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What's the latest lens you added to your collection?
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PostPosted: Fri Oct 13, 2023 1:47 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
That's an interesting one.

Perhaps you could give more photos of the lens at full helicoid extension, it looks like the second ring is for one. And a picture of the rear of the lens.

I'm trying to work out if the assembly e.g. knurled ring to helicoid could've come from something else.

When it applies, DIY work of the past always interesting.


PostPosted: Fri Oct 13, 2023 11:49 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Alun Thomas wrote:

This arrived today. I hadn't seen an early SLR Heligon lens before, and I'm not sure if I have now. The serial number on the lens is a similar range to those used on German Rangefinders in the postwar period, and I don't know much about Praktiflex cameras but it also appears to be 1945-50. The lens body has only rudimentary markings for the aperture, and none at all for focus, making me wonder if it was a DIY adaptation, and if so, why? It's not like there weren't other perfectly good lenses available for that camera. But, if it is a DIY job, who made the whole thing? It all works properly, it doesn't appear to be an adaptation using the hardware of a different lens. Another possible explanation is maybe it was manufactured during the closing stages of wartime, or in the immediate period following, maybe normal standards weren't adhered to at that pount. I don't know.


The immediate post-war time was very tough and rough in Germany (and not only there, of course). Everything had to be used or re-used, there were food shortages and endless problems with everything. My mother, as a child, had been living in Hamburg, during the war, but as soon as she could she left Germany for a job in Switzerland. It's quite plausible that your lens has been made shortly after WWII - either from some spare parts or from half-finished factory stuff that was transformed into something useful. Check Marco Cavina's story on the LTM 1.4/58mm Sonnars ... I have a Contax III here which contains an "experimental" shutter, either from late WWII or early postwar time. Many things were improvised during that time.

S


PostPosted: Sun Oct 15, 2023 12:50 am    Post subject: Reply with quote


I managed to partially disassemble the lens, it looks a lot like a DIY job, but the machinist involved is fairly skilled. As can be seen, the focusing arrangement is a single screw in a single spiral groove. The lathe work to put the knurling on the rings is well done. The clearances on the moving parts are close to perfect.



The guide to keep the lens body straight is also a single screw, (the same screw). A second screw locates the focusing ring, stopping it moving backward or forward.



I was unable to disassemble the aperture assembly any further than this.



I was also unable fully open up the rear lens block as someone has been quite rough with it previously, probably unsuccessful at opening it themself.

It looks most like a DIY job, but well beyond the skill of the normal person to do themselves. I wonder why they wanted a Rodenstock lens for their Praktiflex? Perhaps it was cheaply available on an inoperative camera and too good to throw out.


PostPosted: Sun Oct 15, 2023 3:51 pm    Post subject: Final Puzzle Pieces Reply with quote
Just secured the final piece of a puzzle to build the best set of Vivitar glass I could imagine - the Vivitar 70-150 f3.8 in M42 mount. What has been abundantly clear over the last three years of search to build this set is the immense quantity of Series 1 70-210 f3.5's out there, going unappreciated, and for money that these days you'd barely get two packets of fags for. As for the rest of the Series 1, and in the opinions of many others, those lenses that should have been designated so but weren't, for unfathomable reasons, are much less easy to lay hands on, especially in mint body and glass. The collection has a variety of mounts. To task to try to assemble such a collection in a single mount is, in my view, impossible.

I have adoringly used the 70-210/3.5, and the 28/2.8 extensively, toyed around carefully with the 90/2.5, and swooned over one day owning the 90-180/4.5 Now, in the spirit of Frodo and the Fellowship, my quest is at an end. With modest modifications for cinematic use as well as non-interfering to photography, this set will now take pride of place in my kit inventory: 24-48/3.8, 28-90/2.8-3.5, 70-210/3.5, 90-180/4.5, 75-205/3.8, 70-150/3.8, 24/2.0, 28/1.9, 28/2.0, 28/2.8, 35/1.9, 55/2.8, 90/2.5, 100/2.8, 135/2.3, and 200/3.

