Lentar 400mm f6.3 m42 mount - info/experiences/maker?

[ramcewan]

Just bought this lens for $31 did I make a mistake?

I've seen a few posts talking about this also being sold as a Spiratone, Soligor, Tele-Astranar, Howard Sterling, Cambron etc.

http://olympuszuiko.wordpress.com/2007/04/08/roaming-the-maryland-countryside-with-a-spiratone-400mm-f63/

was this a Tokina made lens?

anyone try one of these before?

[iangreenhalgh1]

Pretty sure it's a Tokina, Lentar lenses usually are. This 6.3/400 is quite highly rated, I think most commonly seen as a Soligor.

[Andreq]

I think it's the same as my Juplen 400mm f6.3.

It's an "ok" lens to use with a good tripod. I didn't get particularly good result, but I didn't try really hard.

I paid a similar price for mine.

I found some nice shoot on flikr from that same Juplen lens :
http://www.flickr.com/photos/dwmizell/5694577853/in/photostream

edit :
Mine looks exactly like this :
http://www.asabox.com/coudertphoto/detail+3417,divers-tele-lentar-tele-objectif-400-mm-.htm

[luisalegria]

There are several common 400/6.3 t-mount preset lenses that were widely sold under multiple brands. They are very different from each other in construction though they are similar in general concept.

One was made by Tokina; this I have in a version sold as a Mamiya (yes, Mamiya as well as other well known camera makers also rebranded third party lenses). It is very similar to the even more common 300/5.5 preset and is obviously in the same range. This is a very fine lens by my standards.

One, quite different, was made by Kawakami (Kawanon), usually seen as a Tele-Astranar - on US ebay this one is ubiquitous. There are always a few for sale. For some reason I have never tried this (no good excuse, they can often be found quite cheap), but I have heard its quite good.

The most common, by far, is another from a still unknown maker, most famously seen as a Spiratone. There are usually a dozen or more of these available on US ebay at any given time. I had one of these, and it was pretty good by my standards.

There are others of course, but less common - like this -
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Minolta-Higon-Itoh-Kogaku-400mm-f-1-6-3-Lens-XG-M-MC-MD-/270678444442?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3f05b1499a

All of these have been sold under the Soligor brand btw.

[ramcewan]

thanks everyone for the info, here is a link to the auction;

http://www.shopgoodwill.com/viewItem.asp?ItemID=10204265

looks very similar to the spiratone. I will post sample pictures when it arrives.

[luisalegria]

This is an automatic lens made by Tokina.

Quite different from the Tokina preset. I have had no luck with mine.

[ramcewan]

[Lloydy]

I got a Soligor 400 / 6.3 at the weekend, according to the numbers it's a Kino lens - a chrome eared model. The first shots aren't bad, but it does need bolting down firmly. I have a good Gitzo but it's a small traveler tripod and a 400 is a bit much for it. I've got an ancient and huge Slik but it's in my truck which is being repaired. I think the monster Slik will control it, I hope so!
The Soligor is a nice lens, well made as are most of the chrome ear series.

[skida]

It looks the same as my Optomax 6.3/400 too. I haven't had much success due to camera shake, but one or two turned out quite good.

This has been cropped due to shutter lag flare down one side (handheld, sitting down, using knees as beanbag):


Coquet Island from Hauxley Dunes by skida, on Flickr

[iangreenhalgh1]

That looks pretty good to me Skida, well done on the makeshift stabilisation.