Macro Kilar lenses (40mm, 90mm)

Marek · Posted: Mon Jan 12, 2015 12:22 am Post subject: Macro Kilar lenses (40mm, 90mm)

Guys! I wonder someone still has one or both of those lenses and uses on a regular basis, ha? Both look wacky enough to catch my interest, 40mm AFAIK seems to be more affordable and 90mm double circle bokeh just rocks. (As you may know, threads with pics are mainly broken here.)

As I just sold my ordinary boring Tair-3 PhS Very Happy

I bidded on one at eBay but for rather funny offer and except to be rejected. I don't think it should be an investment more than �50 (40mm) or �70-100 (90mm).

Never heard of anyone in my country to have/use one but seems to be not that rare on eBay.

Anyone to say something? Anybody to sell? Smile

Looks like a decent piece of history, lightweight, lovely and macro is always useful for me.

Layer-cake · Joined: 18 Mar 2013 Posts: 560 Location: Cape Town

there are two different 40mm lenses the 3.5 and the 2.8. the 3.5 is actually a good lens, macro 1:2 and sharp for both macro and non macro shots but nothing special in the bokeh that I can notice.

the 2.8 on the other hand works well for macro but its not great for non macro work seems to lose it's sharpness and contrast but from what I can tell the bokeh is very different, I can't compare it to the 90mm as I don't have it but it does have very accentuated soap bubbles on the OOF highlights, I was just doing some basic comparisons with all my lenses and even compared it to the trioplan 50mm and they are more prominent on the Kilfitt.

not bad for a 40mm, I would love if someone could show some comparison shots of it compared to the 90mm.

tao · Expire: 2015-03-12

I have a 40/2.8 1:1 version and a 90/2.8. Both in well-used condition which might be the reason that I found both no where near as good as any 80s era macro's. I first bought the 40/2.8 because I collected 40mm lenses. I still have them because of their mechanical curiosities and bokeh.

Good luck but I doubt you will ever get these lenses at those price on eBay. Cool

Marek · Posted: Mon Jan 12, 2015 11:10 am Post subject:

Layer-cake · Joined: 18 Mar 2013 Posts: 560 Location: Cape Town

be careful with fungus on these, I had a bit on the inside and it took some of the coating off, I've also read the same from others. seems to have a soft coating and the back element protrudes out so many have scratched rear elements.

calvin83 · Joined: 12 Apr 2009 Posts: 7554 Location: Hong Kong

Marek. I am sure you can take amazing photos with any lens. Might be you can try some Sigma lens with System Focusing http://forum.mflenses.com/sigma-ys-system-focusing-135mm-f-2-8-bokeh-defocus-control-t53310.html .

Marek · Posted: Mon Jan 12, 2015 7:51 pm Post subject:

Being curious, what will happen, I offered �100 for 40mm f/2.8 version and the reply was �129. Seems still pretty damn high to me, but maybe only to me as it is such a great piece of macro history Very Happy

!

Layercake, Tao, as you own the very same piece, do you think drawing and bokeh (and general scarcity) is worth of �129 or, lets say, �110-120 I might talk out with the seller? Any samples of yours?

EDIT - according Flickr, only 90mm seems to have a badass bokeh, or am I wrong?

Layer-cake · Joined: 18 Mar 2013 Posts: 560 Location: Cape Town

it seems the double radii bokeh in the 90mm comes from the lens scheme:

http://forum.mflenses.com/which-version-of-alpa-makro-kilar-f2-8-90mm-is-this-t68636.html

but the 40mm still gives very pronounced soap bubbles, and yes a lot of lenses can give this if "framed" correctly but I still feel this lens has more pronounced soapies than most.

that being said I will take some pictures over the next week to contribute but considering its only OK for what it was designed for and not great at infinity, unless you get it cheap its probably best left for collectors at higher prices.

I would still like to see what it could do in the right hands though, at �120 you could always sell it off for probably a bit of profit depending on shipping as they don't normally sell cheap.

what Calvin is talking about is quite an interesting bunch of lenses, I have the 200mm and even though they are a bit soft they are pretty cool because of the OOF rendering control and they're cheap, this for me is always a good combination;)

calvin83 · Joined: 12 Apr 2009 Posts: 7554 Location: Hong Kong

BTW, the Samyang 50mm F1.4 also have double halo bokeh at wide open. I have also see someone attached a filter or something in front of a lens to produce a similar effect.
http://www.photozone.de/canon_eos_ff/890-samyang50T15eosff?start=1

tao · Expire: 2015-03-12

No it doesn't worth the price as a tool. Most lenses in this forum don't. Wink

However in this market you can always sell them. There are strong demand for all Makro Kilar, especially the 90mm.

Yes only the 90 has donut specular highlights.

calvin83 · Joined: 12 Apr 2009 Posts: 7554 Location: Hong Kong

Marek · Posted: Wed Jan 14, 2015 1:18 pm Post subject:

I see. No wonder I've lost the item when being at work between negotiating the prize (that was "solid" but not "good enough" and now I cry Very Happy

)

Will keep an eye on that items anyway

Don't *need* exactly anything concrete, y'know, world is full of weird lens

edri · Joined: 26 Oct 2014 Posts: 315 Location: walking in the air

uhoh7 · Joined: 24 Nov 2010 Posts: 1300 Location: Idaho, USA

I've bid a few times on the more famous ones, never won, but I did pickup one of the early ones 3 or 4 years ago:

DSC03276 by unoh7, Kilar 90/3.5

It came with a nice bellows and reflex housing.

DSC04598 by unoh7, on Flickr

It's 2 pieces, LTM and the tube has a helicoid, and can be used for macro with any LTM.

DSC04713-1 by unoh7, on Flickr

Grace Kelly likes it Smile

kilfitt 90 crop by unoh7, on Flickr

pretty sharp old lens really, here on the Nex-5:

DSC04624-1 by unoh7, on Flickr

Layer-cake · Joined: 18 Mar 2013 Posts: 560 Location: Cape Town

Here are a couple of pics, from the Kilfit 40mm 2.8

Jpeg no adjustments at all

This was just to show the circular highlights of the lens, again it isnt particularly sharp and the contrast isn't great either, but I do like this lens;)

kds315* · Expire: 2021-03-09

If the price is right, I'd sell my 90mm Wink

And Grace Kelly uses a f3.5/150mm Kilar, not a 90mm Macro Kilar - admittedly similar looking, a bit at least Wink

And she should have, as they wanted to shoot something substantially enlarged in Hitchcock's "Rear Window"...

James Stewart however preferred the 400m version...

edri · Joined: 26 Oct 2014 Posts: 315 Location: walking in the air

I want a time machine to go back in time to buy the 90mm lens. Smile

kds315* · Expire: 2021-03-09

Why, they are still availble now Very Happy

Marek · Posted: Tue Feb 10, 2015 12:59 pm Post subject:

Nice debate.

I rethought my opinion though, not even much watching Makro Kilars any more.

Neither of those lenses are worthy its money (average auctioned prize) at all.

kds315* · Expire: 2021-03-09

edri · Joined: 26 Oct 2014 Posts: 315 Location: walking in the air

Can you give a link to such a double halo filters?

kds315* · Expire: 2021-03-09

Here is a 4cm one $200 Click here to see on Ebay

Blazer0ne · Expire: 2024-12-07

stevemark · Joined: 29 Apr 2011 Posts: 3754 Location: Switzerland

kds315* · Expire: 2021-03-09

Hmm, rather hefty! I have that and the 90mm one, but packed away - luckily enough!