There is something magical about Vivitar that users and collectors of which recognise above all the lens brand snobbery that exists. As a third party distributor they were different to all the rest, opting to design and consign to respected lens makers of the time in order to create the best professional lens they could. And in so doing they often created landmark glass that to this day not only holds up in an ever saturated market, but in some cases stands head and shoulders above all else as truly innovational.

#1


#2


PostPosted: Sun Oct 15, 2023 5:11 pm    Post subject: Re: Final Puzzle Pieces Reply with quote
Rasbenek wrote:
Just secured the final piece of a puzzle to build the best set of Vivitar glass I could imagine - the Vivitar 70-150 f3.8 in M42 mount.
. . .

#1


#2



Welcome Rasbenek, congrats and well said!

I also own several Vivitar lenses and enjoy using them.

(Photos usually won't show in a member's first post, but they should in your following posts.)


PostPosted: Sun Oct 15, 2023 10:43 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Both Tokina and Kiron made a version of that lens for Vivitar, although I haven't tested them extensively, and I'm not sure if I still own the Tokina version. The Kiron version has a matching telwconverter available as well. Generally a 2x zoom lens is easy to design for good results, another good Vivitar 2x zoom is the Komine made 100-200 F4 lens.


PostPosted: Sun Oct 15, 2023 10:53 pm    Post subject: Re: Final Puzzle Pieces Reply with quote
Rasbenek wrote:
Just secured the final piece of a puzzle to build the best set of Vivitar glass I could imagine - the Vivitar 70-150 f3.8 in M42 mount. ...

I have adoringly used the 70-210/3.5, and the 28/2.8 extensively, toyed around carefully with the 90/2.5, and swooned over one day owning the 90-180/4.5 Now, in the spirit of Frodo and the Fellowship, my quest is at an end. With modest modifications for cinematic use as well as non-interfering to photography, this set will now take pride of place in my kit inventory: 24-48/3.8, 28-90/2.8-3.5, 70-210/3.5, 90-180/4.5, 75-205/3.8, 70-150/3.8, 24/2.0, 28/1.9, 28/2.0, 28/2.8, 35/1.9, 55/2.8, 90/2.5, 100/2.8, 135/2.3, and 200/3.

There is something magical about Vivitar that users and collectors of which recognise above all the lens brand snobbery that exists. As a third party distributor they were different to all the rest, opting to design and consign to respected lens makers of the time in order to create the best professional lens they could. And in so doing they often created landmark glass that to this day not only holds up in an ever saturated market, but in some cases stands head and shoulders above all else as truly innovational.


Welcome here in the forum - and thanks for sharing knowledge about the Vivitar lenses. I'm always interested to hear more Wink

S


PostPosted: Mon Oct 16, 2023 11:13 am    Post subject: Re: Final Puzzle Pieces Reply with quote
Rasbenek wrote:
Just secured the final piece of a puzzle to build the best set of Vivitar glass I could imagine -

Hi Rasbenek, welcome, I also am partial to vivs: 90mm macro; 105mm macro, 135mm close focus, 28mm f2's (both kino and komine), 55mm macro, 100-200mm f4. But wot, no 70-210mm f2.8-4 (komine)? By chance I have one for sale in PKA mount.....and I also have a 105mm, also PKA mount, for sale ..


PostPosted: Mon Oct 16, 2023 5:15 pm    Post subject: Re: Final Puzzle Pieces Reply with quote
Yeah I guess having the variable would add something especially in the 3rd version, but with both 1st and 2nd versions fixed it isn't a priority. And with the 200/3 don't see the need of a slower 200, even a zoom. 105 would be cool but again the 90 serves brilliant purpose. I've opted for the first output of Series 1 from the 70s and the handful of primes that shoulda / coulda been Series 1 and recognised as top performers. Feel like it's comprehensive enough and frankly have all of the big three rarer ones. Vivitar really are underappreciated and undervalued. I see prices steadily rising, and availability lessening, once people cotton on.


PostPosted: Mon Oct 16, 2023 6:05 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote


Tamron Adapt-All-2 200mm f3.5.
There is a built in hood.



Six bladed aperture.



I had never seen a Tamron filter before.

