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What's the latest lens you added to your collection?
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PostPosted: Thu Jun 02, 2022 8:12 am    Post subject: Re: ` Reply with quote
cooltouch wrote:

Here's a better photo of the lens, attached to my NEX 7.



Like 1


PostPosted: Thu Jun 02, 2022 8:34 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
Doc Sharptail wrote:
The brown stained cleaning cloths are from tobacco smoke.

I had two lenses from the same seller here over the winter that were fairly well covered in nicotine residue.
Both cleaned reasonably well.
I think display storage is a bad idea if there's a lot of smoking going on in the same area.
Coated lenses seem to be a real magnet for it, as are chromed camera top plates.
IIRC, the really dark brown residue is from pipe tobacco.

-D.S.


Nicotine stains are a pain, yes.

However, old oil residues can also give a yellow or brown staining. The strong pervasive smell of nicotine will give away whether it is nicotine or oil staining.

I have taken apart many old Minolta lenses where the base oil(s) had separated out from the helicoid grease and thinly covered all other surfaces of the helicoid parts and internal aluminium lens mounting base. Clearly, over time this oil had then partly evaporated and partly oxidised/polymerised, leaving a brown plastic-like film that has firmly embedded itself in the aluminium oxide layer found on the surface of the aluminium parts. This gives these aluminium parts a characteristic gold/brass-sheen, sometimes to the point that they may look like brass at first glance.

I have not found a (safe) solvent yet that will remove this oxidised/polymerised yellow/brown oil staining on the aluminium parts. Perhaps not surprising since this is almost the equivalent of a "naturally" occurred anodisation process where the staining is firmly embedded inside the tough-as-nails aluminium oxide layer. Old-school paint stripper or methylene chloride might do the trick but those are neither safe nor legal for sale to the general public here.


PostPosted: Thu Jun 02, 2022 9:03 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
The net moiré is worth a heavily-cropped, separate, picture of its own!


PostPosted: Thu Jun 02, 2022 10:54 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
SMC Pentax-A Zoom 35-70 1:4. Second copy with a filter ring (though you can see a crack in it already. Pentax definitely started to drop the ball in the A-series). My first copy was very wobbly making it hard to focus and keep it centered. Also suffers from low contrast, which wasn't so bad in close up but at infinity it was terrible.


SMC Pentax-A Zoom 35-70mm 1:4 by The lens profile, on Flickr

SMC Pentax-A Zoom 35-70mm 1:4 by The lens profile, on Flickr


PostPosted: Thu Jun 02, 2022 11:11 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
A beautiful mint condition black copy of the RE Auto Topcor 3.5/135. I already had the more common silver version. A superb lens, sharp from wide open, easily the equal of the Sonnar 3.5/135 but better build quality and looks.



PostPosted: Thu Jun 02, 2022 4:41 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
16:9 wrote:
The net moiré is worth a heavily-cropped, separate, picture of its own!


Good eye! Yeah, I really like it too, and yes, I do plan to crop that net.

Regarding the internal brown residue -- Mark's comments agree with my assumptions. There was no evidence of nicotine or tar residue on the exterior surfaces of either the lens or the camera. They were just dirty, but fortunately there was no crusty residue -- the dirt was easily removed with a blunted toothpick and alcohol.


PostPosted: Thu Jun 02, 2022 9:27 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote


Risky purchase with two external photos only and no description- an Adaptall-2 60-300mm.

Correct me if I'm wrong but didn't someone do a big 100-300 test which this was in? stevemark? Would appreciate any links where this is compared with other lenses- can't find any at the moment.


PostPosted: Thu Jun 02, 2022 10:13 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
I think you'll be happy with your 60-300. I bought my first one in 1986 -- bought it from one of those big New York deep discounters and it still cost me over $300. 1986 dollars. It became my long tele walking around lens, and I used it a LOT. Airshows, auto races, scenics, you name it. The 60-300 also has a very respectable macro setting. It's very sharp in the center of the image, but it does get a bit soft toward the corners. This usually didn't matter to me because my macro shots were focused mostly on the center of the image.

I own two now, picked up the second one just because it was being offered for so cheap, couldn't help myself.

I just tried using the search function here. It's broken -- again. So I did an internet search and I found this early thread I started on the Tamron 60-300:

http://forum.mflenses.com/viewtopic,p,133709.html#133709

There are a few images there and at the bottom of the thread I have a link to my old blog, and toward the bottom of the posts, I have one on macro lenses, where I included the Tamron in the mix. It's an eye-opener, you might find.

