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Pentacon 30mm f3.5
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PostPosted: Thu Jul 01, 2010 6:57 pm    Post subject: Pentacon 30mm f3.5 Reply with quote

I tried the M42 Pentacon 30mm f3.5 today, and I'm quite pleased with it. The colours and contrast are very good, but the focus might be a bit soft. It was extremely windy today as a storm was coming in so the trees and grass are not a good guide to focus. I need to get it on a tripod and check focus for sure.

It's an old slow, probably cheap in its day, lens that was popular with Zenit and Practika users. I picked up the lens when I bought an Industar 5--2 and yet another Zenit camera.
The build quality and movement is very good, and it's easy to use once the aperture stop down ring has been figured out, you pull it forward on a spring tension then set the desired apeture, it then rotates to wide open for focusing but not to smaller apertures. I just leave it wide open and adjust to suit.

All these pictures are straight out of the camera (Pentax K10 ) with no PP at all. They were shot at ISO 200 and mainly f8 to f3.5















PostPosted: Thu Jul 01, 2010 9:36 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

nice results, you got beautiful light today and the lens made a good job


PostPosted: Fri Jul 02, 2010 10:50 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

But seems soft (?) - Too small sized pictures


PostPosted: Sat Jul 03, 2010 12:03 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Phenix jc wrote:
But seems soft (?) - Too small sized pictures


Here's a crop of the picture with the house, the only only really that might have a definite edge that would show sharpness.



And it doesn't look that bad actually ?


PostPosted: Sat Jul 03, 2010 10:15 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Yes, but probably f8 - A mid-range focus wide open would be better to make one's opinion. Thanks anyway.


PostPosted: Wed Jul 07, 2010 8:24 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

One of my favorites. Some CA wide open but wonderful colours.









PostPosted: Wed Jul 07, 2010 9:37 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I've just bought the matching 50mm f1.8 Pentacon lens ( along with yet another Helios 44-2 and a mint Practika MTL 50 Rolling Eyes ) but I don't think the colour rendition of the 50 comes anywhere close to the 30mm. The colours in your images are excellent, I think this lens has a lot going for it.

I'll try them head to head when I get a chance, but I think the 30mm will be the winner.


PostPosted: Thu Jul 08, 2010 9:51 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

dsmlogger wrote:
One of my favorites. Some CA wide open but wonderful colours.


ZOMG! Those photos are.... gorgeous!! Brilliant work - I presume you used extension tube since this is no macro lens?


PostPosted: Thu Jul 08, 2010 10:05 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

larsr wrote:
dsmlogger wrote:
One of my favorites. Some CA wide open but wonderful colours.


ZOMG! Those photos are.... gorgeous!! Brilliant work - I presume you used extension tube since this is no macro lens?


Thanks.

Actually I used an Olympus iS/L Lens A-Life Size Macro H.Q. Converter f=13cm.


PostPosted: Tue Jul 20, 2010 7:46 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Today it was raining, grey and miserable, but I went out for a walk and grabbed the Pentacon 30 for a change.

I only took a few shots with it, but this one stood out. It's hand held, wide open and all I've done is crop and tone down the bright purple a bit!
This lens is so good for this kind of 'grab shot' when I don't want to mess around with complicated stuff.



PostPosted: Tue Jul 20, 2010 11:47 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

dsmlogger wrote:
larsr wrote:
dsmlogger wrote:
One of my favorites. Some CA wide open but wonderful colours.


ZOMG! Those photos are.... gorgeous!! Brilliant work - I presume you used extension tube since this is no macro lens?


Thanks.

Actually I used an Olympus iS/L Lens A-Life Size Macro H.Q. Converter f=13cm.

Shocked Very interesting, nice pictures.
I must say you can get great colour's achievements with this kind of stuff !
( Now I've to try...Others examples which are not the subject of the topic :
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jimmy74/sets/72157605593657170/ )


PostPosted: Wed Jul 21, 2010 1:41 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

This is one picture that I've shared a few times before but I think it shows the capability of the pentacon/meyer 30mm in an architectural setting:


Taken on Reala 100 (sigh, no longer made...), vignetting due to improper hood, probably f8ish, epson v700
~Marc


PostPosted: Wed Jul 21, 2010 2:36 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks Lloydy
I am looking at picking one of these up...very soon.They say the focus is a little stiff but the glass is clear.What price would you expect for one of these?
Thanks


PostPosted: Wed Jul 21, 2010 11:48 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I have just looked at, and resisted, a Practika camera complete with a Hanimex 80-200, and Pentacon 50mm and 30mm lenses for £29 in our local pawn shop, so they are very cheap.
Even at that price I resisted because I have both the Pentacons already, I hace Vivitar zooms in that range, and under my desk I have 4 Practikas in a shoe box! ( alongside the box of Zenits, nobody will sell lens' on their own
Rolling Eyes )

They were cheap when they were new, and they were good sellers ( over here anyway ) so there's no real reason to pay a lot for them.


PostPosted: Wed Jul 21, 2010 12:12 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

This definitely looks like an interesting lens. Good colour and sharpness doesn't look bad either.

@dsmlogger: Excellent shots, especially #4!

@Lloydy: Sorry, but your signature is absurdly long: 20 lines! Why don't people put this nonsense in their profile; I don't need to read people's entire lens collection at the bottom of EACH of their posts. Geez... Confused The content of the posts gets lost with all the silly signatures. So much scrolling for nothing.
Sorry for ranting; sometimes I forget that this is also a collector's forum.
I think dsmlogger is a good example though: no signature and a lot of beautiful pictures. Razz


PostPosted: Wed Jul 21, 2010 12:48 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Very nice lens. Good work.


PostPosted: Wed Jul 21, 2010 1:25 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Yeah, I'll sort that out.


PostPosted: Wed Jul 21, 2010 1:45 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

AhamB wrote:
This definitely looks like an interesting lens. Good colour and sharpness doesn't look bad either.

@dsmlogger: Excellent shots, especially #4!

@Lloydy: Sorry, but your signature is absurdly long: 20 lines! Why don't people put this nonsense in their profile; I don't need to read people's entire lens collection at the bottom of EACH of their posts. Geez... Confused The content of the posts gets lost with all the silly signatures. So much scrolling for nothing.
Sorry for ranting; sometimes I forget that this is also a collector's forum.
I think dsmlogger is a good example though: no signature and a lot of beautiful pictures. Razz


Thanks AhamD.

No4 was shot just with the Pentacon (without the Olympus Close-up).
It had rained the previous day and this helped to give this "shiny" look.

The lens managed to capture plenty of detail which is amazing for a lens which is so cheap and relatively unknown.