Spiratone 135mm f2.8

[Kathmandu]

Spiratone 135mm f2.8 lens- zebra body,and originally on Miranda screw mount successfully converted to Minolta AF/Sony AF;via modified T-Mount for Minolta AF.

Images from local Farmers Market:

[walter g]

I've came real close to buying this lens several times.I really need to start a Sankor collection.

[Kathmandu]

This differs from the slimmer 135mm Sankors that I have seen-so I could not tell you if it a Sankor with certainty. Spiratone bought lenses from different manufacturers, and I am curious as to the original manufacturer also.

I have not seen a single Sankor labeled lens that quite looks like this.

1. This is thicker in circumference-larger aperture size.
2. Heavier
3. More solidly built
4.The preset rings are of different design
5. 16 bladed aperture.



I have however seen similar lenses labeled Bittco, Coligon, Spectra Coligon,Accura etc but not Sankor.

[walter g]

Bittco Super Vemar, Spectra Coligon, Accura, Unitel were made by Sankor. The Sankor version of this lens I believe is the Mayfair Sankor.

Your lens has:
1) Sankor style chrome ring
2) Sankor style appeture markings
3) I'm pretty sure the serial number ends in E which is typical
marking for most, but not all Sankor made lenses.

Beautiful lens by the way. I like the bokeh of this lens also.
I believe there was different levels of quality on Sankor lenses,
this being one of there better lenses.

[Kathmandu]

You are right about the "E" after the serial number. The chrome ring seems definately different,and I did not compare the aperture markings. Its nice to know who the manufacturers were-but its a uphill road with older Japanese lenses regarding any documentation and records .
I am attaching a picture of the Mayfair Sankor (the only type I have seen in the 135mm range with Sankor written on it-I hear it produces great images)on the left, and the Spiratone I have on the right.



Thanks for following me through with this.

[walter g]

There really seems to be different levels of fit and finish. I've seen Spiratones that look more like the Mayfair Sankor that you posted.

Your Spiratone really looks like the Bittco Super Vemar.
Click here to see on Ebay

[Kathmandu]

[walter g]

No I wish I did. I just started saving Sankor images after I got my Sankor made Sun 135 3.5.
But when one comes up again I will save it and post it also.

The Mayfair Sankor you posted, is a little different then what a call the lower end range. The ones I've seen like this have a chrome ring not silver.
So this must be the lowest end?

[Kathmandu]

It would be nice to see Sankor named lens like this- thanks, and I will keep my nose out for one too. Its always nice to base things on written documents or images. The web is wild with information and peoples own conclusions ; on makes and models of older Japanese lenses-since the history is pretty sketchy IMHO.
I have also seen some Kyoei, Acal , Petri lenses in the same heavy design.

Take her easy.

[Sculptur]

Been searching on Sankor lenses and of course ran into mflenses
I have a Sankor lens, but I also have a Fodor lens on the way which looks almost exactly like your Spiratone although the bottom ring is chrome.
Fodor was a Dutch Company, I learned on the net, who imported different lenses. I also have a Fodor in T-mount, which is the smallest 135mm lens I have.

I will post a picture when it arrives. Looks like a lovely lens and more solid then the Sankor I have.

Michiel

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[tobbsman]

Awsome samples of that lens, thanks for sharing !

Cheers
Tobias

[Sculptur]

Here are three pics with my Sankor lens, shown above.

[agent_cooper]

WOW......superb fotos!


now I know why people talk about Spiratone.
Could it be this lenses have low CA? And you shot mostly open?

[Sculptur]

Thanks agent_cooper

Yes I did shoot mostly wide open. I did not notice much CA using this lens.
The funny thing is on the lens barrel it says 2.7 as lowest aperture and 2.8 on top of the lens.

Michiel

[martinsmith99]

It seems to be a fairly low contrast lens or is it the way the images are processed. It probably just needs a hood.

Anyway, contrast aside (which is fixable for digi images) I like the bokeh and colours it produces.

[Sculptur]

So here are the three babys I talked about. On the right my new Fodor 135/3.5 lens.
In the middle the Sankor 135/2.8 and on the left the tiny Fodor 135/2.8. It looks bigger because at the bottom I put on a Canon FD to T-mount adapter.

Tomorrow I will, if there is any light available in these dark days, take some test shots. It is a very solidly build lens with 14 blades and very beautiful, I think.
The other two lenses have actually 16 blades.

The photo is shot with camera flash and a Isco Westron, which came together with a Meyer Domiplan 50/2.8 and the Fodor lens for € 35,--.
The Isco can only be used wide open because the aperture ring is stuck.

Michiel

[Sculptur]

Today I had a chance to do some testshots with the Fodor 135/3.5
Really nice lens to use, a bit on the heavy side, but who doesn't want something solid in the hand.





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[martinsmith99]

Those shots look over exposed by one stop. There is missing detail in the person's face in the last pic.

[Olivier]

Hi Katmandu.
Very nice samples of this lens.
I like colours, sharpness and contrast.

Michiel,
Thank you for these pictures.
Could you make specific topics for the Fodors and the Westron, so that we could find them easily in future with the search engine ?
Thanks.

[Sculptur]

[Sculptur]

[Pancolart]

Lovely samples. Quite an underdog IMHO. And cool choice for Nikon users since no glass adapter required.

[Nordentro]

I have theses too. The 3.5 is a "Carson" and the 2.8 is a Spiratone

These are heavy well built lenses with quite good IQ. I love the retro zebra design.