Last edited by cooltouch on Thu Jun 02, 2022 10:52 pm; edited 1 time in total


PostPosted: Thu Jun 02, 2022 10:40 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Well, I can live with a bit of fungus, hopefully it will be good enough to use as a copy to compare others to.

Thankfully I can mount it straight onto my metabones speedbooster without any modification.

Will be interested to compare to Tokina SZ-X 60-300mm.


PostPosted: Thu Jun 02, 2022 11:49 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
On a roll these past few weeks. Got this one in to join it's 35mm brethren in my small but hopefully growing collection of quality Soligor fast primes. This one has quite a bit more barrel/cosmetic wear than I usually prefer, but the glass is clean. I don't see a lot of these come up for sale and I figure any lens that got this much honest use while being well maintained is likely a winner.





PostPosted: Fri Jun 03, 2022 6:42 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
Isco Gottingen 135mm f/2.8, beautiful craftsmanship. Very sharp 135mm.
Soligor Miranda Kowa 135mm f/2.8.


PostPosted: Fri Jun 03, 2022 10:07 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
XR Rikenon 135mm 1:2.8. Very good condition. I got this one because it's optical diagram is almost identical the the Super-Takumar/S-M-C Takumar 135mm/3.5 Not entirely though since it has a wider entry pupil. Also the rear element is much closer to the mount (there might be some logic to that, if the diameter was enlarged the distance between elements probably was too.

XR Rikenon 135mm 1:2.8 by The lens profile, on Flickr

XR Rikenon 135mm 1:2.8 by The lens profile, on Flickr


PostPosted: Fri Jun 03, 2022 10:34 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
I didn't comment before, but I consider the optical design to be different. The second airspace in the Takumar is meaningfully larger.


PostPosted: Fri Jun 03, 2022 11:42 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
eggplant wrote:
I didn't comment before, but I consider the optical design to be different. The second airspace in the Takumar is meaningfully larger.


I'll answer this in the dedicated Topic http://forum.mflenses.com/new-toy-rikenon-135-2-8-t32747,start,25.html


PostPosted: Sun Jun 05, 2022 12:16 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
A good number of new acquisitions the past few days, including these two that I need your all's guidance on:

First, picked this up on eBay this week as part of my quest for a reasonably complete set of FD primes for video, and noticed several things immediately:









The first was oil on the aperture blades and what looks like a minor spritz of clear oil on one of the interior elements. Not ideal, but can be dealt with. What I was more surprised to see was the "U.S. NAVY" engraving on the lens barrel near the mount.

Now, I've seen a few lenses marked this way floating around online, including a good number of 100/2.8's... BUT invariably the ones I've seen have either a fixed aperture of f22, a fixed focus, or both. This one is, for all intents and purposes, a regular and fully functioning 100/2.8, but with the "U.S. NAVY" marking added.

Just wondering if this was anything rare or special beyond it's basic stats? Does the NAVY marking help or hurt it's value?

Second, I stopped at a few antique shops with my wife after dinner tonight and pulled this odd duck out of the bottom of a bin of very miscellaneous photography gear on the bottom shelf of a back room.





It's a Vernon Edonar 135mm f2.8 preset, in T-mount. After I cleaned off the dust and grime, the only remaining issues are the badly dinged filter threads (which can be remedied), a small bit of oil on the blades, aaaaaaaand the fact that the focusing ring is fully frozen. For the record, this is the exact same lens as is discussed here:

http://forum.mflenses.com/vernon-edonar-the-sequel-t31287.html

where it's mentioned that THAT lens also suffered from a stuck focus ring, which makes me think that is a common problem for these lenses. User Univer mentions that they were able to unstick it, but sadly do not mention how this was accomplished.

I don't want to make anything worse, but if I can unstick it myself I'd certainly like to try. Any conservative/safe/non-destructive suggestions? This lens has a lot of uniqueness about it and I'd love to see how she renders if I can get it back to working condition.

Thanks all for any great info you can offer!


PostPosted: Mon Jun 06, 2022 11:37 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
Just got my Tamron 23A 60-300mm... looks like I completely lucked out. Not a hint of fungus, seperation or coating damage anywhere throughout the lens, despite signs of use. Mainly, and awkwardly, there is just abit of dust if you shine a light through it, close to the middle groups. Can't see it normally though.

