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Non-Takumar lenses with mechanics as good
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PostPosted: Tue Jan 05, 2016 10:44 pm    Post subject: Re: Non-Takumar lenses with mechanics as good Reply with quote
tb_a wrote:


I never had any troubles with Minolta lenses at all.....some of them are as old as my old Takumars which are also all trouble free. Interestingly I have similar good experiences with my old Russian lenses, though some folks are reporting troubles with them.
So besides the mentioned Takumars I can recommend Minolta as very good quality lenses as well.


I use and keep Minoltas my PG 50 1.4 is a life long keeper, but there are inherent well known issues; trouble with oily blades, internal haze, focusing controls (not dry lubricants either), they become loose and sloppy, although it does seem that the older versions were the best mechanically built versions as they progressively became lighter and smaller so did their build quality go down. That 50mm with 1000 ball bearings inside for the aperture control comes to mind and I'm sure that's not the only focal length that used this system.

That said, coming across some well worn and well used versions of lenses is the best guide, using mint examples or even a super clean users doesn't tell the whole story. Beaters tell it for sure though, I've seen more Nikkor beaters still kicking then any other brand and I think it speaks volumes. The fact that years later, 1000's of shots later, millions of miles traveled, and they still provide quality ..... what I'm saying so it's not confused; I see more well used Nikkors then anything ...not saying as a whole Nikkors are best or without troubles.....the best example of what I am saying is this.......go to a camera show/swap meet and see what brands are there ..... I think you should see more Nikkors that are still serviceable even though well worn and used. There's an excellent reason a lens gets well used and worn and why another does not...mechanical build and feel probably has a little to do with that, so does trust and reliability but I believe IQ performance is the reason at the end of the day why it still stays in a bag....and Nikkors are fun to handle unless it's a 70-150 or the spawn or satan 43-86. In another post I have a mint sample of a KMZ 58/2 44M if all there was to see was this sample, everyone would agree it's well made and very well done.......we all know differently though because its hardly the only sample to see.....


PostPosted: Wed Jan 06, 2016 4:52 am    Post subject: Re: Non-Takumar lenses with mechanics as good Reply with quote
wildlight images wrote:

I use and keep Minoltas my PG 50 1.4 is a life long keeper, but there are inherent well known issues; trouble with oily blades, internal haze, focusing controls (not dry lubricants either), they become loose and sloppy, although it does seem that the older versions were the best mechanically built versions as they progressively became lighter and smaller so did their build quality go down. That 50mm with 1000 ball bearings inside for the aperture control comes to mind and I'm sure that's not the only focal length that used this system.

That said, coming across some well worn and well used versions of lenses is the best guide, using mint examples or even a super clean users doesn't tell the whole story. Beaters tell it for sure though, I've seen more Nikkor beaters still kicking then any other brand and I think it speaks volumes. The fact that years later, 1000's of shots later, millions of miles traveled, and they still provide quality .....


Well, my statement on Minolta lenses is based solely on own experience owning and using apprx. 20 MF prime lenses for more than 30 years (some of them are even older, i.e. almost 50 years in operation as bought already used). I've read some stories from others about problems but never encountered any myself, though I am not the most careful person on earth. Wink

I cannot comment on Nikkors because I have only 2 older Nikon lenses which I wouldn't consider as a representative sample.
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