Home

Please support mflenses.com if you need any graphic related work order it from us, click on above banner to order!
SearchSearch MemberlistMemberlist RegisterRegister ProfileProfile Log in to check your private messagesLog in to check your private messages Log inLog in

First shots with Panagor PMC 90mm 2.8 macro lens
Post new topic   Reply to topic
Home   Manual Focus Lenses
View previous topic :: View next topic  


PostPosted: Thu May 31, 2012 12:21 pm    Post subject: First shots with Panagor PMC 90mm 2.8 macro lens Reply with quote
First test shots with Panagor PMC 90mm 2.8. I hadn't really planned to get a dedicated macro lens but had the opportunity to pick this up (in OM mount) for $80 and couldn't resist. It is a true macro lens, going to 1:1.

I haven't done many actual macro shots with it. The first ones I attempted, it was breezy out and my hands were not steady, so I ended up with lots out of focus. I have some newer ones on my camera card and will check those out in the next couple of days.

My first impression is that this is a nice lens. Colour straight out of the camera is really nice. I like the versatility of going from macro to regular shooting mode with one lens without having to fiddle with tubes, etc. I haven't tried it for portraits yet but want to.

I have no idea what kind of plant that is in the first photo. I've never seen a bud like that before. It was fuzzy and soft, almost furry. If anyone has any idea I'd love to know. It was a wild plant, growing on the shores of Lake Erie in Southern Ontario, Canada.









This was taken through a glass display case and is a significant crop, not macro mode.




PostPosted: Thu May 31, 2012 12:39 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Really great results! Very good IQ for a lens without a big name. And really nice bargain for $80 only. Congrats!

Last edited by ForenSeil on Thu May 31, 2012 11:17 pm; edited 2 times in total


PostPosted: Thu May 31, 2012 2:08 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Macros good, but those non-macros look very sharp to me.


PostPosted: Thu May 31, 2012 2:54 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Congrats for the deal.
This lens is near the top of my to-buy list.
Very good results.


PostPosted: Thu May 31, 2012 4:34 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Very nice pictures - especially the last one! Panagor lenses seem to have a very nice color rendering. Their construction is also superb. I read in their lens catalog that they were specially color corrected. The problem is that nowadays this lens normally goes for nearly twice as much money as the Tamron 90mm 2.5 (which is really a very good macro lens too).


PostPosted: Thu May 31, 2012 4:59 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
This one is made by Komine, if i am not wrong.


PostPosted: Thu May 31, 2012 5:41 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Looks good as than any other from well known brands! Congrats!


PostPosted: Thu May 31, 2012 5:45 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Lovely results, that's one sharp lens.. Very Happy


PostPosted: Thu May 31, 2012 6:13 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Very sharp. I like the car one.


PostPosted: Thu May 31, 2012 6:31 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Excellent lens and a really good buy. Well done and enjoy it


patrickh


PostPosted: Thu May 31, 2012 7:37 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Quote:
This one is made by Komine, if i am not wrong.

Panagor was a trademark of the Jaca Corp. Tokyo (they also had another trademark called Elicar).
Panagor lenses were produced by Kiron. In the very late days this changed and other OEMs were chosen (but they look quite differently). This macro lens is quite certainly a Kiron lens. They all look quite similar.


PostPosted: Thu May 31, 2012 10:38 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
diddy wrote:
Quote:
This one is made by Komine, if i am not wrong.

Panagor was a trademark of the Jaca Corp. Tokyo (they also had another trademark called Elicar).
Panagor lenses were produced by Kiron. In the very late days this changed and other OEMs were chosen (but they look quite differently). This macro lens is quite certainly a Kiron lens. They all look quite similar.

Kiron made 105mm macro lens sold as Kiron, Vivitar and Lester Dine. This 90mm lens was made by Komine:
http://www.pentaxforums.com/userreviews/vivitar-90mm-f2-8-macro.html
http://www.pentaxforums.com/userreviews/panagor-90mm-f2-8-macro-pmc.html
http://www.pentaxforums.com/userreviews/elicar-super-macro-v-hq-1-25-1-90mm-f2-5.html


PostPosted: Fri Jun 01, 2012 12:33 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
Very nice! I had the Panagor 90mm in FD mount and used it on my Nikons -- but couldn't get infinity focus!


PostPosted: Fri Jun 01, 2012 3:19 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
I think its the same as my Rokunar :
http://forum.mflenses.com/rokunar-v-hq-macro-mc-90mm-f2-5-t46680,highlight,%2Brokunar.html


PostPosted: Fri Jun 01, 2012 6:07 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
pretty amazed with the sharp and 1:1 macro at that price...i think its a huge challanger for Tamron 90/2.5 (1:2)


PostPosted: Fri Jun 01, 2012 6:38 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
declan wrote:
pretty amazed with the sharp and 1:1 macro at that price...i think its a huge challanger for Tamron 90/2.5 (1:2)


I agree that seems to be a very fine lens at that price point it is very appealing with its 1:1 macro and the IQ
Wich company produce those? What it komine?
And could you please post an image of the lens


PostPosted: Fri Jun 01, 2012 6:58 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
Smoli4 wrote:
declan wrote:
pretty amazed with the sharp and 1:1 macro at that price...i think its a huge challanger for Tamron 90/2.5 (1:2)


I agree that seems to be a very fine lens at that price point it is very appealing with its 1:1 macro and the IQ
Wich company produce those? What it komine?
And could you please post an image of the lens


Komine made the 90mm and Kiron the 105mm, both superb, I loved my 90mm but for some reason I sold it as I didn't shoot much macro at the time, bugger Crying or Very sad One of my old shots:



PostPosted: Fri Jun 01, 2012 7:07 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
Tamron SP 90/2.5 has 8 elements in 6 groups -- a 6/4 double gauss in front of 2/2 compensator group.

