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

Miranda lenses
Post new topic   Reply to topic
Home   Manual Focus Lenses
View previous topic :: View next topic  


PostPosted: Wed Jan 18, 2012 5:06 pm    Post subject: Miranda lenses Reply with quote
Hi folks

I seem to have found myself in possession of some Miranda lenses now and a Miranda Sensorex.

I have:

2.8/105
1.4/50
2.8/50
1.9/50 PAD

What I want to know is, what is the IQ of the other Miranda lenses like? There is a 2.8/28 that looks interesting and a very large 2.8/35 that is intriguing.


PostPosted: Wed Jan 18, 2012 5:15 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Slightly below average for Jap lenses of the 60s. Not bad, not really great either.


PostPosted: Wed Jan 18, 2012 5:22 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Hmm, pity, the Miranda SLRs were competitors to the Nikon and Topcon lines so you would hope the Miranda optics were as good as the Nikkors and Topcors.


PostPosted: Wed Jan 18, 2012 5:41 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
iangreenhalgh1 wrote:
Hmm, pity, the Miranda SLRs were competitors to the Nikon and Topcon lines so you would hope the Miranda optics were as good as the Nikkors and Topcors.


Probably comparable to Nikkors, which as I have mentioned are not among the best of that era.

Some info:

http://camerapedia.wikia.com/wiki/Miranda


PostPosted: Wed Jan 18, 2012 6:44 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
The Miranda lenses were highly variable, in regards to image quality, as Miranda and their owner, Allied Impex, went to various sources for Miranda lenses. Among them, Kino, Kowa, Norita, Tokina, Tomioka, Zunow and others. Even the line-up for a given year may have lenses from different suppliers. Miranda also supported multiple coupling systems simultaneously after the PAD era. The F, G, Sensomat line with just a stop down pin. The Automex, Sensorex line with stop down and external meter coupling arm. The final iteration EE/EC lenses for Auto Sensorex, RE-II and DX-3 with internal coupling and auto-exposure support.


PostPosted: Wed Jan 18, 2012 7:06 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Just out of curiosity, how do you adapt a Miranda (bayonet) lens to a modern digital camera? The M-L adapter, or something else?


PostPosted: Wed Jan 18, 2012 7:09 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
The best of the Miranda glass was the Soligor stuff. At least, it was in the days I was using an Fv. While it may be a combination of fading memory and rose-tinted glasses, I don't remember being unhappy with any of the lenses I had for it, and I certainly had half a dozen in the camera bag.

Happy days Cool


PostPosted: Thu Jan 19, 2012 2:13 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
s58y wrote:
Just out of curiosity, how do you adapt a Miranda (bayonet) lens to a modern digital camera? The M-L adapter, or something else?

Miranda lenses have a comparatively short flange to sensor dimension. 44mm If recollection is correct. I don't think you'll find one ready made and they won't focus to infinity on traditional DSLRs. For Micro Four Thirds, Sony Nex and other applications, start with a Canon FD adapter and kludge a Miranda tele-converter or extension tube flange to it. Machine or shim to achieve infinity focus.


PostPosted: Tue Jan 24, 2012 7:29 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
GrahamNR17 wrote:
The best of the Miranda glass was the Soligor stuff...


The best of Soligor stuff were Miranda products would be better said perhaps Smile.


PostPosted: Tue Jan 24, 2012 7:35 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Pancolart wrote:
GrahamNR17 wrote:
The best of the Miranda glass was the Soligor stuff...


The best of Soligor stuff were Miranda products would be better said perhaps Smile.
I bow to your greater knowledge Cool


PostPosted: Sun Jan 29, 2012 11:59 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
Well, greater knowledge might be the right thing to bow to but i am sure mine isn't such Smile. Questioning it is a must.


PostPosted: Sun Jan 29, 2012 12:14 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Many of the Miranda lenses can be found with the Soligor brand, mainly because AIC owned them both Smile The normal length lenses i.e. 50mm are the hardest to find branded as Soligor. I'm guessing this is because the Soligor lenses were marketed for those with another system who wanted lenses to sit alongside their standard OEM 50mm.

That said, there were some M42 mount Soligor SLRs (I have one actually) and therefore there were *some* 50mm lenses branded Soligor to match. I have the 50/1.8 and I believe Ian has one as well.


PostPosted: Sun Jan 29, 2012 12:21 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Good info, MFG Cool

I well remember there being a Soligor-branded 35mm SLR at one stage, which looked uncannily like a Miranda.

Your own fair city was responsible for me building a complete Miranda/Soligor camera system in half a day, for the princely sum of £27 in 1981. Back then you must have had a good half dozen decent camera shops, all of which had extensive quantities of used gear in the Windows. It was at a time when T mount had long fallen from fashion and I obtained everything from 28mm up to some stupid focal length, all Soligor. Halcyon days Very Happy

But I digress Embarassed


PostPosted: Sun Jan 29, 2012 12:37 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Ahhh them were the days Smile

I seem to have collected a lot of Soligors (my Grandfather started me off with a 200/3.5 and 135/3.5). I also seem to be collecting Prakticars at the moment Shocked I had a BX-20 as my first ever SLR and I really want to get out and shoot some slides with it Smile I have an M42 adapter, so am looking forward to pairing some of those Soligors with it!


PostPosted: Tue Apr 09, 2013 11:12 pm    Post subject: Auto Miranda Lenses Reply with quote
When I started making money with a camera I owned a Miranda Sensorex with a Sensomat as a back up. I had five lenses -- 25, 35, 50 1.8, 105 and 180 mm lenses. The Sensorex was unusually quiet and I could hand hold it at 15th of a second for many shots. The lenses were quite sharp -- especially the 105 which I used for portraits and photojournalism.

