Super Albinar?

GrahamNR17 · Expire: 2012-09-06

Hi all,

I just got a parcel delivered as a result of a successful Ebay bid. Pentax ME Super with 50mm f2, and two lenses I am not familiar with:

Super Albinar SC Auto 28mm f2.8

Super Albinar SC Auto 135mm f2.8

I have never heard of these lenses before in the UK. Does anyone have any information?

Both lenses are very well made, fairly heavy metal construction, and in remarkably good condition.

The whole lot including camera (with a film in it!!!), lenses and Agfa flash was GBP 30.

Cheers,
Graham

Screamin Scott · Posted: Thu Feb 12, 2009 5:20 pm Post subject:

Albinar and Star-D were house brands of Uniphot-Levitt. They are consumer grade lenses...If you like your results, keep them, otherwise put them back up on eBay

GrahamNR17 · Expire: 2012-09-06

Thanks Scott, that was fast Very Happy

GrahamNR17 · Expire: 2012-09-06

These lenses feel incredibly familiar. I have definitely owned identical ones before. But not with that name on. Hmm, I'll have to really rack my brains on this one......

aoleg · Joined: 22 Feb 2008 Posts: 1389 Location: Berlin, DE

I have an Albinar 200/3.5. It looks like a Tokina-made 200. I have the same lens named Kamero 200/3.3 (note the higher speed of 3.3 over 3.5) with a little different barrel but same glass, mechanics and coating. I would say they're about what you can expect from generic third-party lens of the time: can be quite sharp in certain conditions, but lack good bokeh or correction for CA (mine get lots of green color shift in background).

Your choices seem to be multi-coated (judging by their names), and can be newer/better than what I have, but I woulndn't expect miracles or pay more than a few bucks for them ($20 per lens seems fair to me though).

GrahamNR17 · Expire: 2012-09-06

Anyone recognise who may have made these? They are superbly well made, I am really impressed. I will test them tomorrow to see how good/bad they are. I am just amazed at the build quality of both of them. The bayonet is superbly engineered, better than some of my Pentax lenses. They came with a camera I wanted, so it doesn't matter if they are crap, I can chuck them away. I am just really curious about them. Thanls for all the information so far Cool

GrahamNR17 · Expire: 2012-09-06

Some quick test shots from today:

Albinar 135mm handheld

Albinar 28mm at f2.8, distance less than 30cm

Albinar 28mm at f5.6, distance less than 30cm

Not bad at all for lens that came with the Pentax ME Super from Ebay. I didn't want the lenses, just the body. The 135 is never going to be a Sonnar, but it surprised me a lot.

GrahamNR17 · Expire: 2012-09-06

Ok, I remembered when I have owned identical lenses to these. Subsequent research has confirmed it. They are Tokina EL series lenses. I had them both some years ago. I guess this accounts for the build quality compared to other budget lenses.