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What's the latest lens you added to your collection?
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PostPosted: Sun Jan 09, 2022 12:55 am    Post subject: Minolta 85mm 2.8 varisoft Reply with quote
1st time poster. Wife is into pinup photography so I picked up a Minolta 85mm 2.8 varisoft off ebay. Will be here sometime next week. Cant wait to try it out. These are the pics of the lens from the ebay page.
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Couple pics of my girl, I am really just getting into photography and already have bad GAD lol Below taken w a Fuji X-T20 and I believe a helios 44 wife open. Its a early silver one from 63 with the 13 blades? Yes her head is OOF. Was really the 1st time to use the camera and could not get any of the focus assists to work....that being said we shot a lot of pics and there are plenty in focus but she liked that one lol.....

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PostPosted: Sun Jan 09, 2022 7:13 pm    Post subject: Re: Minolta 85mm 2.8 varisoft Reply with quote
rx2man wrote:
1st time poster. Wife is into pinup photography so I picked up a Minolta 85mm 2.8 varisoft off ebay. Will be here sometime next week. Cant wait to try it out.


That's one of the really special and rare Minolta lenses. Usually quite expensive ... I saw it only once here in Switzerland, and that's when I got mine. In fact my favourite photo dealer had set it aside for me Wink. Not exactly cheap, but it was too nice Wink.

The Minolta MD 2.8/85mm has a rather nice "softening" effect (nicer than the equally eqpensive Tamron 2.8/70-150mm Soft Focus lens), and it has a much nicer bokeh than the Tamron.

That said, on full frame I prefer the huge Mamiya Sekor C 4,5/145mm Soft Focus which has a dreamier soft focus effect, and a most beautiful bokeh.

Also the original Leica Thambar 2.2/9cm has a very special "glow", but it's bokeh is terrible (bubbles!). I probably is best used with a uniform (dark?) background to avoid distracting bokeh!

Enjoy your new lens Wink

S


PostPosted: Sun Jan 09, 2022 11:15 pm    Post subject: Re: Minolta 85mm 2.8 varisoft Reply with quote
That's one of the really special and rare Minolta lenses. Usually quite expensive ... I saw it only once here in Switzerland, and that's when I got mine. In fact my favourite photo dealer had set it aside for me Wink. Not exactly cheap, but it was too nice Wink.

The Minolta MD 2.8/85mm has a rather nice "softening" effect (nicer than the equally eqpensive Tamron 2.8/70-150mm Soft Focus lens), and it has a much nicer bokeh than the Tamron.

That said, on full frame I prefer the huge Mamiya Sekor C 4,5/145mm Soft Focus which has a dreamier soft focus effect, and a most beautiful bokeh.

Also the original Leica Thambar 2.2/9cm has a very special "glow", but it's bokeh is terrible (bubbles!). I probably is best used with a uniform (dark?) background to avoid distracting bokeh!

Enjoy your new lens Wink


@ stevemark, thank you for the reply,

It was not cheap @ $480 shipped from Japan but it was listed as free of fungus, haze etc. They seem to have held their value and only go up from $500. It just sounded to interesting to pass up for portrait and pinup photography with the soft focus effect.

I did not know about those lenses and I am trying to stop looking for a bit as I have bought too much gear the last 2 months. But both sound rather interesting.

Switzerland has always been a place I would like to go. I got as close as Lorache Germany but Switzerland is a rather expensive place to go from what I am told.

Even though I do not need any lol ..are there any unusual portrait lenses I should look for? I know about the usual suspects like the, the trioplan, Helios, and really all the Russian stuff. And not the new lenses. The under the radar stuff. I just stumbled onto the Minolta by chance. I know Google is my friend and I have spent a lot of time researching lenses...I would love to get a Petzval. And lomo makes them. But I should clarify something in a M42 mount for 35mm. But really something that is not common....unless it's just about the hunt like the $5 Juplen 135 with about 19 blades I found at a garage sale....there is not a lot of info about them. Even here....I actually have a fair amount of old manual 35mm lenses in M42 mounts....


