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What are your favourite lenses ?
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PostPosted: Wed Jan 30, 2008 7:22 pm    Post subject: Favourite lenses Reply with quote
Tokina 28mm f2.8
Pentax 'A' 50mm f1.7 - my overall favourite.
Helios 44-4M 58mm f2
Tamron SP90mm f2.5
Cosinon 135mm f2.8
Vivitar 200mm f3.5 (Komine).

Last edited by Ironfan on Wed Jan 30, 2008 7:25 pm; edited 3 times in total


PostPosted: Wed Jan 30, 2008 7:22 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
I've finally got round to listing mine. The lenses in bold were my little set before digital.

Prime Lenses
M42 Mount
20mm: CZJ Flektogon MC 2.8/20
28mm: Vivitar Auto (Komine) 2.8/28 : S-M-C Tak 3.5/28
35mm: CZJ Flektogon MC 2.4/35 : Mir-24M 2.0/35 : Super-Tak 3.5/35
37mm: Mir-1B 2.8/37
50mm: Meyer Domiplan 2.8/50 : Pentacon MC 1.8/50 : Pentacon elec 1.8/50 : CZJ Tessar MC 2.8/50 :
CZJ Tessar Zebra 2.8/50 : CZJ Pancolar elec MC 1.8/50 : Super-Tak 1.4/50 : Industar 50-2 3.5/50
55mm: S-M-C Tak 1.8/55
58mm: Helios 44-2 2.0/58 : Helios 44M 2.0/58 : Helios 44M-4 2.0/58
85mm: Jupiter 9 MC 2.0/85
135mm: Meyer Oreston 2.8/135 : CZJ Sonnar MC 3.5/135 : Jupiter 37A 3.5/135 : S-M-C Tak 3.5/135
200mm: Pentacon Orestegor 4.0/200 : Jupiter 21M 4.0/200

K Mount
50mm: Pentax-M smc 1.7/50

Zoom Lenses
Vivitar (Tokina) KA mount 3.9-4.8/28-70
Tamron SP 27A 3.5-4.2/28-80
Tamron SP 01A 2.8-3.8/35-80
Tamron SP 23A 3.8-5.4/60-300
Tamron 03A 3.8-4.0/80-210
Tamron 103A 3.8-4.0/80-210


PostPosted: Wed Jan 30, 2008 7:31 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Hmmm that Soligor zoom is perhaps not the same . 2,5/90 Angénieux : here you are . I bought this lens by Cipi?re in PAris Brand new in 1977 ! Filter diameter : 43,5mm ! I have two adapters for 49 mm accessories . Sunshade cylindrical 50 mm long , a minimum with this lens which is a prone to huge flare.
35mm film Agfacolor . Body : Spotmatic F (Two copies , THE Spotmatic ! - however I prefer my KX an MX ... (Viewfinder!)
If you make some statistics on this list , you can observe here is only a little room for japanese no-name lenses . But let's try the older game of M42 Chinon . There are some unknown treasure in , such as 28mm and 135 mm ...
I didn't mention the 135mm Angénieux (f/3,5 version ) , this lens is at the level of schneider tele-Xenar , no more , no less















This lens is not easy to use . no automatic diaph , no click stop !


PostPosted: Wed Jan 30, 2008 7:41 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
sorry : older game = older range ! I deeply apperciate the list of peterqd, because I own the whole minus mir-24 and tamron zoom's , excepted 60-300(great lens !)


PostPosted: Wed Jan 30, 2008 7:54 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
I can tell you abot my favorite zoom ... which would be the

Yashica ML 28-50/3.5

not that much range but very of for standard photography and
excellent results - this is one of the Yashica labeled lenses
produced by Yashica that deserve the comparison with their
Zeiss T* relatives.


PostPosted: Wed Jan 30, 2008 7:56 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
This Angénieux seems to deliver lovely results with plenty of contrast and definition. Decidedly a yummy lens.
-


PostPosted: Wed Jan 30, 2008 8:04 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Hmm, hard to pick a favourite.

