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What's the latest lens you added to your collection?
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PostPosted: Tue Aug 15, 2023 3:09 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
Vivitar VHE 50 mm f2,8 enlarger lens, ser# 13040399, made by Schneider, the same, as Companion-S.
IQ is superb.


PostPosted: Tue Aug 15, 2023 9:47 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
ZuikosHexanonsandVivitars wrote:
Sony SEL2870 OSS (ordinary Sony Sh**) Smile
I never had a native lens for the Alpha, and I just wanted to know what the camera can do with it. So the logical consequence was to look out for the cheapest Sony lens there is, and I got it for next to nothing, and you know what? It’s actually quite good.


Would want to see how it compares to vintage wide to normal zooms, if you could.


PostPosted: Tue Aug 15, 2023 12:54 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
eggplant wrote:
ZuikosHexanonsandVivitars wrote:
Sony SEL2870 OSS (ordinary Sony Sh**) Smile
I never had a native lens for the Alpha, and I just wanted to know what the camera can do with it. So the logical consequence was to look out for the cheapest Sony lens there is, and I got it for next to nothing, and you know what? It’s actually quite good.


Would want to see how it compares to vintage wide to normal zooms, if you could.


Zenography recently made a video about that on youtube, quite interesting.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xO0keVKOC_A&t=900s&ab_channel=Zenography


PostPosted: Tue Aug 15, 2023 2:14 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
ZuikosHexanonsandVivitars wrote:
Sony SEL2870 OSS (ordinary Sony Sh**) Smile
I never had a native lens for the Alpha, and I just wanted to know what the camera can do with it. So the logical consequence was to look out for the cheapest Sony lens there is, and I got it for next to nothing, and you know what? It’s actually quite good.
I’m currently on vacation at a mountain lodge with my wife and friends. They like the images I take with the Alpha and all those beautiful Zuikos, Nikkors, Hexanons and whatever I don on the Alpha, but regard my art as something like witchcraft, and me as a great geek. Now, I put the Sony lens on the Alpha and give it to any one of them (in Auto Mode, just to be sure) and they’re able to make really cool pictures with it. Much better, as they suddenly realized, than the stuff they produce with their mobiles. Image Edge Mobile downloads it instantaneously to the phone, and it ends up on Facebook or wherever, and they are happy. Best purchase since quite some time, even if my vintage primes can do much better. Since I bought that lens, even my wife finds the Alpha interesting;-)


I've used it years ago, remember having issues not reaching infinity properly neither on f11 (don't remember if all over the FL). Besides, with proper light, would do ok, but to be honest, I've barely used it 3-4 days.


PostPosted: Tue Aug 15, 2023 2:37 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
The SEL2870 OSS is not bad compare to the SEL2470Z. Pretty good for a 24MP camera.


PostPosted: Thu Aug 17, 2023 3:21 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
A Chinon lens branded as Porst Color Reflex MC f1.7 50mm Macro. I will do a short comparison with another Chinon "macro" lens I have, Porst Color Reflex MCM f1.7 55mm and with a regular Chinon Multi Coated f1.7 55mm. All are M42 lenses.


PostPosted: Sun Aug 20, 2023 12:31 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
Starblitz zoom mirror 500-800. Briefly tried. Can't even focus to make the object in the EVF clear at both 500 and 800mm. Disappointed, but expected.
Accura 500mm /4. Huge. But unfortunately with haze and the center name plate falling off and moving freely inside the glass.


PostPosted: Sun Aug 20, 2023 3:19 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
CZJ Tessar 5cm 3.5 red T m42 circa 1949-52.


PostPosted: Sun Aug 20, 2023 9:09 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
eggplant wrote:
ZuikosHexanonsandVivitars wrote:
Sony SEL2870 OSS (ordinary Sony Sh**) Smile
I never had a native lens for the Alpha, and I just wanted to know what the camera can do with it. So the logical consequence was to look out for the cheapest Sony lens there is, and I got it for next to nothing, and you know what? It’s actually quite good.


