Manual Focus Lenses Forum

luisalegria · Expire: 2018-01-18

I picked this up with no mount -

I believe that at one time it was used as a movie lens, possibly with Arri mount. Right now it has just a tube that luckily fits within a t-mount, and combined with an extension tube, it works fine on the Pentax.

This is definitely a Piesker, as these are known to have been sold in the US under a distributors "Tele-Astranar" label. Piesker was an obscure Berlin optical company, that specialized in long lenses. For some reason there were several such long-lens companies in Berlin - Astro-Berlin, Tewe, Piesker, Astragon(which may be a trade-name of Astro). Piesker seems to have produced a single set of mainly long-lens/telephoto preset designs in the 1950's, and then closed in the early 1960's.

Pieskers aren't that common, but there are usually one or two on ebay, sometimes the 400mm's. 100's, 135's, 180's, 250's are also often available. I have never seen a 200mm or >400mm Piesker. Most seem to be in Exakta mount.

This is apparently just a two-element lens, possibly cemented, certainly coated, up in front of the diaphragm. There are no other optics in the tube at all. Focus is by rack&pinion, not a helical - other Piesker 400mm models did have a helical. The detachable operating lever came with it, which is a good thing ! It is very well made, nice machining and finish all over in the zebra style, which probably dates this to the late 1950's.

This is a very heavy piece of equipment, built like a tank, but by later standards much too heavy for what it is. This thing is built to last, but not to spare the user ! The rack&pinion focus may be nice on a tripod on a movie camera, as it permits smooth operation on that setup, but its a pain to use handheld. Minimum focus is 20ft/6-7m, which is not as close as I would like.

Performance is quite good I would say. It is a sharp lens, definitely competitive with the better Japanese products and my Schneider 360mm, and much better than the Meyer Telemegor 400mm. Contrast is excellent.

Most shots taken on a very overcast afternoon, handheld, which is a pain with this item, which is possibly why focus was not quite exact.

Cormorants - its hard to get close to these

The bird - about as close as I could focus

crop -

Throndor · Joined: 15 Sep 2008 Posts: 157 Location: Ankara / TURKEY

God, where do you guys find these stuff.. Shocked

whats it worth by the way?

Himself · Expire: 2013-05-30

Man, that's hell of a lens : envy
Is that Golden Gate, in the second picture?

F16SUNSHINE · Expire: 2011-11-18

Luis the performance looks great.
I can just imagine the looks people gave you as you carried this monster around SF.
It seems to be built to the standards of a piece of artillery Shocked

Rack and pinion focus is not something I have experienced yet.
It must have truly bin a PITA to use hand-held.

patrickh · Expire: 2011-11-18

Luis you are a constant source of great shots from the most unlikely lenses.Thanks

patrickh

estudleon · Joined: 15 May 2008 Posts: 3754 Location: Argentina

Luis. Greats, simply.

Rino.

Peter Zack · Joined: 29 Jan 2009 Posts: 12 Location: Eastern Canada

I just found one myself. I've only used it a little and it seems to be very similar to the shots above. Cool old lens. You can see it here compared to a Tak 500mm f4.5 and a Tak 55 f1.8mm. Mine is different though. It clearly has 1 element in the rear and looks like it has 2 in the front. it's also a 400mm f4.5 it has Piesker Tele Votar Berlin Germany stamped on the barrel. it's pictured with the hood attached (black)

luisalegria · Expire: 2018-01-18

I envy you your monster Takumar ! Wow ! 500/4.5 !

Shoot a lot of sparrows at midnight then ?

You have a more desirable version of the Piesker I think, earlier production. And its also much more rare in M42. Mine was probably sold as a cine lens.

Farside · Expire: 2013-12-27

What a lovely old drainpipe! I suppose the area between LA and SF has a bit of old cine stuff knocking about at bargain basement prices.

estudleon · Joined: 15 May 2008 Posts: 3754 Location: Argentina

gil · Fri Feb 27, 2009 1:23 am

Intimidating long lens but the results are yummy. Where do you search for your lenses? Ebay, photofair, etc.? There is that monthly photofair on SF and I could take the Bart from Fremont. Is that an ok (I mean whether I could find reasonably priced used lenses) place? I usually go to the San Jose photofair every quarter. I will try the Hayward one next month. Thrift shops, I still need to sample.
thanks for your input,
gil

luisalegria · Expire: 2018-01-18

Hi Gil,

This one came via ebay from Los Angeles (it would, wouldn't it?).

