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Cheap lens challenge!
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PostPosted: Thu Jan 24, 2013 9:06 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
kendo1 wrote:
Just got a lens for 99p. I think the adapter will cost a bit more Smile

Ken


Leave us in suspense, why don't you? It could be a CZ f1.2 Planar to a plastic meniscus broken out of an old Instamatic!

Wotcha 99p got?

It seems that many photographic outlets that keep some `2nd user' stock for sale, are beginning to see the value of older mechanical cameras and their associated lenses, given that demand controls value, we can expect pricing to reflect this demand. So, I don't think it's looking that far into the future to see this interest of ours being an expensive one! We'll then look back on Ken's little bargain with jealous eyes, right?


PostPosted: Thu Jan 24, 2013 9:34 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
MTHall wrote:
I've just acquired the M42 version of this lens, £19 s/h retail, clean and undamaged. I thought it might come in handy as I haven't a prime w/a wider than 35 in automatic. Well it looks nice but I'll have to run a film behind it to see for real. on mine the script isn't so colourfull and there is no rhombus on the red index?
pro's looks good, small, light, clean and unmarked, no obvious scratching.
Con's Infinity is sticky at stopper, caps aren't original, Bell and Howell is a badge, so who makes it? How good is it?

dimitrygo wrote:
ManualFocus-G wrote:
Great bargain Mark!!

OK, here's my first contender...wait for it...yep, a Bell & Howell 28mm f2.8 prime lens in OM mount Cool Looks like the seller realised their mistake and didn't post the Zuiko after all Laughing

Here's the lens:





OT. Anyone knows who is a maker of this lens? I saw this little rhombus sign on DOF scale on several lenses.


There is no rhombus on mine, otherwise it looks the same! I think it might be badge engineered by Osawa.




That B&H lens is identical to my 28mm Osawa that I bought for £1 at a boot sale........I'd give it 5 out of 10 for sharpness Shocked


PostPosted: Thu Jan 24, 2013 9:59 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
Aha! a Hellish Bowell! That's pretty good value for money, my M42 mounted version seems okay and you expected a Zuiko? Mind you if that was what was offered...........!!


PostPosted: Thu Jan 24, 2013 3:50 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Interesting

Does anyone know what company manufactured that Bell & Howell??


PostPosted: Thu Jan 24, 2013 3:55 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
This sounds like fun. I must wade through the various pages to see everyone's entries.


PostPosted: Thu Jan 24, 2013 5:01 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
ManualFocus-G wrote:
I once owned an Osawa zoom that was an absolute stinker though!


I got an Osawa f3.8 75-150mm Macro in a package deal. I don't carry zooms with me and therefore only have three sample pics uploaded to my flickr, still it had surprised me much to the upside. See unsharpened, original sizes here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/kuuan/sets/72157622380220131/with/3979232555/
( had already uploaded reduced and sharpened versions here, but then deleted them, realized it doesn't qualify as I had agreed to pay an additional 10 Euro for it to be thrown in the deal )


PostPosted: Thu Jan 24, 2013 6:29 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
kuuan wrote:
ManualFocus-G wrote:
I once owned an Osawa zoom that was an absolute stinker though!


I got an Osawa f3.8 75-150mm Macro in a package deal. I don't carry zooms with me and therefore only have three sample pics uploaded to my flickr, still it had surprised me much to the upside. See unsharpened, original sizes here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/kuuan/sets/72157622380220131/with/3979232555/
( had already uploaded reduced and sharpened versions here, but then deleted them, realized it doesn't qualify as I had agreed to pay an additional 10 Euro for it to be thrown in the deal )


I think this zoom was made by Tokina - I saw very similar one with Vivitar badge and s/n starting with 37.


PostPosted: Thu Jan 24, 2013 6:56 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
guardian wrote:
Interesting

Does anyone know what company manufactured that Bell & Howell??


