Vintage Lenses

I'm definitely going to send that 35mm f2.5 for a service soon :D

Any recommended places? There's a small chance I may spend some money on the Contax 80-200/4 as it feels a bit stiff near 70mm & very close focus distances. Of course, this may well be lack of use right there!!
 
I sent two lenses to a guy who was spot on with price and reliability. Forgotten his name. I'll search it out. I'm old and forgetful.
 
Just thought I'd post some Takumar 50mm f1.4 pictures. This one replaced one that hit infinity at about 7ft.

Feather on the beach.

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100% from that, I hope the sharpness survives the posting process.

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With a No.4 close up filter.

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Treasure hunter and pier.

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The pier, again.

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One lens I've had for a while and rarely used impressed me recently when I did a little comparison test of all my old 50mm f1.4's by taking multiple pictures of Mrs WW at f1.4/2 and it's the Olympus Zuiko 50mm f1.4. I'd previously usually picked other lenses which were sharper and suffered fewer optical nasties but I decided I like the slightly softer but still perfectly useable look and the nice colours this lens gives. I think this lens came the closest to the Takumar 50mm f1.4 I recently bought for a pleasing straight out of the camera look and colour.
 
One lens I've had for a while and rarely used impressed me recently when I did a little comparison test of all my old 50mm f1.4's by taking multiple pictures of Mrs WW at f1.4/2 and it's the Olympus Zuiko 50mm f1.4. I'd previously usually picked other lenses which were sharper and suffered fewer optical nasties but I decided I like the slightly softer but still perfectly useable look and the nice colours this lens gives. I think this lens came the closest to the Takumar 50mm f1.4 I recently bought for a pleasing straight out of the camera look and colour.

I get the same with the 50/1.4 Nippon Kogaku. However, I now have a full set of Minolta Leica M-Rokkors - 28/2.8 - 40/2 - 90/4 - and I think these are going to rock with the Z6. Haven't had a chance to test them properly yet but the 40/2 shots I did last weekend were very promising.
 
A while back I bought a couple of Nikon series E lenses, 28mm f2.8 and 35mm f2.5.

I bought these just out of interest as they're small and I got them relatively cheap. I did read on one famous bloggers site that the 28mm is awful and the worst prime Nikon ever made and that got me interested as sometimes "poor" lenses can maybe be rather interesting so I thought I'd give one a go and I have to disagree with that famous blogger as I find it to be a perfectly useable lens. Good even. Maybe that bad review was down to sample variation? But after saying that I have to say that I can't say that I've read a good review of this lens but maybe I just got lucky or perhaps I'm not that picky. I got the MK2 version which is IMO better looking than the MK1.

The 35mm f2.5 has a bit of a fault as it sometimes squeaks when moving the focus ring. It only does it in one direction and only when pointing downwards. I never complained as I got the lens cheap and maybe the seller knew there was a problem and therefore pitched the price low (but you should always declare a problem, IMO.) I think a clean and lubrication might sort this out but as it's a cheap lens I haven't bothered but I checked the "Sold" listings on evil bay today and saw what these lenses are selling for and they're going for a lot more than I paid so I think I will invest in a service :D

A few 28mm series E pictures.

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I'm definitely going to send that 35mm f2.5 for a service soon :D
Have you seen this site? There is a lot to it if you scroll down ...
http://www.mir.SPAM/rb/photography/companies/nikon/nikkoresources/28mmnikkor/index.htm
 
I get the same with the 50/1.4 Nippon Kogaku. However, I now have a full set of Minolta Leica M-Rokkors - 28/2.8 - 40/2 - 90/4 - and I think these are going to rock with the Z6. Haven't had a chance to test them properly yet but the 40/2 shots I did last weekend were very promising.

I have that lens and the AI-S version which gives a more modern technically better look. On straight out of the camera look and colour the Takumar has surprised me but it's by no means the sharpest.
 
