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luisalegria
Joined: 07 Mar 2008 Posts: 6627 Location: San Francisco, USA
Expire: 2018-01-18
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Posted: Sun Jan 10, 2010 6:21 am Post subject: Soligor (Fujita?) 3.5/35 Early Retrofocus |
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luisalegria wrote:
This is not really a rare lens, in spite of its odd appearance. I actually have two of them, and have seen several other for sale in the last two years.
I am almost certain this was made by Fujita, because of its similarity in all details with known Fujita lenses, and it dates to the mid-late 1950's, possibly 1956-57, though thats just a guess. What is clear is that it is almost exactly a scaled-down version of the Fujita 52mm retrofocus for the Fujita/Kalimar 66 medium format SLR.
As such, I suspect that this lens may be the first Japanese retrofocus wide-angle, instead of the Fujita 2.5/35 of 1958, or indeed the Takumar 3.5/35 that is often given this credit. This lens may have been advertised in a 1957 Seymours catalog (An Exakta specialist store in New York). The others were first advertised in 1958 Sears catalogs. This one may have been made in relatively small numbers, maybe for just a year or so, though I find them more often than the 2.5/35 version. But note that serial number - 182 ? The other I have is 267, implying rather small numbers.
It is indeed a very early-seeming design, with the disproportionately large front element. Other unique early-style features - the lens hood is not just a hood. It unscrews to reveal a male thread, and a curious flat ring section on the inside. What this is actually is a socket for, I think, a Series VII (7) filter, and the hood is a combination hood and series filter retainer. The thread on the end of the hood is @50mm (Series VII is 54mm), totally non-standard, and in fact I doubt that it was intended to have anything screw in there at all, as this was designed for Series filters anyway.
I have only seen this in Exakta mount, though I am informed that another member may have the same in M42. I am waiting for pictures to confirm that it is the same model, though I suspect it may be yet another model of Fujita. Its turning out that Fujita was a very prolific maker indeed.
I could not mount this on my Pentax with much success, as "infinity" was less than 1m (usual case with wide-angles). So I put it on its proper Exakta, and gave it a try with Arista Edu 100 film. In general I am favorably impressed. It has excellent contrast on film, handles flare better than most of its sort (its not an SMC Takumar, but I've seen a lot worse on much later lenses), and pixel-peeping on the close-up digital shots shows quite decent center resolution. There is apparently substantial barrel distortion, though I didn't test for this.
Streaking in some shots comes I think from the development, Gassers has let me down here. That or I have a shutter problem on the Exakta.
_________________ I like Pentax DSLR's, Exaktas, M42 bodies of all kinds, strange and cheap Japanese lenses, and am dabbling in medium format/Speed Graphic work. |
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fatdeeman
Joined: 13 Jun 2009 Posts: 780 Location: UK
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Posted: Sun Jan 10, 2010 10:06 am Post subject: |
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fatdeeman wrote:
Nice looking lens and shots!
I have some sun lenses that have a similar button to what this lens has on the aperture ring but I don't think there is any connection. |
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LucisPictor
Joined: 26 Feb 2007 Posts: 17633 Location: Oberhessen, Germany / Maidstone ('95-'96)
Expire: 2013-12-03
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Posted: Sun Jan 10, 2010 10:16 am Post subject: |
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LucisPictor wrote:
The lens is very interesting, but what is more important: I really like your shots!! _________________ Personal forum activity on pause every now and again (due to job obligations)!
Carsten, former Moderator
Things ON SALE
Carsten = "KAPCTEH" = "Karusutenu" | T-shirt?.........................My photos from Emilia: http://www.schouler.net/emilia/emilia2011.html
My gear: http://retrocameracs.wordpress.com/ausrustung/
Old list: http://forum.mflenses.com/viewtopic.php?t=65 (Not up-to-date, sorry!) | http://www.lucispictor.de | http://www.alensaweek.wordpress.com |
http://www.retrocamera.de |
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mo
Joined: 27 Aug 2009 Posts: 8982 Location: Australia
Expire: 2016-07-30
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Posted: Sun Jan 10, 2010 11:27 am Post subject: |
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mo wrote:
I have to ask what is stuck to the car...looks like a bottle jack and tow ball covers stuck on the roof...but I have NO idea what is on the bonnet??
