I should stop buying - possibly - maybe now I should

nurkov · Expire: 2014-03-09

try cleaning it yourself always fun and good practice, I just recently managed to clean minolta mc 50mm f1.7

Lloydy · Expire: 2022-01-01

those are easy to clean, I've done a few now.

zelda_n64 · Joined: 26 Aug 2011 Posts: 163 Location: UK

nurkov & Lloydy, I will study guides on how to take apart and clean this lens, thank you.

An update, after buying some really small screwdrivers, and some patience, the fungus has now been removed, Thank you!!

zelda_n64 · Joined: 26 Aug 2011 Posts: 163 Location: UK

Last night (Friday), I had the pleasure of spending some money...

Believe it or not, I was actually after some Asahi Pentax Bellows II, which I did purchase with original box & instructions for a tidy sum of �12 ($18.45):

I also picked up another Zenit, this time a Zenit 12xp wth a Helios 44-M-4 for the same price as the bellows, I know I shouldn't have, but they are a fascinating brand of camera (camera 1985, lens 1984) and in really great condition, it also came with an official boxed set of Zenit M42 extension tubes with instructions.

But, this particular post is about a Chinese lens - a Phenix 50mm 1:1.7 which was attached to a Phenix DC30k - cost, I splashed out a fortune on this, �10 ($15.37), this does include the camera body, which is in excellent working condition. I was going to give this to the chap that has hundreds of cameras, but I had a couple of clicks a little earlier this evening attached to my Pentax K-x:

and personally, I think it will be a keeper: This was only resized, straight off the camera

zelda_n64 · Joined: 26 Aug 2011 Posts: 163 Location: UK

Today, I didn't go mad.

Accept that I purchased a boomerang - which is huge and hand carved, I would take a photo but it isn't relevant although it is really nice - cost 40 pence ($0.61).

I also purchased for 40 pence a Hoya multi-vision 55mm:

Please excuse the camera phone photo.

I had to purchase this as the Welmy 28mm 2.5, has a 55mm filter and that can only mean one thing - plenty of abnormal fun for the Undesired aberration, artistic shooters thread:

http://forum.mflenses.com/undesired-aberration-artistic-shooters-t58276,start,30.html

zelda_n64 · Joined: 26 Aug 2011 Posts: 163 Location: UK

Sunday 9th June:

is it worth anything and who is interested:

So today, I went out to look for something to offer a user on these forums as I had previously mentioned on this particular thread at a knock down price.

If you have followed this thread, you may well remember me saying that all interested parties are to put their name down by writing why they would like this lens and what benefit it will bring them, it does not have to be an essay. And a winner will be chosen at random by the chap who prefers gnomes.

The stipulation: the whole idea is to pass on bargains that I do not require and that I find to a lucky recipient for a knock down price. I do not want it to appear on ebay or anywhere so you can make a fast buck, I may as well do that myself.

What is it I hear you ask:

EBC X-Fujinon-T 135mm 1:3.5 DM with the Fuji bayonet mount. (comes with rear cap and a front cap - not original)

Serial number: 793443

There is not a case for it, but it seems to be in very good external condition with a smooth focus

There is a very tiny piece of dust visible inside, and under certain angle there appears to be a very feint form of spidery fungus, unsure which element it is on, but it is under the mm on 135mm. There is also something very tiny on the rear element, but I do not know if this is a little bit of cleaning tissue or another piece of fungus, it is not visible straight on however as it Is where the lens meets the metal. If you have the tools, it can be easily cleaned. Comparing it against my Kiron or the Pentax M shown a couple of posts above, the Fujinon is far cleaner optically, and the Kiron (with fungus) takes lovely photos).

The cost: The above lens will cost the winner �3.00 ($4.57 or 3.53 euro) with the paypal fee paid by the buyer.

The Postal charge to the USA/Canada/Portugal/Spain (as examples) using Royal Mail Air Sure small packets is �16.00 ($24.38, 18.81 euro). This includes the item being insured up to �100 ($152.28, 117.55 euro).

It will only be shipped to the registered paypal address.

