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Pentax A 85 1.4 and Cosmicar 75 1.4
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PostPosted: Wed Apr 16, 2014 4:14 am    Post subject: Pentax A 85 1.4 and Cosmicar 75 1.4 Reply with quote
I'm hoping someone on the forum can answer this question.
Does the Pentax A 85 1.4 share the same optical formula as the Pentax Cosmicar 75 1.4.
I'm talking about the late black version of the Cosmicar 75 1.4. I read this on the net but have found no proof yet.
I bought one off of eBay yesterday. If you look at closed auctions it is the one that sold for USD 99.
It was painful. LOL.
It's the most I've ever spent on a lens, but I've wanted one for years.

I believe this is supposed to be the best version of the Cosmicar 75 1.4.
I will be using it on my Nikon J1.


PostPosted: Wed Apr 16, 2014 5:39 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
Different focal lengths. One designed for 35mm FF and the other are designed for 16mm video format. Pentax A 85 1.4 is much more expensive than Cosmicar 75 1.4. I do not think they are share same optical formula.

Last edited by calvin83 on Wed Apr 16, 2014 5:56 am; edited 1 time in total


PostPosted: Wed Apr 16, 2014 5:56 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
I have it from a reliable source that the pentax/asahi 85 1.4 is actually a zeiss design the same as the pentax/asahi 28 f2 and a couple of others. It resulted from a tech swap between zeiss and pentax. Zeiss wanted the formula for pentax's super multi coating. They traded some of their lens designs for the secret smc formula which they then developed their *T coating from.


PostPosted: Wed Apr 16, 2014 10:45 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
regardless if the optical formula is the same as the 1.4/85 or not, and even if it was painful for you to spend 99usd, this was a great, amazing deal!! photos I have seen a friend of mine had taken with this lens on a m4/3rd were simply stunning, congrats, I wished I found one for this price Wink


PostPosted: Wed Apr 16, 2014 11:09 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
Hood wrote:
I have it from a reliable source that the pentax/asahi 85 1.4 is actually a zeiss design the same as the pentax/asahi 28 f2 and a couple of others. It resulted from a tech swap between zeiss and pentax. Zeiss wanted the formula for pentax's super multi coating. They traded some of their lens designs for the secret smc formula which they then developed their *T coating from.


??? T* from Pentax pretty funny, just use parallel both .


PostPosted: Thu Apr 17, 2014 8:02 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
Attila wrote:
Hood wrote:
I have it from a reliable source that the pentax/asahi 85 1.4 is actually a zeiss design the same as the pentax/asahi 28 f2 and a couple of others. It resulted from a tech swap between zeiss and pentax. Zeiss wanted the formula for pentax's super multi coating. They traded some of their lens designs for the secret smc formula which they then developed their *T coating from.


??? T* from Pentax pretty funny, just use parallel both .


Yes, this came direct from a very old knowledgable pentaxian service technician I know. Trust me, this technology swap between pentax/asahi and zeiss did happen.


PostPosted: Thu Apr 17, 2014 8:31 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
Hood wrote:

Yes, this came direct from a very old knowledgable pentaxian service technician I know. Trust me, this technology swap between pentax/asahi and zeiss did happen.


Don't know about the coating, but some pentax designs (with the noteworthy inclusion of the 3.5/15, available both as takumar and later bayonet mount versions, together with the ones you mentioned) are definitely coming from (as result of a collaboration) zeiss at a some point in the 70's.

Here's an interesting article by Marco Cavina about genealogy and different versions of the takumar/distagon 15 .

And Here the story of the 28/2.
(the articles are both in italian, but google translate should do the job).
According to these articles, there were contacts and exchanges of knoweledge between zeiss and pentax (before zeiss started collaborating with yashica), and even the K bayonet mount originally comes from Zeiss.
The articles don't mention coatings, iirc.


PostPosted: Thu Apr 17, 2014 1:50 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Yes thank you. I did read just the other day there were these other colaborations between zeiss and pentax. I was especially amazed to read that the k mount was infact originally a zeiss creation. Very Happy


PostPosted: Thu Apr 17, 2014 7:22 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Picture of the lens?


PostPosted: Thu Apr 17, 2014 11:41 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
calvin83 wrote:
Different focal lengths. One designed for 35mm FF and the other are designed for 16mm video format. Pentax A 85 1.4 is much more expensive than Cosmicar 75 1.4. I do not think they are share same optical formula.


I don't think the different focal lengths matters. Minolta did it with the 58 1.2 and the PG 50 1.4. The were based of the same optic formula.
Good point on the full frame versus video.
The strange thing is I can't find any optical formulas or drawings of Pentax Cosmicar lenses.
I will say by looking at samples from both lenses on the net they seem to have similar rendering.
I'm kinda doubtful that they were based off of the same optical formula, but I wish I could prove it one way or another.
Thanks, Walter.


PostPosted: Thu Apr 17, 2014 11:49 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
kuuan wrote:
regardless if the optical formula is the same as the 1.4/85 or not, and even if it was painful for you to spend 99usd, this was a great, amazing deal!! photos I have seen a friend of mine had taken with this lens on a m4/3rd were simply stunning, congrats, I wished I found one for this price Wink


Kuuan, thanks.
Ive wanted this lens for quite awhile. I was really happy to find it.
I have also seen some stunning images posted with this version of the 75 1.4.
I can't wait to try it out.


PostPosted: Fri Apr 18, 2014 12:17 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
Nordentro wrote:
Picture of the lens?

I'm on my smartphone so I can't post an eBay link.
I should have the lens tomorrow or Monday at the latest. I will post a pic then.
This is the black version. More then likely the last style made. I think it will have the 58mm filter thread and a weight of 450 grams.
It might be Cosmicar part number b7514c, but I have no way to be positive.

Thanks, Walter.


PostPosted: Fri Apr 18, 2014 2:34 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
Hood wrote:
Attila wrote:
Hood wrote:
I have it from a reliable source that the pentax/asahi 85 1.4 is actually a zeiss design the same as the pentax/asahi 28 f2 and a couple of others. It resulted from a tech swap between zeiss and pentax. Zeiss wanted the formula for pentax's super multi coating. They traded some of their lens designs for the secret smc formula which they then developed their *T coating from.


??? T* from Pentax pretty funny, just use parallel both .


Yes, this came direct from a very old knowledgable pentaxian service technician I know. Trust me, this technology swap between pentax/asahi and zeiss did happen.


I did try numerous from both , Zeiss was always better from same years than most others include Pentax , try your self. Pickup lenses from those years when you think relevant to compare them.


PostPosted: Wed Apr 23, 2014 7:42 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
Due to bad weather and being really busy I haven't had much time to try it.
It does fit the Nikon 1 c mount adapter, and I do get infinity.
I really like this lens. Sorry only one quick test shot handheld. Really need to order a chipped adapter for it.
Let me try to link a photo.Hope it works. The lens is a lot better then my sample.
With no focus confirm or mag view it makes shooting difficult.


PostPosted: Thu Apr 24, 2014 8:26 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
I will try to post a pic of the lens soon. I do have one more test image.
Shot at f1.4.
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