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kathala
Joined: 13 May 2022 Posts: 129
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Posted: Fri Nov 11, 2022 10:04 am Post subject: The Bokeh Magic of the Meyer Kinon Superior |
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kathala wrote:
This is a Meyer Kinon Superior 5cm, a 16mm projection lens. It nearly covers full frame, with the tiniest hard vignette in the image corners. In all crop formats (1:1, 1:3, ...), it's fine.
I had researched these projection lenses extensively, since I enjoy lenses with character, i.e. neither a technical, flat bokeh (think Sigma Art), nor a one-trick-pony toy look (think Lomo Petzval or Lensbaby). I know this is not to everyone's taste, and if it's not yours, now at least you know .
For me, I fell in love with the rendition of four lenses: this one, the Meopta Meostigmat, the Kowa Prominar, and the Wollensak CRO. In a year of search, I have only managed to find the former two. They were moderately priced and easily adapt to Leica M mount (uncoupled). Coming from Leica M, I use a helicoid adapter from M to my EVIL camera, which also functions as focus unit for these lenses, and gives about a half metre close focus. The aperture is of course fixed (1.3 for the Meo, 1.9ish for the Meyer, but they did do an f/1.6 version as well, which is marked as such on the front).
And so for some early impressions:
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The field of focus is warped in a W shape, and towards the corners bends towards the camera (= LOTS of separation).
Centre sharpness is high, IMHO higher than the Lomo Petzval Bokeh Control at several times the price, and just staggering for a design from 1935 (!). It's slightly behind the 5o/1.4 Canon FD at f/1.4 and accepts slightly more sharpening.
Corner sharpness however is nonexistent, even after shifting focus, since we are using an image circle way out of the comfort zone of the original application. But the Lomo's out-of-centre sharpness isn't great either, BTW.
CA is low to nonexistent.
Separation is roughly on par with the Canon 5o/1.4 open (which is about the same as a Noctilux at f/2!), although much of the separation effect is achieved through field curvature rather than shallow depth of field.
Contrast is lower than on modern lenses, of course, and stray light sensitivity higher (the lens seems uncoated), but again, is quite spectacular for something older than all of my grandfathers.
The entire lens weighs below 1oog and is astonishingly slim (but lengthy). _________________ Photography Reference Tables:
drive.google.com/drive/folders/1aJ5F8XM6t5AK4bydthcDoiwhsh5CUx3N
My Art and Books: ChristianSchnalzger.de
My Exploration of Panoramic Photographic Storytelling:
flickr.com/photos/hach_und_ueberhaupt/
The better you look, the more you see (B. E. Ellis) |
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simple.joy
Joined: 30 May 2022 Posts: 444
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Posted: Fri Nov 11, 2022 12:19 pm Post subject: |
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simple.joy wrote:
Fantastic results with this interesting lens and you really highlighted its capabilities with the choice of formats as well! _________________ ---
Manual lens enthusiast
https://www.flickr.com/photos/simple_joy/ |
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kds315*
Joined: 12 Mar 2008 Posts: 16544 Location: Weinheim, Germany
Expire: 2021-03-09
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Posted: Fri Nov 11, 2022 2:38 pm Post subject: |
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kds315* wrote:
_________________ Klaus - Admin
"S'il vient a point, me souviendra" [Thomas Bohier (1460-1523)]
http://www.macrolenses.de for macro and special lens info
http://www.pbase.com/kds315/uv_photos for UV Images and lens/filter info
https://www.flickr.com/photos/kds315/albums my albums using various lenses
http://photographyoftheinvisibleworld.blogspot.com/ my UV BLOG
http://www.travelmeetsfood.com/blog Food + Travel BLOG
https://galeriafotografia.com Architecture + Drone photography
Currently most FAV lens(es):
X80QF f3.2/80mm
Hypergon f11/26mm
ELCAN UV f5.6/52mm
Zeiss UV-Planar f4/60mm
Zeiss UV-Planar f2/62mm
Lomo Уфар-12 f2.5/41mm
Lomo Зуфар-2 f4.0/350mm
Lomo ZIKAR-1A f1.2/100mm
Nikon UV Nikkor f4.5/105mm
Zeiss UV-Sonnar f4.3/105mm
CERCO UV-VIS-NIR f1.8/45mm
CERCO UV-VIS-NIR f4.1/94mm
CERCO UV-VIS-NIR f2.8/100mm
Steinheil Quarzobjektiv f1.8/50mm
Pentax Quartz Takumar f3.5/85mm
Carl Zeiss Jena UV-Objektiv f4/60mm
NYE OPTICAL Lyman-Alpha II f1.1/90mm
NYE OPTICAL Lyman-Alpha I f2.8/200mm
COASTAL OPTICS f4/60mm UV-VIS-IR Apo
COASTAL OPTICS f4.5/105mm UV-Micro-Apo
Pentax Ultra-Achromatic Takumar f4.5/85mm
Pentax Ultra-Achromatic Takumar f5.6/300mm
Rodenstock UV-Rodagon f5.6/60mm + 105mm + 150mm
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alex ph
Joined: 16 Mar 2013 Posts: 1571
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Posted: Sat Nov 12, 2022 12:38 am Post subject: |
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alex ph wrote:
A nice find and a jolly PP!