Would want to see how it compares to vintage wide to normal zooms, if you could.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=djPkGF9PjyQ&t=7s

Here is also a Comparison between the Sony Kit lens and a Takumar 35mm


PostPosted: Sun Aug 20, 2023 9:46 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
vivaldibow wrote:
Starblitz zoom mirror 500-800. Briefly tried. Can't even focus to make the object in the EVF clear at both 500 and 800mm. Disappointed, but expected.
Accura 500mm /4. Huge. But unfortunately with haze and the center name plate falling off and moving freely inside the glass.


That mirror zoom interesting, have looked over in the past. Would like to find an optical diagram for it or see one disassembled.

The Sigma 500mm f4 has a decent repair blog post online which includes dealing with haze in front corrector element.


PostPosted: Mon Aug 21, 2023 9:53 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
blotafton wrote:
eggplant wrote:
ZuikosHexanonsandVivitars wrote:
Sony SEL2870 OSS (ordinary Sony Sh**) Smile
I never had a native lens for the Alpha, and I just wanted to know what the camera can do with it. So the logical consequence was to look out for the cheapest Sony lens there is, and I got it for next to nothing, and you know what? It’s actually quite good.


Would want to see how it compares to vintage wide to normal zooms, if you could.


Zenography recently made a video about that on youtube, quite interesting.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xO0keVKOC_A&t=900s&ab_channel=Zenography


I said in my original post, my vintage primes can do better. The reason for spending those 90 bucks on an unloved used one were entirely different ones. I wanted to experience all the other functions of my Alpha that are not possible to use with a manual lens. And to allow other people to use the Alpha occasionally. I.e. give the camera with a manual lens to anyone of your friends or even a bystander and ask them to take a picture of you and your family - that will most certainly fail, except you have the odd chance to meet some bystander that is active here on this forum.

My live-in partner, I commonly refer to her as my wife for simplicity, we know each other for many years. Back in the 90s she used to come to me and borrow a camera and a lens for her travels, and I usually gave her the OM-2SP with the 35-70 f3.6 for that purpose. She never had a knack for technology, neither in photography nor else where, but an eye for motive and image composition that leaves me stunned ever so often. She´s a natural, except focusing was never her strongest. Even Ken Rockwell with his big ego has to say something about this lens, something like "while others still count pixels, I go out and take excellent images with this lens I can sell without problems to my business clients". Not a very satisfying statement for me, as I do pixel peeping and actually see a whole lot of differences and flaws, but still a solid use case for my wife, who will occasionally take the Sony into her hands and do just her thing, and we both are happy. It might become a humbling experience for me if she gets more familiar with it.

Zenography pointed it out in his video and he´s probably right from where he stands. Also telling, given the price Sony asks for this lens in comparison to the outrageous sums they ask for their better or even master class (or so they call them), it must be clear from the very beginning that here were made some compromises. From what I saw so far, it has troubles with fast and/or accurate focusing, the corner sharpness is just so, it´s forcing you to crank up ISO soon due to its slowness. And some more, probably.

I have just one vintage zoom in this range, aforementioned Zuiko f3.6 35-70 which I can test against the SEL2870. Will be an interesting diversion, though the results might be quite as Zenography pointed out in his video. By the way, in this video, he looks very tired or even ill compared to those from say, two years ago. I hope he´s alright.


PostPosted: Tue Aug 22, 2023 1:28 am    Post subject: Reply with quote


Nikkor 28-85mm f3.5-4.5 A/I-s zoom.



A look at the somewhat dusty front element.
I have since cleaned it, and it appears to be in v.g. to exc. condition.

Just a few quick comments:

7 aperture blades, set somewhat un-evenly. This hasn't been a problem in other lens that display the same thing. A bit toothy spacing between the blades up until a little past f8. Should make for interesting sun-stars, given the proper conditions.

There were cost-cutting measures applied to this one. I think it may be my first with plastic aperture and zoom rings. The focus ring is still aluminum and rubber gripping.
15 elements in 3 groups construction. It is by no means a small lens, and tends a bit towards the weighty side. My copy is missing the rabbit ears aperture linkage. It was probably removed to go onto some or other mirror-less camera.

