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Radioactive lenses
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PostPosted: Wed Oct 02, 2019 5:34 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote



An update included Pancolar 50/1.8 zebra as radioactive as Ektar and Ektar and Prakticar with paper window.
In the table are also attenuation coefficients presenting various types of radioactivity.


PostPosted: Thu Oct 03, 2019 10:20 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks very interesting!
You seem to have quite a collection of Radioactive lenses, AFAIK I don't have any, but I've never tried measuring the few that might have a slim chance of it.


PostPosted: Wed Oct 09, 2019 5:55 pm    Post subject: Re: Radioactive lenses Reply with quote

macheck wrote:
My inventory of radioactive lenses:

Kodak Color Printing Lens 103/4.5
Kodak Printing Ektar Lens 113/4.5
Soligor 35/2.8
Auto Revuenon 55/1.4 flat rear lens
Canon FL 58/1.2
Zoomar 36-82/2.8
Pancolar 50/1.8 sn:854xxxx
Prakticar 50/1.4 1st version
Flektogon 50/4

Suddenly I started to "collect" them - bought two useless (for me) Flek's and Pancolar just for need to have more rad lenses.

I think a lens collector should have a meter and the awareness concerning radioactivity (eg. not to use them as a loupe, gather bigger amount of sources nearby and what about radon?).

I keep them separately in a steel box.

There is a camerapedia source of a listing of radioactive lenses, Soligor 35/2.8 is not listed but Biometar 2.8/80 Zebra is - I have few if them in this finish and they are not radioactive. My UV Topcor 50/2 sn 6809xxxx is not too.


....mmmmmh ......
I'm not really sure.......
what kind of version of Auto Revuenon 55/1.4 flat rear lens do you have , could you post a picture of the barrel and front element?
That because I' have the same lens and mine is not radioactive .....for sure!
I have also same dubt for the pancolar one 50mm 1,8 .... almost with this serial number....... could you please show me a picture of side of the lens where are le digit of the aperture and i will confirm if radioactive or not.
Chears!


PostPosted: Wed Oct 09, 2019 6:13 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

wolfhansen wrote:
Porst Color Reflex MC 1.2/55mm


Hi,
It'is not radioactive, show me a picture of the lens please


PostPosted: Wed Oct 09, 2019 6:25 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

macheck wrote:
Soligor 35/2.8 radioactivity
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J66BXJosN3g&t=52s


There's a coincidence ... one arrived in the post today (Serial No. M198440) ... I'll keep it in the concrete-cased lead-lined camera bag with all the others Wink


PostPosted: Wed Oct 09, 2019 9:51 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

kypfer wrote:
macheck wrote:
Soligor 35/2.8 radioactivity
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J66BXJosN3g&t=52s


There's a coincidence ... one arrived in the post today (Serial No. M198440) ... I'll keep it in the concrete-cased lead-lined camera bag with all the others Wink


That's from a different manufacturer, presumably Miranda. The one OP has is 17***, agreed to be made by Tokina.


PostPosted: Thu Oct 10, 2019 5:12 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

vivaldibow wrote:
kypfer wrote:
There's a coincidence ... one arrived in the post today (Serial No. M198440) ... I'll keep it in the concrete-cased lead-lined camera bag with all the others Wink

That's from a different manufacturer, presumably Miranda. The one OP has is 17***, agreed to be made by Tokina.


Interesting, thank you Smile

Does that mean it's a Miranda lens rebadged for Soligor (and re-built to look the same as the Tokina example) or was it a Soligor design/specification contracted out for best price?


PostPosted: Thu Oct 10, 2019 12:29 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

kypfer wrote:
Quote:
(and re-built to look the same as the Tokina example)

you mean you've got the same looking lens with different serial - pls send a photo if so, and keep it in a lead and lead concrete Like Dog

AndreaEOS wrote:
Quote:
....mmmmmh ......
I'm not really sure.......
what kind of version of Auto Revuenon 55/1.4 flat rear lens do you have , could you post a picture of the barrel and front element?
That because I' have the same lens and mine is not radioactive .....for sure!





AndreaEOS wrote:
Quote:
I have also same dubt for the pancolar one 50mm 1,8 .... almost with this serial number....... could you please show me a picture of side of the lens where are le digit of the aperture and i will confirm if radioactive or not.