I cannot be sure 100% but to it resembles this Cosina lens:



PostPosted: Thu Jan 24, 2013 10:58 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
It's not a great lens. I read this thread and saw a Panagor 80-200 4.5 in near mint condition that was down to two minutes on ebay for 99p, no offers. Lens is made by Kiron, same
as the Vivitar of the same vintage.
I'll have to use it on one of my Nexs. An adapter should cost about £7, for my Nikons it would be about £39 - not worth it for a wee bit of fun.
Delivery should be in two days and then I have to wait for the adapter.

Ken


PostPosted: Fri Jan 25, 2013 10:33 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
dimitrygo wrote:
kuuan wrote:
ManualFocus-G wrote:
I once owned an Osawa zoom that was an absolute stinker though!

I got an Osawa f3.8 75-150mm Macro in a package deal....

I think this zoom was made by Tokina - I saw very similar one with Vivitar badge and s/n starting with 37.


the Tokina and Osawa really look the same! There is little information on Osawa on the net, but from what I found Osawa was quite a big lens manufacturer too, made lenses for Mamiya SLRs and for Nikon, Pentax Canon, most under their own name Osawa but possibly also some which even were sold as e.g. "Nikkors"? ( see last comment: http://photo.net/filters-bags-tripods-accessories-forum/00Fxpe ) possibly it also was the demise of Osawa that led to Mamiya discontinuing it's SLR line: http://www.max.grenkowitz.net/?topic=1073
Just as Tokina Osawa never made it's own camera but lenses for other mounts, how can we know if it was Tokina that made this lens for Osawa, or if it possibly was Osawa that made it for Tokina?


PostPosted: Fri Jan 25, 2013 11:02 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
kuuan wrote:
dimitrygo wrote:
kuuan wrote:
ManualFocus-G wrote:
I once owned an Osawa zoom that was an absolute stinker though!

I got an Osawa f3.8 75-150mm Macro in a package deal....

I think this zoom was made by Tokina - I saw very similar one with Vivitar badge and s/n starting with 37.


the Tokina and Osawa really look the same! There is little information on Osawa on the net, but from what I found Osawa was quite a big lens manufacturer too, made lenses for Mamiya SLRs and for Nikon, Pentax Canon, most under their own name Osawa but possibly also some which even were sold as e.g. "Nikkors"? ( see last comment: http://photo.net/filters-bags-tripods-accessories-forum/00Fxpe ) possibly it also was the demise of Osawa that led to Mamiya discontinuing it's SLR line: http://www.max.grenkowitz.net/?topic=1073
Just as Tokina Osawa never made it's own camera but lenses for other mounts, how can we know if it was Tokina that made this lens for Osawa, or if it possibly was Osawa that made it for Tokina?


I think many brands were thought as lens producers but eventually turned out to be just resellers. Internet helps to reveal the truth. I don't claim Ozawa didn't made their own lenses but all Ozawa lenses I saw seem to be re-branded.


PostPosted: Fri Jan 25, 2013 11:34 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
you are right, an identical looking Vivitar with serial starting 37 would be an indication that is was produced by Tokina.. Anyhow it should be mentioned that Osawa was a very big conglomerate which not only distributed but also produced a wide range of products, e.g. Bell&Howell and Mamiya lenses and cameras, that big that it's bankruptcy in 1984, at least then, had been considered the biggest company failure in modern Japanese history.


PostPosted: Wed Jan 30, 2013 10:52 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Lens arrived today, 99p.
Just ordered another for 97p.
Waiting on adapters now.


PostPosted: Tue May 07, 2013 11:21 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
Just discovered this page as I was looking up something completely irrelevant.

The majority of my lens purchases are always under 5 pounds, although I have been known to spend up to £10.

All my current purchases which have been great bargains are on this page:
http://forum.mflenses.com/i-should-stop-buying-possibly-t58302.html

The best very recent purchase probably being the Carl Zeiss Jena Pancolar 50mm f1.8 which cost a whopping £3 ($4.66).


PostPosted: Mon Oct 06, 2014 12:25 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
I just picked up this one on fleabay for $5.00. It is a very good 28 with great sharpness. Probably made by Cimko or Ozunon. Great little macro lens.

Looks exactly like my ensinor 24mm which is pretty well rated.










