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Explore the world of vintage lenses through repair notes, real test shots, and detailed archive threads packed with images.

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Super Paragon ( Cimko ) 28mm f2.8
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Posted: Tue Jan 31, 2012 11:56 pm
Post subject: Super Paragon ( Cimko ) 28mm f2.8
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Posted: Tue Jan 31, 2012 11:56 pm
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I like my Cimko / Super Paragon 135 a lot, it's a nice compact lens that produces very nice results. I use it a lot. So how could I resist the matching 28mm f2.8 in excellent condition for £10 ?





I tried it today, a cold wet and grey day, and the results aren't bad.
Like the 135 it's a nicely made lens, all metal and silky smooth. It's not the heaviest of my 28's at 218g but that's only 4g more than the Takumar and 3g lighter than the Elsinor.
I think it will prove to be a good lens on today's rushed outing, as good as the Vivitar or the Pentacon ? It's going to be a hard shootout, but I'll compare all the 28's ( and I'll throw a Soligor 35 in ) as soon as I can.


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Posted: Wed Feb 01, 2012 12:09 am
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Posted: Wed Feb 01, 2012 12:09 am
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All shot at ISO200, maybe around f8 except the last one which was wide open at f2.8. I wasn't taking too much notice. All untouched except for resizing.


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Posted: Wed Feb 01, 2012 12:27 am
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Posted: Wed Feb 01, 2012 12:27 am
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Not bad. I think this may be the same lens as the Ensinor/Clubman as that is also said to be made by Cimko.

If you want a really good 28mm for pennies, there are two not to be overlooked: Hoya/Tokina 2.8/28 and Pentacon 2.8/28. Latter is in PB mount but is worth finding, it will fit on a PK body with some slight adjustment and can be made to hit infinity too by an adjustment at the front.


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Posted: Wed Feb 01, 2012 7:32 am
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Posted: Wed Feb 01, 2012 7:32 am
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Very nice i also have A super paragon but the 24mm version its a very nice lens. These often get overlooked but i like them.
I think this one is missing a fly though Very Happy
But i must say that i doubt its cimko now as the pmc coating was used by panagor and this in turn was made by komine.


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Posted: Wed Feb 01, 2012 10:24 am
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Posted: Wed Feb 01, 2012 10:24 am
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Panagor lenses are made by Kiron, Paragon by Cimko. No relation, just similar names.


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Posted: Wed Feb 01, 2012 10:49 am
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Posted: Wed Feb 01, 2012 10:49 am
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eddieitman wrote:
Very nice i also have A super paragon but the 24mm version its a very nice lens. These often get overlooked but i like them.
I think this one is missing a fly though Very Happy
But i must say that i doubt its cimko now as the pmc coating was used by panagor and this in turn was made by komine.


That's interesting. Both of my Paragons are the same style, you could imagine them being sold as a set.
There is little information about the Super Paragons, but a bit more about Ciimko, whic generally states that -

"The three identifying features I've found of the Cima Kogaku lenses are the asymmetric diamond focusing mark, the plastic aperture ring, and the irregularly spaced four screws that hold the lens mount in place.

The line included primes 24/2.8, 28/2.8, 35/2.8, 50/1.7, 135/2.8, and 200/3.3. Zooms include 28~50/3.5~4.5, 28~80/3.5~4.5, 35~100/3.5~4.3, 55~230/3.5~4.5, 70-200/3.8~4.8, 80-200/3.8, and 80-200/4.5." ( copied from here - http://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/pentax-slr-lens-discussion/34675-cimko-mt-series-28mm-f-2-8-a.html )

and of course this -

"Paragon is just Photax's marketing brand, just like Revue is for Quelle in Germany. In fact these "Photax-Paragon" (and occasionally just "Paragon") lenses (2.8/28, 2.8/35, 2.8/135, and possibly the 3.5/200 and 5/300) are also available as "Revuenon-Special" among other names. Not certain who made them, but I did once see what looked to be the same 2.8/135 badged "Cosinon". Make of that what you will
The "Super-Paragon PMC" lenses are made by Cimko, and the original range are remounted Topcon designs (except possibly the 3.8/80-200). Interestingly these have a consistent serial number scheme where the first number denotes which model it is (1=28mm, 2=35mm, etc.) - these show up as "Auto Revuenon" and others as well. There are also some slightly later ones in this range (28-50, 24mm, at least one rare one-touch 80-200) which I think are Cimko's own design - they can also be found as "Cimko MT-series". All these are easily identifiable as they share variations of a factory-interchangable mount patented by Cimko.
As for the later "Super Paragon PMC II" range, well, some of them seem identical to the "CPC Phase 2" lenses apparently produced by someone in connection with Pentax. They also all seem to have serial numbers starting with "8" but some are prefixed with a "K". Again what that signifies I don't know.
Of course there's also the T-mount preset "Paragon" range which may or may not be related, but seem to be the quintessential 'generic Japanese lens'." ( copied from here - http://forum.manualfocus.org/viewtopic.php?id=8309 )

Both of which I'm sure you've seen before.

There's a few Cimko on Ebay, and the 135 especially is identical but for the rubber grip, the Paragon is the straight grip not the pyramid. But there is a Super Paragon 28 with the pyramid grip.

I think I'm still leaning towards Cimko. And no fly in this one, it's just about mint. Very Happy


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Posted: Fri Feb 03, 2012 4:44 am
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Posted: Fri Feb 03, 2012 4:44 am
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My only Super-Paragon PMC is the 24/2.8 (#603xxx), a splendid lens.

My only Panagors are supplementals: Varioprox (+1-10dpt) and Auto Macro Converter (1x-10x). Komine, eh? I'll have to use them one of these days.


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Posted: Fri Feb 03, 2012 9:51 am
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Posted: Fri Feb 03, 2012 9:51 am
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......you can't go wrong for £10

Add a film camera for £15 and a roll of film for £1 and away you go, with results near to an expensive digital camera Wink


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Posted: Thu Jun 25, 2015 6:23 pm
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Posted: Thu Jun 25, 2015 6:23 pm
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I know that this is an old thread, but I bought a Super-Paragon 28mm just like this one a few months ago. And Lloydy, this is a great photo!

Lloydy wrote:




All shot at ISO200, maybe around f8 except the last one which was wide open at f2.8. I wasn't taking too much notice. All untouched except for resizing.


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Posted: Thu Jun 25, 2015 6:49 pm
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Posted: Thu Jun 25, 2015 6:49 pm
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I haven't used it much, but here's one I took with my 28mm Super-Paragon when I first got it. I got as close as I could to see how much barrel distortion it has. A little certainly but not really to the point of fisheye.

Subject camera is a Minolta Minoltina-P.



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Posted: Thu Jun 25, 2015 6:56 pm
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Posted: Thu Jun 25, 2015 6:56 pm
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Here's another that I just shot today of a Sears (Rikenon) 50mm, f2.0. This time I had a 1x close up filter on the Super-Paragon. I've got to get out and shoot a few street shots or landscapes with it - maybe tonight after it cools down a little.

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