Cheap but Good 28mm~35mm-ish Close-Focusing M42 Lens?

[ashy]

hi guys, any recommendation?

the criteria are:
1) ~70USD or ~40GBP
2) not too soft wide-opened
3) close focusing, >0.25x magnification possibly?
4) in 28mm ~ 35mm range

billion thanks in advance for your input!

[LucisPictor]

# Carl Zeiss Jena Flektogon 2.4/35
# MIR-24 2/35

But either lens will be more expensive than your limit, I'm afraid.

[eddieitman]

try the Kenlock MC Tor see my post regarding it, has a macro facility and will focus down to just a few CM, also the super Paragon 24 or 28mm is a good lens for close work focusing down to 0'17 my copy though is terrible for landscapes this may be due to the adaptor as i cant seem to get infinity
Both these lenses have been available in m42
Both can be had for £10-15
Also the Mir 1B at 37mm is very good but the bokeh may not be to your taste

[izvar]

My recommendation is EBC FUJINON 28/3.5.
I own the same lens and mine is pretty good.
Not so far away from your budget.

http://cgi.ebay.com/EBC-Fujinon-SW-28mm-F-3-5-M42-Screw-Mount-Lens-W-Hood-/150636426615?_trksid=p5197.m7&_trkparms=algo%3DLVI%26itu%3DUCI%26otn%3D1%26po%3DLVI%26ps%3D63%26clkid%3D1686442057059583168

[std]

2.8/35 flektogon costs about that.

[izvar]

[std]

On ebay if you are patient. Also check 28mm Vivitars. There were close focus version of them i think.

[iangreenhalgh1]

I have two close focus vivitar 2.8/28s, one in Pentax PK, one in Olympus OM.

I also have two Ensinor/Clubman (same lens, different brand) 2.8/28s, one is M42, the other Olympus OM.

I don't need any of them as I have other 28s.

If any of them are of interest to you I'd be happy to sell you one or more cheap, both are well regarded lenses.

This was with the M42 Ensinor/Clubman wide open, it's quite a sharp lens:



Not at all bad at infinity either, I think this was at f8:



Not bad for macro either and the colours are nicely saturated, no PP on any of these shots:

[indianadinos]

+1 for the Flektogon 35/2.8, focusing down up to 18cm only (which is less than the Flek 35/2.4) ...

Or, if you accept a bit slower lens, you could consider the SMC Takumar 28/3.5, really sharp starting wide open (sorry, don't have mine here right now for checking the minimum focusing distance) ...

[woodrim]

I'll have to echo the Vivitar Close Focus recommendation. I have both the Zeiss Flek 35mm f/2.4 and the Vivitar 28mm Close Focus and I have more success with the Vivitar. I do love the Flek when I get a picture from the sweet spot, but I seem to have focusing challenging when using that lens. When using the Vivitar I don't have those issues. Both focus very close and both are very sharp. If I had it to do over again, I'd either just use the Vivitar or maybe go for the Flek f/2.8 to save some money if I had to have a 35mm. I have a Vivitar post here: http://forum.mflenses.com/vivitar-28mm-close-focus-t29272,highlight,%2Bvivitar+%2Bclose+%2Bfocus.html and am happy to share my broader results with both lenses here: http://www.pbase.com/mdlempert/sony

[DigiChromeEd]

[Excalibur]

[Pancolart]

Healthy Enna Ennalyt gets you very close and is sharp wide-open (i mean plastic version, yes). It exist in 28mm and 35mm, and both F2.8 and F3.5 variants. Ask seller if lens is clean inside before buying. I guess you can get few for your budget .

[aoleg]

Mir-10A is a 28mm f/3.5 lens that can focus down to 0.2m. Highly recommended, and it as an "A" mount which is similar to T2 (in fact, it's using just the outer shell of a regular T2 adapter one can buy on eBay). As such, it's easily usable on ANY camera, including the usually problematic (for MF glass) Nikon.

[IAZA]

I agree with comments above
for 35mm/cheap
flek 35/2,8 black version closest is 0,18 but alu version more than that (maybe 0,3 sorry I sold mine long time ago)
flek 35/2,4 is far more expensive but the result really different too

28mm
Vivitar is good ratio/value

between them is 30mm
Pentacon or meyer lydith 30/3,5

[WolverineX]

maybe try olympus 28mm/3.5. it has minimum focusing of 0.3m

[walter g]

+1 on the Vivitar close focus lens. Which I still need to buy a copy.By the way my Kiron made Vivitar 28 2.5 is marked minimum 0.3 meters but it actually goes closer. I'm guessing 0.25.

[Minolfan]

Tamron 28mm 2.5 is focusing till 25cm too, really nice and not very expensive. But I have to confess, I hardly used the close focusing of this lens till now, for that purpuse I prefer most times longer lenses.

[woodrim]

[mmelvis]

Low cost
Sears 28mm 2.8 Macro lens can focus at a little less than 8 inches. Has a model number 202 7368800 m42 mount.

[stingOM]

[Attila]

[IAZA]

[Boomer Depp]

Have to recommend the Komine built Vivitar 28mm f2.8 Close Focus as well...also have two copies of the Nikkor 28mm f2.8 AI-S which used to be my favorite close focus lens in this focal length...also acquired an Olympus 28mm f3.5 a few years ago after hearing about it's ability,it's not quite up to the ability of either the Vivitar or the Nikkor at Minimum Focus Distance,though it does better at medium distances and on to infinity.

[RioRico]

My Vivitar-Komine 28/2 CFWA cost me US$18 shipped a few months ago. Near focus is 17cm / 6.5in. But if you're REALLY cheap, use whatever M42 lens you have and put a thin macro tube behind it. If that is too close, unscrew the lens from your adapter a bit and but a rubber band over the threads. I get that effect with a flanged (no infinity focus) M42-PK adapter on my K20D, which adds 1mm to the lens-frame distance. That is enough to drop the close-focus on my Sigma 24/2.8 from 30cm to 15cm. It takes my Makinon 28/2.8 from 30cm to 18cm. It takes my Isco Westron 35/2.8 from 30cm to 20cm. The shorter the lens, the greater the effect.