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Ranox Polaris/Spiratone/Albinar etc 85mm 1.7
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PostPosted: Mon Oct 25, 2021 11:33 am    Post subject: Ranox Polaris/Spiratone/Albinar etc 85mm 1.7 Reply with quote

Hi all!

I have fallen down a bit of a rabbit hole looking at this old third party lens:



I am familiar with the Minolta and Mamiya SX 85mm 1.7 lenses, the only others to be made in this combination. The lens was sold under a laundry list of brand names, but the maker is seemingly unknown.

Looking at this particular lens, the way it is machined and marked, it bears great similarity to the manufacturing hallmarks of the Mamiya Auto range, and the serial numbers on these lenses fall very much in the same range as the Mamiya Autos of the time. As such, I was curious to see if anyone had ever confirmed if this was a Mamiya OEM? Was this a forerunner to the SX that flew below the radar?

The 135mm 1.8 sold under the same brand has been attributed to both Yoshida and SUN, and while I know the Mamiya SX version came out later (with a larger front element, different lens barrel etc) but the similarities seem too great for me to think otherwise.

Thoughts?

Pete


PostPosted: Mon Oct 25, 2021 4:37 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Given the fact that it is a lens with YS mount, I would guess that either Sigma or Sun manufactured it. BTW, Spiratone sourced part of its lenses from Sigma.


PostPosted: Mon Oct 25, 2021 6:47 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Probably Sun since I don't know any 85mm manual focus Sigma. DNA is more like Sun as well.


PostPosted: Mon Oct 25, 2021 11:30 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I believe my Spiratone 24mm is also manufactured by Sun, if that helps.


PostPosted: Sun Oct 31, 2021 5:25 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

So I have been messaging with the owners of the Spiratone group on Facebook and they said they have no info on who made this. In their words, the only maker they actively advertised was Sun, but this lens had no maker advertised, implying it is *not* a Sun-made lens. It definitely doesnt look like a Sigma... which means the field is now wide open. Doing more digging, trying to find design diagrams for it.


PostPosted: Sun Oct 31, 2021 6:42 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

The thick focusing ring reminds me of the last generation of Steinheil lenses as mentioned in this topic:

http://forum.mflenses.com/help-what-is-this-lens-steinheil-35mm-128-mc-m42-t22809.html

Still no clue who made it though.
BTW: I had this 35mm and unfortunately it was not a hidden gem Smile