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What do you think about Soligor 120-600?
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PostPosted: Sat Feb 20, 2010 6:54 pm    Post subject: What do you think about Soligor 120-600? Reply with quote

Hi Guys,

there is a soligor 120-600 5.6-8 in PK mount available at local store. Prise: 279€ in mint condition!

I'm still looking for along tele! What do you think of this lens! There is little information on the web!

Anybody owns one? Examples?

ciao,

Karhallarn


PostPosted: Sat Feb 20, 2010 7:22 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

With this range, these apertures and these times, I don't think it is worth the price. Even if we can rather easily design long lenses without too many elements and keep a correct optical quality, the lens may be not as sharp as a Tamron 500SP which cost 2X less Wink


PostPosted: Sat Feb 20, 2010 11:37 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

He's asking way to much for this old lens with just average performance stopped down.

Ask the seller it you can mount in on your camera and take some shots at various focal lengths and see how it does....if your satisfied...then offer him 120€ at the most if it's in excellent condition....actually, offer him less then that....

I have the Soligor 130-650 which is a different lens...but don't have any digital pics with it....

I do have the Vivitar 120-600 and it's probably the same lens as the Soligor....some pics with the Vivitar 120-600 below...BTW that's five miles across Admiralty Inlet...enlarge the last lighthouse pic to see if the detail of the houses five miles away is sufficient for your needs....right click on the picture links for larger high resolution pics...

http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w110/boomer1954/031-1.jpg

http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w110/boomer1954/029.jpg

http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w110/boomer1954/033.jpg

Pic of the Vivitar 120-600....
http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w110/boomer1954/Camera%20Gear/096.jpg

Pic of the Soligor 130-650....
http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w110/boomer1954/Camera%20Gear/093.jpg

http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w110/boomer1954/Camera%20Gear/083.jpg


Last edited by Boomer Depp on Sat Aug 11, 2012 11:53 am; edited 8 times in total


PostPosted: Sun Feb 21, 2010 1:04 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

One other note,check the mount and see if it's an interchangeable mount.The last generation of the CD Soligor 130-650,may have a removable mount.

The previous owner said the aperture didn't work,someone didn't have the mount installed properly and it wasn't engaging the aperture lever.

Also,the interchangeable mount for this lens has two maximum aperture settings,one for 2.8 and the other for 5.6.



PostPosted: Sun Feb 21, 2010 10:32 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Strictly speaking, this is not the type of lens popular hereabouts - it has a rather low optical quality, being targeted at the a "I've got the bigger tool" audience rather than real users, and only turns a average nondescript performer when significantly stopped down.

Its covered range has nonetheless made it moderately popular among landscape centric travel photographers in pre AF days - long lenses have little distortion, and their other flaws diminish as they are stopped down, and it is often better to carry one lens that only delivers at f/16 than two Nikon zooms each double the weight or four long primes. But AF and digital have zapped its used price - that thing is too expensive, you'll find a cheaper one if you shop around.


PostPosted: Sun Feb 21, 2010 3:21 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Sevo wrote:
Strictly speaking, this is not the type of lens popular hereabouts - it has a rather low optical quality, being targeted at the a "I've got the bigger tool" audience rather than real users


....or someone getting their first long "tool" dirt cheap Surprised

....or if you have a fondness for pipe organs and "tools"( I know some who do)

....or old men who like collecting old "tools" (some old men just like collecting old "tools")

....or if you don't mind packing a big long "tool"(not many pack a big "tool")

....or young photographers who like collecting unique old long "tools" (because those are the only "tool" they can afford)

....or you want to see if Soligor's longest "tool" from the era were even capable of taking a keeper (some "tools" couldn't take a decent pic if their life depended on it)

....or a photographer who wants to see if Soligor's longest "tool" zoom is just junk or a "tool"(without a doubt,probably why they were sold with a metal "tool" box....

....or if you have a desire for various "tools" (it's usually best to collect reputable "tools")

....or if you've really got the wants for a big long "tool",because you don't have one,or get one cheap, or your gifted with a long "tool"(at least it gives you a "tool" to practice with,and you'll learn appreciate quality "tools" later)

In the real world though....I usually take one of my long L "tools" if there are people around....after all,wouldn't want to be caught dead with a large Soligor "tool" of a lens mounted on a decent body....(BTW...Those who have an affinity for Soligor's "tools",I hope your thick skinned)

....for what it's worth... the chicks go "eue!" and scrunch up their face when they see a Soligor "tool"....now if you've got a big white "tool",the chicks say"I like the your tool!"...Very Happy

Once in a while though it's fun to mount one of these old "tools" and occasionally be rewarded with a keeper....just make sure no ones around when you've got your old "tool" out.

