shots, and detailed archive threads packed with images.

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Caspeco (old Tokina) 300/5.5 preset T2-mount
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Posted: Sat Nov 08, 2008 7:38 am
Post subject: Caspeco (old Tokina) 300/5.5 preset T2-mount
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Posted: Sat Nov 08, 2008 7:38 am
Post subject: Caspeco (old Tokina) 300/5.5 preset T2-mount
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This is yet another of that extremely common series of old Tokina lenses of the 1960's -



Old Tokinas - L-R: Sears 135/3.5, Lentar 200/4.5, Caspeco 300/5.5

This one bears yet another merchants name. These were sold by nearly every lens-merchant in the 1960's, and can be found under a bewildering array of names - I have seen these sold as Accura, Lentar, Vemar, Hanimex, Sears, Spiratone, Prinz, Palinar, etc. There are probably dozens of brands around the world, used by what seems to be every major importer, distributor, camera store chain, department store chain, mail-order dealer and who knows who else. These were also sold by camera makers such as Yashica, Mamiya, Ricoh and Petri. This series in fact made up ALL the original Yashica SLR add-on lens product line, the original Yashinon-R's.

Strangely, they don't seem to have been sold as Soligors or Vivitars.

Whatever name they caried, some of them are easily spotted because of the distinctive design, even though there are variations in details like the knurling of different rings. I have maybe half the series, the 100/4, 135/3.5, 200/4.5 and 300/5.5. There were also a 400/6.3, a 35/2.8 and a 28/2.8, and possibly some others like a 35/3.5 or an 85mm or 180mm, but I haven't managed to grab those. The short lenses aren't as easy to spot, and there may be some rare items. There are also variations - there seem to be two versions of the 300mm for instance, one goes down to a minimum aperture of f/22 and the other to f/32 - this Caspeco is the f/32 type.

Robert Monaghan tested the Spiratone version of this one, an f/22 -

http://medfmt.8k.com/third/preset.html

This one is just like its smaller brothers, a very simple and conventional but well made lens, with the usual Japanese 2-ring preset mechanism. It is a perfectly decent performer as 300mm's go, but it does have a serious fault, in that minimum focus is a quite long 25ft/8m. This does make it difficult to get "the bird", and more practically a tight headshot closeup is probably going to need cropping - and a longer standoff distance.





















The bird -



crop -



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Posted: Sat Nov 08, 2008 8:26 am
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Posted: Sat Nov 08, 2008 8:26 am
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The cormorant shots are great.


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Posted: Thu Nov 13, 2008 4:16 am
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Posted: Thu Nov 13, 2008 4:16 am
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Updates -

I have to eat my words again - I said this line wasn't sold as Soligor - in fact it was, the 300mm Soligor version having a different style tripod mount and a built-in hood.

This is probably the most widely-distributed line of preset lenses ever made.

The largest of the line also seems to have been a rather rare 400/5.9 - the 400/6.3 is much more common.


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Posted: Thu Nov 13, 2008 5:22 am
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Posted: Thu Nov 13, 2008 5:22 am
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I'm seeing lots of detail in these, Luis, the lens is a keeper!


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Posted: Thu Nov 13, 2008 7:34 am
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Posted: Thu Nov 13, 2008 7:34 am
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Yes, excellent performance, but I think the same of at least 90% of tests performed by Luis so... Laughing


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Posted: Thu Nov 13, 2008 9:45 am
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Posted: Thu Nov 13, 2008 9:45 am
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Orio wrote:
Yes, excellent performance, but I think the same of at least 90% of tests performed by Luis so... Laughing

Agreed! It gets difficult to find new words of praise.
I wish I could watch my back like that Cormorant! (Not to mention swim and fly too) Smile


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Posted: Mon Dec 08, 2008 3:27 pm
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Posted: Mon Dec 08, 2008 3:27 pm
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luisalegria wrote:
Updates -

I have to eat my words again - I said this line wasn't sold as Soligor - in fact it was, the 300mm Soligor version having a different style tripod mount and a built-in hood.

This is probably the most widely-distributed line of preset lenses ever made.

The largest of the line also seems to have been a rather rare 400/5.9 - the 400/6.3 is much more common.


Hi,
I would like to announce, that I have captured two copies of this lens with Soligor designation, exactly the same design - one with T-mount, the other one with T2 mount.
And I've spotted one with DELTA Tele Lens name Smile.
My third capture is Soligor 300/5.5 which seems to be one you have mentioned - quite different design - it's shorter, it has different tripod mount collar, build-in lens hood. The rear lens group is fixed -it does not move at all, the focusing is via rotating barrel which is housing front lens group. Preset diaphragm is controlled by two rings situated near the lens mount (f5.5-f22 in half f-stop increment).
It's T2 mount lens. Minimum focusing distance is 6m.
it looks very similar to 400/6.3 lens described in Your "Soligor (Tokina) 400/6.3, the biggest of the T4's" thread, with exception of two aperture rings at the rear end.

Wink


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Posted: Mon Dec 08, 2008 7:12 pm
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Posted: Mon Dec 08, 2008 7:12 pm
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Hi Wariag !

That may make it THREE Soligor versions ?