The macro setting seems to work and work well, although I had to look up how to use it.

Mine seems to focus past infinity by design- going past the infinity mark. This isn't just the sleeve misaligned either, when I put it on my camera I do have to focus quite abit before I hit infinity. Is this normal? Worried it might impact performance.



What I will say is this seems quite heavier and longer than my Tokina SZ-X 60-300mm f4-5.6, which is functionally the same aperture.

I hear a bit of rattle but can't identify it coming from the front. Bit concerned it's on the inside. Had bad experiences pulling apart Tamron Adaptall lenses in the past.


PostPosted: Mon Jun 06, 2022 11:50 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
Seems to be standard, mine also moves a bit past the infinity mark.


PostPosted: Mon Jun 06, 2022 11:52 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
That leaves the rattle then... everything looks mint inside. The front group looks like glue applied to threads. Worth disassembling?

It doesn't appear to be the front group, and bit of noise coming from rattling it back and forth.


PostPosted: Mon Jun 06, 2022 12:01 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
I can hear something moving in mine as well, but wouldn't say it rattles, more like softly clunking a bit. My 19AH (70-210/3.5) sounds about the same. If there is a mount attached first take that off. Mounts can rattle.


PostPosted: Mon Jun 06, 2022 12:08 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Yeah, that's about right. The mount doesn't contribute to it.

When I tested it on my camera there seemed to be higher than usual longitudinal CA at 60mm, wondering if anyone can attest to that.


PostPosted: Mon Jun 06, 2022 12:10 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Rokkor MC-x 35mm f/1.8; I was still missing a fast 35mm in my collection.


PostPosted: Mon Jun 06, 2022 5:31 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
caspert79 wrote:
Rokkor MC-x 35mm f/1.8; I was still missing a fast 35mm in my collection.


Congrats. I bought one from ebay 20 years ago and used on film camera. Very decent results.


PostPosted: Mon Jun 06, 2022 5:56 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Browsing pictures for a recent 'retrospective' - the fast Rokkor images still stood out.


PostPosted: Mon Jun 06, 2022 7:04 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
caspert79 wrote:
Rokkor MC-x 35mm f/1.8; I was still missing a fast 35mm in my collection.


That was the first of the five Minolta 1.8/35mm lenses I got, many moons ago. It exists in two sub-variants - one with a dedicated aperture lever for depth-of-field preview, the other one without lever (shown here).



Later on I got the MD-III which has a different computation (but very similar performance) as the MC-X.

Next was the MD-II which I picked up in a large villa directly adjacent to Lake Zurich - in a most prestigious village at the famous "Goldküste" ("gold shore" - because the rich and famous are living there, including Tina Turner). Turns out the splendid villa was the former home of the famous Swiss psychiatrist Carl Gustav Jung. Collecting lenses really can be instructive! CHF / EUR / USD 70.-- for that one - not too much I think.

Then came the MC-I which is rather difficzult to find here in Switzerland. It's well used, but the glass and coatings are perfect, and so is the smooth focusing. I got it for about CHF 70.-- as well.

Last in the series was the MC-II, which I got from a local student - also contributor at mflenses! - in exchange for a another MC-X 1.8/35mm. Thanks to him the small collection of Minolta 1.8/35mm now is complete - unless I'd start to look for the Rokkor-X and similar small deviations Wink

But now my latest "new" MF lens - a Minolta MC-II 2.8/135mm:



That one came together with a Hexanon AR 1.8/52mm, and both lenses were in excellent condition. Obviously nobody was interested, I won the auction at CHF 1.-- ...


S


PS the optical computation of the original Minolta MC-I 1.8/35mm - which at its time was considered the best 35mm lens for SLRs - is based on the 2nd generation of the Schneider Curtagon 2.8/35mm, as you can see from the respective lens sections, but also from Minolta's technical documentations about the development of the Minolta 1.8/35mm. The 1.8/35mm doesn't have floating elements; nevertheless its performance at MFD remains rather good. It is by far the better lens than e. g. the famous Nikkor 1.4/35mm which even in its latest AiS incarnation is quite a bit worse than the Minolta 1.8/35mm.


PostPosted: Mon Jun 06, 2022 7:30 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Interesting information Stephan.

I had this lens in the back of my mind for a while, as it seems to be pretty good value. Even at Ebay pricing, although I payed much less for it.
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