Suggestion for a cheap but good lens set - M42

bghomofaber · Joined: 03 Mar 2016 Posts: 154

Hallo folks,

got a young girl (17yo) who is quite interested in analog. I have a good looking praktica nova set aside for her. lens is a tessar 2.8.

I'm looking for a couple classical zooms in m42 that be cheap but also decent or better quality, no matter how old or unknown.

She is a scout and this stuff will get rough treatment (maybe I will give her a nikonos for that only and the praktica for serious stuff).

Most important a 35 to something tele zoom and possibly more ( a 28 to something or so).

A tele zoom comes second in importance, range focals is less important than decent quality.

If she gets really interested I would get her a real wide angle but my favourite, mir 20, is not cheap now.

Ty

marcusBMG · Joined: 07 Dec 2012 Posts: 1304 Location: Conwy N Wales

IMO, generally speaking, original M42 zooms from the 1960's and 1970's suffer in comparison with later ones. However M42 mount lenses were still common to much later, particularly from the third party lens makers and rebadgers.

One possibility to look at is tamron adaptall. These are swappable mount, M42 mounts are readily available, most are decent or good and several are particularly merit worthy - eg the 01A 35-80mm.

Lloydy · Expire: 2022-01-01

Which country do you live in? I have a bunch of M42 stuff for sale, including some zooms, mostly very cheap.

newst · Joined: 21 Oct 2014 Posts: 617 Location: Troy, MI USA

I don't have a lot of experience with the older zooms. One that I have used, is good quality and inexpensive is the FUJI FUJINON Z 43-75mm F 3.5-4.5 LENS which is sold in M42 and Fuji mount for about $40 US.

TrueLoveOne · Expire: 2013-12-24

just sold an M42 Sigma in mint condition, 28-84 (yes 84) which wasn't that bad at all..... it went for 10E.

but if she wants to get into manual lenses, i'd give her some primes like a Tokina RMC 28 and a cheap 135 (most are good) to start off with.
28, 50 and 135 make a great standard set for film shooting!

anyhow: tell her to have fun with it!

cheers, René.

Oldhand · Posted: Sat Apr 30, 2016 7:35 am Post subject:

Another to consider is the Sun-Zoom 38-90mm F3.5
Here is one
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/M42-Screw-Fit-Sun-Zoom-38-90mm-F3-5-Manual-Focus-Zoom-Lens-/351717260635?hash=item51e3fb7d5b:g:abYAAOSws8ZXHkrI
Likely to be cheap and reports are that it is quite good - and has a macro function.
OH

Pancolart · Expire: 2013-11-18

With old zooms it is all about how clean interior is. They suck dust and usually have
at least one element with condensation. Buy from respected seller or after personal LED check / test.

Regarding 135mm, try to get Pentacon of course but in case you don't find any cheap ones,
Pentacon 200mm will be good too. Or Jupiter 4/200mm.

memetph · Joined: 01 Dec 2013 Posts: 942 Location: Poland

bghomofaber · Joined: 03 Mar 2016 Posts: 154

ty all, it's italy. I got a praktica 28/70 macro zoom lens shooting carelessly on ebay, fine lens probably but for praktica bayonet.

Not bad though I will buy likely a praktica with that mount cheap from somewher for her birthday.

Or will use it myself and give her a 28 as suggested and a tele.

I live in Italy so I buy from Europe but for low figures buying from outside EU is still good.

I'm also liking a possible mir 37 like this

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/301941637999?_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

to match the nova, in the case I keep the nova and buy a praktica b mount for the girl with the first zoom.

I have also found many tamron adaptall like this

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/391397704124?_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

problem is that adapters are not original (but cheap), only my guess is that such adapters will work only stop down, am i right?

Attila · Expire: 2025-11-18

why M42 ? most beginner want to take M42 , this is often increase their price vs others. Can you use others Olympus OM , Konica or Minolta ?
PB is an excellent choice!

marcusBMG · Joined: 07 Dec 2012 Posts: 1304 Location: Conwy N Wales

Giorgio · Joined: 17 Jan 2016 Posts: 6

Tamron zooms are an excellent choice, providing that you'll acquire a Tamron Adaptall 2 to Pentax M42 original adapter, made in Japan (avoid imitations). I recommend the 103A (80-210mm f/3.8 ) and the 09A (35-70mm f/3.5 ) lenses. They are both inexpensive and perform really well. Good luck!

Lee|Ratters · Joined: 23 Sep 2014 Posts: 78 Location: Bristol | UK

My only M42 experience is with primes. I know you wanted zooms but.....

Helios 44-2 & Helios 135/2.8 MC - Both worthy lens IMO & you could probably pick them both up for 50-60 quid Smile

Minolfan · Joined: 30 Dec 2008 Posts: 3437 Location: Netherlands

For the longer telezoom you can look out for the first series 1 Vivitar 70-210mm 3.5 with "macro" (nr 22xxxxxx).
Sold in M42 too and big and heavy, but still a good lens.

Pancolart · Expire: 2013-11-18

buerokratiehasser · Joined: 12 Jun 2011 Posts: 470

I dunno, with all the EVIL cameras and stuff, you no longer get MD for 1 + ship is my impression.

If it has to be a zoom, why not try the c/d umcs. with 60-300 you can go for birds and almost normal at the same time. There is also 28-200 from that series but I don't know how good it is (it probably is).

Not sure they made it for m42. It's from the early 1990s I believe when M42 was being phased out.

bghomofaber · Joined: 03 Mar 2016 Posts: 154

Git finally a yashica fx3 with 28, 50 and 135 yashinon lenses in good shape, plus assorted materials as bonus.

I had an fx3 in the nineties and regretted selling it.

I have contax lenses so the girl might benefit of them eventually if she behaves.

jamaeolus · Expire: 2015-08-20

Depending on the money involved a Konica system can be had for not much. When I moved to A7ii I started gathering Konica stuff. My first purchase was a Konica Autoreflex with 52mm 1.8, 135mm 3.5, 50mm 1.7. plus accessories like flash, and filters. That was last August and it set me back a mere 50 USD. Konica zooms are still relatively inexpensive and pretty good as well.