A tribute to Angenieux 35-70 mm f2.5-3.3 (beware long serie)

[Olivier]

Just to share my enthousiasm about this french lens.

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[Rolf]

Hi Olivier,

very nice series. Great lens ! Sharp as a prime lens. Super.

[trifox]

excellent!!

tf

[Olivier]

It seems that this lens is very much at ease with cloudy weather.
That's just fine for where I am living !!!

[XF74]

Very nice pictures! I love the creamy bokeh.

Very good for a zoom.

How old is this lens?

Xavier

[Olivier]

Salut Xavier.

I'd take some tartiflette again if you let some.

Sorry. I have to be serious now.
This Angenieux zoom lens 35-70mm, called by Angenieux 2x35, has a retrofocus zoom system. The barrel doesn't extend, this is the lens which moves inside the barrel. Reverse focus because when you zoom at 35mm, the lens moves away from the sensor and at 70mm the lens comes close to the sensor.

Here is a link to the lenses gallery :
http://www.mflenses.com/gallery/v/frenchlenses/

and a link to some history :
http://www.mwclassic.com/articles/agenieux/ageniuex.htm

[trifox]

Angenieux is ONE FIRST CLASS optical COMPANY

all those endless articles on web about these lenses if they're worth of money or not are not good for making decision ..

I would suggest one thing -- BUY IT and TRY IT .. yes, they're NOT REALLY CHEAP ones but ... these lenses have incredible colours and CHARM

tf

[pich900]

Salut Olivier!
Yes, very nice pictures, I like a lot the colours very "natural" as wel as the sweet bokeh ....I saw in your signature that your lens has a Nikon mount, is this lens an AF or MF lens (with Ai mount)???
Pascal

[poilu]

impressive samples with great colors!

[Olivier]

Stan, you're right !

Poilu, thanks a lot. It's a pleasure to shoot photos with such lenses. Not only the results, also the grip, the feeling and the easy smooth rolling barrels.

Pascal, these are MF zoom lenses. I have them in Nikon Ai mount adapted to my 40D with a confirm AF chip adapter to help being in focus.

[XF74]

Hi Olivier,

Most pictures you show are at (relatively) short distance (with bokeh ), is it also a lens good for lanscape?

No problem with retrofocus on the mirror of a Canon aps-c, I mean the barrel does not extend too much towards rear?

Xavier

[my_photography]

I am impressive with the bokeh.

[Olivier]

Thank you dear !


Xavier, I'll take some quick landscape pics and come back.

About the rear of the lens, the barrel doesn't go out and so doesn't enter the camera chamber. There is absolutely no danger for the mirror to be hit. It's the same for the Angenieux 70-210mm.

I'll do some pics of the lens rear Nikon mount to show you.
See you later

[martinsmith99]

Great series but the cat pics are my favourites.

[XF74]

They are lovely.

Spotted or makerel tabbies?

[shauttra]

so cool lens!!!! love this sharpness and bokeh!!!

[Olivier]

thanks Martin and Shauttra.

Xavier, I don't know. They are "european cats" as they have no specific breed.

As promised, here are some pics about the lens itself, and then some landscape pics. We have a sunny weather here near the Channel but the air is hazy.

The front lens with the retrofocus :
at 35mm, lens is close to the top :


at 70mm, lens is far from the top :


Now the Nikon mount :



and the Nikon to Eos adapter with the AF confirm chip:


Now some landscapes :
35mm f11


50mm f8


70mm f8


Cheers

[lulalake]

Excellent! What camera body are you using?

Thanks

Jules

[Olivier]

[qtmonster]

Those photos number 10 and 11 set a standard on sharpness and details!

[Olivier]

You are right.
and this is not a prime lens.

[tomasg]

I am glad to be a member on this forum, read the replay.

Tomas

http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp?forum=1043&message=41206826

[Olivier]

Only the case lacks.
I like the answer "This zoom was good about 20 years ago today well you will need to look long and far for any sucker to buy this thing".
That's fine, prices will go down