No test images yet. Will try and get it outside later today.

-D.S.


PostPosted: Mon Oct 16, 2023 6:27 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Doc Sharptail wrote:

Tamron Adapt-All-2 200mm f3.5.
There is a built in hood.
...
No test images yet. Will try and get it outside later today.

-D.S.


Interesting lens for sure - calculated during a time when the OEM manufacturers just sold their common 4/200 lenses, and started producing 2.8/200mm lenses based on the same principle as the common 4/200 (namely a triplet in front as a master lens and a achromatic doublet at the rear acting as field flattener and teleconverter).

Like the later iterations of the Leica R 4/250mm and 4.8/350mm lens, the Tamron 3.5/200 was "split in half" - using a focusing mechanism which was moving the front triplet at a different rate than the rear doublet. Should give a better MFD and better close range performance ...

Interestingly, Canon soon would go for real internal focusing (IF) with their new FD 4/200mm lens, and achieve 1.5 MFD as well as very smooth focusing. That one had LD glass (v=70) as well, and a surprisingly good color correction. Minolta had a prototype for a similar 4/200mm AF lens (based on the design of their AF 2.8/135mm), but chose to produce the AF 2.8/200mm APO instead. And 200mm primes soon would become an niche product.

S


PostPosted: Mon Oct 16, 2023 8:59 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
stevemark wrote:
Doc Sharptail wrote:

Tamron Adapt-All-2 200mm f3.5.
There is a built in hood.
...
No test images yet. Will try and get it outside later today.

-D.S.


Interesting lens for sure - calculated during a time when the OEM manufacturers just sold their common 4/200 lenses, and started producing 2.8/200mm lenses based on the same principle as the common 4/200 (namely a triplet in front as a master lens and a achromatic doublet at the rear acting as field flattener and teleconverter).

Like the later iterations of the Leica R 4/250mm and 4.8/350mm lens, the Tamron 3.5/200 was "split in half" - using a focusing mechanism which was moving the front triplet at a different rate than the rear doublet. Should give a better MFD and better close range performance ...

S


At first look, it seems to be very well corrected at the distances I put it up to.
First impression is that it wants a tripod for most subjects at MFD, which is still sort of long at 1.7 Meters.
I couldn't make it fringe in strong back-lighting.
It is a bit larger in outside diameter than the 200 f4 nikkor A/I-s, and seems to be better corrected.
The extra focusing mechanisms inside it give it a little bit of weight.

Took a few frames out the back door this afternoon, and will post images in a dedicated thread.
In the mean time, time for a bit of a snooze first. Wink

-D.S.


PostPosted: Mon Oct 16, 2023 10:30 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
1.7 is short for a 200. 3 and 2.5m are no exceptions with older ones. 2m is common on newer ones. My Series 1 Vivitar 200/3 focusses closest with 1.3m. This is of course beaten by zooms that have macro modes.


PostPosted: Tue Oct 17, 2023 2:08 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
D1N0 wrote:
1.7 is short for a 200. 3 and 2.5m are no exceptions with older ones. 2m is common on newer ones. My Series 1 Vivitar 200/3 focusses closest with 1.3m. This is of course beaten by zooms that have macro modes.


The Nikkor (which I have sold) had a MFD that was a bit longer, but not by a lot- perhaps a foot.



At MFD here and wide open, ISO 64.



As above, except f5.6.



At a distance of about 50 feet. f5.6 and ISO 64.



MFD again, wide open.



MFD and f5.6.

It certainly is a usable lens. I need to spend a bit of time with it. Focusing is a bit touchy. It seems focus throw was made as short as possible. It is going to take some getting used to.

I'm pretty impressed with this performance.

-D.S.


PostPosted: Tue Oct 17, 2023 8:30 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
I've found the adaptall 04B 200mm to be a sharp lens and I've taken some nice pics with one. Better than its predecessors IMO the CT200 and the heavy adaptamatic/early adaptall with tripod mount.
You can definitely have fringing creep in, especially I think with eg city landscapes (lots of contrast edges).