PostPosted: Mon Oct 06, 2014 2:56 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Well I might be super-unlucky but I monitor Ebay for lenses for almost one year and I have never managed to buy a really bargain one. Even the defective / damaged lenses which I watched ended up sold for over $30.


PostPosted: Mon Oct 06, 2014 3:53 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
nandakoryaaa wrote:
Well I might be super-unlucky but I monitor Ebay for lenses for almost one year and I have never managed to buy a really bargain one. Even the defective / damaged lenses which I watched ended up sold for over $30.

You should probably skip that red T* in search terms.


PostPosted: Mon Oct 06, 2014 4:12 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Pancolart wrote:
nandakoryaaa wrote:
Well I might be super-unlucky but I monitor Ebay for lenses for almost one year and I have never managed to buy a really bargain one. Even the defective / damaged lenses which I watched ended up sold for over $30.

You should probably skip that red T* in search terms.


Very Happy, my search terms are just "M42 lens", I check literally everything.

Seriously, I once have won a lens for just $1. But then the seller deleted his account so I got nothing.

I can consider my only bargain purchase of A.Schacht Ulm Travenar 35/3.5 for about $30 while it normally costs about $250, but just because it was in a rather bad condition. Aperture control was not working, coating is heavily damaged and the rear inner element is cracked. Still gives a surprisingly good picture but contrast is weak. I can participate with this lens here Smile


PostPosted: Mon Oct 06, 2014 4:48 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Hi everyone,

nandakoryaaa, you just have to look for a lens that pops up and very few people know what it is. I read all the posts here and eventually
you will come to know who made what. I have gathered a lot of information from here and has helped me a great deal.

Keep reading and looking and you will find them
Very Happy
Regards,

Gavin


PostPosted: Mon Oct 06, 2014 4:57 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
nandakoryaaa. You need to pay opportunity cost on learning and searching for bargains.


PostPosted: Mon Oct 06, 2014 5:14 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
calvin83 wrote:
nandakoryaaa. You need to pay opportunity cost on learning and searching for bargains.


I feel sorry for being more off-topic here, but please can you explain what's this opportunity cost? Something I've never heard of.


PostPosted: Mon Oct 06, 2014 5:30 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
nandakoryaaa wrote:
calvin83 wrote:
nandakoryaaa. You need to pay opportunity cost on learning and searching for bargains.


I feel sorry for being more off-topic here, but please can you explain what's this opportunity cost? Something I've never heard of.

Sorry for my poor English, I should use 'time and efforts' instead of the term 'opportunity cost'. Gavin have mentioned in the reply above.

Quote:
you just have to look for a lens that pops up and very few people know what it is. I read all the posts here and eventually
you will come to know who made what. I have gathered a lot of information from here and has helped me a great deal.

Keep reading and looking and you will find them


PostPosted: Mon Oct 06, 2014 5:35 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Oh thanks! I think I understood what opprotunity cost is Smile


PostPosted: Mon Oct 06, 2014 5:45 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
If you search for M42 you won't find much. People who know what "M42" means, know what they're selling. And people who know what "M42" means, know what they're buying too! Few people selling know what they have, everbody buying knows what they're looking for.

Sometimes you just have to know specifically what you're looking for. Yashinon, Takumar, Tessar, etc. Because the seller will just write what's written on the lens. They might not even write the focal length! It also pays to check a seller's other auctions. I once scored several hard to find lenses because a seller listed a Domiplan... I looked under their other listings and found Schacht and Schneider lenses - all miss-spelled and impossible for people to find by just using the search bar! Twisted Evil

That being said it is very hard to find even the crappiest of lenses these days for under $10. Unless it is in some odd mount for which adapters are not available. I once got a Lithagon for a song because the seller left a Miranda to M42 adapter on the lens - nobody bid because they thought it was a lens for a Miranda instead of an adaptable M42 lens. So I got the lens and the adapter (which is desirable BTW) for almost nothing.


PostPosted: Mon Oct 06, 2014 9:07 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Now I understand. I changed my search strategy and I already see some lenses that cost near $5. However I don't want them but the road is clear now, thanks alot Smile
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