Home

Please support mflenses.com if you need any graphic related work order it from us, click on above banner to order!
SearchSearch MemberlistMemberlist RegisterRegister ProfileProfile Log in to check your private messagesLog in to check your private messages Log inLog in

Argus Cintar 28mm f/2.8, what's the story?
Post new topic   Reply to topic
Home   Manual Focus Lenses
View previous topic :: View next topic  


PostPosted: Mon Apr 08, 2024 2:09 pm    Post subject: Argus Cintar 28mm f/2.8, what's the story? Reply with quote
This Argus Cintar 28/2.8 was acquired recently. I've been wondering who the maker was. The focus ring with 2 chrome trims, along with the aperture and index markings, is in the mid-1970s Chinon style. As far as I know, Argus is a company that rebranded lenses made by third-party companies, at least in the 1970s. Could this be a rebranded Chinon lens? I'd like to be enlightened by anyone who knows better. Thank you in advance. 🙏



PostPosted: Mon Apr 08, 2024 2:21 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Interesting. Is that an m42 mount? Argus was a camera company in the US from the mid 30s to probably mid 60s. I don't think they ever produced any cameras with an m42 mount. It's generally really hard to determine who made what as far as secondary market lenses from that country at that time.


PostPosted: Mon Apr 08, 2024 2:42 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
jamaeolus wrote:
Interesting. Is that an m42 mount? Argus was a camera company in the US from the mid 30s to probably mid 60s. I don't think they ever produced any cameras with an m42 mount. It's generally really hard to determine who made what as far as secondary market lenses from that country at that time.


Yes it's an M42 mount. According to Camera-Wiki on the company's history: "Starting in 1967 Argus's corporate ownership turned over several more times, with the brand popping up in various guises." I suppose the company was still alive in the 1970s since the cosmetic design of this lens looks very '70s. Also according to Camera-Wiki, the Argus CR-1 was a rebranded Chinon CX-II, both M42 mount, without the battery check feature.
http://camera-wiki.org/wiki/Argus_CR-1

The Argus/Cosina STL 1000 (introduced in 1970) and EC 2000 (introduced in 1972), made by Cosina, are also M42 mount cameras.
http://camera-wiki.org/wiki/Argus/Cosina_STL_1000
http://camera-wiki.org/wiki/Argus/Cosina_EC_2000
http://camera-wiki.org/wiki/Cosina_Hi-Lite_EC
So it might be that this lens was made by Cosina too, but the cosmetic style is so different from a Cosina 28/2.8.

Indeed, it's hard to determine who made what when it comes to Japanese 3rd-party lenses. Still, this inquiring mind wants to know the background of this lens.


PostPosted: Mon Apr 08, 2024 5:22 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Looks fairly similar to the kino/panagor/vivitar 28mm, which is the "stovepipe" 28: M12 or M15 in Robin Parmars' list. That grip with the metal trim is very "panagor" - like my panagor 135mm.


PostPosted: Tue Apr 09, 2024 2:20 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
marcusBMG wrote:
Looks fairly similar to the kino/panagor/vivitar 28mm, which is the "stovepipe" 28: M12 or M15 in Robin Parmars' list. That grip with the metal trim is very "panagor" - like my panagor 135mm.


Thank you very much Marcus for providing the Robin Parmar link. 🙏 It's certainly excellent research material! So this lens might very well be made by Kino like the M12 in the list since both look similar and have the ø62mm filter size. The major difference between the two is that the M12 has f/2.5 as its maximum aperture.


PostPosted: Tue Apr 09, 2024 3:01 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
I wondered if it might be part of this series of lenses. There are similarities and differences. The argus has a different focus marker, a different focus direction, and the rear element holder has changed. The view in through the front element looks identical.

#1


#2


#3
[/quote]

If it was it would be a very late model at 1978, the earliest shown in my earlier photos is 1969. Those ones were made by Sun Optical.


PostPosted: Tue Apr 09, 2024 1:39 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
I think Alun has this one nailed, Sun. I picked up one of these Argus Cintar 28mm, serial 77xxxx, within the past year. It matches up with yours and Alun's.


PostPosted: Tue Apr 09, 2024 3:26 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Interesting. I have a collection of flat chrome exterior "made in Japan" Berolina branded lenses that are likely made by Sun. They are much better than most off brand lenses from the era. How good is your 28mm?


PostPosted: Tue Apr 09, 2024 5:30 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Alun Thomas wrote:
I wondered if it might be part of this series of lenses...

Thank you very much Alun for posting the pictures and sharing your insight. 🙏 The Argus Cintar does have cosmetical traits similar to the second Cavalier and the Hanimex in your photos, notwithstanding the different index marks and opposite focus and aperture directions. Even the orange and red paint on the markers have the same hues!

Alun Thomas wrote:
If it was it would be a very late model at 1978, ... Those ones were made by Sun Optical.

Is this Argus a late 1978 lens because its serial # starts with 78? Sun Optical used a very straightforward serial numbering system if that's the case.

Alun Thomas wrote:
... the earliest shown in my earlier photos is 1969.

Did you mean the Cavalier #701473? If the answer is yes, shouldn't it be 1970? Or did you mean another lens that's not in the photos?


PostPosted: Tue Apr 09, 2024 7:04 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
The Soligor lens pictured uses Soligors' own numbering system, where the first digit is a code for the manufacturer, in this case '7' which is regarded as a code for Sun Optical. Apparently Sun Optical was comprised of several sub-entities, as they occupied several different codes for soligor lenses. So, the '769' serial on that lens should point to a 1969 date of manufacture. Actually, while browsing yesterday, I came across some Kaligar branded 28mm lenses of that type, all with a '67' serial number. I don't 100% know for sure if that really is a pointer to the year of manufacture, but it is a definite possibility.


PostPosted: Tue Apr 09, 2024 8:13 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
casualcollector wrote:
I think Alun has this one nailed, Sun. I picked up one of these Argus Cintar 28mm, serial 77xxxx, within the past year. It matches up with yours and Alun's.


Thank you for chiming in, Casualcollector. 🙏 It seems there are not many Argus Cintar 28/2.8 available on ebay, and sellers tend to ask for a price of over $120 USD. There's only one on there now for $149.


PostPosted: Tue Apr 09, 2024 9:24 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Alun Thomas wrote:
The Soligor lens pictured uses Soligors' own numbering system, where the first digit is a code for the manufacturer, in this case '7' which is regarded as a code for Sun Optical...

Thank you very much Alun for the explanation. Lesson learned! 🙏
Post new topic   Reply to topic
Home   Manual Focus Lenses
Page 1 of 1