PostPosted: Mon Jan 10, 2022 5:19 pm    Post subject: Re: Minolta 85mm 2.8 varisoft Reply with quote
rx2man wrote:
1st time poster. Wife is into pinup photography so I picked up a Minolta 85mm 2.8 varisoft off ebay. Will be here sometime next week. Cant wait to try it out.


Welcome to the forum!

You will like that lens. It takes a little while to learn how to use it effectively, but once you got the hang of it it can produce some stunning images.

Don't think your copy is faulty if you don't see any soft-focus effects at f/5.6 - f/16; The soft focus effect is only noticeable for f/4 and slower.

I have posted the manual for you in the Library forum section.

P.S., this lens needs a good long hood to limit issues with flare. The metal screw-in hoods for the Minolta MD ROKKOR 100mm F/2.5, MD ROKKOR 85mm f/1.7 and MC ZOOM ROKKOR 80-200mm f/4.5 are very suitable options, the last one much cheaper in the used market than the first two.


PostPosted: Tue Jan 11, 2022 12:51 am    Post subject: Re: Minolta 85mm 2.8 varisoft Reply with quote
RokkorDoctor wrote:
rx2man wrote:
1st time poster. Wife is into pinup photography so I picked up a Minolta 85mm 2.8 varisoft off ebay. Will be here sometime next week. Cant wait to try it out.


Welcome to the forum!

You will like that lens. It takes a little while to learn how to use it effectively, but once you got the hang of it it can produce some stunning images.

Don't think your copy is faulty if you don't see any soft-focus effects at f/5.6 - f/16; The soft focus effect is only noticeable for f/4 and slower.

I have posted the manual for you in the Library forum section.

P.S., this lens needs a good long hood to limit issues with flare. The metal screw-in hoods for the Minolta MD ROKKOR 100mm F/2.5, MD ROKKOR 85mm f/1.7 and MC ZOOM ROKKOR 80-200mm f/4.5 are very suitable options, the last one much cheaper in the used market than the first two.


Thank you for the reply RokkorDoctor,

I checked out the manual, pretty cool that you had one around. Says the lens is out for delivery which is nuts as I ordered it the 6th. After you said a cover is needed I remembered reading that. Usedphotopro had 2 for the 80-200 a screw and clip on. I bought both as one site said it's a clip on and another said the earlier is screw on and later clip on? $23 shipped so not enough money to worry about lol....

Being I have a K5 I just ordered the K mount F85mm 2.8 soft focus as well. 3 versions the earliest a 2.2, followed by the F and the FA with slight differences. The F worked better for my needs....LAD lol....


PostPosted: Tue Jan 11, 2022 7:08 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

(sellers pic)

Petri 55/1.7, an evolution of their 1.8 normal lens. Introduced in the early 70s on their EE style cameras the FTEE, FTE and the flagship FA-1, these were arguably the peak of Petri SLR camera design. I think you can also find the 55/1.7 in M42 as Petri also released some M42 cameras before financial problems beset them.
This one comes on an FTE, the last model using the compact Petri body style carried over from their first SLR, the Penta. It features open aperture metering and shutter priority auto exposure. This one has a slightly gummed up mechanism which hopefully will be easily corrected and join a working FA-1 with the same lens. The difference between the FA-1 and the FTEE and FTE is the body style and top shutter speed. The original compact style Petri camera body remained limited to a top speed of 1/500s apparently due to the shutter mechanism being 'folded', i.e. the curtains go through a 90 degree turn to wind on to the respective spool at each end, which made it difficult to achieve 1/1000s speeds. Starting on the Petriflex 7 and carrying on through the FT, FTII and FA-1 models, a wider squarer body was used to straighten out the shutter run, enabling the higher shutter speed to be reliably achieved. Despite that I still prefer the more compact body from an aesthetic viewpoint. Still looking for an EE style 55/1.4 for the FA-1.


PostPosted: Tue Jan 11, 2022 7:59 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Kyoei Optical 135mm f/2.8.