You mean by the observation of the side of the Pancolar 50/1.8 lens you are able to decide if it is radioactive of not?
The Pancolar in my possesion has amber tinted lenses so even without meter one is able to suspect radioactivity.



PostPosted: Thu Oct 10, 2019 12:44 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

macheck wrote:
kypfer wrote:
Quote:
(and re-built to look the same as the Tokina example)

you mean you've got the same looking lens with different serial - pls send a photo if so


Herewith photo's as requested. I think it looks physically the same. I received it with an Exakta T2 mount (which I'll find a use for) but it's currently carrying a PK mount for use with my Pentax's Smile




PostPosted: Thu Oct 10, 2019 4:40 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

kypfer wrote:
vivaldibow wrote:
kypfer wrote:
There's a coincidence ... one arrived in the post today (Serial No. M198440) ... I'll keep it in the concrete-cased lead-lined camera bag with all the others Wink

That's from a different manufacturer, presumably Miranda. The one OP has is 17***, agreed to be made by Tokina.


Interesting, thank you Smile

Does that mean it's a Miranda lens rebadged for Soligor (and re-built to look the same as the Tokina example) or was it a Soligor design/specification contracted out for best price?


Soligor used to own Miranda and that's why some of their lenses' serial start with M. In this line, meaning,
preset aperture ring and actual aperture ring both at the lens rear, I've seen 28mm, 135mm and 25mm (or 23mm, memory faded here) made by Miranda. I have 35mm and 105mm, by Tokina.

I am not sure why the two lenses look same, perhaps it is a Soligor/Miranda design, then Tokina made the same or
vice versa or something else.


PostPosted: Thu Oct 10, 2019 9:26 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

vivaldibow wrote:
Soligor used to own Miranda and that's why some of their lenses' serial start with M. In this line, meaning,
preset aperture ring and actual aperture ring both at the lens rear, I've seen 28mm, 135mm and 25mm (or 23mm, memory faded here) made by Miranda. I have 35mm and 105mm, by Tokina.

I am not sure why the two lenses look same, perhaps it is a Soligor/Miranda design, then Tokina made the same or
vice versa or something else.


This is all very interesting!

I also have a 135mm f/3.5 lens, badged "EDIXA", serial no. 65140, which is obviously the same design, the same aperture setting rings and even the same 46mm filter thread. I wonder where that fits into the greater scheme of things? Possibly Wirgin were importing lenses from Japan, or was the name just being used as a marketing brand by this time?

The first picture shows the 135mm lens alongside the 35mm to show the mechanical similarities, the second picture shows the front of the 135mm.




PostPosted: Fri Oct 11, 2019 7:42 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

kypfer wrote:
I also have a 135mm f/3.5 lens, badged "EDIXA", serial no. 65140, which is obviously the same design, the same aperture setting rings and even the same 46mm filter thread. I wonder where that fits into the greater scheme of things? Possibly Wirgin were importing lenses from Japan, or was the name just being used as a marketing brand by this time?


Further to this, browsing on eBay UK, I see 135mm f/2.8 and 200mm f/3.5 lenses, both badged Soligor, with the same mechanical styling, the first with a 27xxxx serial number and a T2 M42 mount, the second with a 17xxxxxx number and a TX Miranda mount, so the styling may have been used for some time Smile


PostPosted: Fri Oct 11, 2019 4:42 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

kypfer wrote:


I also have a 135mm f/3.5 lens, badged "EDIXA", serial no. 65140, which is obviously the same design, the same aperture setting rings and even the same 46mm filter thread. I wonder where that fits into the greater scheme of things? Possibly Wirgin were importing lenses from Japan, or was the name just being used as a marketing brand by this time?

The first picture shows the 135mm lens alongside the 35mm to show the mechanical similarities, the second picture shows the front of the 135mm.



The font of EDIXA lens reminds me of tokina made. Those brands are less seen in USA as they were from Europe.


PostPosted: Fri Oct 11, 2019 4:45 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

kypfer wrote:
kypfer wrote:
I also have a 135mm f/3.5 lens, badged "EDIXA", serial no. 65140, which is obviously the same design, the same aperture setting rings and even the same 46mm filter thread. I wonder where that fits into the greater scheme of things? Possibly Wirgin were importing lenses from Japan, or was the name just being used as a marketing brand by this time?


