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Pentacon and its Biotar 2/58
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PostPosted: Fri Oct 15, 2010 9:08 pm    Post subject: Pentacon and its Biotar 2/58 Reply with quote
I got this oldie a few days ago.
It's interesting to see how it works, completely manual.
The viewfinder is dark until you roll the film to take a shoot.







10 blades diaph :


and I don't know wether I'll keep it...


PostPosted: Fri Oct 15, 2010 10:06 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Have you taken any pictures with it yet?...I loved and still love mine Very Happy Just waiting on better light.
Does yours, when you open it up fully too F2 stay wide open until you depress the pin at the back to allow you to run through all the F stops and see the blades open and close? I hope you get what I am meaning Rolling Eyes


PostPosted: Fri Oct 15, 2010 10:15 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Congrats , great set ! I hope Pentacon is in working condition and we able to see some shoots taken by you with these beauties.


PostPosted: Sat Oct 16, 2010 1:50 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Beautiful set, indeed!


PostPosted: Sat Oct 16, 2010 6:16 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
mo wrote:
Have you taken any pictures with it yet?...I loved and still love mine Very Happy Just waiting on better light.
Does yours, when you open it up fully too F2 stay wide open until you depress the pin at the back to allow you to run through all the F stops and see the blades open and close? I hope you get what I am meaning Rolling Eyes


No, Moïra, there's no pin at the rear.
This is a preset lens, older than I as it seems to have been produced between 1955 and 1958.

I shot some but just to try it and it's not of any interest... Confused
I'll have to test it in better light and with proper subjects. Wink

Attila,
I'm not a great specialist of oldies like that but it seems to me that it is in working order. But I have no film rolls... Smile Maybe I should buy some and shoot a serie.
I'm thinking about shooting memorials and shrines in the country around my home. Maybe I should try with this set and a pack of rolls.
What would you advice to me : slides films, B&W, colour ? What brand : fuji, kodak, other ?


PostPosted: Sat Oct 16, 2010 7:55 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Because you don't know nothing about it's speeds, try first with cheap color film what is available around you.

If you planing to use legacy camera systems in future more or with slides a shutter speed tester is essential.

Click here to see on Ebay

It is made by our member Florin you can buy from him directly for less.

Almost all old camera has lower shutter speeds above 125 than it's declared by maker. For example 250 only 125 or 150 to use them with slides need to count it , due slides require more accurate expositions.


PostPosted: Sat Oct 16, 2010 9:30 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
What you say is gold, attila.
I have to pay attention to the real shutter speeds + light metering.
For this latter point, maybe I can use my Zenith EM by setting the different values : asa-iso and speed with the helios-40 M mounted and opened the same as on the pentacon + Biometar ?
Not very quick but safe ?

Thanks for your advice. Smile


PostPosted: Sat Oct 16, 2010 9:40 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Olivier wrote:
What you say is gold, attila.
I have to pay attention to the real shutter speeds + light metering.
For this latter point, maybe I can use my Zenith EM by setting the different values : asa-iso and speed with the helios-40 M mounted and opened the same as on the pentacon + Biometar ?
Not very quick but safe ?

Thanks for your advice. Smile


If I got it well not safe, safe only measured shutter speeds + a good light meter (virtually any camera is good as light meter if it has trustworthy built-in one).

You can make also an exposure series on cheap film and write down what you did and you can check it out which one came out good.

I made many half bad rolls with old cameras , before I did start to use shutter tester. Now I have an excel sheet with all of my camera with all speed value. A printed copy always in my bag, my success ratio is dramatically changed to better one Smile

One more note pro film and slides can be expensive, I bought many expired ones from Ebay , these films was properly stored or/and frozen.
Now I enjoy quality films for brand new cheap film price.


PostPosted: Sat Oct 16, 2010 10:29 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
I would not give up on it yet Olivier...lets see what happens with the film. Very Happy


PostPosted: Sun Oct 17, 2010 10:52 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
Very nice combo!
The lens is fantastic!!


PostPosted: Sun Oct 17, 2010 9:22 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
On my 5D MkII, the mirror hits the back of the lens if I use a standard M42 to Eos converter.
If I use a flanged one, the mirror doesn't hit the back no more but I loose infinity focus... Confused

Any idea ?
Sand the back of the lens ? Embarassed


PostPosted: Sun Oct 17, 2010 9:25 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Olivier wrote:
On my 5D MkII, the mirror hits the back of the lens if I use a standard M42 to Eos converter.
If I use a flanged one, the mirror doesn't hit the back no more but I loose infinity focus... Confused

Any idea ?
Sand the back of the lens ? Embarassed


This is not lens fault I guess, I don't know seller will make refund because incompatible with Canon 5DII.


PostPosted: Sun Oct 17, 2010 10:06 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
I think Olivier meant to machine the rear of the lens barrel, sand the back as opposed to sending it back.


PostPosted: Mon Oct 18, 2010 6:14 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
Looks like a great camera and lens. I would keep it, (or sell it to me Laughing ).

I have the later Bio and it's fine on 5Dmkii. I would not butcher a lens of this quality. When does the mirror stick? Is it just at infinity?

mo wrote:
Have you taken any pictures with it yet?...I loved and still love mine Very Happy Just waiting on better light.
Does yours, when you open it up fully too F2 stay wide open until you depress the pin at the back to allow you to run through all the F stops and see the blades open and close? I hope you get what I am meaning Rolling Eyes
Moira - I have one of those. It's semi-automatic. The preset, like the one aboe is easier on DSLRs.


PostPosted: Mon Oct 18, 2010 7:39 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
Yes, I meant machine. This is not lens fault and I don't even think to send it back to the seller.

It always hit the mirror because of the rear design which enters in the camera body when screwed entirely on a standard adapter.
This is the same as the preset alu Flektogon 2.8/35.
So this is the design of the old M42 Zeiss preset lenses which makes them incompatible with 5D MkII.

I'll have to use them with a flanged adapter, or use them on the 40D.

... or sell them to Martin... Laughing

Pictures here :
http://forum.mflenses.com/viewtopic,p,1079336.html#1079336

Flek 2.8/35 on the left, Biotar 2/58 on the right
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