PostPosted: Tue Jan 11, 2022 9:07 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Alun Thomas wrote:

(sellers pic)

Petri 55/1.7, an evolution of their 1.8 normal lens. Introduced in the early 70s on their EE style cameras the FTEE, FTE and the flagship FA-1, these were arguably the peak of Petri SLR camera design. I think you can also find the 55/1.7 in M42 as Petri also released some M42 cameras before financial problems beset them.
This one comes on an FTE, the last model using the compact Petri body style carried over from their first SLR, the Penta. It features open aperture metering and shutter priority auto exposure. This one has a slightly gummed up mechanism which hopefully will be easily corrected and join a working FA-1 with the same lens. The difference between the FA-1 and the FTEE and FTE is the body style and top shutter speed. The original compact style Petri camera body remained limited to a top speed of 1/500s apparently due to the shutter mechanism being 'folded', i.e. the curtains go through a 90 degree turn to wind on to the respective spool at each end, which made it difficult to achieve 1/1000s speeds. Starting on the Petriflex 7 and carrying on through the FT, FTII and FA-1 models, a wider squarer body was used to straighten out the shutter run, enabling the higher shutter speed to be reliably achieved. Despite that I still prefer the more compact body from an aesthetic viewpoint. Still looking for an EE style 55/1.4 for the FA-1.

Very nice Alun.
Was there any change in optical design between the 55/1.8 and the 55/1.7?
The 55mm f1.8 is a stunning lens
Tom


PostPosted: Tue Jan 11, 2022 9:15 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
There is a Petri 55 1.4 on a FTII listed on Mercari for $51 + shipping but probably not the lens you are looking for....


PostPosted: Tue Jan 11, 2022 9:32 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
rx2man wrote:
There is a Petri 55 1.4 on a FTII listed on Mercari for $51 + shipping but probably not the lens you are looking for....

Yes, thanks for that.
The 55/1.4 is a splendid lens - I must post some more images from it.
The 55/1.8 is exceptional in my opinion and I was wondering if the 55/1.7 was the same optically or if it had been modified.
Perhaps Alun can shed some light on it
Tom


PostPosted: Wed Jan 12, 2022 2:40 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
rx2man wrote:
There is a Petri 55 1.4 on a FTII listed on Mercari for $51 + shipping but probably not the lens you are looking for....


I had a quick look, that lens looks to be the standard type with auto aperture, the EE version has an extra pin to report the lens fully open aperture value, and an 'EE' position where the camera can precisely set the aperture opening automatically. Thanks though, I think the EE version might be quite rare compared to the normal version.

Oldhand wrote:

Was there any change in optical design between the 55/1.8 and the 55/1.7?
The 55mm f1.8 is a stunning lens
Tom


I'm not 100% sure how similar they are, I do have a copy that came with the FA-1 but am not at home right now to do a quick check.


PostPosted: Wed Jan 12, 2022 10:37 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
Sankyo Kohki Komura 135 / 3.5 m42 preset.

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PostPosted: Wed Jan 12, 2022 11:13 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
NIkkor-S Auto 55 1:1.2 for my F2 Smile


PostPosted: Wed Jan 12, 2022 12:56 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
sheepeck wrote:
NIkkor-S Auto 55 1:1.2 for my F2 Smile


Lovely piece of glass!


PostPosted: Wed Jan 12, 2022 12:58 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
I recently added a cheap M42 circular fisheye to my collection. Thinking of using it on FF digital.
Sadly I find the coverage is unexpectedly poor, wasting around 15% of the frame height & giving a smaller image circle than my APSC fisheye.

I think this might actually be a lens I sell again (almost unheard of for me).


PostPosted: Wed Jan 12, 2022 1:56 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
caspert79 wrote:
sheepeck wrote:
NIkkor-S Auto 55 1:1.2 for my F2 Smile


Lovely piece of glass!


Absolutely. While certainly not "fully corrected", the remaining aberrations are quite well balanced - a great portrait lens, if a "shorter" focal length is preferred. I happen to have both the earlier version (same as yours) and the later Ai version. The earlier one sits on my Nikon F, the Ai 1.2/55m on the F2 (which is a late model from around 1977 and thus fits perfectly to the Ai 1.2/55mm).

