Pentacon 30mm f/3.5

womble · Joined: 28 Sep 2009 Posts: 987 Location: Hertfordshire

I picked up a Prinzflex camera fitted with a Pentacon 30mm f/3.5 lens in a charity shop. I was only really interested in the lens. Although the camera works it feels like it is made from spare tractor parts.

I took a few quick shots with it this afternoon using my K20D. 30mm is a nice focal length on APS-C. I probably need to take a little more care with critical focusing but these didn't seem bad at all for a �12 lens.

I did no more PP than I would do on any other image.

Thanks, Kris.

Attila · Expire: 2025-11-18

Indeed, this lens is not stunning , but not bad at all. Nice samples.

DR.JUAN · Joined: 08 Feb 2013 Posts: 661

Not super sharp, but very nice colors and good CA rendering, as some pentacon lenses (1,8/50 for example).

Lloydy · Expire: 2022-01-01

A good workhorse lens,it will do what you want it to do, and no more. But the colours are lovely. It loves reds. I like mine, but don't use it a lot. It's that kind of lens.

Ultron · Joined: 22 Aug 2012 Posts: 60 Location: Amsterdam

Is the first pic wide open?
It looks decentered to me, but it looks well in this pic Smile

RSalles · Posted: Sat Feb 16, 2013 2:49 am Post subject:

This lens ask for a carefully exposed shot, as it has a tendency to clip the highlights when barely overexposed. The opposite to the dark shadows. It has a contrasty rendering - much more contrasty than the 50mm Pentacon, for instance, but has very nice colors and a good sharpness - at least for me. Very well built, it's a piece of glass that will last if you care to not overclean it's sensible glass coating.

Last week i had to sell one of my two Pentacon 3.5/30mm due to the mirrror issue with my Canon MarkII, but i refuse to sell the last one: my intention is to have in the future a NEX camera or again a 7D as soon as I get rid with this issue with the full frame camera. If you're interested, i can post some landscape shots i made 6 months ago with this lens,

Cheers,

Renato

womble · Joined: 28 Sep 2009 Posts: 987 Location: Hertfordshire

RSalles · Posted: Sat Feb 16, 2013 8:28 pm Post subject:

Let's do it:

_MG_0332_web por Renato Augusto Salles, no Flickr

Cheers,

Renato

DR.JUAN · Joined: 08 Feb 2013 Posts: 661

Very nice.

I like all.

Any pp?

Attila · Expire: 2025-11-18

Excellent Renato , congrats!

RSalles · Posted: Sat Feb 16, 2013 9:28 pm Post subject:

Dr, Juan, PP was just for signature stuff, basic adjust was done in LR4 - just curves and basic setup for the rest.

Attila, happy to know you liked it, thank you!

[]s,

Renato

woodrim · Joined: 14 Jan 2010 Posts: 4060 Location: Charleston

The posted pictures look pretty good to me. Some of the comments did not match up to my experience with the lens. I have the older Meyer Lydith version and it has become one of my favored lenses. It's just one of those things where it gives me very pleasing images. However, I have had haze that I can't seem to get rid of, so I recently bought two of the Pentacon versions, hoping to use one as a donor for whichever element I need to replace in the Meyer to get rid of the haze. I just received both lenses and today took one with me and gave it a quick try. Weather was horrible, so only two pictures. When I get back and saw them on my PC, I was shocked how bad it looked. I got out the other and a quick shot proved much better. I'll do a few comparison shots, but it is obvious there is a huge difference. I hear all the time about bad copies, and maybe this is an example - or maybe something not right inside. The bad one is serial number 8723382 and the good one is 6412669. Are the first two digits the year?

Lloydy · Expire: 2022-01-01

On the NEX, ISO 200. No sharpening, just a bit of levels to get the detail in the petals back.

frenched · Expire: 2014-06-17

Above shots look characteristic. I have the earlier Meyer Lydith version and find I have to "work it" to get critical focus, but the lens is capable of great output. I use it on a tripod mostly and it can be very crisp. Among my faves, and OP got quite a bargain!

RSalles · Posted: Sun Feb 17, 2013 1:58 am Post subject:

Lloydy,

This is one of lens - if you are looky enough to have a good copy - that really shines in a cloudy day,

Renato

Lloydy · Expire: 2022-01-01

hpmickey · Joined: 09 Nov 2011 Posts: 55 Location: Czechia

My copy is unacceptably soft when fully opened, even in the center of image. Stopped down to 5.6 it becomes usable in the center, but still very soft corners. I thought it was due to fungus inside the rear element, so I have dismantled it and cleaned but it is not any better. At F8, it is okish. Maybe I have just bad luck, considering all the complimentary posts I have read across the net. Stopped down to F11 though, the lens can deliver quite a good photos.

Panorama stitched from 5 images:

And the 1:1 crop from the right part:

And yet another one taken the same day - in the summer, half a year ago:
(EDITED: uploaded a wrong version, so once again, sorry)

frenched · Expire: 2014-06-17

Some good examples here:
http://www.flickr.com/groups/2071174@N24/

RSalles · Posted: Mon Feb 18, 2013 3:29 am Post subject:

hpmickey · Joined: 09 Nov 2011 Posts: 55 Location: Czechia

I took the lens out today, just to ensure myself again that I like the contrast and colors it delivers, but can't stand its softness. The short distance between 4 meters and infinity at the focusing ring also does not help it to become THE all-in-one landscapists lens.

All are postprocessed (developed in Corel's AfterShot). Aperture vary from 5.6 to 8.

#1

#2

#3

#4

#5

NewStuff · Joined: 31 Mar 2011 Posts: 847 Location: Wales, UK

I have both the older Lydith, and newer Pentacon version of this. I love it. The Pentacon is my default Underground lens as the Lydith flares out easily and the lights underground give me kittens when using it.

With the Newer Pentacon...

With the older Lydith...

EDIT - Another Flickr group, for the newer Pentacon.
http://www.flickr.com/groups/pentacon_30_f35/

Lloydy · Expire: 2022-01-01

frenched · Expire: 2014-06-17

Lloydy those shots are very good. Those are very demanding conditions for any lens/camera/photographer and will always need help in pp. I don't do a lot of wide shots but I have no issues with my Lydith. Maybe I just work within the margin of error, don't know.

woodrim · Joined: 14 Jan 2010 Posts: 4060 Location: Charleston

Macca · Joined: 20 Mar 2012 Posts: 248 Location: Glasgow, Scotland.

Frenched, love that second shot. Its a fairly reliable lens if your copy is good it seems. Colours and contrast are good, some mild barrel distortion on FF and softness in the upper left corner on APSC which can become the whole left hand side in some circumstances on FF, again possibly my copy variation.

Distortion, no pp..

Colours no pp..
With a Hoya 3+ filter @ f5.6 I think..

Contrasty with some help on the corners..