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Esplana 200mm f3.5. Manufacturer?
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PostPosted: Mon Nov 12, 2012 11:30 am    Post subject: Esplana 200mm f3.5. Manufacturer? Reply with quote
I bought this on Friday locally for £5.
I've never heard of this brand before and cannot find anything on the internet about Esplana.
Obviously it's a rebrand but by which maker? Any ideas from the photos attached?
It is a hefty piece and came with some fungus on the front element. However it was really easy to clean. The front casing simply unscrewed, the housing holding the front elements then unscrewed and the piece holding the front element itself unscrewed all by hand, no tools required.
I have read somewhere that human spit has anti-fungal properties and softens the hardness of fungus. I wet a cotton bud wiped it on left it for 5 mins and wiped off with another bud. Then breathed on the element and wiped clean with a lens cloth. It came up a treat. I screwed everything together and that was it done in 10 mins max.





PostPosted: Mon Nov 12, 2012 12:56 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
In 1960-70 may hundreds small optical company did work Japan,plus importer companies used re-bagged products. Once I had similar A/M switch lens called Prakticar 24mm, it was crap really I also couldn't identify who made it, look forward your success in investigation.


PostPosted: Mon Nov 12, 2012 2:04 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Congrats on fixing it.

I like hunting down lenses with a bit of mystery as they can sometimes be very good. I think it will only be average at best, but it may be a hidden gem.

I await the results.


PostPosted: Mon Nov 12, 2012 8:57 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Attila wrote:
In 1960-70 may hundreds small optical company did work Japan,plus importer companies used re-bagged products. Once I had similar A/M switch lens called Prakticar 24mm, it was crap really I also couldn't identify who made it, look forward your success in investigation.

I'd say 4-7 only made lenses (third party). Other re-branded them, distributed them. Few make their own bodies.


PostPosted: Mon Nov 12, 2012 9:09 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
I still believe there were lot more

I didn't find list just a fresh one,

http://www.optronicsjp.com/opi12/list.php

30+ on list in 2012, most of them never heard and probably not make photographic lens at all, past was different , almost every optical factory would get profit from SLR bumm.


PostPosted: Wed Nov 14, 2012 11:06 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
Besides those "persistent in time" like Tamron, Tokina, Sigma, and Cosina who we can hardly call small, there were notorious: Komine, Sun, Kiron, Tomioka and more obscure Cima Kogaku, Makinon, Sankor, Kawanon, Kobori.
95% of the Japan 3rd party lenses could be attributed to one of the above.
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