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Soligor 135's. How many are there?
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PostPosted: Sun Nov 27, 2016 7:40 pm    Post subject: Soligor 135's. How many are there? Reply with quote
The Soligor 135 / 2.8 was probably the first manual focus lens that I bought specifically to use on a digital camera - a Pentax K10 - and because it was so good it sparked my interest in MF lenses. And the result of that is.....I have a lot of lenses... Rolling Eyes
Including this bunch of 135mm lenses which are either Soligor or can be found branded as Soligor. There's seven lenses here, and I'm certain there are many more to be found.

At the front, three 135 / 3.5 lenses. Soligor, Tokina and Mamiya Sekor. I'm fairly sure they are all Tokina - the difference is that the Soligor & Mamiya are M42 and the Tokina is TX mount and look a bit different, but optics and aperture are identical.
Back right - Soligor 135 / 2.8 Pre set with a 'T' serial number which is the same as the Tamron Twin-Tele to the left of it ( there's two, one is seperated ) The Soligor focuses in the opposite direction and has f22 whereas the Tamron has f32, both are two ring preset. The Soligor fits the Tamron tele extender perfectly and the optics and aperture are identical.
To the left of the Tamrons are two chrome eared soligors - the f3.5 has an 'A-M' switch and built in hood, the 17****** serial number indicates a Tokina.
On the far left is the pre set f2.8, the first lens I bought, which has a M16***** serial number which so far hasn't been identified, I actually haven't seen another Soligor with the M prefix. I think it's another Tokina, whoever made it its a very sharp lens..



Tamron Twin-Tele & Soligor 2.8


Soligor. Tokina. Mamiya Sekor


Soligor's f3.5 & f2.8


PostPosted: Sun Nov 27, 2016 10:09 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
I like that chrome nose, Lloydy!

I have an old Soligor 135mm preset lens from the 1960's. It was my dad's lens, one he bought new. The lens is all silver and has the Soligor logo in script.


PostPosted: Sun Nov 27, 2016 11:15 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
I have a feeling that Soligor may have marketed more 135mm lenses than any other focal length.
I only have one - the 2/135 made by Tokina.
Here 'tis
OH


#1


#2


PostPosted: Mon Nov 28, 2016 4:03 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
The 135/3.5 labeled Tokina appears to be neither TX nor T4. There was a third variation known as "Automount" when sold by Lentar. The adapter is removed by unscrewing the chrome ring rather that the breech lock fitting of the TX and T4.


PostPosted: Mon Nov 28, 2016 4:50 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
Over 50 varieties for sure, from about 1955-56 to @1985

I'm pretty sure the first one was either the 135/4.5 made for Argus C3 mount (nice black-enamel brass thing from an unknown maker, it may have been one of the cine lens makers Soligor was importing earlier) or the nice heavy brass/chrome 135/2.8 made by Komura (a mystery solved on mflenses!).

Thats a long time, reselling several generations of lenses from at least 15 manufacturers.


PostPosted: Mon Nov 28, 2016 10:12 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
casualcollector wrote:
The 135/3.5 labeled Tokina appears to be neither TX nor T4. There was a third variation known as "Automount" when sold by Lentar. The adapter is removed by unscrewing the chrome ring rather that the breech lock fitting of the TX and T4.


Yes it is the 'Automount' - I've just checked it against a TX lens and it has similatities but it's a different mount.


PostPosted: Tue Nov 29, 2016 9:05 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
Oldhand wrote:

I only have one - the 2/135 made by Tokina.


I've got one of those on it's way to me just now, i didn't know Tokina made it, i'm very curious about it's performance!


PostPosted: Tue Nov 29, 2016 9:13 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
TrueLoveOne wrote:
Oldhand wrote:

I only have one - the 2/135 made by Tokina.


I've got one of those on it's way to me just now, i didn't know Tokina made it, i'm very curious about it's performance!


It is quite a good performer - even from wide open.
I have used mine for concerts where the wider aperture is a big plus.
I think that you will enjoy this lens
OH


PostPosted: Wed Aug 30, 2017 8:54 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Is FD mount Soligor 135 2.8 worth buying ?


PostPosted: Wed Aug 30, 2017 9:57 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
gat3keeper wrote:
Is FD mount Soligor 135 2.8 worth buying ?


Could be. Not many 135s were bad. Can you find the serial number, as this might guide us to the manufacturer - some of whom were better than others
T


PostPosted: Wed Aug 30, 2017 11:12 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
All my Soligor 135's are good lenses, some are very good. The 2.8 with the distinctive chrome eared aperture ring is very good. Picture four, lens on the right.


