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Identify lens 28 2.8
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PostPosted: Wed Jul 22, 2020 11:44 am    Post subject: Identify lens 28 2.8 Reply with quote
Hi all,

have this lens with the best possible Brand name => "Info" !

Could this be a Soligor or Tokina made lens ?

Very much Takumar quality and feel and quite good performance - in the range of ML 28.

Thanx




PostPosted: Wed Jul 22, 2020 12:17 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
28mm 2.8 is probably the most common third party lens. This looks like it might be Tokina, but these Japanese companies often cloned stuff so it could also be another manufacturer. (Soligor didn't make lenses they just sold them).


PostPosted: Wed Jul 22, 2020 4:49 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
I remember seeing the fonts on the lens front before, on another rebranded lens, but just can't recall which brand.


PostPosted: Wed Jul 22, 2020 5:13 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
I think I have that lens as a Miranda Auto MC, the 55mm filter ring and style is the same, but I can't find it at the moment. Rolling Eyes it's not a bad lens, but I've got better so it's probably in my boxes of stuff for sale.


PostPosted: Wed Jul 22, 2020 5:15 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
The lens is a Makinon, shown by the 5-10 maximum reading before infinity on the focus scale, and the position of the IR mark on the depth of focus scale. I haven't seen it in that body before though, it was usually sold with a rubber focus grip, under brands like Focal and Hanimex, when not branded as Makinon. It is one of Makinons' better lenses from that period, and can give decent results for a low priced lens.


PostPosted: Wed Jul 22, 2020 5:23 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
The DOF scale looks like my Chinon 35/2.8
http://forum.mflenses.com/auto-chinon-35mm-f2-8-tomioka-t48408.html


PostPosted: Wed Jul 22, 2020 9:38 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Alun Thomas wrote:
The lens is a Makinon, shown by the 5-10 maximum reading before infinity on the focus scale, and the position of the IR mark on the depth of focus scale. I haven't seen it in that body before though, it was usually sold with a rubber focus grip, under brands like Focal and Hanimex, when not branded as Makinon. It is one of Makinons' better lenses from that period, and can give decent results for a low priced lens.

+1

Usually greenish coating.


PostPosted: Thu Jul 23, 2020 10:27 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
Hi all ,

Yes thats true, not Soligor but I meant Komine .

So it looks like it's a Makinon - i thought that Makinon was just re-branding lenses ..

I was curios about the possible origin as I would not expect solid metal made lens (aka Takumar) for a cheap re-branded "Info" lens. And all together as a solid performer too.

This lens could be a keeper, anyway it looks like its on the top of my 28 / M42's for now.

and thanx for reply's !


PostPosted: Thu Jul 23, 2020 10:31 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
Forgot to comment about the coating:


It looks more neutral to me, if that could be called greenish then ok.

Greenish coating I would use as description of the colour for old Fujinon's .


PostPosted: Thu Jul 23, 2020 11:34 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
This is the Makinon: http://m42lens.com/m42-lens-database/177-makinon-auto-multi-coated-28mm-f-2-8-16 It has a 52mm filter but this is probably an older verison. The green coatings are seen in the later lenses in the eighties. I suspect they were more for marketing than effectiveness :p


PostPosted: Thu Jul 23, 2020 3:32 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
http://forum.mflenses.com/soligor-12-8-f28mm-21and-versions-t30866.html


PostPosted: Thu Jul 23, 2020 5:00 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
well yes, I have seen this pic and thats why I thought about Soligor,
however there are some differences (looking at 2nd lens that is almost as the same)
as mine is auto,
nose of the lens is straight,
and the barrel could be few mm shorter ..

but basically look-a-like 2nd Soligor lens.



(* .. getting slowly in the twilight-zone of the lens recognition ..*)


PostPosted: Thu Jul 23, 2020 5:56 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Alex,

The Expert lens certainly has the look of a 1960s Japanese manufactured lens. I cannot determine from the photographs, but does the Expert have an A/M switch or similar feature to close the aperture while mounted on the camera.

This was an important feature in the day for automatic M42 lenses On cameras without sufficient internal aperture controls. Also M 42 mount lenses were even then easily adaptable to other cameras such as Canon R, FL and FD, Minolta SR and others and would need external control.

If not, is it evidence of “value engineering”? Value usually for the Seller/Manufacturer Smile

Switching topics, I cannot remember a Soligor Automatic M42 lens without an A/M Switch?

Good luck with your search.


PostPosted: Thu Jul 23, 2020 5:56 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Alex,

The Expert lens certainly has the look of a 1960s Japanese manufactured lens. I cannot determine from the photographs, but does the Expert have an A/M switch or similar feature to close the aperture while mounted on the camera.

This was an important feature in the day for automatic M42 lenses On cameras without sufficient internal aperture controls. Also M 42 mount lenses were even then easily adaptable to other cameras such as Canon R, FL and FD, Minolta SR and others and would need external control.

If not, is it evidence of “value engineering”? Value usually for the Seller/Manufacturer Smile

Switching topics, I cannot remember a Soligor Automatic M42 lens without an A/M Switch?

Good luck with your search.


PostPosted: Thu Jul 23, 2020 10:26 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
How does "shown by the 5-10 maximum reading before infinity on the focus scale" indicate Makinon?


PostPosted: Fri Jul 24, 2020 1:39 am    Post subject: Reply with quote


The '5-10' marking is unusual, not used for any other 28mm lens I know of. I've owned numerous copies marked Focal, Hanimex, and others. They were all optically identical as I found by disassembly.

