Terragon (Sankor) 35/2.8 T-mount preset

luisalegria · Expire: 2018-01-18

There are a lot of 35mm preset lenses. Every Japanese manufacturer (almost) produced at least one model. And it is not easy to distinguish one manufacturers product, or at least its harder to do so than for tele lenses, and its hard to spot them on ebay.

But this one seems to be positively identified -

L-Terragon 35mm R - Accura 135mm

My Accura Supertel 135/2.8 seems to have been accurately identified some months ago by comparing against Sankor branded lenses as a Sankor. Sankor was a maker of mainly cine lenses (and a lot of anamorphic equipment). The family resemblance of this Terragon (which may have been a brand name used by Taika and probably later also by Aetna) with my 135 Accura seems to identify it as a Sankor also, based on the aperture layout, engraving style, etc.

Sankor-made lenses were sold under the usual multitude of brands, including Accura, Aetna, Spiratone, Mayfair, and many others.

As a lens, it is quite well made to the usual Japanese standards of the 1960's, or perhaps in terms of fit and finish, a bit better than usual. In design its as standard as can be for a preset T-mount with the usual Japanese style double aperture rings.

The lens rear element protrudes more than usual, which is a common fault with these early wide angles. It projects several mm beyond the T-mount. It does not bother my crop-sensor mirror, but it might be a problem on an FF camera. Close focus is not very good for a 35mm, 2ft/0.7m .

Performance is quite good I think, its sharp at f/2.8 at least in the center, though perhaps not as good in the corners of my crop sensor - and maybe not good at all on an FF, but I can't tell. There is no distortion I can detect. Bokeh is quite good I think. It flares worse than my 35/3.5 SMC Takumar shooting into the sun, but thats a high standard to beat I think.

On the whole I am not particularly interested in this lens as a user, there are better ones easily available, but for the collector these are not easy to come by under any brand.

Some samples were done with extension ring for closer focus.

Flaring on Market street

Experiment in b&w conversion using GIMP with GEGL c2g operation

djmike · Joined: 01 Apr 2009 Posts: 930 Location: Taiwan

I like the Dog and the last ones.

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

HI Luis. I like all the pics. But the point of view of the last seems to have a great potential (very nice perspective relationated with the bridge).

Pretty sankor lens. 5 elements like the takumar?

Rino.

cheekygeek · Joined: 05 Aug 2008 Posts: 183

Thanks for this thread. I may have a chance to get this lens (Mayfair Sankor) in the 35mm f2.8 version and had never heard of it before, as a brand. I had a feeling it would have been discussed here, though!

Bruce · Expire: 2014-11-22

your dog definitely got character Laughing

patrickh · Expire: 2011-11-18

luis

you make poor lenses look good

patrickh

radiomoscow · Joined: 07 Jan 2014 Posts: 5

It came in a spirotone case, so it was possibly made for spirotone...
I thought this lens was great, it has character.