Good offer? Some M42 lenses

[CameraRick]

Hi there my lens-friends (I like this language, it's so easy to make some nice wordplays or rhymes ),

just as promised, my first real thread

I found a guy who sells some of his stuff over the Internet, and I'm thinking about buying it - but not before I'm shure that it is worth it.

The package contains a "PORST compact reflex" camera (I'm not really into analog photography), some filters (POL, Sky, Macro, some stepp/-down rings), a tele-converter (2x by Hama) and a camerabag. But, more interesting, some lenses:

MC 1,7/50mm (actually I don't know the brand, I think it's a Porst, too)
Porst Weitwinkel MC 2,8/35mm auto
Porst 2,8/135mm auto
Revuenon Weitwinkel 2,8/35mm
Beroflex Auto-Zoom 70-140 mm (don't know the f-stop)

He wants to give away the whole package for about 120€ (~160$/104£) plus shipping (about 5 to 7€). But, I can try to chaffer a bit.
You think it's worth it?
I'm mostly interested to use those lenses with my Canon EOS, and I'm primary interested in the 50mm, 35mm and 135mm. I think on eBay I'd pay at least 100€, if not more, for three of this kind.
But are that good lenses? I searched on http://m42.artlimited.net, but didn't got much results (also, the site seems to be down at the moment).

"Weitwinkel" is simply the german term for "wide angle", I saw it in some lens-names, so I thought of copying it like this.
What means "auto" on a M42 lens? Can I use it on my Adapter?

Also, I don't know the exact conditions. He send me his phone number, but I don't wanted to call before I ask my lens-telligent friends on here

Regards!

[Attila]

Those can be either crap and good one depend from it's maker. If you are unsure pass them. Buy well known lens instead.

[CameraRick]

Hi Atilla,

how can I get to know the maker? Is Porst some kind of "Reseller"?

What would be well known lenses? I saw some Zeiss on eBay, I would think they are good, but exprensive too. As I'm a student, I don't have that much money :/

Regards!

[Attila]

[CameraRick]

Hi Atilla,

that's very kind, thanks
I know Quelle, I had an Alpha 200 from them. I think they are no more, closed last year or so.

I'm interested in 28, 35, 50, 135 (I heard they make great results), maybe 85 and below 28 (it's hard to find anything good, but with the crop of my cam 28 is no real wide angle). I wanted to have at least f2.8, maybe f1.8 at 50mm. I want to have great depth of field while filming.

I'm using a Canon EOS 550D (Rebel T2i in some regions), my M42 Adapter just arrived today (it's one without a chip).

Best Regards!

[Attila]

My low budget lenses in this line are next.

Pentacon 29mm f2.8
Carl Zeiss Jena Flektogon 35mm f2.8
Pentacon 50mm f1.8
Helios-44 ~50mm
Mir-1 B 35mm f2.8
Pentacon 135mm f2.8
Jupiter-9 85mm f2
Kaleinar 100mm f2.8
meyer-orestegor 100mm f2.8
pentacon 100mm f2.8
Carl Zeiss Jena Sonnar 135mm f3.5 or f4
Carl Zeiss Jena Flektogon 25mm f4 or 20mm f4

Also think about other mounts like Olympus OM and Nikon .

There is many excellent lens going so cheap.

Like Olympus 28mm f3.5 , Olympus 135mm f3.5 basically all Olympus OM and Nikon are very nice lens and you can find many what is fit into your budget. Also don't forget Takumars many of them low priced and excellent ones.

[CameraRick]

Hi there,

looks nice to me - where I live I can get many Porst, Revuenon, sometimes Pentacon (but they aren't that cheap). Revuenon ist not that good?

What makes me curious is that you mention the Pentacon 29mm f2.8. In an other forum I read that this would not be original Pentacon, and that this seems to be not a good lens. Can you deny that?

Regards

[Attila]

[CameraRick]

Hi there Atilla,

that's kinda nasty, I just wanted to get some nice lenses in one shot
But I think then I get them one by one, thanks for advice.