Most experienced photographers know that many Soligors aren't the sharpest "tool" in the box....but there are times the sharpest "tool" isn't needed.

Some of us have from half a dozen to a couple dozen "tools" in each focal length,for the desired effect of different "tools"....and/or just the sake of collecting "tools".

I've never seen or inspected a Soligor 120-600...

However the Vivitar Kobori built lens 120-600/5.6 with serial numbers 77xxxxxx has good workmanship and a quality build and can take some abuse and delivers surprisingly decent images.

The Soligor 130-635/5.6 designed in 1982 has good workmanship,but the lens suffers from poor design and engineering.

Could be the Soligor 120-600 is Kobori built as well,I would see if it was similar to the Vivitar,and give it a test drive)


Last edited by Boomer Depp on Mon Feb 22, 2010 7:57 pm; edited 1 time in total


PostPosted: Sun Feb 21, 2010 5:38 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

haha! your response is great boomer. I'd say in most cases I find myself falling into the #5 (young/cant afford the best yet) and #7 (curiosity) categories. I agree, Karhallarn, you should ask for a good amount less that asking price and just see if the store keepers feeling generous. If not, you can get a much higher optical quality lens for less or the same price. Many of these prices appear to stem from shops/people finding "old" lenses in mint condition and thinking just because it looks great, is "vintage", its worth a lot! (perhaps it was never used for a reason? Wink )


PostPosted: Sun Feb 21, 2010 6:04 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

justtorchit wrote:
your response is great boomer.


agree fully =)

justtorchit wrote:
(young/cant afford the best yet)


that's my problem... mostly income going to photography... not bad but I study something diferent so it is in conflict... bad karma of young photographers... I hope that in future it will be more comfortable and less flustrating


PostPosted: Sun Feb 21, 2010 7:01 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hah! I can relate to some of those comments, Boomer!

I appreciate your posting the pics taken with the Vivitar 120-600. There's a camera shop local to me that has one in Nikon mount for about $130. I remember when this lens was being advertised in the photo mag mail-order ads back in the 80s, and wondered about it. I ended up buying a Sigma 600mm f/8 mirror, rationalizing that if I were to buy the zoom, I'd be using it mostly at its 600mm setting anyway. Ultimately the Sigma was a purchase I didn't regret.


PostPosted: Mon Feb 22, 2010 7:42 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Just having a little fun with "tools" folks Laughing

The Vivitar 120-600 surprised the heck out of me...didn't expect it to shoot that well...In fact it shot better then it had right to,when you consider the era it came from.

Michael...$130 would be a good price,they usually sell for $180-$220 on the used market.


Last edited by Boomer Depp on Mon Feb 22, 2010 8:54 pm; edited 1 time in total


PostPosted: Mon Feb 22, 2010 8:53 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

One weekend night while waiting for the moon to clear the trees in December I took some photos with various long tools.....the following week when I was going through my images discarding everything,except what I felt were keepers....

When I came to the pics from that night,I discarded most of the images but one pedestrian image of the moon I liked,made later past midnight....the other pic I found intriguing and kept...was a pic taken earlier when I was shooting through the trees with a Tokina 800mm....when I had neither the trees or the moon in focus....



PostPosted: Tue Feb 23, 2010 8:47 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thank you guys for all your replies! I think I will not get the merchant to put don his price by 1/2. So what alternativ long manual tele zoom are there?

How about the Tamron Adaptall 200-500?


PostPosted: Tue Feb 23, 2010 8:53 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hi BobbyR...my name is Boomer...I am a lens addict....how are you!

You ask...what grounds?

Simply because it was at a time when Vivitar was taking on board another new manufacturer for some of their lenses which would be Kobori in this case.Although as it turned out Kobori became one of Vivitars better manufacturers from this era.

Vivitar had designed and had built some viable zooms,but never had a zoom lens built of this size.Typically most manufacturers go through a learning curve,especially in a zoom of this size.

The fact that,though Vivitar continued to have produced for them a few good lenses during this era,they were stepping away from designing and having produced higher quality lenses and were going in the direction of average consumer lenses.Though Vivitar had some history of having a good optical design coupled with a good engineered and quality build,they were not pursuing such high levels as they once were.You can have a good optical design,but if not well engineered and built to exacting tolerances,will tend to degrade over time with use.This lens was a quality optical design,with quality engineering and build,not typical of Vivitar compared to their other lenses at the time,with the exception of a few macro and solid cat lenses.

