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Cheap lens challenge!
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PostPosted: Thu Oct 16, 2014 3:58 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

nandakoryaaa wrote:
Well I've just won a seemingly fine 135/3.5 lens for $0.99 but the shipping is $8.5, will that count?


The rule changed, you can exclude the shipping fee Very Happy

I got a CZ Jena Tessar 2,8/50, exaktar mount with $6.8 but it's definitely not a rubbish lens, is it counted? Laughing


PostPosted: Thu Oct 16, 2014 6:24 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I have also bought a Mamiya Sekor 58mm f/1.7 for $3.95, but it is broken. Not usual malfunction like "fungus, aperture doesn't close", but really broken in two pieces and aperture is destroyed. So I don't know yet if I will be able to revive it.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Mamiya-Sekor-58mm-f-1-7-Prime-Lens-AS-IS-For-Parts-/131314813759


PostPosted: Thu Oct 16, 2014 4:53 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I just bought a YUS 135mm 2.8 on ebay for $.99 plus shipping. I'll report back with images when it arrives.


PostPosted: Thu Oct 16, 2014 5:46 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

JJB wrote:
I just bought a YUS 135mm 2.8 on ebay for $.99 plus shipping. I'll report back with images when it arrives.


I always wonder what makes people sell lenses for $0.99?
Is it even worth going to post office?
Maybe they make some money from the shipping cost?


PostPosted: Thu Oct 16, 2014 6:43 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

nandakoryaaa wrote:
I have also bought a Mamiya Sekor 58mm f/1.7 for $3.95, but it is broken. Not usual malfunction like "fungus, aperture doesn't close", but really broken in two pieces and aperture is destroyed. So I don't know yet if I will be able to revive it.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Mamiya-Sekor-58mm-f-1-7-Prime-Lens-AS-IS-For-Parts-/131314813759


Ugh, it looks like a real challenge!

If it can't be rescued, I have seen the Mamiya Sekor 50/2 going quite cheaply on ebay. I just picked one up as part of a lot and so far the test shots show promise.


PostPosted: Mon Oct 20, 2014 7:25 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

My mystery 200mm has arrived and it is indeed a bit of an enigma. As you can see the name plate has no id or serial number. The mount is PK and the black painted nature of it is typical (though not necessarily) of a lens produced from a M42 predecessor at the time of PK introduction ie mid 1970's.
The only lens that looks somewhat similar from a bit of browsing is a vivitar 200mm f4.
The lens looks in remarkably good nick - unused! However the aperture has problems: iris is sticky (but can't see any oil on it) and the aperture lever doesn't work. I'll try using it on my G1 first. Looks like it's Ok actually from some snaps with flash of mantlepiece ornaments...
Specs: filter: 58mm; cfd: 2.5m; length: ~108mm at infinity focus; iris: 6 blades.
Working hypothesis: this was a quality reject but somehow made it out into the world..... WDYT?





PostPosted: Mon Oct 20, 2014 8:16 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

That is COSINA made lens. Its little brother would be more known MC Cosinon-T 3.5/135mm PK bayonet.


PostPosted: Mon Oct 20, 2014 9:04 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

marcusBMG wrote:
My mystery 200mm has arrived and it is indeed a bit of an enigma. As you can see the name plate has no id or serial number.


So it looks like the space for serial number and brand name is left blank for later as the fate of this lens is yet undecided. This is a stem cell of a lens!


PostPosted: Mon Oct 20, 2014 9:43 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Pancolart wrote:
That is COSINA made lens. Its little brother would be more known MC Cosinon-T 3.5/135mm PK bayonet.


I'll almost consider that a slam dunk - but the cosinas seem to always have a hood, the focus ring is clearly larger on my lens and the markings are a bit different... I'll say probably cosina for the mo.
UPDATE and the cosina looks the same as the vivitar I mentioned, and that has a 55mm filter size not 58mm.


Last edited by marcusBMG on Mon Oct 20, 2014 11:49 pm; edited 1 time in total


PostPosted: Mon Oct 20, 2014 10:40 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

nandakoryaaa wrote:
JJB wrote:
I just bought a YUS 135mm 2.8 on ebay for $.99 plus shipping. I'll report back with images when it arrives.


I always wonder what makes people sell lenses for $0.99?
Is it even worth going to post office?
Maybe they make some money from the shipping cost?