According to PF, Panagor 90/2.8 has 6 elements in 4 groups.

If the Panagor is a double-gauss design the lenses should give generally comparable results with much less difference than comparing either to a Tessar such as the 5/3 Macro-Takumar 100/4.

I think the Tamron at mfd is probably a little brighter than Panagor at 1:2; brighter than the f/0.3 difference (as measured at infinity).

The Tamron may also have better flat field correction; the Panagor may have none at all!

MTFs might have different slopes and levels from center to edge...

Maybe we'll know the plant after the bud opens. Smile


PostPosted: Fri Jun 01, 2012 7:44 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
dimitrygo wrote:
diddy wrote:
Quote:
This one is made by Komine, if i am not wrong.

Panagor was a trademark of the Jaca Corp. Tokyo (they also had another trademark called Elicar).
Panagor lenses were produced by Kiron. In the very late days this changed and other OEMs were chosen (but they look quite differently). This macro lens is quite certainly a Kiron lens. They all look quite similar.

Kiron made 105mm macro lens sold as Kiron, Vivitar and Lester Dine. This 90mm lens was made by Komine:
http://www.pentaxforums.com/userreviews/vivitar-90mm-f2-8-macro.html
http://www.pentaxforums.com/userreviews/panagor-90mm-f2-8-macro-pmc.html
http://www.pentaxforums.com/userreviews/elicar-super-macro-v-hq-1-25-1-90mm-f2-5.html


Doing a quick search for the Vivitar 90mm 2.8 I saw serial numbers starting with 28
For the 90mm 2.5: 37

So, yes, it seems like you are right. Also, I looked for the Panagor 55mm macro and there is a Vivitar version of it also starting with 28.
The Panagor 28mm 2.5 and 21mm 4 are certainly Kiron lenses as Vivitar versions exist starting with 22.

It is interesting that Jaca ensured that the look of the lenses stayed quite the same across various OEMs, something we cannot say about Vivitar.

Now I am wondering who produced the 135mm and 200mm Panagor lenses.


PostPosted: Fri Jun 01, 2012 9:36 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
visualopsins wrote:
Tamron SP 90/2.5 has 8 elements in 6 groups -- a 6/4 double gauss in front of 2/2 compensator group.

According to PF, Panagor 90/2.8 has 6 elements in 4 groups.

If the Panagor is a double-gauss design the lenses should give generally comparable results with much less difference than comparing either to a Tessar such as the 5/3 Macro-Takumar 100/4.

I think the Tamron at mfd is probably a little brighter than Panagor at 1:2; brighter than the f/0.3 difference (as measured at infinity).

The Tamron may also have better flat field correction; the Panagor may have none at all!

MTFs might have different slopes and levels from center to edge...

Maybe we'll know the plant after the bud opens. Smile


Wow thats good point, after reading about the tamron one of my favourithing was its flat field capabilities as a macro and as a portrait
So this is i would sad a very big plus that you get with the tamron


PostPosted: Fri Jun 01, 2012 12:09 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Thanks for the views and the comments.

I also appreciate the additional information about the lens. I didn't really know much about it. I did a bit of quick research before I bid on it, and had read that it was originally marketed as a Lester Dine dental macro lens.

I was surprised to get it for the opening bid of $80, but I think that might be because the seller would only ship within Canada. I did see that it usually sells for more than that.

Regarding that 'bud' I have since learned that it is called a 'pine cone willow gall' and it is not a bud at all! Some kind of insect/parasite lays an egg(s) on the bush. It causes the plant to deform and grow in this fashion, encircling the egg. The larvae develops over the winter and emerges from the enclosure in the spring.

I thought that was really interesting, but kind of gross!

It is proving to be a nice, sharp lens and the colour is quite nice. All photos do have some post processing, I always do some editing since digital photos are meant to be edited, but I'm not skilled at it and usually only do minor levels adjustments and some minimal sharpening for the web.

I will take a photo of the lens itself in the next couple of days and post it. It's not heavy, and in regular mode it's fairly compact. The filter thread is 62mm. It does extend a lot when you start using the macro mode. The front glass of the lens is recessed, so you don't really need a lens hood.

Thanks again for all of the comments and information. Smile


PostPosted: Fri Jun 01, 2012 5:26 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
diddy wrote:
Now I am wondering who produced the 135mm and 200mm Panagor lenses.

I think they are also made by Kiron.


PostPosted: Fri Jun 01, 2012 5:39 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
dimitrygo wrote:
diddy wrote:
Now I am wondering who produced the 135mm and 200mm Panagor lenses.

I think they are also made by Kiron.


Thanks for clarifying this. I am glad I stopped by here as so far I've been under the impression that all Panagor lenses of that series were made by Kiron. Now finally I know as well that the 55mm and 90mm macro were made by Komine.


PostPosted: Sat Jun 02, 2012 2:58 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
diddy wrote:


Thanks for clarifying this. I am glad I stopped by here as so far I've been under the impression that all Panagor lenses of that series were made by Kiron. Now finally I know as well that the 55mm and 90mm macro were made by Komine.


I've read before that Panagor 90/2.8 was made by Kiron. At the same time it positively looks identical to Vivitar 90/2.8, which I had at some point, but sold. Vivitar was definitely made by Komine (serial started with 28 ). I'd rather believe what I see than what I read, so IMHO it's a Komine lens.
Post new topic   Reply to topic
Home   Manual Focus Lenses
Page 1 of 1