Have you seen this site? There is a lot to it if you scroll down ...
http://www.mir.SPAM/rb/photography/companies/nikon/nikkoresources/28mmnikkor/index.htm

I have far too many 28mm's :D

f2.8's - Olympus Zuiko, Canon FD, Minolta Rokkor, Nikon Series E and AI-S, Chinon, Takumar f3.5 plus one modern one, the Sony 28mm f2. I think it's a bit surprising that the focal length seems IMO to be a little overlooked with nobody making a really top end 28mm, not for Sony anyway with only the Sony 28mm f2 which is a nice lens but not a cutting edge top end one IMO and whilst Voigtlander make some excellent lenses in E mount they've bypassed 28mm too. How odd.
 
I have far too many 28mm's :D

f2.8's - Olympus Zuiko, Canon FD, Minolta Rokkor, Nikon Series E and AI-S, Chinon, Takumar f3.5 plus one modern one, the Sony 28mm f2. I think it's a bit surprising that the focal length seems IMO to be a little overlooked with nobody making a really top end 28mm, not for Sony anyway with only the Sony 28mm f2 which is a nice lens but not a cutting edge top end one IMO and whilst Voigtlander make some excellent lenses in E mount they've bypassed 28mm too. How odd.
The site covers every focal length and film cameras.
Well worth a browse.
 
Just a few more Takumar 50mm f1.4 pictures. I posted these in the Sony thread but on reflection I think they might be a better fit here.

The pub.

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The beachcomber.

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Pano.

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Froth on the beach.

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Boats and the pier.

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I like this lens :D
 
Bought around a dozen vintage lenses during lockdown, mainly due to Mark Holtze and the Zenographer. Find myself using the Mitsuki 24mm on the Fujifilm XT10 and the Takumar 35mm on my D700. The other lenses seem to be sitting idly by. Anyone have go to lenses which seem to be "stuck" to their camera/cameras?
 
But how many Helios 44M's do you have? You could always sell a Takumar lens cap and pick up a couple with the proceeds :D

None. I've thought about these a few times but I really must stop now :D
 
Bought around a dozen vintage lenses during lockdown, mainly due to Mark Holtze and the Zenographer. Find myself using the Mitsuki 24mm on the Fujifilm XT10 and the Takumar 35mm on my D700. The other lenses seem to be sitting idly by. Anyone have go to lenses which seem to be "stuck" to their camera/cameras?

It varies for me.

Modern lens wise I use the Voigtlander 35mm f1.4 in Sony mount a lot but vintage lens wise I tend to like the last thing I bought. Other than the last thing I bought I suppose one favourite is the Monolta Rokkor 55mm f1.7 MC which was the first film era lens I mounted on a mirrorless camera, a Panasonic G1, and I thought there was something different about the look it gave.
 
Who needs Takumar 1.4's?

I'm more interested in quality lenses.....:D

Zenit TTL Trio by barrysprout, on Flickr

by barrysprout, on Flickr

Shots taken on one of my other two 44M's

Anyone have any suggestions to repair the dented hood on the 135?

You could use that one for making biscuit shapes! :D

There is a tool you can purchase quite cheaply on Amazon or eBay for this purpose.
 
Bought around a dozen vintage lenses during lockdown, mainly due to Mark Holtze and the Zenographer. Find myself using the Mitsuki 24mm on the Fujifilm XT10 and the Takumar 35mm on my D700. The other lenses seem to be sitting idly by. Anyone have go to lenses which seem to be "stuck" to their camera/cameras?

For many years it was the Voigtländer 40/1.4 Classic MC in M mount - quite possibly thinking of selling a few lenses and that might be one of them.
 
You could use that one for making biscuit shapes! :D

There is a tool you can purchase quite cheaply on Amazon or eBay for this purpose.
The tools I've seen are for fixing filter threads. This lens has a built in hood which has been dented. I think any tool would probably cost more than the lens is worth.
 
You could use that one for making biscuit shapes! :D

There is a tool you can purchase quite cheaply on Amazon or eBay for this purpose.
Nowt a good ball-pein hammer couldn’t sort. Preferably after heating in the forge.
 
Stop it!

I've told myself... I... must... stop... buying... lenses.
I've tried that it doesn't work. Even having my wife tell me doesn't work...