Did you buy the lens for the look or for the range It is a cool looking lens!! _________________ Moira, Moderator
Fuji XE-1,Pentax K-01,Panasonic G1,Panasonic G5,Pentax MX
Ricoh Singlex TLS,KR-5,KR-5Super,XR-10
Lenses
Auto Rikenon's 55/1.4, 1.8, 2.8... 50/1.7 Takumar 2/58 Preset Takumar 2.8/105 Auto Takumar 2.2/55, 3.5/35 Super Takumar 1.8/55...Macro Takumar F4/50... CZJ Biotar ALU M42 2/58 CZJ Tessar ALU M42 2.8/50
CZJ DDR Flektogon Zebra M42 2.8/35 CZJ Pancolar M42 2/50 CZJ Pancolar Exakta 2/50
Auto Mamiya/Sekor 1.8/55 ...Auto Mamiya/Sekor 2/50 Auto Mamiya/Sekor 2.8/50 Auto Mamiya/Sekor 200/3.5 Tamron SP500/8 Tamron SP350/5.6 Tamron SP90/2.5
Primoplan 1.9/58 Primagon 4.5/35 Telemegor 5.5/150 Angenieux 3.5/28 Angenieux 3,5/135 Y 2
Canon FL 58/1.2,Canon FL85/1.8,Canon FL 100/3.5,Canon SSC 2.8/100 ,Konica AR 100/2.8, Nikkor P 105/2.5
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ManualFocus-G
Joined: 29 Dec 2008 Posts: 6624 Location: United Kingdom
Expire: 2014-11-24
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Posted: Sun Jan 10, 2010 11:33 am Post subject: |
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ManualFocus-G wrote:
Sexy lens alert!! _________________ Graham - Moderator
Shooter of choice: Fujifilm X-T20 with M42, PB and C/Y lenses
See my Flickr photos at http://www.flickr.com/photos/manualfocus-g |
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luisalegria
Joined: 07 Mar 2008 Posts: 6627 Location: San Francisco, USA
Expire: 2018-01-18
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Posted: Sun Jan 10, 2010 6:22 pm Post subject: |
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luisalegria wrote:
The car with the plastic bits is a neighbors pickup truck turned-art piece. He collects bits of "drift plastic" from the beach and sticks them on the car.
Another from the Soligor -
It has very poor corners indeed in FF, which perhaps explains its relative lack of success. _________________ I like Pentax DSLR's, Exaktas, M42 bodies of all kinds, strange and cheap Japanese lenses, and am dabbling in medium format/Speed Graphic work. |
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mo
Joined: 27 Aug 2009 Posts: 8982 Location: Australia
Expire: 2016-07-30
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Posted: Mon Jan 11, 2010 8:30 am Post subject: |
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mo wrote:
Is this one?? made by sun
Click here to see on Ebay _________________ Moira, Moderator
Fuji XE-1,Pentax K-01,Panasonic G1,Panasonic G5,Pentax MX
Ricoh Singlex TLS,KR-5,KR-5Super,XR-10
Lenses
Auto Rikenon's 55/1.4, 1.8, 2.8... 50/1.7 Takumar 2/58 Preset Takumar 2.8/105 Auto Takumar 2.2/55, 3.5/35 Super Takumar 1.8/55...Macro Takumar F4/50... CZJ Biotar ALU M42 2/58 CZJ Tessar ALU M42 2.8/50
CZJ DDR Flektogon Zebra M42 2.8/35 CZJ Pancolar M42 2/50 CZJ Pancolar Exakta 2/50
Auto Mamiya/Sekor 1.8/55 ...Auto Mamiya/Sekor 2/50 Auto Mamiya/Sekor 2.8/50 Auto Mamiya/Sekor 200/3.5 Tamron SP500/8 Tamron SP350/5.6 Tamron SP90/2.5
Primoplan 1.9/58 Primagon 4.5/35 Telemegor 5.5/150 Angenieux 3.5/28 Angenieux 3,5/135 Y 2
Canon FL 58/1.2,Canon FL85/1.8,Canon FL 100/3.5,Canon SSC 2.8/100 ,Konica AR 100/2.8, Nikkor P 105/2.5
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Univer
Joined: 30 Jun 2009 Posts: 282
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Posted: Mon Jan 11, 2010 3:39 pm Post subject: |
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Univer wrote:
Hi,
I do have a copy of this lens, recently acquired, in M42 mount. It's branded "Tower" - the Sears house brand.