Price wise this was a bargain lens compared to the higher quality manufacturers at the time.

The lens at $880 in 1986 was considerable cheaper then the other lenses in it's range by other third party manufacturers,with the exception of Soligor who had a similar lens in the same price range at $889,and Sigma who was selling for low prices as well,though they didn't build a zoom this large at the time.Now if we look at Tamron from the era,their 100-500 sold for $1519 and the 200-500 sold for $1723 or basically twice as much as the Vivitar.Tokina wasn't the bargain Vivitar was with a Price of $1399 for the 150-500 ATX.

Then we come to quality control of third party lens manufacturers or any manufacturer for that matter.Sigma was doing horrible with QC and their older lenses reflect this.Soligor's manufacturers had been taking Soligor to the cleaners in this department for some time.Vivitar,though they still maintained a QC with their manufacturers,changing manufacturers usually leads to a QC problem through the learning curve.Building a newly designed and engineered lens has a teething problem with QC as well....

I think that's sufficient for me to say....I was surprised indeed.


Last edited by Boomer Depp on Tue Feb 23, 2010 9:22 am; edited 2 times in total


PostPosted: Tue Feb 23, 2010 9:14 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Karhallarn wrote:
Thank you guys for all your replies! I think I will not get the merchant to put don his price by 1/2. So what alternativ long manual tele zoom are there?

How about the Tamron Adaptall 200-500?


Are you referring to the big heavy 06A adaptal 200-500mm f6.9 which wasn't that good,besides being slow...

or the adaptall-2 31A 200-500mm f5.6 which was heavy as well,but was a pretty good lens.


Last edited by Boomer Depp on Tue Feb 23, 2010 9:27 am; edited 1 time in total


PostPosted: Tue Feb 23, 2010 9:22 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I was referring to the f6.9 one! So is it better or worse than the Soligor?

How bad is it and in which way?


PostPosted: Tue Feb 23, 2010 9:38 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

It's heavy,slow and not very sharp...slow and not to sharp doesn't give you a lot of options.

Compared to the Soligor 130-650,both were equally unsharp,with a bit of PF....

Compared to the Soligor 120-600 I wouldn't know,unless the Soligor 120-600 is a re-branded version of the Vivitar 120-600 in which case the lens is pretty good.

Did the Soligor 120-600 look like the Vivitar 120-600 in the pic I posted?


Last edited by Boomer Depp on Tue Feb 23, 2010 9:42 am; edited 1 time in total


PostPosted: Tue Feb 23, 2010 9:41 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Yes, it looks the same as the vivitar!


PostPosted: Tue Feb 23, 2010 9:43 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Did the owner let you mount and shoot it?

Did it have a high quality build like the Vivitar?


PostPosted: Tue Feb 23, 2010 11:11 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Buildquality is high and I tried it. Seemed nice but the weather was so bad that day that there where no good shots to obtain! They where mostly flat and blurred. That's why I wanted to ask for experience!


PostPosted: Tue Feb 23, 2010 1:01 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Karhallarn wrote:
I was referring to the f6.9 one!


Here it is

Click here to see on Ebay.de" target="_blank">Click here to see on Ebay


PostPosted: Tue Feb 23, 2010 1:07 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Yeah, thats the lens, eventhough it's not exactly the one I found!


PostPosted: Tue Feb 23, 2010 4:11 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Karhallarn wrote:
Buildquality is high and I tried it. Seemed nice but the weather was so bad that day that there where no good shots to obtain! They where mostly flat and blurred. That's why I wanted to ask for experience!


Did you have it mounted on a tripod? Were you shooting in manual mode with the custom white balance set with a 12 or 18% gray card.I shoot quite a bit in overcast and stormy weather here in the Pacific Northwest.I find stormy conditions excellent for good saturation and dramatic images using either my modern AF lenses or old glass.


Last edited by Boomer Depp on Tue Feb 23, 2010 4:18 pm; edited 1 time in total


PostPosted: Tue Feb 23, 2010 4:18 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Mostly I'm around without a tripod and I manage to get 1/50th of a sec sharp with my 300mm Nikkor at f5.6!

Hamburg, germany, is not known for the best weather around but it's not that bad either!

ciao,

Karhallarn


PostPosted: Tue Feb 23, 2010 4:28 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Not easy to make long lens in prime and they are pretty costly. I not expect any good from this Soligor Zoom.


PostPosted: Tue Feb 23, 2010 4:36 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Actually,if this is the same Kobori built lens as the Vivitar 120-600,then the lens is a capable of delivering acceptable images.