What would be other good Products besides Pentacon, Zeiss? Vivitar, Practika?

eBay.de got plenty, but I don't like ebay that much. But hey, I'll give it (another) try

Regards

ps.:
What about Revue? A local store has a M42 50mm f1.8 Revue für 29€, would this be a good buy?

[RioRico]

I bought a Porst package on eBay a couple years ago. Porst was a sales badge, not a lens-maker; their reputation is shaky, not quite as good as similar Vivitar. My Weitwinkel 35/2.8 is good; my 135/2.8 is fogged; my Color Reflex 55/2.8 is a problem, as it is auto only.

Auto on M42 means the aperture will stop-down on an M42 body, but NOT with any mount adapter that I know of. To use a M42 lens on a dSLR, it must either be preset (no auto); or have an M/A switch to allow stop-down; or, if auto-only, the pin needs to be stuck closed. Be careful about using superglue for this last, because you may never be able to un-stick it, making the lens fairly worthless for film work.

I agree with others above who are negative about this deal. While *bad* 28's, 35's, 50-55's, and 135's are not common, they do exist, mostly due to age and disease. You might do better to look for Takumar lenses (which aren't so cheap now), Mamiya, Ricoh (including Sears, Focal, Access), Vivitar (with care), and Russian/Ukraine glass. I think this Porst package is overpriced. Good luck!

[CameraRick]

Hi there,

when they are "auto", it's not interesting. I want a full manual lens, so I can use it as good as possible.
So I think Revue isn't good at all, hm? Many brands you post here I didn't even hear before, or are very hard to find.

Regards

[Attila]

[CameraRick]

[Attila]

I wish to push you take seriously Ebay as lens source easier to find there than in local shops and no risk if you buy from reliable sellers.

[luisalegria]

There are some M42 adapters with a flange that pushes the auto-pin.

Alex (member HK300) was selling some. The one I have from him for Pentax K works very well and is my favorite adapter now. Needs a little bit of filing though.

[CameraRick]

Hi there guys,

I'm taking ebay seriously, don't get me wrong but there are always other places - I just want to get a picture
I like local traders because I can see and test things. But I actual don't know where I should look at directly.

Sadly, I have just a normal Adapter, I think:



When a lense is called "electric", it means the same than "auto", right? I saw a Pancolar electric 50 f1.8 for 12€, but I don't know if I could use it.

Also I saw a Cosinon 55mm f1.4, maybe this is worth a shot? I searched on the forum, many said it would be a nice lens.

Don't get me wrong, I love your help. I'm leaning so much about optics right know, and there are SO many of them, so I just want to get the nicest I can get (Zeiss for example are pretty expensive here, I think it's because everyone thinks Zeiss is the best they can get)

Regards

[RioRico]

[CameraRick]

Hi there RioRico,

so that's whats going on.
This "auto"-thing just confuses me, sorry si die Pancolar f1.8 50mm would be very pretty, I think. Maybe I'll give it a shot.
I didn't thought I got any auto-features, I mean I don't want any lens that requires auto-features. I'm sorry, as I'm not native english sometimes I just don't get it right.

As metioned, I'm using a Canon EOS 550D - when I bought it (on ebay) it said it could focus on infinity, so I think I'm safe with that.

Regards

[RioRico]

[CameraRick]

So I have only to be aware of "auto only" lenses, right?
Now I have a picture, thank you

Beroflex isn't a very good brand, isn't it? I can find many lenses, but not very much information about it.

Regards!

[Attila]

[CameraRick]

Haha, I see.
So I guess finding good lenses (for good prices) isn't that easy as I thought

But hey, that's not a problem. Tomorrow there are some jag fairs (is this the right word?) in town, I think I'll go over there and search for some cheap, good stuff.
So long, I'll take a look on eBay and stuff - seems that the Pancolar electric 50mm f1.8 isn't such a great lens, too.

Regards

[Attila]

Wrong, Pancolars are one of the best lenses!

[CameraRick]

Yeah, I heard that.
But why are there Pancolars 50mm f1.8 sold for 10$? Even in this forum, that makes me curious - or are they simply "cheap and good"?

Regards

[Attila]

That lens had faulty or seller had no clue or you mix with Pentacon.