Took a few very hurried test shots with it this afternoon, which I'll get up here later.

I've been able to find little in the way of reviews on this lens. The few I did find were mixed, with almost all of them mentioning distortion at the wide end and wide-open.

The twin ring system appeals to me a bit more than the sliding one touch trombone affair.

It appears to focus just slightly past infinity at all F/L settings.

More a bit later...

-D.S.


PostPosted: Tue Aug 22, 2023 6:20 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
Doc Sharptail wrote:

Nikkor 28-85mm f3.5-4.5 A/I-s zoom.


Just a few quick comments:

7 aperture blades, set somewhat un-evenly. This hasn't been a problem in other lens that display the same thing. A bit toothy spacing between the blades up until a little past f8. Should make for interesting sun-stars, given the proper conditions.

There were cost-cutting measures applied to this one. I think it may be my first with plastic aperture and zoom rings. The focus ring is still aluminum and rubber gripping.
15 elements in 3 groups construction. It is by no means a small lens, and tends a bit towards the weighty side. My copy is missing the rabbit ears aperture linkage. It was probably removed to go onto some or other mirror-less camera.

Took a few very hurried test shots with it this afternoon, which I'll get up here later.

I've been able to find little in the way of reviews on this lens. The few I did find were mixed, with almost all of them mentioning distortion at the wide end and wide-open.

The twin ring system appeals to me a bit more than the sliding one touch trombone affair.

It appears to focus just slightly past infinity at all F/L settings.

More a bit later...




Wide open here at the 28mm mark. Not sure how to label this distortion~ somewhere between barrel and pin-cushion Very Happy



Wide open again at 85mm. Focus point for both images is the red "For Lease" sign across the roadway.
Focus shifts slightly between 28 and 85mm, and must be corrected for.
Not the best day for lens testing with heavy overcast and more than a bit of wild-fire smoke in the atmosphere.



At 28mm here with the macro lug engaged. The D-810 hunts a bit for focus here, and I may have yanked this one a little.



At 85mm with the macro lug engaged. Focus confirmation is a lot more reliable here. (This is where a ground glass focusing screen pays for it's self, without relying on electronics)
My lap-top's built in editing suite got a good laugh out of the blown high-lights on this one.



A bit soft wide open at 85mm as a tele, with a distance of about 8-10 feet. Cropped and sharpening applied.



As a base scenery lens at 28mm, and wide open, surprisingly almost acceptable. I have a few 3rd party film era 28mm "primes" that are not quite up to this. S.O.O.C. Jpeg, unmanipulated.



Near center crop of the image above.
While nothing earth-shattering going on with this lens, it nudges into "usable" territory.
More work to do with this yet, stopped down a bit in much better daylight.

-D.S.


PostPosted: Tue Aug 22, 2023 7:18 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
ZuikosHexanonsandVivitars wrote:
blotafton wrote:
eggplant wrote:
ZuikosHexanonsandVivitars wrote:
Sony SEL2870 OSS (ordinary Sony Sh**) Smile
I never had a native lens for the Alpha, and I just wanted to know what the camera can do with it. So the logical consequence was to look out for the cheapest Sony lens there is, and I got it for next to nothing, and you know what? It’s actually quite good.


Would want to see how it compares to vintage wide to normal zooms, if you could.


Zenography recently made a video about that on youtube, quite interesting.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xO0keVKOC_A&t=900s&ab_channel=Zenography


I said in my original post, my vintage primes can do better. The reason for spending those 90 bucks on an unloved used one were entirely different ones. I wanted to experience all the other functions of my Alpha that are not possible to use with a manual lens. And to allow other people to use the Alpha occasionally. I.e. give the camera with a manual lens to anyone of your friends or even a bystander and ask them to take a picture of you and your family - that will most certainly fail, except you have the odd chance to meet some bystander that is active here on this forum.