Further to this, browsing on eBay UK, I see 135mm f/2.8 and 200mm f/3.5 lenses, both badged Soligor, with the same mechanical styling, the first with a 27xxxx serial number and a T2 M42 mount, the second with a 17xxxxxx number and a TX Miranda mount, so the styling may have been used for some time Smile


Is the 27xxx silver ears as well? It is agreed to be sun made. It looks very much like the preset but not identical I guess. The Tx should also have the silver ears, right? I only have Soligor T4s which have the silver ears.

Anyway, back to OP's original post. Time to test radioactivity for those third party lenses.


PostPosted: Fri Oct 11, 2019 5:25 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

vivaldibow wrote:
Is the 27xxx silver ears as well? It is agreed to be sun made. It looks very much like the preset but not identical I guess. The Tx should also have the silver ears, right? I only have Soligor T4s which have the silver ears.

Anyway, back to OP's original post. Time to test radioactivity for those third party lenses.


Yes, all the lenses I've mentioned look like they were part of a "set", with the silver "ears" for setting the pre-set and the two slimmer but wider black grips for actually closing the aperture on the 135mm, the 200mm being fully auto-aperture, so no black grips on this lens.

Unfortunately I don't know of anywhere locally I could borrow a Geiger counter to test my lenses Sad


PostPosted: Fri Oct 11, 2019 10:23 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

macheck wrote:
kypfer wrote:

You mean by the observation of the side of the Pancolar 50/1.8 lens you are able to decide if it is radioactive of not?
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Yes I am. There are two version of zebra Pancolar 50mm 1.8, your is the Radioactive one, mine is not radioactive . Do you see the clear differences between the two lenses on the black area engraved near the ring of the aperture?




PostPosted: Fri Oct 11, 2019 10:42 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

[quote="macheck"]kypfer wrote:




[


In that case my AUTO REVUENON 55 1.4 flat rear lens ( the tomioka look) is not radioactive (Tested by NATO military geiger counter), also my pancolar has been tested.


PostPosted: Sat Oct 12, 2019 5:51 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I have measured my Auto Revuenon 55/1.4 and three Flektogons 50/4, methodology as in previous posts but limited to 5 mm (closest distance to measuring device) in different conditions (air, paper, 1 mm aluminum and 1.8 mm lead in order to obtain attenuation coefficients only.

AndreaEOS: According to camerapedia radioactive are:
"Carl Zeiss Jena Pancolar 50mm f1.8 "Zebra" (1964-67, up to serial number 8552600)" with no source of info,
I see pictures (of auction sites) of Pancolar 50/1.8 Zebras sn 85529xx, 879xxxx, 8820xxxx with a diamonds, so whose information is correct?


PostPosted: Sat Oct 12, 2019 7:37 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

When observing zebra Pancolars the first thing I look at are the black stripes on both sides of the aperture scale on the aperture ring. On the older, presumably radioactive ones, the stripes are "fat" while the later, presumably non-radioactive ones have thin stripes that match all the other thin black stripes on the aperture ring.

Of course, whether they're radioactive or non-radioactive is not something I can guarantee.


PostPosted: Sun Oct 13, 2019 10:24 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

macheck wrote:
According to camerapedia radioactive are:
"Carl Zeiss Jena Pancolar 50mm f1.8 "Zebra" (1964-67, up to serial number 8552600)" with no source of info,
I see pictures (of auction sites) of Pancolar 50/1.8 Zebras sn 85529xx, 879xxxx, 8820xxxx with a diamonds, so whose information is correct?
Yea, the serial number might be incorrect. Check the number of aperture blades. The older radioactive design should feature 8 of them.


PostPosted: Sun Oct 13, 2019 4:39 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

AndreaEOS wrote:
wolfhansen wrote:
Porst Color Reflex MC 1.2/55mm


Hi,
It'is not radioactive, show me a picture of the lens please

There are multiple versions of Porst 55/1.2. Only the oldest one - max f/16, MFD 0.6m and s/n printed on the front ring - is reported to be radioactive.