I wonder how you like the Minolta 1.2/58mm (which is more a 60mm in fact) ... Wink

S


PostPosted: Wed Jan 12, 2022 11:24 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Auto Revuenon 55 1.7
Unfortunately the aperture was stuck wide open, so I had to open the lens and 'manually' close it.


I'm still not sure who made this lens. Some people say Auto Chinon, others say Tomioka. I need to do some more research about it.


PostPosted: Thu Jan 13, 2022 12:18 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
Baekmann wrote:
Auto Revuenon 55 1.7


I'm still not sure who made this lens. Some people say Auto Chinon, others say Tomioka. I need to do some more research about it.


Chinon never made any lenses. All made by third parties. This one by Tomioka


PostPosted: Thu Jan 13, 2022 12:36 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
D1N0 wrote:
Baekmann wrote:
Auto Revuenon 55 1.7


I'm still not sure who made this lens. Some people say Auto Chinon, others say Tomioka. I need to do some more research about it.


Chinon never made any lenses. All made by third parties. This one by Tomioka


Thanks for clarifying Like 1 small


PostPosted: Thu Jan 13, 2022 12:53 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
DConvert wrote:
I recently added a cheap M42 circular fisheye to my collection. Thinking of using it on FF digital.
Sadly I find the coverage is unexpectedly poor, wasting around 15% of the frame height & giving a smaller image circle than my APSC fisheye.

I think this might actually be a lens I sell again (almost unheard of for me).


What fisheye might that be? I'm in the lookout for an old school Takumar 17mm and would love to see more images from it!


PostPosted: Thu Jan 13, 2022 3:03 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
mr_tibbs2004 wrote:
DConvert wrote:
I recently added a cheap M42 circular fisheye to my collection. Thinking of using it on FF digital.
Sadly I find the coverage is unexpectedly poor, wasting around 15% of the frame height & giving a smaller image circle than my APSC fisheye.

I think this might actually be a lens I sell again (almost unheard of for me).


What fisheye might that be? I'm in the lookout for an old school Takumar 17mm and would love to see more images from it!


It was a Hanimex 7mm/5.5 fixed focus fisheye, not up to the standards of the Takumar by any of the reviews I've seen, but it was only about 1/3 the price of my DA10-17.
M42 is a little easier to use on unusual adapters than PK so I'll see if I can try it on a helicoid before passing it on.


PostPosted: Thu Jan 13, 2022 3:53 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Carl Zeiss Ultron 1.8/50 Bayonet Mount






Last edited by Mir on Thu Jan 13, 2022 6:36 pm; edited 1 time in total


PostPosted: Thu Jan 13, 2022 4:04 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Mir wrote:
Carl Zeiss Ultron 1.8/50 Bayonet Mount


Nice looking lens! I've never been able to test or to use one.
If I'd find one locally at a reasonable price I certainly would give it a try, though!

S


PostPosted: Thu Jan 13, 2022 6:27 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
don't know why i did it (we all know why i did it) but they had a CPC Phase 2 300mm/f5.6 mirror at the camera shop for $40, so i bought it. already have nearly identical promaster and rokunar clones, neither very good, but perhaps this will be "one of the good ones"


PostPosted: Thu Jan 13, 2022 7:02 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
benadamx wrote:
don't know why i did it (we all know why i did it) but they had a CPC Phase 2 300mm/f5.6 mirror at the camera shop for $40, so i bought it. already have nearly identical promaster and rokunar clones, neither very good, but perhaps this will be "one of the good ones"

I just did the same with a makinon 400/6,7. Already have one which is bad. The one I bought now is only supposed to arrive in 2 weeks or so. Me too, I just hope this one will be one of the good ones Wink The seller says "Looking good..." sounds promising..
Is your new 300 the makinon made? I also have 2 of these. One is good enough for me. The other one bad. I'm trying to remember how many actual makers there were for the 300. There is a thread somewhere but if I remember well, the Makinon - although a hit and miss - is the better one.
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