My live-in partner, I commonly refer to her as my wife for simplicity, we know each other for many years. Back in the 90s she used to come to me and borrow a camera and a lens for her travels, and I usually gave her the OM-2SP with the 35-70 f3.6 for that purpose. She never had a knack for technology, neither in photography nor else where, but an eye for motive and image composition that leaves me stunned ever so often. She´s a natural, except focusing was never her strongest. Even Ken Rockwell with his big ego has to say something about this lens, something like "while others still count pixels, I go out and take excellent images with this lens I can sell without problems to my business clients". Not a very satisfying statement for me, as I do pixel peeping and actually see a whole lot of differences and flaws, but still a solid use case for my wife, who will occasionally take the Sony into her hands and do just her thing, and we both are happy. It might become a humbling experience for me if she gets more familiar with it.

Zenography pointed it out in his video and he´s probably right from where he stands. Also telling, given the price Sony asks for this lens in comparison to the outrageous sums they ask for their better or even master class (or so they call them), it must be clear from the very beginning that here were made some compromises. From what I saw so far, it has troubles with fast and/or accurate focusing, the corner sharpness is just so, it´s forcing you to crank up ISO soon due to its slowness. And some more, probably.

I have just one vintage zoom in this range, aforementioned Zuiko f3.6 35-70 which I can test against the SEL2870. Will be an interesting diversion, though the results might be quite as Zenography pointed out in his video. By the way, in this video, he looks very tired or even ill compared to those from say, two years ago. I hope he´s alright.


I've had people from the street that never touched a camera before, taking perfectly sharp pictures of me and family.
28mm FL ,place the group at least 3 meters away the camera at f11, focus the lens from 2.7 meters and shoot A priority.
In good light and good lens, everything should come out sharp.


PostPosted: Tue Aug 22, 2023 4:40 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Part of operation "leave no vintage cine 16mm lens behind", I am now the proud owner of a Wollensak Cine Velostigmat 25mm 1.9.



While 25mm is not my favorite FOV, I have recently bought the Voigtlander 25mm 0.95 and it has not left my E-PL7 as it is such a magnificent piece of glass, I own probably the best vintage 25mm cine lens this side of a Cooke Speed Panchro in the Kodak Cine Ektar 25mm 1.4 and I also own a Kern Paillard Pizar 26mm 1.9 cine lens. Add my trusty old AF Panasonic 25mm 1.7 and why would I get another 25mm? Well, it was very cheap to the tune of $20 (and came with a Velostigmat 17mm 2.7 which I have not touched yet) and the Velostigmat 25mm 1.5 is rumored to be one of the only wide 16mm cine lenses that covers the MFT sensor with no vignette, so I was hopeful the 1.9 would as well.

First impressions, it is not as good as the Kodak Cine lenses, but I did not expect it. It is probably not as good optically as the Kern Paillard either, but it is very smooth to operate (as smooth as the Kern and smoother than the Kodak), even smaller than the Kern and it is actually a lot of fun to play with, mostly because of it's size. Supposedly, the Raptar branded Wollensak lenses are better optically, but will vignette in the 25mm FOV.



PostPosted: Tue Aug 22, 2023 6:58 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
A Sun made Hanimex 23mm f3,5 in exc condition for $ 17 + shipping.
This lens has been discussed here a few times already, and except for the weird focal length, there is nothing special about it. This is a typical can't-let-it-pass-for-that-price case. (and it will make my shelves this much heavier...)
I can't test it right now, but wil essentially check it against my 24mms to see if it's really wider, which I doubt a bit for now. Wink
Forgive the cellphone pic pls.



PostPosted: Wed Aug 23, 2023 6:11 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
eggplant wrote:
vivaldibow wrote:
Starblitz zoom mirror 500-800. Briefly tried. Can't even focus to make the object in the EVF clear at both 500 and 800mm. Disappointed, but expected.
Accura 500mm /4. Huge. But unfortunately with haze and the center name plate falling off and moving freely inside the glass.


That mirror zoom interesting, have looked over in the past. Would like to find an optical diagram for it or see one disassembled.

The Sigma 500mm f4 has a decent repair blog post online which includes dealing with haze in front corrector element.


Thanks for letting me know. I've heard it is difficult to repair a mirror lens as it needs collimation, a process that needs equipment to finish. Will check out the blog post.