PostPosted: Thu Aug 31, 2017 6:15 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
Wow, that 135/2 seems quite compact! That and some others seem about 2/3 the length of the Minolta 135/2 for example.


PostPosted: Thu Aug 31, 2017 6:44 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
Teemō wrote:
Wow, that 135/2 seems quite compact! That and some others seem about 2/3 the length of the Minolta 135/2 for example.


Yes - surprisingly so for a fast lens.
Here it is next to Nikkor-Q 135mm f2.8
T


#1


PostPosted: Thu Aug 31, 2017 1:01 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Lloydy wrote:
casualcollector wrote:
The 135/3.5 labeled Tokina appears to be neither TX nor T4. There was a third variation known as "Automount" when sold by Lentar. The adapter is removed by unscrewing the chrome ring rather that the breech lock fitting of the TX and T4.


Yes it is the 'Automount' - I've just checked it against a TX lens and it has similatities but it's a different mount.


Automount lenses have always intrigued me. Just as an observation:

We know Soligor participated with Vivitar on the T4 lenses. We also know Soligor chose not to participate with Vivitar on the later TX lenses.

I would be curious to know whether Automount was Soligor's answer to TX.

In the marketplace, Automount lens "for sale" offerings are significantly less numerous than T4 or TX lens offerings. Key to successful Automount collecting, IMO, is to buy your first Automount lens with an m42 adapter. After that you can buy any Automount lens that comes along, regardless adapter, and be able actually to use it.


PostPosted: Thu Aug 31, 2017 11:16 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
guardian wrote:

Automount lenses have always intrigued me. Just as an observation:

We know Soligor participated with Vivitar on the T4 lenses. We also know Soligor chose not to participate with Vivitar on the later TX lenses.

I would be curious to know whether Automount was Soligor's answer to TX.

In the marketplace, Automount lens "for sale" offerings are significantly less numerous than T4 or TX lens offerings. Key to successful Automount collecting, IMO, is to buy your first Automount lens with an m42 adapter. After that you can buy any Automount lens that comes along, regardless adapter, and be able actually to use it.


Since first seeing an Automount lens and acquiring several, my thought is that it was concurrent with T4. Mine are all branded Lentar and are telephotos. I've seen images of a 28mm branded as Hanimex. I've not been able to score any Automount style lenses on the wide side of 50mm.


PostPosted: Thu Aug 31, 2017 11:19 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
guardian wrote:

Automount lenses have always intrigued me. Just as an observation:

We know Soligor participated with Vivitar on the T4 lenses. We also know Soligor chose not to participate with Vivitar on the later TX lenses.

I would be curious to know whether Automount was Soligor's answer to TX.

In the marketplace, Automount lens "for sale" offerings are significantly less numerous than T4 or TX lens offerings. Key to successful Automount collecting, IMO, is to buy your first Automount lens with an m42 adapter. After that you can buy any Automount lens that comes along, regardless adapter, and be able actually to use it.


Since first seeing an Automount lens and acquiring several, my thought is that it was concurrent with T4. Mine are all branded Lentar and are telephotos. I've seen images of a 28mm branded as Hanimex. I've not been able to score any Automount style lenses on the wide side of 50mm.


PostPosted: Fri Sep 01, 2017 3:34 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
Seeing as Soligor was a distributor rather than a manufacturer, I would expect they had no input into the technicalities of lens design and rather, it was Tokina who made all the decisions, so the TX-T4-Automount thing is part of Tokina's company history and probably the only influence Soligor had was in what they chose to buy from Tokina to distribute.

Is this the Hanimex 28mm referred to?



It also appeared as a Mamiya-Sekor, is made by Tokina and is part of the same range as the 'fat' 3.5/135 that David showed in it's Mamiya, Tokina and Soligor guises:



PostPosted: Fri Sep 01, 2017 8:28 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
iangreenhalgh1 wrote:
Seeing as Soligor was a distributor rather than a manufacturer, I would expect they had no input into the technicalities of lens design and rather, it was Tokina who made all the decisions, so the TX-T4-Automount thing is part of Tokina's company history and probably the only influence Soligor had was in what they chose to buy from Tokina to distribute.

Is this the Hanimex 28mm referred to?





Yes, that period Tokina lens is the one I saw in the "Automount" configuration and branded Hanimex.
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