One lens I always take with me is the SMC Pentax-A 50mm f1.7
It works like a modern lens in all the program modes on my Pentax camera, only in MF. It's very sharp, even wide open.

I also like the DOF on the Jupiter-9 85mm I bought from Orio a lot.


I just made a deal for a Pentax-M 135mm f3.5 for 20 euros shipped, I'm curious how that one will turn out ^^

Tom


PostPosted: Wed Jan 30, 2008 8:05 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
The last pic is Pentax Istdl. The preceeding were in an us lab in N.J.processed , and I found the results were of superior quality at a low cost (Costco's... ) ! . Polaro?d sprintscan 35 + scans for film . Great scanner !
This lens is very good at f/8 , F/11 (Minimum flare) . Very "sensitive" .


PostPosted: Wed Jan 30, 2008 8:06 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Orio wrote:
This Angénieux seems to deliver lovely results with plenty of contrast and definition. Decidedly a yummy lens.
-


That's what I thought!

Thanks for sharing these pics, Helios! Nice to finally see some real shots with one of those rather rare Angénieux lenses.

@Peter. This is a great and really complete list. You have got at least one stunner in each focal length!


PostPosted: Wed Jan 30, 2008 8:22 pm    Post subject: Re: Favourite lenses Reply with quote
Ironfan wrote:
.....
Pentax 'A' 50mm f1.7 - my overall favourite.....

Hi Ironfan, both you and TDN have said the Pentax A 1.7 is great. I've got the M version, and it lacks colour and seems to confuse the Canon metering, so I'll be looking for a different K mount 50 shortly. What camera do you use yours with?


PostPosted: Wed Jan 30, 2008 9:15 pm    Post subject: Re: Favourite lenses Reply with quote
peterqd wrote:
Ironfan wrote:
.....
Pentax 'A' 50mm f1.7 - my overall favourite.....

Hi Ironfan, both you and TDN have said the Pentax A 1.7 is great. I've got the M version, and it lacks colour and seems to confuse the Canon metering, so I'll be looking for a different K mount 50 shortly. What camera do you use yours with?

Hmmm... Peter, I have also got the M-version and my copy works excellently at my EOS350D. Question One of my favourite 50ish.


PostPosted: Wed Jan 30, 2008 9:54 pm    Post subject: Re: Favourite lenses Reply with quote
LucisPictor wrote:
peterqd wrote:
Ironfan wrote:
.....
Pentax 'A' 50mm f1.7 - my overall favourite.....

Hi Ironfan, both you and TDN have said the Pentax A 1.7 is great. I've got the M version, and it lacks colour and seems to confuse the Canon metering, so I'll be looking for a different K mount 50 shortly. What camera do you use yours with?

Hmmm... Peter, I have also got the M-version and my copy works excellently at my EOS350D. Question One of my favourite 50ish.


I know. I've only recently got a K/EOS adapter so I've only been able to test it on the Canon in the last few days. I've always mistrusted this lens on the ME Super ever since I bought it S/H from a camera shop in 1980/81 ish. It's never been 100% sharp and the colours on both prints and slides are, well, dull is the best word.

This is a scan of a Fuji slide taken on a bright sunny day last June. I, and I've actually sharpened it and tried to adjust curves with PS to bring out the best of the colour :


It's exactly for this reason I haven't used the lens very much. It was the only K-mount lens I had to start with, but after such disappointing results I bought a cheap Vivitar 28-80 zoom, probably about 1988, and used that on the ME almost exclusively until digital took over.

Now, with the adapter on the Canon I can compare it with my other lenses, and the results are the same as with film. Wide open, the lens seems to fool the meter into massive over-exposure on every shot. Stopped down things do improve, but the colours never sparkle.

