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Please help me (approximately) date my M42 glass
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PostPosted: Thu Dec 11, 2008 8:48 pm    Post subject: Please help me (approximately) date my M42 glass Reply with quote
Hello from Maine, USA.

I LOVE FAST GLASS and I don't mind manually focusing Smile

As one who shoots indoor events I had two choices - use old fast primes that cost me about $20 each, or spend thousands of dollars on new fast zooms. I went with M42 glass Smile I love it.

Old lenses are nice and metal, new lenses so plastic - they are toys!

Anyway, I know the date of all my Nikon lenses, that information was easy to find, but my M42 glass, I don't know the age.

Approximate is fine.

Can anyone give me a guess?

1. Cosina (Vivitar label) 50mm f/1.8mm
http://www.flickr.com/photos/79594440@N00/3087351865/

2. Vivitar "automatic tele converter" "2X-23"
http://www.flickr.com/photos/79594440@N00/3087351497/

More pics are here :
http://www.flickr.com/photos/79594440@N00/

Thank you very much Smile I am kind of a history buff and I really like to know the age of my gear.

Have fun!
Craig

Last edited by spystyle on Fri Dec 12, 2008 9:02 pm; edited 3 times in total


PostPosted: Thu Dec 11, 2008 9:59 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Production of S-M-C 55/1.8 started at 1971.


PostPosted: Thu Dec 11, 2008 10:22 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Do you know when it ended? Perhaps I could say "Circa 1971 - 19XX" ?

Smile

Thank you,
Craig


PostPosted: Thu Dec 11, 2008 10:23 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Hanimex 135/2.8 circa 1975. Vivitar 200/3.5 circa 1978.


PostPosted: Thu Dec 11, 2008 10:32 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
spystyle wrote:
Do you know when it ended? Perhaps I could say "Circa 1971 - 19XX" ?

Smile

Thank you,
Craig

Hi Craig. Pentax stopped making M42 lenses when they introduced the K bayonet mount. I'm pretty sure that was 1975 but they may have continued selling them into 76.

However your S-M-C lens was discontinued and replaced by the SMC version with a different style focus ring in 1972.

This is a very helpful site about old Pentax stuff:
http://www.aohc.it/indexe.htm

Also you can get info on Vivitar lenses here:
http://www.cameraquest.com/VivLensManuf.htm
The first two digits of the serial number are the manufacturer code (37 = Tokina) and the third digit is the last digit of the year of manufacture. So 1975 would 375xxxx. You have to guess what decade! Smile


PostPosted: Thu Dec 11, 2008 10:38 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
You guys are too kind!

Thank you Smile

Only 3 left to date Smile


PostPosted: Fri Dec 12, 2008 6:28 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
peterqd wrote:
spystyle wrote:
Do you know when it ended? Perhaps I could say "Circa 1971 - 19XX" ?

Smile

Thank you,
Craig

Hi Craig. Pentax stopped making M42 lenses when they introduced the K bayonet mount. I'm pretty sure that was 1975 but they may have continued selling them into 76.

However your S-M-C lens was discontinued and replaced by the SMC version with a different style focus ring in 1972.

This is a very helpful site about old Pentax stuff:
http://www.aohc.it/indexe.htm

Also you can get info on Vivitar lenses here:
http://www.cameraquest.com/VivLensManuf.htm
The first two digits of the serial number are the manufacturer code (37 = Tokina) and the third digit is the last digit of the year of manufacture. So 1975 would 375xxxx. You have to guess what decade! Smile


EXCELLENT! Thanks for the links.
I just found out my 200mm Viv was made by Kiron my 135 by Komine and my 24 by Tokina. Very Happy


PostPosted: Fri Dec 12, 2008 9:02 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Nice, I contacted JML and they told me my 28mm was made in 1985.

Now there are only 2 mysteries left Smile
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