[nild]

Found this one today in my local camera store. For really, really cheap. It's in perfect condition, looks and feel very good and 23mm is a very interesting lenght.
Couldn't test this lens already, I just took some first shots in the store to see if everything works. My first impression is: It's a bit soft at 3.5 and it's very, very sharp at 8, just tested on a digital crop-Canon – maybe there is less sharpness to the edges on a film-Pentax. If it really does perform that good that I think it will, it might get my new favourite wide angle.

Anyone who also owns one of these?
Anyone who got more information about it?











I'll post samples soon.

[vonBaloney]

A hood may help wide-open...

[nild]

If used outdoor. But you also mean for indoor shots?
But good idea. If I will use it regularly, I'll have to search for an adequate hood.

[vonBaloney]

If used outdoor. But you also mean for indoor shots?
But good idea. If I will use it regularly, I'll have to search for an adequate hood.

Anytime. Some lenses can be radically improved on the wide-end with a decent hood (esp on crop cameras where you can cover more without vignetting). Of course, some lenses can't, and just need to be stopped down. Wide-angles can be tough though...

[nild]

thx. I'll try it out. I guess any wide angle hood for 62mm should do the job.

[Lloydy]

I had a kiron made version of this lens, and I have to say that out of over 100 lenses I've got this was without any doubt the worst that I've ever had, bar none! But......according the best information available your lens is made by Sun, so the chances are it's a completely different lens to my horror.
I like Soligors, I've got about a dozen and most are on the best side of good, one or two are fabulous, including a Sun made lens. If yours is sharp, it should be good as Soligor seemed to specify decent lenses from their suppliers. I think quality control was the problem.

[nild]

thx for your informations. I did some more research, and I guess that you are right – it must be a Sun made lens. It's my first Soligor and I'm really looking forward getting the best out of it.

[nild]

Did some first testings – sadly without a hood. As I mentioned above. It's really soft at 3.5 but gets much better at 5.6 or 8. There is a lot of distortion – didn't recognize that before.

3.5


8


3.5 100%


8 100%


no post processing – jpg shots out of Canon 30D

[nild]

Did some additional everyday testings:
All following photos post processed – jpg shots out of Canon 350D.

First of all its a nice close up lens. I like the blurry and a bit charcteristic out of focus feeling of it.








These shots taken with an additional close up lens.







Stopped down you can really call it a sharp lens (for a wide angle). For sure not the sharpest and adapted to my digital crop cam a bit hard to focus on infinity.










Again I didn't use a lens hood, without it produces a lot of lensflair.





So, I'll keep it, and I'll use it regularly. For me it's a nice fun lens with a bit of a own character. And for me as a "mostly prime lens shooter" it's a great new angle. A moderate wide angle on crop – a real wide one on my MX.

[S1erra]

presumably this is the same lens as the soligor, at first I thought 23mm was a typo.