The story of MITAKE

[Pancolart]

I was inspired by this post from cooltouch http://forum.mflenses.com/the-most-beautiful-135mm-lens-t18177,start,165.html
trying to complete "virtual" lens line of Mitake. Furthermore, i saw Kevin's 2/28mm for the first time (photos bellow).

Possible re-brand names: PORST, Eyemik, Formula 5, Spiratone, Weltblick...
I know, many samples from my post "Tomioka myth (not)busted" . Sorry for non referenced photos. If you know the source please add.

2.5/24mm
2/28mm
1.8/35mm
2.8/100mm (dubious DOF scale not rounded)
1.8/135mm

[calvin83]

The 2.8/135mm from Mitake.
Click here to see on Ebay

This Formula 5 2.8/28mm may be also made by Mitake. We need to confirm it by finding a copy maked Mitake on the lens or the box.
Click here to see on Ebay

[iangreenhalgh1]

Mitakon and Eyemik lenses are common in the UK, particularly the 2.8/28. 2.8/135, 200 and 5.5/300mm Mitakon primes also exist, and there are a few zooms such as a 4.5/80-200, 3.5-4.5/28-80, 5.6/85-300 and the truly abysmal 3.8-5.5/28-200.

They are bottom of the barrel quality, not worth bothering with. I've had the 2.8/28 more than once, it's a poor lens, cheap and nasty, has a noticeably curved field so that only the centre is anywhere near sharp, even stopped down to f5.6. I had the 5.5/300 too, a piece of crap, soft, low contrast and severe CA.

[kuuan]

has anyone ever heard of Mitake f2.8/20mm? Once I saw one offered, seems to be a rather unknown lens

[calvin83]

Mitake Optical Co. never marketed the lens above in Mitakon brand. The Mitakon brand are now own by a Chinese optical company who makes the Lens Turbo.

[TrueLoveOne]

You've already found my pic of the 2.5/24 lens i see . I still have that one. I did a set of shots with it a while ago. For those interested and who want to see if it is any good, it is here: http://forum.mflenses.com/formula-5-by-mitake-24mm-f-2-5-md-mount-t56304,highlight,%2Bmitake.html
That Porst 3.5/35 looks a lot like these 2, although these are f/2.8, one Revue and one Pentor, i've seen them branded as Kenlock too:


Rebranded lenses 2 by TrueLoveOne, on Flickr

[pd1987]

I've got 135/1.8 Eyemik that looks exactly like JWH mentioned version above. Unfortunately I only have a poor photo of that lens:


Photo linked to my test of the lens.

[Farside]

I agree with Ian, at least for the Eyemik 28/2.8. On an APS-C camera it's ok, but nothing more than that and on full frame (where it was on my OM-1) I can't recall it being all that good. Nothing outstanding, at any rate; but I knew when I bought it that it wouldn't be top quality. That was 30 years ago, when proper prices were still being charged for lenses of that type and not the recent bargain-basement-bin pricing you can pick them up for, so as a result I had to buy what I could afford at the time. As a barbeque /drunken party lens it was fine, but you wouldn't want to do anything pictorial with it.

[Pancolart]

Here is another rebrand of what seems to be genuine budget Mitake line:

[flaviomaia]

[Attila]

Great work , thank you to sharing it! I have Formula something, 135mm and real garbage , worst 135mm prime what I did ever try. I never touch usually these lenses if you have any good experience about them don't hesitate to share and bad one too both helpful.

[Oldhand]

[Pancolart]

This is rare. Eyemik 2/28mm M42



Seller says made by Kiron. Many time i asked myself why Kiron (Vivitar) 2.5/28mm is so much different then other KIRON made lenses.
Perhaps it is made by Mitake? KIRON could be the one pushing Mitake brand into Vivitar thus code 22? And the listing: Click here to see on Ebay.de

I intend to resurrect the topic. This lens line is really genuine and easily distinguishable whether produced by Mitake, Kiron or even Tomioka.

