35mm f1.8 MC W.ROKKOR-HH on Sony A700

[ricardovaste]

We had a few spells of snow over x-mas here in the UK, which meant we were completely snowed in a couple of times... which was pretty frustrating, but I tried to use the time productively so went to work on the 35/1.8 Rokkor I'd been putting off for a couple of months. Got it complete! Works well, infinity focus, smooth aperture and focus.

I also altered the stop-down metering method slightly. Instead, you move the aperture ring to whatever aperture you like, and the blades stay at 1.8 where it's easy to focus. Then you simply flick a small lever (as pictures, bottom photo, center) to stop down the lens. Not a massive advantage over the original/usual method, and I'm sure some wouldn't like it, but it works really well for me.

Sadly it was rainy during the week when I wanted to get out to test it... so no samples yet ... couldn't get my new child wet!

[ricardovaste]

Okay, got some quick snaps whilst making lunch ISO200, handheld/SSS.

f1.8


f1.8


f4

[Attila]

Looks a great lens , I like especially last sample. Congrats!

[ricardovaste]

Thanks Attila! I hope to add more samples soon

[gillbod]

nice work in the conversion, richard.

looks like a nice lens, but seems like it might be prone to a bit of clumpiness wide open with some backgrounds...

i guess there's a reason why those 35/1.4s are so bloody expensive.

hope you're keeping well.

[ricardovaste]

Hi gillbod, good to hear from you!

Thanks for your compliments, it was quite a difficult job, but I had a good amount of time to think it through over the "snowy season"! I'm not sure what you mean by clumpiness in backgrounds though :S, care to elaborate? It certainly seems very smooth to me, but I haven't tested it greatly (atleast not this sample), I imagine it's as likely to catch specular highlights as much as any lens though, when pushed to extremes.

Those 35/1.4 are expensive for many reasons, but they're not simply "better" in every regard, they just (generally) cost more to make because they sell less of them, the designs are more complex, the quality of glass is higher, and the QC is higher. The new Samyang 35/1.4 (TBA) might be an interesting option, where I imagine the glass will be very good quality, but the price low(er) because of the build and lack of auto aperture/ auto focus. I've tried the 35/1.4 Minolta before and I wouldn't say the Rokkor is too far behind it overall, but they're definately very different lenses.

[gillbod]

there's not much clumpiness on show in the pictures you show, but i reckon it'll show up in more difficult scenarios.

to me, what gives it away is the just out of focus regions just behind your sandwich (particularly the bits just behind your sandwich on the left). they seem a bit hard edged to me. i reckon that might show a bit more clearly on a portrait distance against foliage as opposed to the indoor close ups that you've shared.

still, it looks a cracker, and i'm really nit picking in my criticisms.

[ZoneV]

Oh, I also like the Rokkor 35/1.8, I have bought one and converted it to my EOS 5D - German site:
http://www.4photos.de/camera-diy/Minolta35mm-SR-EOS-Umbau.html

For the FD 400/2.8L I convert at the moment I have planned to make some kind of lever / knob - but I hope th get it the other way round: Open when the lever is pulled, closed when lever is not pulled. I thought this way round would be better for tripod use - if possible without too much effort.

Thanks for showing!

[catweazle-x]

Hi Ricardo,

Chapeau, you`ve done really a great work here! I`m happy to see this kind of adapting the favourable MC-Rokkors to the A-Mounts of Sony.
So, I guess, you`ll be the right person to give me some advice how I can use your solution to convert my MC/MD 135F2.8 to use it at my A550.
What type of your adaptors do I need?
Thanks in advance.....

[ricardovaste]

Hi Gillbod, I know what you're talking about now. "clumpyness" just seems like a weird way of describing bokeh is all, didn't quite get it . Yeah, it's catching on the water droplets with the sun coming through the window, specular highlights. I will give more testing, but from the sample I had last year, it holds up reasonably well, but it's not perfect, like every lens.

Hi ZoneV - Thanks for sharing that, the samples look good! Not too sure about the "crusty" finish to the lens, or all the filings everywhere, but it seems to work well enough .

catweazle-x - Thanks! Most sr-mount 135/2.8's can be done with a fairly simple mount replacement, non destructive. It's the same with most of the tele rokkors i think. You'll still need the right tools for creating the new mount though, or perhaps someone you know has a workshop that could help you out. You're essentially removing 1mm from the flange distance and then also substituting in the depth of the new mount. I did a 135/2.8 MC (with DOF lever) a few months ago for someone, but they weren't bothered about it being reversible. It was a very well made lens, I can tell you that. I was allowed quite a good amount of freedom with adjusting the helicoid, so in the end I only had to remove 1mm from the original mount to get focus and infinity, which is unusual for a Rokkor-Sony mount.




So unless you have access to a workshop, I'd just go with an M42 option, it's such a common type of lens it's not worth the fuss unless you're "Rokkor Crazy"

[poilu]

congrats, nice results at 1.8!

[uhoh7]

would love to see how it compares to new "easy choice" sony 35mm 1.8, which is a steal at 199USD new. Plastic, yes, but very crisp.

http://kurtmunger.com/sony_dt_35mm_f_1_8_reviewid235.html

I could not resist at that price.

It will AF on my nex-5 (with laea-1).

It seems to equal my canon FD 35mm SSC concave in sharpness, at 1/4 the weight.

But your rokkor may be better.

http://www.dcresource.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=55039&d=1285974508

[ZoneV]

[ricardovaste]

We had some time to share these past two weeks or so... took the a700 & 35/1.8 mc w.rokkor-hh with me a couple of times. Just casual snaps, nothing more.

"Unimpressed"


"Picnic Sounds"


"Candy Floss"


There is a thread here on dyxum which links back (at the top of page) all the related images.

As before, definately enjoy this lens, despite never really being a fan of 50mm which I've tried to like so many times (35 on APS-C ~ 53mm). Just like the build, feel, colours... just a nice lens to me. Hope you enjoy

[LucisPictor]

It seems I have missed this thread so far.

Excellent job! Adapting a Rokkor to a Nikon is even more difficult than to an EOS.
Wow!

[ricardovaste]

Glad you liked . Seems you've misread "Sony A700" as "Nikon D700" in the title though, as well as all the other references to Sony and the picture of it on the Alpha