The last one may be different, as in it may be from a different source. I suspect that Soligor may have been giving the same specifications to several makers ("we want a 250/4.5, a 300/5.5, a 350/5.6 and a 450/8").

I think this may be the case because there are so many versions of some of the odd sizes, that are rare in any brand other thans Soligor, like the 250, 350 and 450.


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Posted: Wed Feb 18, 2009 8:36 pm
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Posted: Wed Feb 18, 2009 8:36 pm
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Soligor did indeed make these lenses...I just one won for £10.00 Laughing



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Posted: Wed Feb 18, 2009 9:59 pm
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Posted: Wed Feb 18, 2009 9:59 pm
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I don't know what someone will find under the Soligor name next - a Zeiss ?


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Posted: Wed Feb 18, 2009 10:14 pm
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Posted: Wed Feb 18, 2009 10:14 pm
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luisalegria wrote:
I don't know what someone will find under the Soligor name next - a Zeiss ?


Only if I can get one for under £10.00 Laughing Laughing Laughing


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Posted: Wed Feb 25, 2009 6:37 pm
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Posted: Wed Feb 25, 2009 6:37 pm
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OK, this arrived today and is immaculate, hands up if you didn't read the bit about the monsterous 8m minimum focus though Laughing


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Posted: Wed Feb 25, 2009 9:08 pm
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Posted: Wed Feb 25, 2009 9:08 pm
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Hi Shrek,

I put in a short extension tube (5mm or so) and it gets down to a useful focus range for portraits and zoo animals, but no infinity focus of course. This is mostly just an annoyance.


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Posted: Thu Feb 26, 2009 9:04 am
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Posted: Thu Feb 26, 2009 9:04 am
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I had a Caspeco 350mm a couple of years ago. Well built lens but was always a little soft at all f/stops. Can't remember the aperture range though.


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Posted: Thu Feb 26, 2009 12:10 pm
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Posted: Thu Feb 26, 2009 12:10 pm
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luisalegria wrote:
Hi Shrek,

I put in a short extension tube (5mm or so) and it gets down to a useful focus range for portraits and zoo animals, but no infinity focus of course. This is mostly just an annoyance.


Great tip! I'll give that a go tonight, many thanks!


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Posted: Mon Mar 02, 2009 6:17 pm
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Posted: Mon Mar 02, 2009 6:17 pm
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luisalegria wrote:
Hi Wariag !

That may make it THREE Soligor versions ?

The last one may be different, as in it may be from a different source. I suspect that Soligor may have been giving the same specifications to several makers ("we want a 250/4.5, a 300/5.5, a 350/5.6 and a 450/8").

I think this may be the case because there are so many versions of some of the odd sizes, that are rare in any brand other thans Soligor, like the 250, 350 and 450.


Hi,

I think You shall look at this before it disappears...
Looks like Tokina made another one with longer helicoid (4,7m minimum distance)

Cheers
Smile


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Posted: Fri May 03, 2013 1:13 pm
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Posted: Fri May 03, 2013 1:13 pm
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I have the 300mm as Soligor, and I'm very happy with it Wink


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Posted: Tue Jan 28, 2014 6:12 pm
Post subject: Another version ?
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Posted: Tue Jan 28, 2014 6:12 pm
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I acquired this lens today... Just two elements.. The rear element does not move... T2 mount... serial starts with 37



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Posted: Tue Jan 28, 2014 10:19 pm
Post subject: Re: Another version ?
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Posted: Tue Jan 28, 2014 10:19 pm
Post subject: Re: Another version ?
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Quantumshell wrote:
I acquired this lens today... Just two elements.. The rear element does not move... T2 mount... serial starts with 37



First post can´t show pictures Very Happy But you are good from now on Wink


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Posted: Tue Jan 28, 2014 10:56 pm
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Posted: Tue Jan 28, 2014 10:56 pm
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This is a very different lens.

I had one under the "Kaligar" brand some years ago, with somewhat different styling.
That one had the quite uncommon Auto-T interchangeable mount system.
Soligor sold nearly everything from every maker at one time or another, under their brand.

Its not similar to the Tokina presets in either mechanism or optics.
The Tokina preset is a much better lens than the Kaligar I had.


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Posted: Tue Jan 28, 2014 11:02 pm
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Posted: Tue Jan 28, 2014 11:02 pm
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This was my experience too. The preset version was quite a bit sharper. Same goes for the corresponding 400/6.3 in the range.


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Posted: Tue Jan 28, 2014 11:13 pm
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Posted: Tue Jan 28, 2014 11:13 pm
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Same as this one -

http://forum.mflenses.com/kalimar-300-5-5-auto-t-interchangable-mount-t10907,highlight,%2Bkalimar.html


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Posted: Sat Aug 31, 2019 2:04 pm
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Posted: Sat Aug 31, 2019 2:04 pm
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Any newer experiense with this lens?

What about CA?


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Posted: Sat Aug 31, 2019 2:07 pm
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Posted: Sat Aug 31, 2019 2:07 pm
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If anyone wants these (all three in the picture),
I can give them to you free!
Free US postage too.

Just send me a PM.
They probably aren't worth international postage.
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