First lens to challenge 2.4/35mm Flektogon

Pancolart · Expire: 2013-11-18

I've tested many (though not in heavy price league) wide angle 28mm-35mm lenses but have never found any that would post a serious threat to Zeiss Flektogon 2.4/35mm for short distance near macro usage and possibly low light wide-open.

This is first situation i found similar joy of use and confidence in results: VIVITAR Series 1 1.9/28mm, converted from CANON FD bayonet to M42. All shots wide open, normal tungsten 150 Watt (in some shots additional one) light and wide-open. Strong colorful reflections also due to my daughter's green Pooh chair. Pentax K10D in Samsung clothing.

no-X · Posted: Fri Feb 19, 2010 9:21 pm Post subject:

Yes, the lens has floating optical design, which was optimized for close-focusing performance. It's the sharpest M42 28mm lens I have ever tried. Even for landscapes shooting it provides sharper images at f/2.8 than cheap lenses at f/5.6. The only weak point is lateral CA, which is similar or slightly higher than on other good 28mm lenses. Anyway, it's hard to find a better performer and your pictures prove it Smile

aleksanderpolo · Joined: 24 Jan 2010 Posts: 690

I have the Vivitar 28/2 (Komine) close focusing, I wonder how the 28/1.9 compare, do you have both of them? Who made the 28/1.9, BTW?

Pancolart · Expire: 2013-11-18

Thank you no-X. Aleksanderpolo: In fact i also have 2/28mm Komine and Kiron versions though Minolta mount. They will become PK soon and i will be able to make comparison.

M42.artlimited.net says of Vivitar VMC 1.9/28mm: "This lens was designed by E. Betensky of Opcon Associates (Stamford, Connecticut) and built by Tokina".

Anu · Joined: 14 Apr 2009 Posts: 891

dakoo · Joined: 08 Mar 2008 Posts: 608

nice samples, would be great to see more maybe outdoors too.

woodrim · Joined: 14 Jan 2010 Posts: 4066 Location: Charleston

Was it difficult converting from a Canon mount?

woodrim · Joined: 14 Jan 2010 Posts: 4066 Location: Charleston

fish4570 · Expire: 2012-03-21

that's a buster of a special-purpose lens ...

egidio · Joined: 02 Sep 2009 Posts: 225 Location: slovenia

nice! love that sharpness in bokeh it really gives a character

Pancolart · Expire: 2013-11-18

dakoo · Joined: 08 Mar 2008 Posts: 608

FD->M42 ? So can this be done to any FD lense ?

Anu · Joined: 14 Apr 2009 Posts: 891

Excalibur · Expire: 2014-04-21

***First lens to challenge 2.4/35mm Flektogon***

Erm no supporters of Canon FD 35mm f2.8 and F2...................................

Anu · Joined: 14 Apr 2009 Posts: 891

Excalibur · Expire: 2014-04-21

Anu · Joined: 14 Apr 2009 Posts: 891

Excalibur · Expire: 2014-04-21

**Your numbers of your lens must be a bit off as if your 35/2.8 focuses about 16cm in front of the lens, and the sensor/film is about 4 cm behind the last element of the objective which also is a few centimeters thick, surely the total is more than 19.5 cm...**

You are correct and I'm wrong......I still think in inches and the film plane is about 3.5 inches (not 3.5cm) from front of lens, which is about 9cms..so focus of subject to film plane symbol will be about 25cms

folderholder · Joined: 24 Jan 2010 Posts: 102 Location: California

[quote="dakoo"]FD->M42 ? So can this be done to any FD lense ?[/quote]

I have an older but like-new 500mm Sears mirror lens that I think was made by Tokina. It came with a Canon FD mount. I unscrewed the FD mount and in its place glued a 42mm-58mm step-up ring. Found the glue at the hardware store- it is supposed to bind to metal. Let it dry overnight. I then connected that to a standard 42mm Screw thread-EOS lens adapter. The lens now focuses to infinity on my 7D and is a great lightweight long lens in my pack.

no-X · Posted: Tue Feb 23, 2010 9:55 am Post subject:

I found patent of this lens:

http://www.google.com/patents/about?id=NPU6AAAAEBAJ

It shows 8 different lens diagrams. The 28/1.9 has 3 elements in front group, so fig.10 is unlikely. It seems, that the 28/1.9 has 6 elements in the rear group and only two of them are cemented, so fig.1, 2 and 3 are unlikely, too. Front element is curved, so fig.6 and 9 are out of game... Fig.8 shows f/2.0 design. The last one - likely the 28/1.9 Vivitar - is fig.7:

Pancolart · Expire: 2013-11-18

Taken outside. Wide-open, very bad cloudy light. I couldn't pick WB right. This lens if very fast - camera went up to 1/3500s on 200 ISO. I must compare with other Komine, Kiron 2/28mm soon.

woodrim · Joined: 14 Jan 2010 Posts: 4066 Location: Charleston

In the usual situations where it would occur, is the purple fringing at fully open very bad with this Series 1 lens? I find it to be quite bad with the 200mm.

Pancolart · Expire: 2013-11-18

Another contender: Enna M�nchen 4/24mm. I am very pleased with results and short focusing distance really helps when shooting smaller objects. Multicoated version a bit better. And do check if all your elements are clean since this baby is prone to fogging due to plastic Ennalyt chassis (some lucky guys have metal version but not me).

estudleon · Joined: 15 May 2008 Posts: 3791 Location: Argentina

The enna is one of the brand which more different commentaries have had.

I read and heard a lot of OK, so-so, poor.

Nice to see the images taklen with the 24 enna

Rino.

Excalibur · Expire: 2014-04-21