At least I was able to leave the Helios 44-2 I saw at the weekend. I already have 2 or 3 Helios 44-m models, a Helios 135mm, & even a Helios 1000mm so I'm learning to be a bit more selective while filling up the last corners of the house :)
 
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Bought around a dozen vintage lenses during lockdown, mainly due to Mark Holtze and the Zenographer. Find myself using the Mitsuki 24mm on the Fujifilm XT10 and the Takumar 35mm on my D700. The other lenses seem to be sitting idly by. Anyone have go to lenses which seem to be "stuck" to their camera/cameras?

Ah, the Zenographer. I call him the Whispering Bob of the camera world. :D
 
I just bought a few interesting lenses at auction today. I am picking them up tomorrow so I will get a good idea if they are usable.

Takumar Super Multi Coated 135mm F/3,5 lens

Jupiter 11A 4/135

Meyer-Optik Gorlitz Orestor 2.8/100

I also bought this one yesterday but I won't have it till next week:

Carl Zeiss Jena Flektogon 4/25

I'm looking forward to checking them out and seeing which I want to keep.
 
The tools I've seen are for fixing filter threads. This lens has a built in hood which has been dented. I think any tool would probably cost more than the lens is worth.

If you're not too worried about the paint you could just hammer it out with a metalwork hammer.
 
I just bought a few interesting lenses at auction today. I am picking them up tomorrow so I will get a good idea if they are usable.

Takumar Super Multi Coated 135mm F/3,5 lens

Jupiter 11A 4/135

Meyer-Optik Gorlitz Orestor 2.8/100

I also bought this one yesterday but I won't have it till next week:

Carl Zeiss Jena Flektogon 4/25

I'm looking forward to checking them out and seeing which I want to keep.

I have a Jupiter 12 and 35 and 50/2.8 Flektogons on my desk ready to test, all bought last week together with the 3 M-Rokkors. :oops: :$
 
I love my Flektogon ( a35mm f/2.4) which produced one of my favourite photos
Rufus resting by Mike Kanssen, on Flickr

Not only is it good it was only £10, bundled with a camera & other lenses... Ever since I've felt happy to pay twice the going rate for anything else of interest that shop has :)

It's not stealing if you pay the asking price is it??? I didn't know how much it was worth when I saw it, I guessed it must be over £50, but checking when I got home indicated the flektogon alone was typically >£200.
 
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Just popped a Jupiter 12 on the Z6 via my usual Shoten M42 to Z adapter and can’t focus. Not even close! What’s happening folks, please? All my other M42 lenses work well with this adapter but none of the rear lements of the other lenses protrude into the adapter like this one does so it feels like the rear element may be too close to the sensor?
 
Just popped a Jupiter 12 on the Z6 via my usual Shoten M42 to Z adapter and can’t focus. Not even close! What’s happening folks, please? All my other M42 lenses work well with this adapter but none of the rear lements of the other lenses protrude into the adapter like this one does so it feels like the rear element may be too close to the sensor?



 
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M39 is somewhat complicated as there are at least 5 different M39 mounts, as well as a large number of enlarger lenses.
LTM ('Leica thread mount' Leica M39) is the most common rangefinder M39 with registration of 28.8mm
The half frame Chankra rangefinder also uses M39 with a slightly different registration.
Zenit used M39 for some of their SLR lenses adapters (usually labelled Z39) for these are quite common the registration is about 15mm longer than that of LTM.
Then there are Paxette M39 & the Leitz Visoflex I...
 
I often use a close up filter. They probably don't give the magnification the Raynox gives but one good thing about all these end of lens devices apart from the extra magnification is that some lenses aren't at their best at or about minimum focus distance and these adapters often let you take pictures away from MFD where the lens performs better.
 
Tried a Raynox 250 on the front of my Helios 44-2 today.

_DSF2972 by Simon, on Flickr

_DSF2921 by Simon, on Flickr

Fuji XE-3
Very nice shots Simon!

I think I really ought to get the DCR250 back in my camera bag. When using a DSLR I tended to have a telephoto mounted much of the time & the DCR250 was simply too powerful for that so I carry the DCR150.
 
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