Meyer Optik Gorlitz Primotar 180mm f/3.5

woodrim · Joined: 14 Jan 2010 Posts: 4060 Location: Charleston

Well, only seven months it took me to finally modify this lens mount.
http://forum.mflenses.com/funky-mount-on-primotar-t74045,highlight,+primotar.html

I made it a tad too short, so it goes past infinity. I'll have to insert a spacer to get it right or maybe make it a closer focus. I really don't need infinity for how I will be using it.

I like the lens and can see myself using it frequently for its bokeh. It's almost sharp at wide open (most pictures) and sharpens up quickly with a little stop down. I'll be using it mostly wide open.

EDGARVE · Joined: 24 Nov 2015 Posts: 89 Location: Mexico

Very good results, I just got one like it very cheap but not very good condition.

miran · Joined: 01 Aug 2012 Posts: 1364 Location: Slovenia

Nice! Congratulations. Smile

I have one in M42 in good condition but haven't used it much. It's too big and heavy for me.

papasito · Joined: 09 Jan 2015 Posts: 1658

It has a very good rendering, I guess.

What about CA?

Light from the back?

Sun in the pics?

Thanks and congratulations. It seems to be a solid good lens

woodrim · Joined: 14 Jan 2010 Posts: 4060 Location: Charleston

Attila · Expire: 2025-11-18

papasito · Joined: 09 Jan 2015 Posts: 1658

woodrim · Joined: 14 Jan 2010 Posts: 4060 Location: Charleston

Arghhhh. I just had a blade slip out of position.

Lloydy · Expire: 2022-01-01

oooohhhhh.....I feel your pain Sad

woodrim · Joined: 14 Jan 2010 Posts: 4060 Location: Charleston

Lloydy · Expire: 2022-01-01

M.O.G. lenses are pretty simple, the only issue is the amount of blades - if it's similar in construction to the Pentacons? There shouldn't be any rocket science in there.

woodrim · Joined: 14 Jan 2010 Posts: 4060 Location: Charleston

Just found my way through it. The front most ring does unscrew. The lens needs a little more effort and has those opposing notches for a tool. Once inside I was able to reposition the renegade blade, but seems maybe slightly bent. Testing it revealed that it will come out again if turned past f/5.6. My cure was to set the perture stop at f/5.6 and never go beyond. I use it mostly at wide open anyway.

Lloydy · Expire: 2022-01-01

It's most likely oil on the blades, even if it's not obviously visible - just around the edges and the slots the blades operate in. I've had Pentacons that looked free from oil that suddenly threw blades, I've put them back and it's happened again. I've taken the glass out and left all the mechanicals in place and just soaked the whole thing in industrial degreaser, then lighter fuel, then soapy water, then dried thoroughly before applying a tiny bit of grease to the helicoid. And it's worked. These old lenses can be very robust and aren't harmed by a bit of vigorous cleaning, and the glass often comes out in two blocks.
I boiled a Soligor 135 in a strong mixture of water soluble degreaser and it worked a treat, but I did get banned from doing it ever again, the smell was through the house for days! Rolling Eyes

luisalegria · Expire: 2018-01-18

Once you get all the grease off, a bit of graphite lube inthe blades works nicely. Be sue to thoroughly blow off the excess after working it in.

pdccameras · Expire: 2014-08-11

Nice results - well worth the effort of mount construction and now, aperture blade repair.

P.

miran · Joined: 01 Aug 2012 Posts: 1364 Location: Slovenia

It seems like this might be a common problem with this lens. Mine too had a blade displaced when I got it. It was an easy fix though, can't even remember what neede to be done.

WNG555 · Joined: 18 Dec 2014 Posts: 784 Location: Arrid-Zone-A, USA

Nice job! The image results made it worth it.

I concur that it's a film of sticky oil on the blades. Suffered the same issue with a Minolta TC 135mm f/4.

devinw · Joined: 19 Aug 2016 Posts: 207 Location: Portland, OR

woodrim · Joined: 14 Jan 2010 Posts: 4060 Location: Charleston

I don't think it is a lube issue anyway. It appears there is an out-of-perfect-flat probably caused by attempting to move the ring when blade out of position. I can see it go out of flat when turning, and especially past f/5.6. I do not want to open up a can of worms by trying to remove and repair. I have proven to myself over and over again that I should not do that. However, I have thought about a clever and unorthodox method of preventing the blade from slipping out of its place. If I do it, I'll share.

woodrim · Joined: 14 Jan 2010 Posts: 4060 Location: Charleston

When is corner performance important?

jbladel · Joined: 05 Sep 2020 Posts: 6 Location: Netherlands

I'm sorry for reviving such an old topic.

I've got a primotar 180mm with some aperture problems. I've managed to easily remove the front element. But the entire thing will need to come out of the barrel for the aperture repair. How on earth do you remove the rear mount on that lens? where is it supposed to split? (I've got the m42 variant).

Kind regards,
Jorn

woodrim · Joined: 14 Jan 2010 Posts: 4060 Location: Charleston

The mount seems a permanent part of the rear half of the lens. The two halves unscrew, leaving the glass and diaphragm in the front half. There may be some small screws that need to be loosened to allow separation of the halves - one of mine did, the other didn't. I bought a parts lens just for the rear half with M42 mount.

jbladel · Joined: 05 Sep 2020 Posts: 6 Location: Netherlands

Thanks so much for the reply, this project has been killing me!
Where do the two halves split? Above or below the focus ring?

karthikrr · Joined: 04 Jun 2019 Posts: 23

Since the topic is alive again, I have somebody who wants to trade one of these in M42 for two Helios lenses, one Helios 44m and one older Zebra 44-2 ... Would you consider this to be a fair trade? (and yes, I have other Helios lenses that I use, these are "extras" for trading or selling)

woodrim · Joined: 14 Jan 2010 Posts: 4060 Location: Charleston