Additional information regarding Soligor serial numbers

[MikeM]

Hello - this is my first post.

Though I've often read the Manual Focus Lens forum to obtain information about vintage lenses, until now I've not registered. After reading several posts on Soligor lens serial numbers, I did not see the following links which possibly provide new information about interpreting serials. I'm looking at a Soligor 35mm f3.5 with serial 97xxxx on Etsy and found the following during a websearch:

https://www.apotelyt.com/camera-kit/soligor-catalog

https://www.ultravioletphotography.com/content/index.php?/topic/4557-soligor-35mm-f35-ka/

Apparently, the serial 9xxxxx denotes the manufacturer 'Kobori'

On a separate note, I've read with interest a number of posts regarding the Soligor 35mm f2 Red P lens which I have. However, I've also seen the Soligor 35mm f2 with no red P, though the lens serial starts 17xxxx as do all of the other 35mm f2 lenses I've seen. Thus, though there is no red P, I assume this lens was also made by Tokina.

Any comments?

[kypfer]

I know little about these … but there's one currently for sale here https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/125982588803 with a 97XXXX serial number.
I own several Soligor lenses, including two 35mm f/2.8, one in T2 mount, the other in T4 mount, and I'm always happy with the results

[visualopsins]

Welcome MikeM

You've seen http://forum.mflenses.com/soligor-12-8-f28mm-21and-versions-t30866.html has a later version of the serial number schema than apotelyt.com

[Alun Thomas]

I've had a copy of that lens in the past. In my opinion the maker is most likely Kawanon. Kobori lenses did have a '9' prefix for Soligor, but when lenses from that period were for sale, I don't think Kobori existed yet. I have seen numerous other '9' prefix lenses from that period that were easily identifiable as Kawanon manufactured. However, for that model, it was during a period when Soligor used a common look across all lenses regardless of the different makers, and you really can't identify the manufacturer just from design cues. I think the 'KA' prefixed example from your link is an earlier version of the same lens from Kawanon. I'm also sure that the optical scheme is more or less identical to the SLR 35mm F/3.5 design from Kyoei, using the same glass types.

I don't really know why the '9' prefix stopped being Kawanon and started being Kobori. It may be that Kawanon was somehow absorbed into the same group, because at some point Kawanon lenses are no longer released, and Kobori lenses start being released. It may be linked or not. The only later Kawanon lens I know of is a fairly generic 80-210 F/4.5 zoom lens, released way after Kawanon essentially disappeared.

[MikeM]

Thank you very much for the information and links to newer Soligor serial number lists.

Mike M

[SkedAddled]

I have a few Soligor lenses, and they've all checked out so far
as being 1970s-era and manufactured by Tokina, except for a
500mm CAT(mirror) C/D-series.

The visual aspects all match: Black metal barrels/bodies; knurled focus rings
instead of applied rubber grips; silver, tabbed aperture rings; even the same
font engravings on the front element retainer rings.
The only differences are that one is a T-4 mount, while the other two
are M42 mount. The T-4 is a 135mm f/2.8; the M42s are a 75-260 f/4.5 zoom
and a 400mm f/6.3

The M42s look pristine, and I don't beleive they've ever been opened up.
They both provide sharp images with good colors.
The T-4 135mm arrived with fungus on the inside of the front element,
so I used it as an educational opportunity to open it and clean it.
Reassembly challenged me, as there are a few ways to thread the focusing
helicoil back together. While I haven't used it more than a few times,
it provides images just as well as the others.

I can't speak to the origin of the 500 mirror lens, as I haven't researched it.
It's certainly of a later vintage, and is likely one of dozens of brands
from the era of the 1980s to 1990s who contracted from a small batch of makers.

Now I won't call myself a serious colllector of lenses, but I've enjoyed these lenses
enough because of their old-school designs and durability, that I'd like to eventually
expand my collection of this series. They're high quality, well made, good-performing
lenses which don't typically carry the snobbery and disdain of other seekers,
such as Zeiss and Pentax SMC collectors.
I don't disparage those collectors in any way, but I have to stay with lines I can afford.

[guardian]

In that first reference, the author mentions Soligor lenses within a T4 context.

According to my best memory and understanding, Soligor never participated after the T4 mount adapters evolved into TX. Both Soligor and Vivitar made T4 lenses. But only Vivitar alone moved on to the TX series. I have never seen a Soligor TX lens.

I have used Vivitar TX m42 adapters on Soligor T4 lenses. And they work. Years ago I bought out, on the cheap, a camera shop's entire stock of those Vivitar TX m42 adapters. They work pretty much across the board, and I still have some left. The camera shop was happy to get rid of the adapters, and I was delighted to obtain them.

[PBFACTS]

[guardian]

You certainly confused T4 & TX

Oh, dear! I surely did. Many thanks for the dope slap.

I should have written that I never have seen a Soligor TX lens!

I have gone back and edited my earlier post. And the author was, indeed, correct in what he wrote about Soligor T4 lenses. My own thinking was confused.

It's funny. Five years ago I would not have made this error. Advancing age sadly has its perils! But it still beats the alternative.

[Lida]

Has it ever been established who built the 35m f3.5 in LTM mount? I have one with a four-digit serial :1308K

[Alun Thomas]

[vivaldibow]