A few years later when I started working in a midtown Manhattan studio, I had to sell my Miranda because it was a Hasseblad/Nikon shop. I have owned a variety of Nikons and still own a Nikon EL with a few standard lenses. The Nikons were very durable and the lenses sharp, but when I look at the older negatives from my Miranda days there was no improvement in sharpness with the Nikkors. In some cases, the hand held Mirandas were sharper because the Sensorex had much less camera shake than did the Nikkormats of that era.

I believe that there are now adapters to use Miranda lenses on 4/3rd cameras, if not Sony NEXs. People liked Mirandas because the mount was wide and the body somewhat less deep than other cameras which made for many Miranda produced adapters for Exacta, M42, Canon, Nikon, etc. I even had a Leica screw mount adapter which I used with a bellows for closeup use with Leica enlarger lenses.


PostPosted: Tue Apr 09, 2013 11:29 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Welcome! Surely, they are usable on mirror less cameras, I did tape into adapter a 100mm Miranda, pretty good! Sensorex is nice camera as well.


PostPosted: Wed Apr 10, 2013 4:06 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
The adapter for Miranda lenses to m4/3 exist, and it is good one (infinity just slightly off)... I have one. Purchased on ebay (seller is from US, San Francisco area as long as I can remember). If anyone wants info on the seller just shoot me an message and I can check on my ebay purchase history for the seller's ID.


PostPosted: Wed Apr 10, 2013 4:24 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
I also have a bit of a collection of Miranda's, their lenses and accessories.
I hope I will get the time to write and post an article on the Sensorex.
Many of the Miranda branded lenses for the original Sensorex seem to have been made by Kowa. Some of the long focal lengths seem to be the usual Tokina auto types, like the 300/5.5. These Kowa lenses though are not the same as the typical Auto lenses sold under the Soligor brand, including those in fixed mounts. I believe these are unique to Miranda.
These are quite interesting as most are more complex formulas than the usual third party lens of the time. The 50/1.4 is an 8-element for instance. Later ones for later models seem to be 7 element. I have one of each.


PostPosted: Thu Apr 11, 2013 10:26 pm    Post subject: Miranda "Review" Reply with quote
luisalegria wrote:
I also have a bit of a collection of Miranda's, their lenses and accessories.
I hope I will get the time to write and post an article on the Sensorex.
Many of the Miranda branded lenses for the original Sensorex seem to have been made by Kowa. Some of the long focal lengths seem to be the usual Tokina auto types, like the 300/5.5. These Kowa lenses though are not the same as the typical Auto lenses sold under the Soligor brand, including those in fixed mounts. I believe these are unique to Miranda.
These are quite interesting as most are more complex formulas than the usual third party lens of the time. The 50/1.4 is an 8-element for instance. Later ones for later models seem to be 7 element. I have one of each.


I'd be very interested in an article/review of anything Miranda. I've always thought them interesting, but was too involved with my rather more mainstream brands (Canon & Pentax), back in my film days to dabble in it. However, more recently, I've found myself semi-collecting the brand, now with a Sensorex, Sensorex II (although non-functional at the moment), 2 50mm/f1.8 Auto Mirandas, and a 135mm/f3.5 as well.

And now that I'm in possession of a m4/3rds camera, I'm very interested in trying out the Miranda lenses on it.


PostPosted: Thu Apr 11, 2013 11:30 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
casualcollector wrote:
The Miranda lenses were highly variable, in regards to image quality, as Miranda and their owner, Allied Impex, went to various sources for Miranda lenses. Among them, Kino, Kowa, Norita, Tokina, Tomioka, Zunow and others. Even the line-up for a given year may have lenses from different suppliers. Miranda also supported multiple coupling systems simultaneously after the PAD era. The F, G, Sensomat line with just a stop down pin. The Automex, Sensorex line with stop down and external meter coupling arm. The final iteration EE/EC lenses for Auto Sensorex, RE-II and DX-3 with internal coupling and auto-exposure support.


Impressive expertise... thanks


PostPosted: Fri Apr 19, 2013 5:03 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
I have the Miranda MC macro 24mm f2.8, forgot if its Pentax or Minolta mount.
I think it is pretty nice considering the relatively low price on ebay.

This is taken with the Nex 5.





PostPosted: Fri Apr 19, 2013 6:19 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
great details wonderful sharpness


PostPosted: Fri Apr 19, 2013 9:51 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Into the cameras world, the G version was a very nice one. It came to the market to compete with nikon.

I had a sensorex, another nice cam. But the 1,8/50 lens wasn't special. An average to me.

In the 90's I have read an article in shutterbug magazine about the miranda lenses. There, the writer said that the combo 25-50-105 was at the same level than the leica M lenses (hmmmmm......) and below only hexanons lenses (sure, I guess).


PostPosted: Fri Apr 19, 2013 10:18 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
ChuckT wrote:
I have the Miranda MC macro 24mm f2.8, forgot if its Pentax or Minolta mount.
I think it is pretty nice considering the relatively low price on ebay.

I thinks it's already not the same Miranda. Probably some reseller decided to use this name after the original Miranda has gone.


PostPosted: Sat Apr 20, 2013 8:48 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
dimitrygo wrote:
ChuckT wrote:
I have the Miranda MC macro 24mm f2.8, forgot if its Pentax or Minolta mount.
I think it is pretty nice considering the relatively low price on ebay.

I thinks it's already not the same Miranda. Probably some reseller decided to use this name after the original Miranda has gone.

True. It was Cosina.
Post new topic   Reply to topic
Home   Manual Focus Lenses
Page 1 of 1