Soligor 95-310mm F/5.6

fatdeeman · Joined: 13 Jun 2009 Posts: 780 Location: UK

Just got one today, made by Sun (even in a Sun branded case but it's definitely made by Sun and not in the wrong case afaik)

I can't believe how tiny this lens is! It's smaller than most 200mm zooms!

Does anyone have any idea of the IQ?

luisalegria · Expire: 2018-01-18

Quite uncommon lens !

Picture ?

fatdeeman · Joined: 13 Jun 2009 Posts: 780 Location: UK

I'm in work right now so it's a bit inconvenient to post a picture but it's the same as this:

http://www.collectiblecameras.com/product.php?productid=157149&cat=770&page=5

walter g · Joined: 20 Feb 2010 Posts: 2463 Location: NC, USA

Nice lens. But, It's not made by Sun. I know it looks like a Sun lens, but it's not.
This is part of the C/D series in the early 1980's. Which you see alot of Sun made ones.

I believe this was designed by Soligor, not the manufactorer. If you check your lens it will start with 6, which is the code for Komine. The date, which is the next two numbers will probably be 81-83.

fatdeeman · Joined: 13 Jun 2009 Posts: 780 Location: UK

I just checked and the serial is 283030660 It's a C/D I just realised too...

walter g · Joined: 20 Feb 2010 Posts: 2463 Location: NC, USA

fatdeeman · Joined: 13 Jun 2009 Posts: 780 Location: UK

Ahhh I didn't realise there were multiple versions so I just linked to the first one I found!

I think this is the first MF lens I have owned that's younger than me too, not sure how I feel about that!

fatdeeman · Joined: 13 Jun 2009 Posts: 780 Location: UK

The lens appears to look just like the Komine version, maybe Sun were getting a bit hard up by then and so they only made lenses in the Soligor style and put their name on some instead of making some in their own distinct style too? It must have been confusing for customers if they saw both ranges in a shop or catalogue at the same time!

walter g · Joined: 20 Feb 2010 Posts: 2463 Location: NC, USA

I've only seen a few of these. So I hope you post some pictures fron it.
I really like older lenses, but I have some newer ones also. Smile

fatdeeman · Joined: 13 Jun 2009 Posts: 780 Location: UK

It was too dark to really test it when I got home but from what I can tell it seems to be pretty good, hopefully the weekend will bring sun!

I also got a Sun DC-1 70-210mm F/3.5-4.5 recently, ever heard of that? It's good at the wider end but quality declines as you zoom in, I would normally put it down to poor optical quality but there is a very large amount of dust in the middle of the lens, I usually say dust has no effect but there really is a lot in this one and I think it is reducing contrast so I need to see if I can get it apart...

fatdeeman · Joined: 13 Jun 2009 Posts: 780 Location: UK

walter g · Joined: 20 Feb 2010 Posts: 2463 Location: NC, USA

fatdeeman · Joined: 13 Jun 2009 Posts: 780 Location: UK

I will try to get a pic on the weekend.

Orio · Expire: 2012-12-04

fatdeeman · Joined: 13 Jun 2009 Posts: 780 Location: UK

Ok the weather is crap but I took a few quick shots.

Initial impressions are this:

It's better at the short end than the long end but that's the same for most tele lenses, I've only shot it wide open so far and it's softer at 310mm but certainly not so much as to be unusable.

There is some CA but I have come to expect this with my G1, it seems to coax it out of a lens and then magnify it 2x!

Bokeh seems surprisingly smooth and colour/contrast are good.

All wide open, no processing apart from resizing:

90mm

310mm

100% crop

As you can see a little soft but not a disaster, it would probably do better on a larger sensor camera. Bear in mind it was an overcast day so low shutter speeds may have had an effect.

Overall It's a keeper, it's as sharp at 200mm as most of my 200mm zooms and is the same size if not smaller than most so it's no disadvantage to carry it along with me.

With better weather I will get some better samples and may even see an improvement at the tele end.

fatdeeman · Joined: 13 Jun 2009 Posts: 780 Location: UK