PostPosted: Wed Aug 23, 2023 6:51 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Phalbert wrote:
A Sun made Hanimex 23mm f3,5 ...


The "Elicar" version of this lens occasionally pops up here in Switzerland, but I never bothered to pay the >50 bucks the sellers swanted to have for it. I have a Sun 2.5 (!) / 24mm though which is really bad. I mean really bad Laugh 1 !

S


PostPosted: Thu Aug 24, 2023 12:55 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
Tamron 28mm f2.5 in reasonably good shape from a camera repair shop.
It's the adaptall-2 version, and looks vey clean.
Pix to follow a bit later.

-D.S.


PostPosted: Thu Aug 24, 2023 2:20 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Tamron mentioned above.
This is the 02B Adapt-all 2.


Quick shot of the tiny front element.



Adapt-all 2 mount for Nikon A/I showing the A/I-s scoop at roughly the 9 o'clock position.





Couple of quick MFD shots wide-open at f2.5.
Both images are un-manipulated except for re-size to fit here.
I had to cut the session short- it started to rain.

-D.S.


PostPosted: Thu Aug 24, 2023 4:41 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
Not exactly a lens, but related to.
A combination filter holder and lens hood for my Industar 37
These to go on my "work in progress" 8X10 camera that is slowly taking shape.
#1


PostPosted: Fri Aug 25, 2023 1:19 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Couldn't resist tossing in a bid on this. I ended up being the only bidder. so I now have two novoflex C's.
Came with "pistock C" shoulder stock (which I didn't have) and 3 of the dedicated filters including the rare polarising filter. Price sticker $129.95 - a fair wedge in ?1970's. The sky and uv have surface deterioration of the glass.
The tripod mount socket on the bottom end of the rear grip seems to be 5/16th UNC not 3/8. The thread is trashed as well so I am going to have to drill it out and retap. It won't take the 1/4 unc screw fitting of the shoulder stock as is in any event.
I would be interested to know if anyone can id what camera the shutter release cable is for. Probably a nikon - this has a nikon mount.




PostPosted: Fri Aug 25, 2023 2:59 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
The earliest direct to Nikon camera electronic release I'm aware of came along with the F3~ but that is a 9 or 10 pin connection, and not 3.
Could be for the F2's MD-3 (or even earlier), which I know very little about.
Maybe someone else around here knows a lot more than me.

-D.S.


PostPosted: Fri Aug 25, 2023 8:20 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Fuji 55mm f1.8 Fujinon EBC
Sigma 28mm f2.8 Widemax YS
Pentacon 135mm f2.8 Prakticar MC
Industar 28mm f2.8 Industar-69
Pentacon 200mm f4 Auto MC


PostPosted: Fri Aug 25, 2023 9:23 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Doc Sharptail wrote:


Nikkor 28-85mm f3.5-4.5 A/I-s zoom.



A look at the somewhat dusty front element.
I have since cleaned it, and it appears to be in v.g. to exc. condition.

Just a few quick comments:

7 aperture blades, set somewhat un-evenly. This hasn't been a problem in other lens that display the same thing. A bit toothy spacing between the blades up until a little past f8. Should make for interesting sun-stars, given the proper conditions.

There were cost-cutting measures applied to this one. I think it may be my first with plastic aperture and zoom rings. The focus ring is still aluminum and rubber gripping.
15 elements in 3 groups construction. It is by no means a small lens, and tends a bit towards the weighty side. My copy is missing the rabbit ears aperture linkage. It was probably removed to go onto some or other mirror-less camera.

Took a few very hurried test shots with it this afternoon, which I'll get up here later.

I've been able to find little in the way of reviews on this lens. The few I did find were mixed, with almost all of them mentioning distortion at the wide end and wide-open.

The twin ring system appeals to me a bit more than the sliding one touch trombone affair.

It appears to focus just slightly past infinity at all F/L settings.

More a bit later...

-D.S.


I had a mint, boxed copy of this Kiron, and I hate to tell you this Doc....it was the worst zoom lens I've ever had...a real stinker.
I put it on a Pentax ME Super that I sold, and kept the body cap!

But the good news is...that Tamron is a gem.
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