Flektogon 2.8/35 DDR zebra version M42 (images added)

[mo]

I received this today after I bought it with a few other items( I will make some posts about those later).I was surprised by its feel I was expecting a solid little lens like the other CZJ lenses I have.To me it feels plasticky in comparison to the ALU lenses does anyone else think this.
I have not had good enough weather to see how it performs.Is it an easy lens to get into to clean some specks of fungi?
These are quick and nasty shots of the lens

[ManualFocus-G]

I love the zebra version! There's usually something wrong with them, like many abused east German lenses, but iq is usually stunning. I've corrected the spelling mistake in the title to make searching easier

[mo]

Thanks! I hope there is nothing wrong with it...See how it performs tomorrow

[Rolf]

Wow Moira - as I can see your collection is growing rapidly.

[Seele]

Moira,

I think we are all looking forward to seeing your results with it.

The 35/2.8 is an earlier form of inverted telephoto design which explains the very large front element, compared to that the one on the later 35/2.4 is tiny. Generally it has been said that the zebra version tends to suffer more from helicoid wear making focussing somewhat sloppier than normal, but cleaning out the old grease and re-greasing it should go a long way to fix this issue, if present.

[Attila]

Congrats more for this great lens!

[iangreenhalgh1]

Look forward to seeing samples from this lens. I just bought the same version for 55ukp and when it arrived yesterday, the aperture blades were loose and one had come completely unseated so it's been returned to the seller.

So now I am looking for another Flektogon and seeing samples would be very useful to pick out which model to get!

P.S. Anyone got any experience of the Meyer Primagon 4.5/35?

[rappelbums]

The Makro-Flek is a great lens, congrats to you!
I own it as a 1Q-version in great condition, clean glass, smooth focus, quick blades. It is one of my most favorite lenses, as it is damned sharp open and even sharper stopped down. You will need a helicoid to get contrast and to protect the large front element.
If your lens performs not so good, try to clean it.

[mo]

Thanks everyone,as far as I can tell the focusing is very smooth no stiffness or looseness.It focuses down to 0,18 so is it indeed the "macro" version?
Rolf I only buy when I think it is a bargain (fits my budget)... and thanks to this forum I pick my victims and research a little about the lens I want.... and I just keep looking until I spy something that I want and it falls into my budget range.
This was bought from a listing in a photography magazine.There were 2 cameras and 4 lenses, I just wanted the Flek.. I think I got it for a good price plus some extras that I did not really need.. I also picked up a Auto Pentacon 50/1.8 but I can not get its aperture blades to stop down..but that is for another thread

[ManualFocus-G]

Looking forward to some shots! AFAIK, all M42 Fleks focus that close by the way

[mo]

[iangreenhalgh1]

[Seele]

Moira,

This lens has automatic iris compensation for focussing distance where the focussing drive is linked to the iris mechanism.

When focussing closer, the same aperture size would effectively decrease as the lens is pushed further away from the film plane, so the iris diaphragm is opened up slightly to give the same effective aperture. This also means that when the aperture ring is set to f/2.8 at infinity, you rack out the focussing ring and you will see the aperture ring slowly moving, and reaches about f/4 when fully racked out.

I have both the zebra version and the first automatic "diamond grip" version and they both have this compensator, and the contemporary 135 Sonnars have them too. Zeiss probably had a chuckle when Japanese makers made a song and dance about having this same compensator system in their lenses, many years later.

[mo]

[ManualFocus-G]

Told you it was a good lens 8 and 9 are superb!

[mo]