If you list a crappy lens (or indeed anything) in an auction you are risking it going for the start price. Start it any higher and you will not get bids. I did this early on in my ebay career and sold a nice lens for £1.04, now almost everything is BIN unless it had proper value.

I have recently sold two mediocre zoom lenses on ebay. I looked what the average bid sale was and on both it was £2 to £5 although several went for 99pence. I looked at what the average BIN price was and it was £8 - £12. So I pitched mine at BIN for £15 including postage. I could have done it for £11.99 plus £4 postage and made the same but the free postage gets them every time.

One sold within hours, one sold about 4 days later. They were on a 30 day listing.

I'll not make a profit here, thats not the point but I'll be £20 better off and the lenses were part of a bundle which was a helluva bargain anyway.

I bought a camera in full working and mint condition for 55pence. I may use it and sell it on, I'll get £18 easily


PostPosted: Tue Oct 21, 2014 4:24 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

OK, here is my bargain lens that I bought for this challenge. 99 US cents plus 7.05 shipping from ebay. A YUS 135/2.8. These images are JPEGs with no post processing taken on a Fuji EX-1 between 200-400 ISO on a sunny day. I used a hood and mostly apertures between 8-16. The lens is a heavy little brick - 8.5 centimeters long, 435 grams, C/Y mount, focuses well. I consider myself an average photographer who has only recently returned to manual lenses. I am still (re)learning about focusing, composition and optimal apertures.

I was pleasantly surprised with this bargain lens. With a bit of contrast boosting in post processing (which I did not do here), it seems quite capable. First the lens:







This flower was taken a bit more open, at around 5.6, I believe, maybe 4?





Does this count as a landscape? It is the view from the park in my neighborhood. Best I could do within walking distance.


PostPosted: Tue Oct 21, 2014 4:36 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

philslizzy wrote:
If you list a crappy lens (or indeed anything) in an auction you are risking it going for the start price. Start it any higher and you will not get bids.


But why? If I see a lens worth at least $20 which starting bid is $5, I will bid anyway. It'll still be a bargain.


PostPosted: Tue Oct 21, 2014 9:50 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Here are some pics from the mystery 200mm.
It's not very good, particularly wide open, when it is very prone to flare, even with a basic rubber hood. At smaller apertures it did show some decent sharpness. Note that I was battling the inclement conditions due to ex-hurricane Gonzalo. And it took me a wee while to realise that I have only one click per stop on the aperture ring - oops.
All on my G1 with PK adapter. JPG's resized.







100% crop, f8.


PostPosted: Tue Dec 09, 2014 7:52 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

JJB wrote:
nandakoryaaa wrote:
I have also bought a Mamiya Sekor 58mm f/1.7 for $3.95, but it is broken. Not usual malfunction like "fungus, aperture doesn't close", but really broken in two pieces and aperture is destroyed. So I don't know yet if I will be able to revive it.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Mamiya-Sekor-58mm-f-1-7-Prime-Lens-AS-IS-For-Parts-/131314813759


Ugh, it looks like a real challenge!



So finally I have it on my hands. Unfortunately, the mechanical condition is very bad (but glass is ok). Helicoid rails are broken, 4 out of 10 iris blades are destroyed, A/M switch is broken. I assembled the iris using only 5 blades. The lens currently cannot focus due to missing rails. I think I'll try to make them from some piece of metal. The blades can't be made so this lens will be a wide-open only lens, however the iris works normally and it gives crazy bokeh when stopped down.





PostPosted: Tue Dec 09, 2014 11:30 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Make the rails, that lens is worth saving just to get those crazy night-time bokeh shots. Cool


PostPosted: Tue Dec 09, 2014 12:09 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hmmm, this sounds like fun! I can't buy anything new right now, but I do have a knackered Chinon 28mm f2.8 that I picked up for a couple of quid last year - seller said it was mint, but when it came the auto aperture didn't work and it wouldn't focus to infinity. Kept it rather than paying the return postage, I might try to fix it up for this Smile


PostPosted: Tue Dec 09, 2014 7:19 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Paid about $5 for that.
Since there's no film to use, I did one TtL (Through the Lens) shot as the ad showed me how.
There's an actual wire hanging inside to prove the camera/lens' authenticity.



PostPosted: Wed Dec 10, 2014 11:30 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I found this thread and thought I'd better have a go.

Just won a Sigma 39-80mm f3.5 with a Minolta mount for £0.99 plus £4 postage. I found it on ebay with a 99p startingprice and couple of hours to go and left a max bid of £1.20 on it. Wasn't really expecting to win it. This could become addictive!