So there you have it, once a winner has been drawn from the entrants, a PM will be sent to the winner and if required, we will move to the correct part of the forum to complete the transaction.

If admin require my ebay name, to verify me and my honesty, please PM me and I will happily supply this to you (407 ebay feedbacks, 100%).

Thank you and good luck!!

Excalibur · Expire: 2014-04-21

At the bootie today I did try to stop buying when a seller had a Zenit e with Helios 44-2 and Galaxy 135mm f3.5 for a �1...well I passed on this and thought I'd give someone else a chance, anyway after visiting other stalls and returned to the seller again, he still hadn't sold it, so if other people are not interested? well I am and bought them and amazingly everything worked, well the exposure meter is out 1 stop.

zelda_n64 · Joined: 26 Aug 2011 Posts: 163 Location: UK

Excalibur · Expire: 2014-04-21

zelda_n64 · Joined: 26 Aug 2011 Posts: 163 Location: UK

I found out in the early hours of this morning, I can physically hold the lens against my Pentax camera body and focus (at a set distance), I will take some photos tonight using this method and post them here for you to see the image quality.

Looking at the postal charge, if the value of the item is set below �50 then the insured postal charge drops to �12.60 ($19.56 or 14.82 euro).

Someone else's sample images can be found here:
http://forum.mflenses.com/viewtopic.php?t=29164

zelda_n64 · Joined: 26 Aug 2011 Posts: 163 Location: UK

Here it is, albeit not completely in focus, but it is difficult trying to hold a lens against a camera body that it isn't designed for and take a photo, I think the lens was pointed upwards slightly.

ISO 200, 1.80 sec, lens and camera separated

So if you have a micro 4/3 with the correct adapter or a camera that will use this lens, you have until Wednesday to go for it.

zelda_n64 · Joined: 26 Aug 2011 Posts: 163 Location: UK

As no one wanted the EBC X-Fujinon-T 135mm 1:3.5 DM with the Fuji bayonet mount, it will now be going on ebay with a starting price of 5 UK pounds. If it doesn't sell, I notice one is listed for nearly �90, so this is a bargain.

If it doesn't sell, then I will either try and take it apart and clean it, try and adapt it to an M42 mount or take it apart and have fun with the coated lenses and make my own bellows lens.

I did also pick up on Sunday a Vivitar PK mount 2x22 adapter, and also a Hanimex 200mm F4.5 preset lens (which I can find little info on) in PK mount, I will get some photo's up of that one hopefully tonight.

As this was the first attempt to find something of interest for somebody on this forum, I will continue to look for items that may be of interest to people. Maybe next time I will be successful.

Excalibur · Expire: 2014-04-21

zelda_n64 · Joined: 26 Aug 2011 Posts: 163 Location: UK

Excalibur · Expire: 2014-04-21

zelda_n64 · Joined: 26 Aug 2011 Posts: 163 Location: UK

Another lens I purchased last Sunday (9th June), was this Hanimex 200mm F4.5 preset in Pentax K mount.

As of yet I have not tried the lens, but it would be nice to find out more about it. Once tested, I will of course post some photographs.

If you know the manufacturer, or can shed some more light on this lens, please let me know.

Photographs below are taken with the new addition Welmy 28mm 2.5, ISO 200, F16, flash, 1/160 sec

parabellumfoto · Joined: 06 Apr 2013 Posts: 413 Location: Sydney, Australia

That Haminex looks a bit like the Soligor that I gave away to charity. Same focal length, aperture, and it's also preset. This lens also looks like it has an adapter screwed on the back. Mine was a T-mount and it had an M42 adapter screwed on.

The only difference is the paint colour on the numbering, layout of numbering, and the aperture ring.

zelda_n64 · Joined: 26 Aug 2011 Posts: 163 Location: UK

As no one wanted the EBC X-Fujinon-T 135mm 1:3.5 DM with the Fuji bayonet mount, it is now on ebay with a starting price of 5 UK pounds as previously mentioned.

Guess which one is mine out of the 3.