One thing that's become clear to me, reading this thread as well as others relating to Fujita, is that there does seem to be, as Luis points out, a fair amount of variation among the company's designs; although the push-button preset mechanism appears to be a constant.
I haven't had the opportunity to take any pictures of or with my lens, but I can say that it has more in common, stylistically at least (down to the zebra focus ring), with the Asahiflex-mount f/2.5 Tower shown here than with this Soligor. The most obvious difference between my Tower and the Soligor is the size of the front element; although the maximum apertures are the same, my lens's front element is of modest size.
Interestingly, I was doing an unrelated Web search and came upon this page showing illustrations of some other early Fujita-made Soligors - in this case, Miranda-Soligors - that are also similar to my lens. The illustration of the 35mm even shows that lens with the tiny, almost vestigial lens hood that was attached to my Tower when it arrived.
Cheers,
Jon |
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fish4570
Joined: 06 Jan 2010 Posts: 4514 Location: At the confluence of the Locust Fork of the Warrior River and Black Creek, Alabama
Expire: 2012-03-21
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Posted: Mon Jan 11, 2010 4:05 pm Post subject: |
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fish4570 wrote:
i much like the tonal texture of this lens.
those vertical streaks in the long shot look similar to what i have gotten lately in my praktica ltl ... _________________ Paul
I chase Light
http://blackcreekjournal.blogspot.com/ |
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luisalegria
Joined: 07 Mar 2008 Posts: 6627 Location: San Francisco, USA
Expire: 2018-01-18
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Posted: Mon Jan 11, 2010 6:09 pm Post subject: |
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luisalegria wrote:
OK, Mo-Fo has thrown me for a loop.
Thats definitely a Sun brand on that 135, and the lens design is a dead ringer both for the 3.5/35 I have AND Univers' different 35 (and the one listed in the Miranda page).
It seems identical to the 135mm on the Miranda page.
So, perhaps just some of the lenses I was assuming were by Fujita are actually so, and others were made by Sun ?
This is an interesting development, because I have other Sun lenses of the period (mid-1950's, from when Sun used the Sola brand), and they are quite different in every respect.
Mysteries on mysteries.
The lens on Australian ebay actually looks like its on an Olympus Pen F adapter, and its native mount could easily be Exakta or Miranda, or M42 for all we know. As the Pen F came out @1963, it would be odd to find such an early lens design with a native mount for the Pen F. _________________ I like Pentax DSLR's, Exaktas, M42 bodies of all kinds, strange and cheap Japanese lenses, and am dabbling in medium format/Speed Graphic work. |
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fatdeeman
Joined: 13 Jun 2009 Posts: 780 Location: UK
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Posted: Mon Jan 11, 2010 6:37 pm Post subject: |
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fatdeeman wrote:
Well maybe there is a connection after all.
All I know is that some of my more modern sun lenses have exactly the same button as this lens has on the preset mechanism only on my lenses it's for switching the lens between auto and manual.