It claims to be in full working order. Can't find much info on it but, for £4.99 all-in, it doesn't matter if it's not great. I've already got a Minolta SR to M4/3 adaptor so I'll be back with some pics once the lens arrives.


Last edited by EdH on Wed Dec 10, 2014 3:02 pm; edited 1 time in total


PostPosted: Wed Dec 10, 2014 12:16 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

nandakoryaaa wrote:

So finally I have it on my hands. Unfortunately, the mechanical condition is very bad (but glass is ok). Helicoid rails are broken, 4 out of 10 iris blades are destroyed, A/M switch is broken. I assembled the iris using only 5 blades. The lens currently cannot focus due to missing rails. I think I'll try to make them from some piece of metal. The blades can't be made so this lens will be a wide-open only lens, however the iris works normally and it gives crazy bokeh when stopped down.


Cracy bokeh.

It is a good idea to recycle lenses with defect or missing blades.


PostPosted: Wed Dec 10, 2014 5:32 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I am the new owner of a Vivitar 70-150 f/3.8 in FD mount, bought for the challenge for 4.90 euros...

http://www.ebay.de/itm/111537804857?_trksid=p2059210.m2748.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

Is it any good ?


PostPosted: Wed Dec 10, 2014 10:05 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Very compact lens. it needs to be stopped down. It is not vey delicate ( lack of finesse in contrasts and coulours). I prefer by far my less compact Zuiko 75/150. Ok for that price , it is a very good lens.


PostPosted: Fri Dec 12, 2014 4:56 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Initial experiments with the super-cheap 99p Sigma 39-80mm f3.5 haven't been very successful. Haven't managed to take an even half-decent shot with it. Optics not as clean as I'd hoped. I think it's fungus – not sure, never had it before – a covering of small dots on the rear optics.

This may mean that I have got my money's worth! For 99p what was I expecting?!


Last edited by EdH on Mon Dec 15, 2014 9:50 am; edited 1 time in total


PostPosted: Fri Dec 12, 2014 5:15 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

EdH wrote:
This may mean that I have got my money's worth! For 99p what was I expecting?!


Well for $0.99 I also got a perfectly good as new 135/3.5 preset lens named Vorn, however these lenses appear under many different third-party names. I have an identical one named Aico. I'll do samples later since it's too dark now.


PostPosted: Sat Dec 13, 2014 1:54 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Huh. I paged through all fifteen pages of this thread and realized I didn't post any pics taken with my cheap Yashinon 50/1.7. I should do something about that, It got me to thinking and I actually have two others that will qualify. About a year ago I bought a new old stock Soligor 90-310 (I think it is) for the opening bid amount, which I think was $10. I was always curious about that lens' performance, dating back to when I didn't know anything about photography, really. Turns out it's a real stinker. And I have another old Soligor that's like an 85-230 or something. A two-ring zoom, about a bazillion of 'em were made back in the early 70s. This one's really bad too. It was basically the body cap for a nice Canon FTb I bought off eBay.

I have a NEX 7 now, and I've just gotten a bunch of adapters for it, so now I can try out that old Soligor in Canon mount and see if it's as bad as I recall.


PostPosted: Mon Dec 22, 2014 9:01 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

So finally I have a full rule-compliant Mamiya Sekor 58/1.7 - cost $3.95

Here's my proof of purchase: http://www.ebay.com/itm/131314813759

It took so long because I bought it but shipped to other address in order to accumulate several lenses and cut on shipping costs.
Next, I tried to repair it as it was all broken. Finally, I made the helicoid rail part instead of broken one and the lens can now focus properly. The aperture is still missing 1/2 of its blades, it can be normally used within f/1.7 to ~f/2.4 range, any more and bokeh will start to look crazy.

The lens is sharp wide-open. However I use it on a m4/3 camera so I don't know about corners but should be good. Overall it gives the impression of having a calm character. However, it was also the nasty winter weather when everything was dull and gray, also my camera JPEG settings are very neutral. After I've seen the results I feel deep regret I didn't take it seriously and shoot in RAW. Processing JPEG files is a pain so I left them untouched, straight from camera, except the flower shot because I modified it and then lost the original somehow.

The lens:


The landscape (best possible with 116mm equiv.)


The flower (yes I magically found it there right when I needed. Shot through the fence, therefore some blur on foreground)


The rest (I did more than one)