I haven't been to any of the Bay Area swaps. I have picked up some lenses from the trash counter at Adolf Gassers in San Francisco, and many from ShopGoodWill.com .

If you like this one, make me an offer. My wife wants me to down-size.

gil · Fri Feb 27, 2009 5:23 pm

luisalegria · Expire: 2018-01-18

Hi Gil,

I'm in no hurry to sell ! I can hold the woman off for a while longer.

I do want a good home for this though, and an avid birder would be perfect. It doesn't work for me, it really wants a tripod.

As for your poor Tamron, that should be an easy fix. These come apart with no trouble and clean up with alcohol.

conor12 · Joined: 18 Apr 2008 Posts: 129 Location: Dublin

WOW

These pictures are great. I feel like I could reach out and touch the bridge in number 2. Great detail and 3D. Congratulations

horvlas · Joined: 30 Dec 2008 Posts: 202 Location: Budapest, Hungary

Cool. Shotgun!

timo832000 · Joined: 09 Jun 2008 Posts: 544 Location: Germany / Cologne

This seems to be a very nice lens, as discribed in another thread I have been seachrching for a lens like this for a few month, so a few weeks ago I bought a Leica Telyt.
How much did you pay for this Piester 5.5/400 ?

luisalegria · Expire: 2018-01-18

Hi Timo,

It is a nice lens, very much in the style of the Telyt and Kilfitt/Astro also.

The big problem with this one is that it is VERY hard to use hand-held. Your Telyt is much more practical.

I paid a very small sum for it because it was a lucky deal, and because it was lacking a lens mount. Usually this type of Piesker (with a helical, the rack&pinion is rare, this is the second one I've seen) will go for $300+.

spystyle · Thu Sep 03, 2009 11:39 am

I just bought a "West German Tele-Astranar 400mm f/5.5" with T-mount to K-mount adapter for $60 shipped.

Someone removed the aperture blades, likely to convert it to a telescope or spotting scope. So mine is fixed at f/5.5 unless I send it off to my guy to get fixed (the seller includes the aperture blades in a bag).

I bought it and a X2 teleconverter so I can reach out to sea (1.4 miles / 2.25 km) and capture island lighthouses. Like this one :

The above photo is with a 200mm lens, I swore I'd return with more power Smile

I like to pretend I have just ordered a Leica quality lens for the price of a Vivitar Smile

Have fun!
Craig

abbiejayne · Joined: 29 Jan 2010 Posts: 3 Location: Twin Cities, MN

Hi all,

I have one of these lenses from my father. Mine is in great condition but doesn't work for what I want to do in photography. I'm hoping to sell mine to buy some new digital equipment. How much do you think a Tele-Astranar 500mm in good condition should go for?

Thanks,

spystyle · Fri Jan 29, 2010 11:37 pm

Well if I bought one for $60 someone else probably would too.

Post some pics of it Smile

luisalegria · Expire: 2018-01-18

Best to clearly ID what you have.

I suggest you post a picture.

The "Tele-Astranar" name was used by an importer, Sterling Howard, for various lenses from several makers. Most of them were from Japanese manufacturers, typically Kawakami (Kawanon). These are very common and sell for @$20-30

Before they switched to the Japanese makers, Sterling Howard imported lenses from Germany, like the Piesker I sold. Pieskers are much less common. If yours is a 500mm its even less common. And there are several types of Piesker. I sold mine for $100, but it was missing a mount. I have seen others go for $150-300.

abbiejayne · Joined: 29 Jan 2010 Posts: 3 Location: Twin Cities, MN

luisalegria · Expire: 2018-01-18

Unfortunately, this is one of the later Japanese-made lenses. Not a Kawanon, but another maker.

It should be salable on ebay, I expect it will sell for $20-30, probably around $30 because its got its case and hood.

Its probably quite a decent lens if you want to try a long telephoto. Its a T-mount, that is the camera mount is interchangable. You can get a different T-mount to suit any DSLR. The one its got looks like its for Nikon.

abbiejayne · Joined: 29 Jan 2010 Posts: 3 Location: Twin Cities, MN