Kaligar 135mm 2.8

[WatchingMayberry68]

Came across this lens on ebay for super cheap. It's my only vintage glass at the moment. The lens is Kaligar 135mm F2.8. I cannot find any info about this lens and am curious about who made it and if there is a way to improve infinity focus.


#1

https://flic.kr/p/XBFszP

#2

https://flic.kr/p/XBFrV2
#3

https://flic.kr/p/YAi4hh
Lens is in good condition overall. I've just started playing with it, but it's been fun so far.

[marcusBMG]

[WatchingMayberry68]

Thank you. I was wondering if I was doing something wrong!

Here are two sample pictures from the Kaligar lens.

#1


#2


Both were taken wide open since my adapter doesn't have the flange to push in the aperature pin on M42 lenses. I think the lens is pretty soft wide-open but the color and contrast seemed okay.

[planet.groove]

Hi,
i have this lens branded as Korinar, Beroflex and Hanimar. It is a good lens (like many 135mm lenses), but MFD of 2 meters is not nice.
Bokeh is fine (8 blade aperture). But i have no idea who made it.

[Pancolart]

I have it also and it surely looks different from recognizable brands. Still some mysteries to solve . Orange aperture font style could give some clues perhaps.

[TrueLoveOne]

That one's been re-branded a lot. I have one branded "Pallas", like this one: http://m42lens.com/m42-lens-database/750-pallas-auto-135mm-f-2-8-22-v1

[Gardener]

This is a generic 135mm lens that can be found under a variety of names, most commonly, I believe, Suntar.

[marcusBMG]

We have a thread on a hanimar 135mm thats looks the same, and Luis did a review of a suntar.

Judging from a bit of browsing this kaligar 135mm seems to be more common. A later version I would guess.



And there is also a preset version with the aperture rings at the front of the lens. So this name kept going for a while and went through a few 135mm incarnations.

[WatchingMayberry68]

Suntar, Pallas, Hanimar, Kaligar -- who knew there were so many obscure names for such an obscure lens.

What's in a name? that which we call a rose
By any other word would smell as sweet...

[Lloydy]

I'm sure I've got the same lens as 'Super Paragon' - the house brand of Photax. And how about the Japanese built Helios, there is some similarity?

[Oldhand]

Rightly or wrongly, I have always thought that these were made by Sun.
Of course I have been wrong before
T

[jamaeolus]

Every lens with this livery, Orange letters for distance, square checker, or pebble grain leather grip, 1 or usually 2 silver bands, red line connected to solid red dot for center mark, that I have been able to positively ID has been tomioka. I had one like this in focal brand it was pretty good. No guarantee of course but I would characterize it as compelling evidence.

Here is a similar item currently on e-bay:

[WatchingMayberry68]

I got a new M42-m43 adapter, and now this lens has solid infinity focus--beyond infinity, actually, but now I can use it in a variety of settings.
Still like the lens a lot.

[Lightshow]

I have 2 135/3.5 preset lenses, one is Kaligar with a rubber focus ring and the other is Hanimar with a metal focus ring, everything else is the basically the same.

[Sciolist]