PostPosted: Tue Oct 17, 2023 6:39 pm    Post subject: Re: Final Puzzle Pieces Reply with quote
Rasbenek wrote:
Now, in the spirit of Frodo and the Fellowship, my quest is at an end.


You're not going to throw all those Vivitars into a volcano, are you?

Smile


PostPosted: Wed Oct 18, 2023 1:59 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
marcusBMG wrote:
I've found the adaptall 04B 200mm to be a sharp lens and I've taken some nice pics with one. Better than its predecessors IMO the CT200 and the heavy adaptamatic/early adaptall with tripod mount.
You can definitely have fringing creep in, especially I think with eg city landscapes (lots of contrast edges).




A little shows up here on the upper left-hand side of the concrete support pillar. The steel cables display none.
Un-manipulated jpeg. Wide open at ISO 64.
What I can't get it to do is fringe against tree branches like the nikkor 200 f4 AI did.



Still getting the hang of using it. Focused on the "ground glass" here, and f4. This low contrast subject gave the focus confirmation dot a hard time. Slight contrast and tint added in post.



The cathedral ruins in this image are almost a kilometer away from the camera. Very good sharpness here. f4 again. Slight contrast boost in post.
This heavy over cast makes for some drab looking subjects. I'll get it out again when we see some honest sunlight.

-D.S.


PostPosted: Wed Oct 18, 2023 9:01 pm    Post subject: Re: Final Puzzle Pieces Reply with quote
KEO wrote:
Rasbenek wrote:
Now, in the spirit of Frodo and the Fellowship, my quest is at an end.


You're not going to throw all those Vivitars into a volcano, are you?

Smile


Haha no definitely not - definitely keepers for the foreseeable. Taken too long to build this set 😁👍


PostPosted: Thu Oct 19, 2023 8:28 am    Post subject: Tokina 300mm f2.8 Reply with quote
I have been buying and selling for about ten years now and this, as best as I can remember, was the first time I had seen one of these come up (here in UK - not rare in Japan). To my surprise I was the only bidder. Very pleased with its mint condition when it arrived, in original case, with 112mm filter. As you can see I have knocked up a plastic plate for balancing the lens - decided I didn't need aluminium because the plate has front and back points of support against the lens.



PostPosted: Thu Oct 19, 2023 9:49 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
Congratulations, A bit big for my Use.

I search, but the only time my targets come up they are 3-4 times the cost in Japan, or I am travelling.


PostPosted: Thu Oct 19, 2023 9:57 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
That's a nice piece of kit. I didn't realise the manual focus ones were so rare - I'm seeing a bunch for sale buy it now from Japan? Or perhaps I'm missing something.


PostPosted: Fri Oct 20, 2023 11:06 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Early Konica Hexanon AR 3.2/135mm with chrome ring at the base of the lens, as shown here at A. Buhl's website:
http://buhla.de/Foto/Konica/Objektive/e135_32.html

Comes with a Konica TC-X, a fully mechanical SLR I didn't have yet.

S


PostPosted: Sat Oct 21, 2023 5:25 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
stevemark wrote:
Early Konica Hexanon AR 3.2/135mm with chrome ring at the base of the lens, as shown here at A. Buhl's website:
http://buhla.de/Foto/Konica/Objektive/e135_32.html

Comes with a Konica TC-X, a fully mechanical SLR I didn't have yet.

S


Interesting comments there regarding built-in hoods being too shallow...

-D.S.


PostPosted: Sat Oct 21, 2023 10:47 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
Doc Sharptail wrote:
stevemark wrote:
Early Konica Hexanon AR 3.2/135mm with chrome ring at the base of the lens, as shown here at A. Buhl's website:
http://buhla.de/Foto/Konica/Objektive/e135_32.html

Comes with a Konica TC-X, a fully mechanical SLR I didn't have yet.

S


Interesting comments there regarding built-in hoods being too shallow...

-D.S.


They usually are. Convenience over quality


PostPosted: Sat Oct 21, 2023 6:04 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
As to Vivitar, i wonder whether Ponder&Best actually commissioned new designs for series 1 as they claimed or just selected the best they could find at a suitable price ? The "solid glass" catadioptric I have certainly came from a previous design.

p.
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