Most 28mm lenses seem to use a 3-10 or 10-30 scale, and occasionally 4-12 or 2-7, with numerous other variants also seen.


PostPosted: Fri Jul 24, 2020 2:48 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
Alun Thomas wrote:


The '5-10' marking is unusual, not used for any other 28mm lens I know of. I've owned numerous copies marked Focal, Hanimex, and others. They were all optically identical as I found by disassembly.

Most 28mm lenses seem to use a 3-10 or 10-30 scale, and occasionally 4-12 or 2-7, with numerous other variants also seen.

It's not a reliable method to deduce manufacturers, they choose the numbers based on how aggressively the helicoid moves the optics, on my shortest throw 28mm, X-Fujinon 28/1.9 EBC, the numbers on the Meter scale go from 0.3, 0.4, 0.5, 0.7, 1.0, 1.5, 3, infinity.

(Edit)Never mind my examples below, I just noticed yours was feet and mine meters. But my X-Fujinon is 1.0, 1.2, 1.5, 2, 3, 5, 10, infinity in feet.
I have 2 with 5-10-infinity, my Soligor Preset


And my Konica preset


PostPosted: Fri Jul 24, 2020 11:34 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
Komine also uses 5 10 on the focussing scale. My Panagor 28mm 2.8 and Vivitar Close focussing 28mm 2.0 have it.

Panagor:
Panagor PMC auto- wide-angle F=28mm 1:2.8 by The lens profile, on Flickr

Vivitar version of same lens:
img_6606 by Steve Rainwater, on Flickr


PostPosted: Mon Jul 27, 2020 9:29 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
Thanx all for the input !


PostPosted: Tue Jul 28, 2020 1:50 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
As with most of these secondary market lenses from Japan during that era it is really hard to say for sure. If I were guessing, and it would be just a guess, I would guess Tomioka, Only because I have seen similar livery on clearly labelled Tominons. Though not on a 28.2.8. The chinon (tomioka) shown by lightshow is very distinctive and that pattern with the 2 bright lines separated by pebble grain leather with orange distance markings I am 90 percent certain are ALL tomioka. I have challenged folks here to show me an example clearly made by another manufacturer. So far nothing. But I will add I read somewhere (probably on here) that the lens industry bought components from each other and did spec manufacturing for each other. So it becomes exceedingly difficult to define the makers of a large proportion of these lenses.


PostPosted: Sat Sep 12, 2020 9:10 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
jamaeolus wrote:
As with most of these secondary market lenses from Japan during that era it is really hard to say for sure. If I were guessing, and it would be just a guess, I would guess Tomioka, Only because I have seen similar livery on clearly labelled Tominons. Though not on a 28.2.8. The chinon (tomioka) shown by lightshow is very distinctive and that pattern with the 2 bright lines separated by pebble grain leather with orange distance markings I am 90 percent certain are ALL tomioka. I have challenged folks here to show me an example clearly made by another manufacturer. So far nothing. But I will add I read somewhere (probably on here) that the lens industry bought components from each other and did spec manufacturing for each other. So it becomes exceedingly difficult to define the makers of a large proportion of these lenses.


Thanx !


PostPosted: Sun Sep 13, 2020 4:01 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
I vote for Makinon as the font on the nameplate ring is more like the square shaped, typically seen on Makinon lenses.


PostPosted: Mon Sep 14, 2020 8:07 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
thanx for your vote ( .. sounds so funny now in these times ..)

As far as I know Makinons are not really something to be proud of ... but when a good performer - i dont care about the name / brand / posh factor / $ / ...


sears & auto rikenon look bloody similar too


PostPosted: Sun Sep 20, 2020 1:44 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
I have this lens, recent acquisition in a box of "defective" lenses. It seems to be perfectly okay except for a dented filter ring. Haven't shot with it, but this thread makes me want to go test it out!


PostPosted: Wed Sep 30, 2020 7:22 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Lightshow wrote:
The DOF scale looks like my Chinon 35/2.8
http://forum.mflenses.com/auto-chinon-35mm-f2-8-tomioka-t48408.html


jamaeolus wrote:
As with most of these secondary market lenses from Japan during that era it is really hard to say for sure. If I were guessing, and it would be just a guess, I would guess Tomioka, Only because I have seen similar livery on clearly labelled Tominons. Though not on a 28.2.8. The chinon (tomioka) shown by lightshow is very distinctive and that pattern with the 2 bright lines separated by pebble grain leather with orange distance markings I am 90 percent certain are ALL tomioka. I have challenged folks here to show me an example clearly made by another manufacturer. So far nothing. But I will add I read somewhere (probably on here) that the lens industry bought components from each other and did spec manufacturing for each other. So it becomes exceedingly difficult to define the makers of a large proportion of these lenses.



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That Chinon 35mm lens also appeared in a large variety of other liveries, so it's maybe not advisabl to use the focus grip design alone to determine the manufacturer. For these examples the commonality can be seen through the depth of focus scale, focus markings, and the design of the rear element holder. The Tamron name on one lens confusingly may not necessarily point ot Tamron as the manufacturer. The '7' serial on the Soligor may point toward one of the manufacturers comprising Sun Optical at that point, although serial lists on the internet can often be inaccurate. Bottom line, Tomioka is not ruled out, but using just one design element to identify manufacturer may not lead to meaningful conclusions.

A further example is the 28mm lenses from the same manufacturer, in an even wider array of liveries:

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