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Opinions about zoom lenses needed
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PostPosted: Sun Dec 13, 2015 6:30 am    Post subject: Opinions about zoom lenses needed Reply with quote
Super-Danubia MC Auto 75-200mm f/4.5
Super Albinar MC 70-210mm f/3.8
RMC Tokina 80-200mm f/4
AUTO-BEROFLEX 28-105mm F3.5
Panagor PMC Auto 80-200mm f/4.5
Mitakon MC 70-210mm f/3.5

I think most are M42. How do these lenses perform at full aperture? Any opinions?


PostPosted: Sun Dec 13, 2015 8:32 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
I don't know much about these.
I had a 75-200/4.5 for Minolta AF which I dubbed the Small Pipe. It was great (unfortunately the gears too weak for the Sony's huge pull).

Didn't shoot much wide open but I'd go for the Small Pipe over any of the others you mention if no further tests were possible.

Note that I can't guarantee your 75-200 is the Small Pipe or has the same glass in it.


PostPosted: Sun Dec 13, 2015 10:41 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
M42 mount comes from a period when zoom lenses really weren't up to much. The earliest bayonet mount zooms are also best avoided IMO.

There is very little chance a any AF lens will follow the same optical design.


PostPosted: Sun Dec 13, 2015 11:14 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
If you go for zoom lenses, ...

... you can spend little money and get low performers. --> A

... you can spend little money and get decent performers. --> B

... you can spend a little more and get good performers. --> C

or

... you can spend quite some money and get a very good performance. --> D

Examples:

A: All early "no-name" zoom lenses (Danubia, Abinar, Beroflex...)

B: Tokina RMC 4/80-200

C: Tamron SP 70-210, Rolleinar 4/80-200, or the real surprise: Canon FD 4.5/75-200 (!) (You can sometimes find this Canon for a really good price.)

D: Zeiss Vario-Sonnar 4/80-200 (C/Y), Leica Vario-Elmar 4/70-210 (although is it called "Japan-Zoom" it is a really good lens!)


PostPosted: Sun Dec 13, 2015 12:33 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Old zooms are a lottery, and the bad are truly awful.
My few good non OEM zooms however always surprise me as to how good they are, maybe they don't reach the standards of some prime lenses, but it's a hard call.

Vivitar Series 1. The 70-210's in most configurations are very good, I prefer the Komine f2.8 - 4. Another great Series 1 is the 28-90 f2.8 - 3.5, which is superb. I also rate very highly the Series 1. 24-48 f3.8 which is big and heavy but a great wide lens.

Tamron, there's the 17A 35-70 Macro f3.5 - 4.2 and the legendary 19AH 70-210 f3.5. there's a lot of good Tamron zooms.

Tokina, finding a cheap AT-X SD 80-200 f2.8 isn't easy, but it's a terrific lens.

Soligor, I've got a CD 70-210 f3.5 which is 'good' but not quite in the same league as the Vivitar or Tamron, and it's a lot bigger and heavier.

Most of the other off brand zooms I've got, Miranda, Steinheill, Prinzflex and the Tokina + Sigma cheap range of lenses, are pretty dismal performers.


PostPosted: Sun Dec 13, 2015 3:05 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Lloydy wrote:
Old zooms are a lottery, and the bad are truly awful.
My few good non OEM zooms however always surprise me as to how good they are, maybe they don't reach the standards of some prime lenses, but it's a hard call.

I find that to be a good summary for this thread. I would only add that, when you find a 3rd-party zoom that is really good, it's quite a nice treat.

Lloydy wrote:
Vivitar Series 1. The 70-210's in most configurations are very good, I prefer the Komine f2.8 - 4. [...] I also rate very highly the Series 1. 24-48 f3.8 which is big and heavy but a great wide lens.

Of the six VS1 70-210 MF zoom versions, the general consensus is that the 3rd version (Komine f/2.8-4, SN 28...) is the best, followed by the 2nd version (Tokina, f/3.5, SN 37...) (which is the best if you dislike variable aperture zooms, as I do).

And the VS1 24-48/3.8 is indeed a real gem of a wide-angle to (almost) normal zoom.

Lloydy wrote:
Tokina, finding a cheap AT-X SD 80-200 f2.8 isn't easy, but it's a terrific lens.

The AT-X 80-200/2.8 is quite good (and fast), but I also would mention the AT-X 100-300/4, which is even better, and in fact is a superlative zoom lens (and, while not as commonly seen as the 80-200/2.8, is not overly uncommon either).

EDIT: I have a number of unprocessed original images and 100% crops taken with the Tokina AT-X 100-300/4 at http://www.allgeektome.com/pentax/x1003004/x1003004.htm .

Also, much less common that its AT-X "big brothers", above, but well worth looking for, is the wonderful little AT-X 60-120/2.8.

Lloydy wrote:
Most of the other off brand zooms I've got, Miranda, Steinheill, Prinzflex and the Tokina + Sigma cheap range of lenses, are pretty dismal performers.

I would mention a couple of the better RMC Tokina zooms (and RMC lenses were the best of the Tokina lenses just before the AT-X lenses started appearing):

The RMC 70-210/3.5 is Tokina's version of the 2nd VS1 70-210/3.5 (which was a Tokina-built lens), and is virtually identical to the VS1 version.

The RMC 100-300/5.6 is a nice little 100-300, which is not quite as good (or as fast) (or as large) as its AT-X 100-300/4 cousin (which does the advantage of SD glass), but it's a great little 100-300 for a compact travel long zoom.


PostPosted: Sun Dec 13, 2015 5:18 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
LucisPictor wrote:
Leica Vario-Elmar 4/70-210 (although is it called "Japan-Zoom" it is a really good lens!)


.....or spend less money and get the Minolta version!

I do agree with Lucispictor!


PostPosted: Sun Dec 13, 2015 6:37 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Let me put it this way. If I were buying a lot these were a part of sight unseen, I would have put their combined value at $5.


PostPosted: Sun Dec 13, 2015 7:12 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Gardener wrote:
Let me put it this way. If I were buying a lot these were a part of sight unseen, I would have put their combined value at $5.


Nah, that's an exaggeration. The Tokina 4/80-200 is no bad lens and worth about US$20. The Panagor for $10 and the rest for $5 each, ok. So all six together something like US$50,-.


PostPosted: Sun Dec 13, 2015 7:18 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
LucisPictor wrote:
Gardener wrote:
Let me put it this way. If I were buying a lot these were a part of sight unseen, I would have put their combined value at $5.


Nah, that's an exaggeration. The Tokina 4/80-200 is no bad lens and worth about US$20. The Panagor for $10 and the rest for $5 each, ok. So all six together something like US$50,-.


That Tokina has 80+ percent chance to have haze on the surface above the aperture, rendering it wortless. Now substract shipping cost, and $5 it is.


PostPosted: Sun Dec 13, 2015 7:52 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Lloydy wrote:
Vivitar Series 1. The 70-210's in most configurations are very good, I prefer the Komine f2.8 - 4. [...] I also rate very highly the Series 1. 24-48 f3.8 which is big and heavy but a great wide lens.

Of the six VS1 70-210 MF zoom versions, the general consensus is that the 3rd version (Komine f/2.8-4, SN 28...) is the best, followed by the 2nd version (Tokina, f/3.5, SN 37...) (which is the best if you dislike variable aperture zooms, as I do).[/quote]

Yes, that's certainly the consensus on the S1 70-210's. And I haven't got that one. I do have the Kiron version 70-210 f3.5 though, and I still rate the Komine 2.8 / 4 as a better lens.
They are so cheap it's almost compulsory to have one. Wink
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