The image circle of this lens is suprisingly large for a 16mm projector one. Comparing it to other 16mm with equal focal length and similar swirly rendition I tested, I confirm that Benoist Berthiot 1.5/50, SOM Berthiot 1.7/50, and even Som Berthiot Cinor 1.5/65 barely cover an APS-C while you used yours with FF. |
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kathala
Joined: 13 May 2022 Posts: 129
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Posted: Sat Nov 12, 2022 8:06 am Post subject: |
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kathala wrote:
Thanks everyone for the warm response!
alex ph wrote: |
The image circle of this lens is suprisingly large for a 16mm projector one. |
Indeed, and I have failed to find any relationships - the Meo for example, at a stop faster, surprisingly covers even more. But Meopta also made an f/1 which, at just half a stop faster still, barely covers APS. Luckily, most of these old lenses are somewhat documented online. _________________ Photography Reference Tables:
drive.google.com/drive/folders/1aJ5F8XM6t5AK4bydthcDoiwhsh5CUx3N
My Art and Books: ChristianSchnalzger.de
My Exploration of Panoramic Photographic Storytelling:
flickr.com/photos/hach_und_ueberhaupt/
The better you look, the more you see (B. E. Ellis) |
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sergtum
Joined: 14 Nov 2016 Posts: 735
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Posted: Mon Nov 14, 2022 7:39 am Post subject: |
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sergtum wrote:
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kymarto
Joined: 30 Nov 2016 Posts: 406 Location: Portland, OR and Milan, Italy
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Posted: Tue Nov 15, 2022 1:14 pm Post subject: |
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kymarto wrote:
kathala wrote: |
Thanks everyone for the warm response!
alex ph wrote: |
The image circle of this lens is suprisingly large for a 16mm projector one. |
Indeed, and I have failed to find any relationships - the Meo for example, at a stop faster, surprisingly covers even more. But Meopta also made an f/1 which, at just half a stop faster still, barely covers APS. Luckily, most of these old lenses are somewhat documented online. |
If you want a wild ride, try reversing the rear elements. This is what happens with the Kinon Superior I 5cm f1.8 when one of the two is reversed (don't remember which right now)
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_________________ Vintage lens aficionado |
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Crazy Leica Fox
Joined: 29 Apr 2017 Posts: 59
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Posted: Wed Nov 16, 2022 8:36 am Post subject: |
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Crazy Leica Fox wrote:
kymarto wrote: |
If you want a wild ride, try reversing the rear elements. This is what happens with the Kinon Superior I 5cm f1.8 when one of the two is reversed (don't remember which right now) |
Those are quite the trip! |
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Jozef_AV
Joined: 24 Sep 2015 Posts: 37
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Posted: Wed Nov 16, 2022 11:48 pm Post subject: |
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Jozef_AV wrote:
Kinon 3,5cm is also fun. I find it a tad more forgiving than the 5cm, especially at closups.
It doesnt cover full aps-c frame on infinity but the closer you get the less of an issue it is.
Bokeh is wonderfull and it swirls nice too.
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kathala
Joined: 13 May 2022 Posts: 129
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Posted: Fri Nov 18, 2022 8:58 am Post subject: |
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kathala wrote:
kymarto wrote: |
If you want a wild ride, try reversing the rear elements. This is what happens with the Kinon Superior I 5cm f1.8 when one of the two is reversed (don't remember which right now)
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Thanks Kymarto, I have to try that! _________________ Photography Reference Tables:
drive.google.com/drive/folders/1aJ5F8XM6t5AK4bydthcDoiwhsh5CUx3N
My Art and Books: ChristianSchnalzger.de
My Exploration of Panoramic Photographic Storytelling:
flickr.com/photos/hach_und_ueberhaupt/
The better you look, the more you see (B. E. Ellis) |
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kymarto
Joined: 30 Nov 2016 Posts: 406 Location: Portland, OR and Milan, Italy
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Posted: Fri Nov 18, 2022 2:48 pm Post subject: |
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kymarto wrote:
I'm not sure it will work with the normal Kinon Superior. If you remove the rear retaining ring there are two air spaced elements. I can't remember which of the two needs to be flipped _________________ Vintage lens aficionado |
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