"the worst lens sold" Soligor 35-140mm ?

[Xpres]

Out of curiosity...

I was reminded about my copy of this lens in the earlier thread http://forum.mflenses.com/soligor-c-d-zoomandmacro-3-8-5-3-35-140mm-mc-nikon-mount-t15075.html
At least two members have or have had it and describe it as the 'worst', so I wondered how bad that was. I got it because I wanted the I-S mount but have never used it until now. So
this morning I had a quick shot or two with my copy of this lens to see just how bad, or not, it was.


the Soligor 35-140mm f3.5 two touch macro zoom.
interchangeable I-S multi mount ( also available as G/S )
From the late seventies.
13 Elements in 10 groups
1:3 macro
72mm filter
Weighs 800g

A couple of quotes found via google - Someone liked it... and it wasn't cheap

Art Haykin , Nov 19, 2003; 08:26 a.m.
I have but one Soligor I bought new at dealer's net in the '70's, and used it quite a bit on a K-1000 as a personal lens. It's surprisingly good, and has held up. It's built like a safe, and weighs a "ton." It's a 35-140 f/3.5 Macro Autozoom with a 72mm filter ring. The macro goes down to 1:3. As I recall, it wholesaled for around $300 then.

soligor 35-140 3.5 80 $319 $664 auto zoom, macro g/s

...135/2.0; and 200/2.8. Most were available in screwmount. The finest-performing Soligor zoom was probably their 35-140 f/3.5 macro. Soligor images tend to have a green cast. Paul Franklin Stregevsky

So why so bad?


Well... wide open it really isn't that good - quite soft and lots of SA. Doesn't sharpen up until F8. I haven't tried macro yet so will give that a quick try. I may also try some portraits which may suit the lens.

No reason to keep it though.


Wide open at 35mm setting, Picasa default raw conversion from Orf - no changes. No hood



At 75mm setting (sorry, I moved to the right.. )



At 140mm setting




Poster on a door at f3.5, f5.6 and f8 - I had to up the iso on each shot to maintain a shutter speed as these were handheld.










And one more wide open.



And crop

[casualcollector]

Your example doesn't appear to have aged gracefully! I'm curious about the I/S feature. How do you change the mount?

[Xpres]

Very similar to a T4 or TX type, but not the same. Pull on a lever, twist to unlock and remove.

[Xpres]

Some mitigation for this lens...

A few close ups and a portrait all shot in 'macro' mode which I think it handles OK. Default conversions again

[glockman99]

It looks like that lens has a nice softness, and that's great for portraits.

[nemesis101]

How odd.. my Soligor 35-70mm C/D is almost on a par with my lovely Adaptall-2 SP 01A...

I guess it depends on who made what for them..

Any idea who made the 35-70mm f2.5/3.5 macro zoom???

Doug

[LucisPictor]

I also had this 35-140 but it was in no good condition, thus it's hard for me to judge its performance.

[hacksawbob]

maybe there are no "bad" lenses, just different criteria for assessing them!

[PBFACTS]

[Xpres]

A silver lining then perhaps. It may indeed make a good portraiture lens, which is something I enjoy, so it may live to fight another day. It's a shame it's such a brick to use though.
I also have a sigma 39-80 with a similar performance which does make a very nice portrait lens. It's macro ring effectively dials in SA with some good effect. It has a very similar finish to the Soligor, which makes me wonder if it has the same pedigree?

[PBFACTS]

[nemesis101]

The 35/70 Soligor C/D in my picture is a Konica AR fit not an OM unit?

It does not look like any of my known Samyang samples, indeed it does not resemble any other lens I have (and as my guilty post of today shows, that's a LOT!) lol

Doug.

[Xpres]

I was under the impression that the Soligor CD series were made by Tokina, including the 35-70. Impressions, though, are often wrong. How on earth does one find out this sort of thing?
In my earlier post I was in fact comparing the finish of the sigma to the 35-140 Soligor and wondering if that may be a Sigma made lens? I guess we'll never truly know.
Why does this sort of trivia fascinate me?

[nemesis101]

Absolutely no idea - but it's contagious as we have all caught it!

lol

Doug.

[Laurence]

I too, have the Soligor SP 35-70...I have no idea who actually manufactured the lens. It's an unusual lens in its rendition, a bit flat in contrast, but incredibly sharp for a zoom with colors tending toward the cool side.

[PBFACTS]

[Xpres]

Ah Ha! Thanks

If you don't mind me asking - How do you find out all this info? Is there a big book somewhere? Old catalogues or magazines?

[PBFACTS]

[dimitrygo]

Hi. I think I have some info about the 35-70. Most chanced it is produced by unknown Japanese company called Tefnon. I think this company produced also Soligor 70-160/f3.5 and 75-205/f3.5 lenses. This in not an official information but my observation based on the external characteristics of these lenses and their similarity to Tefnon badged 70-162/f3.5. The same lens was sold also under Prinzflex name.

Clarification: I am talking about 2 rings versions of all these lenses. I see now there are also one touch versions of both 35-70/f2.5-3.5 and 70-160/f3.5 lenses.

[PBFACTS]

[PBFACTS]

[dimitrygo]

[casualcollector]

I have a recollection of Soligor advertising an association with Sun for some of their C/D zoom lenses. I have four magazines from the 70s in front of me and can't find the ad that I recall! An April 1975 ad in Popular Photography features the C/D 28/2 and also shows 35/2, 200/2.8 55/2.8 macro and 100/2.8 macro. Possibly the 135/2 also. Really tough to tell who made them but the 55/2.8 looks like the common Komine lens that focuses to 1:1 without an extension tube.

[PBFACTS]

[luisalegria]

Hi PBfacts,

Do you have all that information written down ?

We should araange to post it here or somewhere.