Mo's Pancolar 2/50 & Tessar 2.8/50 on her K200

peterqd · Expire: 2014-01-04

Whilst I was visiting Mo she asked me to take a couple of pics of her gear for the Equipment Gallery.

First up is the Pancolar. This is an Auto lens (it stops down by pressing in the pin). There is no A-M switch as on later models but there is a stop-down lever for checking DOF. This is a lovely lens to use, the focus dial is beautifully smooth and the aperture dial is clicky and solid. The two little red pointers on the DOF gauge spread apart as you decrease the aperture size.

NEX-7 with Sony 18-55 kit lens at 18mm, f4 and MFD, ISO800 and 1/60th

Next is the Tessar, it's also an Auto lens without an A-M switch. It has a pull and release preset aperture dial similar to the Meyer lenses and the dial is sprung loaded and can be locked open for focussing. This is released and the aperture closes when the auto pin is pressed.

NEX-7 with CZJ Panolar 2/50 at f2 and MFD, ISO1250 and 1/60th

Ideally, on a modern camera both these lenses need an M42 adapter with the flange to keep the pin pressed in. Mo has the original Pentax M42>K adapter which doesn't have the flange, so she has to keep the stopdown lever pressed on the Pancolar and be careful not to lock open the Tessar, otherwise the lens has to be removed from the camera to press the pin and release the lock. Is there a flush M42>K adapter which has the flange?

Mo also has a beautiful CZJ Biotar 2/58 which looks very similar to the Tessar and works in the same way. Due to a mix-up, I confused these two lenses and ended up taking pics of the Tessar only. Sorry Mo.

I've never seen a K200 in the flesh before and I was surprised how big and solid it is compared to my son's K-x, and also to my Canon 400D. It has a much more professional feel - very nice indeed.

Sorry about the shallow depth of field, we were penned in indoors due to the rain so I had to use the lenses wide open.

iangreenhalgh1 · Expire: 2014-01-07

Beautiful lenses, particularly the Pancolar, I thinks that's a fairly uncommon barrel style, I really like it though.

I have a Tessar like that one and a Biotar of the same style, they do look very alike but the Biotar is bigger in diameter, or at least mine is. I won't be parting with either Tessar or Biotar, both are great lenses I enjoy very much, I am not sure whether my best Tessar is this alu one or a later Zebra, both are better then the later all black ones I have imho.

peterqd · Expire: 2014-01-04

Ian, I remember Mo telling me the grip of the Pancolar focus dial is a replacement. I'll leave it to her to explain more.

mo · Expire: 2016-07-30

Ahh,Peter these are just beautiful...thank you so much.

Yes, the grip on the Pancolar is not the original there is a post on the forum showing it with its old grip.I think this is called the star wars version...I have two now and was chasing a third until commonsense prevented me from buying it...I still regret it in a small way Laughing

I laugh about the mix up, it was only when I was putting the lens away that I realized it was not the Biotar.. Rolling Eyes

Hey,you and your lovely wife are welcome to come back down and take another photo.. Wink

The Tessar still looks good on my camera.