I'm rather pleased my suspicions are confirmed, to be honest. The lens will now sit on my shelf and it's forcing me into getting a replacement, which I should have done a long time ago. Incidentally, now I can use the Tamron zooms on the ME, the colours captured by the camera are excellent! (As you'd expect) Smile


PostPosted: Thu Jan 31, 2008 12:59 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
Hi peter, I use it on a Pentax *ist DL. The fun part is that it supports all the metering modes there.

Seems like you got a bad copy of that lens. I usually hear that thee M version is even better than the A...

Another lens I can recommend you if you're looking for good colours, is the Pentax-M 50mm f1.4
I had a copy a few months back, but sold it because I could use the money. It was great. Great bokeh too.

Tom


PostPosted: Thu Jan 31, 2008 8:43 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
My current favourites:

Tamron SP 24-48mm
Tamron SP 70-210mm
Rikenon 50/1.4


PostPosted: Thu Jan 31, 2008 10:01 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
TDN wrote:
Hi peter, I use it on a Pentax *ist DL. The fun part is that it supports all the metering modes there.

Seems like you got a bad copy of that lens. I usually hear that thee M version is even better than the A...

Another lens I can recommend you if you're looking for good colours, is the Pentax-M 50mm f1.4
I had a copy a few months back, but sold it because I could use the money. It was great. Great bokeh too.

Tom


Thanks Tom. Since joining the forum I've learnt such a lot about the many different ways in which faulty or cheap quality optics can affect a picture, such as being impossible to focus, strange bokeh highlights, colour effects, poor contrast, aberrations, distortion, flare and so on. Most of the science would go completely over my head I'm sure, but I'd love to understand why one lens can work well with the camera's metering and AF and an identical copy can completely fool them.

I have the Super-Tak 1.4/50 in M42 mount and, now the yellowing has cleared, it's one of my top favourites. I think I'll put the M version on my search list.


PostPosted: Thu Jan 31, 2008 10:26 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
Sorry to hear that, Peter.
The pic really looks a bit washed out, esp. when we consider that you applied some pp!

This lens sometimes goes for cheap money. Perhaps you will find one for a good price and try another copy.


PostPosted: Thu Jan 31, 2008 11:22 am    Post subject: Re: Favourite lenses Reply with quote
peterqd wrote:
Ironfan wrote:
.....
Pentax 'A' 50mm f1.7 - my overall favourite.....

Hi Ironfan, both you and TDN have said the Pentax A 1.7 is great. I've got the M version, and it lacks colour and seems to confuse the Canon metering, so I'll be looking for a different K mount 50 shortly. What camera do you use yours with?



Yeah I use mine on a Pentax K100D, I have both M & A 50's f1.7 and the A is definitely the better for sharpness and of course it meters onboard the camera. I would say its as sharp for a 50mm as my SP Tamron 90mm f2.5 is for a 90mm. I love my primes, do have a number of zooms - manual and A/F which I use on trips and when I need quick snaps. But for me those old M/F primes are more fun and give great results.


PostPosted: Thu Jan 31, 2008 11:59 am    Post subject: Re: Favourite lenses Reply with quote
Ironfan wrote:
peterqd wrote:
Ironfan wrote:
.....
Pentax 'A' 50mm f1.7 - my overall favourite.....

Hi Ironfan, both you and TDN have said the Pentax A 1.7 is great. I've got the M version, and it lacks colour and seems to confuse the Canon metering, so I'll be looking for a different K mount 50 shortly. What camera do you use yours with?



Yeah I use mine on a Pentax K100D, I have both M & A 50's f1.7 and the A is definitely the better for sharpness and of course it meters onboard the camera. I would say its as sharp for a 50mm as my SP Tamron 90mm f2.5 is for a 90mm. I love my primes, do have a number of zooms - manual and A/F which I use on trips and when I need quick snaps. But for me those old M/F primes are more fun and give great results.


Thanks, that's useful to be able to have a direct comparison. I agree with you completely about zooms and primes, but I never use AF these days.

Welcome to the forum by the way. Wish I was in Australia right now. It's about 7°C, very windy and raining here today and forecast to get much colder! My son is basking in Sydney. Smile
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