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Explore the world of vintage lenses through repair notes, real test shots, and detailed archive threads packed with images.

Explore the world of vintage lenses through repair notes, real test shots, and detailed archive threads packed with images.
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Prinzflex Auto MC 1:3.3 F=200mm
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Posted: Fri Jul 20, 2018 12:12 pm
Post subject: Prinzflex Auto MC 1:3.3 F=200mm
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Posted: Fri Jul 20, 2018 12:12 pm
Post subject: Prinzflex Auto MC 1:3.3 F=200mm
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Picked up this lens for twenty pounds on ebay. as part of my little 200mm LBA surge. I wouldn't recommend it. Soft wide open (F3.3 with a 62mm front element duh). Improves stopped down (which it does from f3.3 to f5.6 in one click (though you can use it between clicks) but it really takes F8 for the spherical aberration to disappear. The lens has a close focussing distance of three meters. At first I thought it was a dud, but I noticed the front group was unscrewed quite far (It didn't have infinity because of it and terrible coma). With overcast lighting you could probably shoot an nice soft portrait with it.



Before and after I fixed the front group (sun went away so not 100% comparable):




Bokeh shots at 3.3 5.6 and 8








More pics in my album:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/randomdump/albums/72157698790588524


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Posted: Sun Jul 22, 2018 5:55 am
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Posted: Sun Jul 22, 2018 5:55 am
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Thanks for the review. It is interesting to know the aperture jumps from f3.3 to f5.6 directly. I guess f5.6 and beyond look ok, if not 100% zoom. These rebanded 200mm/3.3 once caught my eyes, probably one of them being Hanimex. Having heard all bad reviews for Hanimex, I didn't really jump.


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Posted: Mon Jul 23, 2018 11:46 am
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Posted: Mon Jul 23, 2018 11:46 am
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Its not really a recommended lens, but maybe I will take it apart or experiment with it in some way I wouldn't do with a lens I really like. I think F3.3 was more meant for focussing the lens than anything else. I am a little suspect of the greenish coating, which lies over the front element like some haze. Almost like it was made purposely green to emulate more modern green/blueish coating without being the real thing. Definitely a cheap offering that was more about appearance than function. It is also pretty easy the throw the A/M switch when operating aperture. A serious design flaw.

Now I know the front element can be screwed loose it will be easy to turn this in a special effects lens.


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Posted: Mon Jul 23, 2018 10:12 pm
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Posted: Mon Jul 23, 2018 10:12 pm
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Interesting results. It is Makinon BTW.


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Posted: Mon Jul 23, 2018 11:06 pm
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Posted: Mon Jul 23, 2018 11:06 pm
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Prinzflex were the store brand of Dixons, and they sourced lenses on price. Quality wasn't a consideration. So there are many versions of most Prinzflex lenses of all focal lengths, all best avoided.

Here's my version of the 200 / 3.5. Probably the worst lens I've ever owned.



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Posted: Tue Jul 24, 2018 12:00 pm
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Posted: Tue Jul 24, 2018 12:00 pm
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There is also another version with a 67mm filter thread. That one is probably better. Still it most likely won't be a hidden gem.


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Posted: Tue Jul 24, 2018 2:07 pm
Post subject: Re: Prinzflex Auto MC 1:3.3 F=200mm
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Posted: Tue Jul 24, 2018 2:07 pm
Post subject: Re: Prinzflex Auto MC 1:3.3 F=200mm
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D1N0 wrote:
Picked up this lens for twenty pounds on ebay. as part of my little 200mm LBA surge. I wouldn't recommend it. Soft wide open (F3.3 with a 62mm front element duh). Improves stopped down (which it does from f3.3 to f5.6 in one click (though you can use it between clicks) but it really takes F8 for the spherical aberration to disappear. The lens has a close focussing distance of three meters. At first I thought it was a dud, but I noticed the front group was unscrewed quite far (It didn't have infinity because of it and terrible coma). With overcast lighting you could probably shoot an nice soft portrait with it.



Before and after I fixed the front group (sun went away so not 100% comparable):




Bokeh shots at 3.3 5.6 and 8








More pics in my album:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/randomdump/albums/72157698790588524


D1N0 wrote:
There is also another version with a 67mm filter thread. That one is probably better. Still it most likely won't be a hidden gem.


ALL 200mm f3.3 are makinon made and known to have little iq

I would have expected even lower quality ! (expecting crap .. i find the result not so bad !)


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Posted: Tue Jul 24, 2018 5:54 pm
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Posted: Tue Jul 24, 2018 5:54 pm
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There is a Cimko made also: https://goo.gl/images/g98ouW


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Posted: Wed Jul 25, 2018 10:37 am
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Posted: Wed Jul 25, 2018 10:37 am
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Pancolart wrote:
There is a Cimko made also: https://goo.gl/images/g98ouW


Thanks for the info (but the lens subject of that topic is definitely a makinon - typical design)


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Posted: Wed Jul 25, 2018 11:05 am
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Posted: Wed Jul 25, 2018 11:05 am
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This is a 67mm version (Rexatar incarnation):


And this is a Chinon (62mm again but looks different than the Prinzflex and the Rexatar):


Which is also the Cimko:


http://camera-wiki.org/wiki/Cima_K%C5%8Dgaku

So there are at least three different 200mm f3.3 designs. Two from Makina and one from Cima Kōgaku.


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Posted: Wed Jul 25, 2018 11:11 am
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Posted: Wed Jul 25, 2018 11:11 am
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D1N0 wrote:
This is a 67mm version (Rexatar incarnation):

= Makinon

And this is a Chinon (62mm again but looks different than the Prinzflex and the Rexatar):

Which is also the Cimko:

= BOTH Cimko

.


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Posted: Thu Jul 26, 2018 9:00 pm
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Posted: Thu Jul 26, 2018 9:00 pm
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PBFACTS wrote:
D1N0 wrote:
This is a 67mm version (Rexatar incarnation):

= Makinon

And this is a Chinon (62mm again but looks different than the Prinzflex and the Rexatar):

Which is also the Cimko:

= BOTH Cimko

.


I got one of these Cimko's with badly oiled blades, absolutely stuck. So I took it apart, cleaned the blades and then a few days later went to put it back together - and discovered the bit of paper that I'd noted the element arrangement had gone missing. The elements were easy enough to fit in the right place, but which way they face is a mystery. I've tried a few options, but I gave up. Has anyone got the lens diagram for this Cimko? It's a very good lens, I tried it wide open and liked it.


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Posted: Tue Jul 31, 2018 4:27 pm
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Posted: Tue Jul 31, 2018 4:27 pm
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PBFACTS wrote:
D1N0 wrote:
This is a 67mm version (Rexatar incarnation):

= Makinon

And this is a Chinon (62mm again but looks different than the Prinzflex and the Rexatar):

Which is also the Cimko:

= BOTH Cimko

.

+ Cimko made TOPCON 200mm (and other valuable infos about Topcon on that page:"
https://www.wesellyourcollection.com/topcon/product/04-re-topcor-200-mm-133-lens-sn-7221568/
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