[Pancolart]

This is cool: Mitake made Formula 5 branded 1.8/35mm Click here to see on Ebay.de

[Pancolart]

SPIRATONE Plura-Coat by Mitake, notice interesting NIKON mount: Click here to see on Ebay.de

[Pancolart]

Found another 2/28mm again serial 22 (i begin to think Mitake was kind of predecessor to KIRON)
This is GoKevins's FORMULA 5 by MITAKE: Click here to see on Ebay.de

[Pancolart]

Transferring from other topic. Beautiful Photax-Paragon 2.8/100mm:

[Lloydy]

Paragon and Super Paragon were the lenses sold by the Photax / Interfit group of stores. Most of the Paragon's that I've seen have been Cimko - with the unequal diamond focusing mark.
I think Photax sourced decent lenses for re-branding rather than buying the cheapest available whatever the quality. I have a 135 / 2.8 that is excellent, and a 28 / 2.8 that was equally good but I swopped it for something else.

[Pancolart]

Indeed only few Photax / Super Paragon lenses can be contributed to Mitake.

Here nice photos of both 35mm and 135mm Mitake sold as Kamero:


Link: http://foto.ua/forum/threads/60403-Kamero-Auto-135mm-1-2-8-Kamero-Auto-35mm-1-2-8-M42

[cyberjunkie]

Reviving this old very interesting thread
Just bought for quite cheap an M42 Weltblick 1:1,8 35mm, with 58mm filter thread and A/M switch.
It makes a nice couple with the Porst 1,8/135mm in PK mount i already have.
I confirm i have seen it marked as Weltblick, Porst, Formula 5, Kenlock, Eyemik, Spiratone Pluracoat.
I doubt it was ever sold as Mitakon.

I have mixed feelings about Mitake-made lenses.
The more recent ones, made in China, have no appeal.
The older ones, made in Japan, were a mixed bag, as far as i understand (i judging from the pictures i found on the Web).
Some were prime price bottom quality optics, others were better.
IMHO, the faster ones are the most desirable.
The large aperture and the right amount of aberrations can give the kind of rendition that sets them apart from modern time kit zooms... and without spending a fortune



cheers

Paolo

[Oldhand]

I tried a Formula 5 - 28mm f2.8 back in the 1970's and it was rubbish.
It sold cheaper than the Tamron adaptall 28mm f2.8 and so I thought - why not?
Well, sadly it was so bad that I returned it and swapped for the Tamron.
The retailer was understanding on the matter and still had a sale I suppose.
This left a bad taste for the Formula 5 brand from that point, and I never considered another.
T

[buerokratiehasser]

UNI AUTOMATIC, now there is a creative relabel.

I have a 2.8/35 branded as SUPER carenar, having this distinctive broad-barrel look. Very heavy.
It fell down and took some damage but had not been very impressive anyway. As in, hard to get a really crisp shot with 1:1 pixel peeping.

Can we perhaps agree that whoever made that bottle sold it to everyone?

[visualopsins]

http://forum.mflenses.com/spiratone-12-5-f24mm-and-12-8-f24mm-t32788.html

[e6filmuser]

Eyemik MC 200mm f3.5 Non-Macro

I wanted a 200mm lens to possibly use as a tube lens for macro focus stacking. For that purpose, I needs not to be of the highest quality. However, it would be good if it also functioned well as a prime lens. Having taken some shots of brick walls, which showed good performance, I decided that these Pussy Willow catkins might be more pleasing and more testing.

Not being a close-focusing lens, these were at, or close to, its closest focus. I have cropped the images by about 50-75% and given them normal processing. I tried the lens on my A7R, which shows its worst shutter bounce effects with lenses of around 200mm. All were at f8 in sunlight, hand-held.

The first was at high ISO, 1/4000 sec, the second and third at low ISO, 1/320 and 1/800.

In the images, the best parts are the ones to look at, as the branches were not all parallel to the focal plane.

[e6filmuser]

Today I took some more pictures, again mostly at about the closest focus distance and at f5.6. I have used normal processing.

I took these after reading some very poor reports here on Eyemik and other lenses, all apparently made by Mitake.

I post the full frame and then, when I think it will show the detail better, a crop, two stages for the pheasant. The last one is just cropped slightly for composition.

I used the A7R body.

I conclude that, although not my best lens, it gives a decent performance.