1. Click here to see on Ebay
2. Click here to see on Ebay
3. Click here to see on Ebay

Excalibur · Expire: 2014-04-21

Looks like you are going to sell yours, but *3 is hoping for a loser. Rolling Eyes

zelda_n64 · Joined: 26 Aug 2011 Posts: 163 Location: UK

Ventured to the city today, as my daughter wanted and needed some new clothes for a trip to the capital.

I did not want to go around all the clothes shops as it becomes extremely boring, and luckily a big sister came along, so that was sorted.

As I was browsing around the streets, I ventured into a camera shop, something I rarely do, and looking around the shelves and cabinets the lens below caught my eye.

A very nice looking Schneider - Kreuznach Retina-Tele-Xenar 135mm/f:4.

My conscience told me to buy it, my wallet said don't, as a battle ensued between my mind and my hand. Well my mind won and I walked away with this lovely looking lens.

Apologies for the quality of the photos, it appears I hadn't changed the settings from my night time photography tests the other day.

So it is for a Kodak, but I believe I can get an adapter for my Pentax, which is tempting.

The question is do I keep it and try it, or pass it along?

hoanpham · Expire: 2015-01-18

what mount has the retina?
looks very nice.

zelda_n64 · Joined: 26 Aug 2011 Posts: 163 Location: UK

Searching the web, it appears the mount is a DKL (Deckel-bayonett), please however correct me if this is wrong.

std · Joined: 09 Feb 2010 Posts: 1827 Location: Bulgaria

That is a very good lens Very Happy

cooltouch · Joined: 15 Jan 2009 Posts: 9097 Location: Houston, Texas

If that lens fit my Kodak Retina IIc, I'd make you an offer, but sadly it doesn't. I believe that lens fits the Retina Reflex.

Guys, if you just do a search on eBay for these lenses, it isn't hard to figure out. Kodak made a 35mm, 50mm (f/2.8 ) and 80mm for the Retina IIc, IIC, IIIc, and IIIC. Kodak made a larger variety for the Retina Reflex. As near as I've been able to determine, there was a 28mm, 35mm, 50mm (in two versions), 85mm (or maybe 80mm?) and a 135mm for the Reflex. The Retina Reflex lenses include the Synchro Compur shutter. The lenses for the rangefinders are actually only the front elements, and include no shutter or aperture blades. Further, if you look at the mounts themselves, they are quite different. The mounts for the reflex look to be machined, whereas the ones for the rangefinders look to be stamped out of thinner sheet metal.

In psychology, there is what is known as the Principle of Intermittent Gratification. Back in the 50s, psychologists conducted tests on pigeons in a cage with a food dispenser. The dispenser could be set in one of three ways -- push the button and it always delivers food, push it and it never delivers food, and push it and sometimes (in a random manner) it will deliver food. It was determined that the latter was, by far, the most effective way to get the pigeons to peck away at the food button. I guess we humans aren't too different from pigeons in that regard.

Snagged from an internet blog, this defines it better than I could:

"Intermittent gratification is the most addictive kind there is. If you know the lever will always produce a pellet, you�ll push it only as often as you need a pellet. If you know it never produces a pellet, you�ll stop pushing. But if the lever sometimes produces a pellet and sometimes doesn�t, you�ll keep pushing forever, even if you have more than enough pellets (because what if there�s a dry run and you have no pellets at all?). It�s the motivation behind gambling, collectible cards, most video games, the Internet itself, and relationships with crazy people."

Snagged from this address:

http://reblog.ronenv.com/post/711528223/intermittent-gratification-is-the-most-addictive

Now, doesn't that describe many, if not most, of us, to a T? It completely explains the whole GAS business, and certainly explains why I own some 30 cameras and even more lenses, 7 motorcycles, probably 50 fountain pens, and 20 guitars. And hand tools. Let's not get started on tools, ok? And yet, I'm always looking for really good deals, not because I need these items, but just because I can't let them sit there if the price is too good. I'm not really one of the crazies, am I? If I am, I guess I'm in good company.

hoanpham · Expire: 2015-01-18

Michael's description sounds familiar Very Happy

I love the fountain pens part...