I noticed this sun version of the 28mm in this thread has it too:
http://forum.mflenses.com/who-made-these-28-2-8-sun-or-tokina-t15298,highlight,sun.html _________________ - Dave
www.lensporn.net
www.flickr.com/photos/fatdeeman/
DSLR: Canon EOS 60D, Samsung GX-1S (Pentax *ist DS2)
Mirrorless: Panasonic DMC-G1, Sony NEX-5N
Compact: Canon PowerShot G3
Lenses:
Wide: Tokina RMC 28mm F/2.8, Tamron Adaptall 2 28mm F/2.5, Sun Optical 28mm F/2.5, Super paragon 28mm F/2.8, Sigma filtermatic 24mm F/2.8, Fujinon 35mm F/2.8, Sun Optical 35mm F/2.8
Standard: Industar 50-2, Helios 44-2, Helios 44M, Helios 44M-3, Pentax-M 50mm F/1.4, Pentax-M 50mm F/1.7, Pentax-M 50mm F/2, Ricoh 50mm F/1.7, Chinon 50mm F/1.7
Tele: Pentacon 135mm F/2.8, Pentacon 200mm F/3.5, Optomax 200mm f/3.5, Sun Optical 135mm F/3.5, Soligor 350mm F/5.6
Zoom: Tokina 28-70mm f/3.5-4.5 SZ-X270 SD, Sigma Zoom Pi 35-200mm F4-5.6, Sun Optical 28-80mm F/3.5-4.5, Sunagor 80-205mm F/3.8, Tokina RMC 80-200mm F/4, Vivitar 70-150mm F/3.8, Tamron 95-205mm F/6.3, Tamron Adaptall 28-200mm F/3.8-5.6 LD Aspherical, Tokina RMC 70-210mm F/3.5
Mirror: Falcon (Samyang) 800mm F/8, MTO-11CA 1000mm F/10, Tamron Adaptall 2 500mm F/8
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luisalegria
Joined: 07 Mar 2008 Posts: 6627 Location: San Francisco, USA
Expire: 2018-01-18
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Posted: Mon Jan 11, 2010 8:03 pm Post subject: |
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luisalegria wrote:
Thats my own Sun 28mm. It has a knob, but it is not the same in detail as the button on the Fujitas. Its also from about ten years later than the Fujitas. _________________ I like Pentax DSLR's, Exaktas, M42 bodies of all kinds, strange and cheap Japanese lenses, and am dabbling in medium format/Speed Graphic work. |
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Univer
Joined: 30 Jun 2009 Posts: 282
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Posted: Mon Jan 11, 2010 8:33 pm Post subject: |
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Univer wrote:
Hi,
Interesting stuff!
I'm not in front of the lens cabinet at the moment - am I right in remembering that some of the Auto Mamiya/Sekor lenses featured a similar A/M switch "button" or "knob"?
Cheers,
Jon |
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luisalegria
Joined: 07 Mar 2008 Posts: 6627 Location: San Francisco, USA
Expire: 2018-01-18
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Posted: Mon Jan 11, 2010 10:38 pm Post subject: |
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luisalegria wrote:
Yes, the older Mamiya Sekor SLR lenses did have these knobs, just like on that Sun I have. I distinguish "button" from "knob" (not a technical definition) in that the button on the Fujitas actually is used to unlock the aperture settings, the knob on my Sun is mostly just decorative, or at best something to help locate the control by feel.
I am actually uncertain whether my Sun 28 was actually made by Sun, or whether it was supplied to Sun by another maker to fill out a product line, or something like that. The reason being that that same lens (with or without knob) was part of several series (like Mamiyas early SLR stuff) that are all or mostly otherwise probably Tokina-made. _________________ I like Pentax DSLR's, Exaktas, M42 bodies of all kinds, strange and cheap Japanese lenses, and am dabbling in medium format/Speed Graphic work. |
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mo
Joined: 27 Aug 2009 Posts: 8982 Location: Australia
Expire: 2016-07-30
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Posted: Tue Jan 12, 2010 5:50 am Post subject: |
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mo wrote:
Worth a bid?? anyone here going to have a bid on it?? _________________ Moira, Moderator
Fuji XE-1,Pentax K-01,Panasonic G1,Panasonic G5,Pentax MX
Ricoh Singlex TLS,KR-5,KR-5Super,XR-10
Lenses
Auto Rikenon's 55/1.4, 1.8, 2.8... 50/1.7 Takumar 2/58 Preset Takumar 2.8/105 Auto Takumar 2.2/55, 3.5/35 Super Takumar 1.8/55...Macro Takumar F4/50... CZJ Biotar ALU M42 2/58 CZJ Tessar ALU M42 2.8/50
CZJ DDR Flektogon Zebra M42 2.8/35 CZJ Pancolar M42 2/50 CZJ Pancolar Exakta 2/50
Auto Mamiya/Sekor 1.8/55 ...Auto Mamiya/Sekor 2/50 Auto Mamiya/Sekor 2.8/50 Auto Mamiya/Sekor 200/3.5 Tamron SP500/8 Tamron SP350/5.6 Tamron SP90/2.5
Primoplan 1.9/58 Primagon 4.5/35 Telemegor 5.5/150 Angenieux 3.5/28 Angenieux 3,5/135 Y 2
Canon FL 58/1.2,Canon FL85/1.8,Canon FL 100/3.5,Canon SSC 2.8/100 ,Konica AR 100/2.8, Nikkor P 105/2.5
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