[.a.t.]

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This is a picture of a Sears branded 135mm f/2.8 lens I scanned from a 1980 Sears catalog. I don't own a copy of the lens, but I'm interested in the history of Sears lenses and am curious to know if anyone can tell who made this one for Sears?
The catalog says the 135 has a five foot minimum focus distance, 52mm filter thread and is 3 inches long.

Looking around on the internet, I haven't seen another 135 with the same depth of field scale. I have a (Ricoh) Rikenon 135 with a similar D.O.F. scale, but not quite the same.
I do own a made in Korea Sears 135mm lens, and apart from the D.O.F. scale it looks like the lens pictured above. So my guess is that Samyang made the catalog lens.

Does anybody know different?

[stevebrot]

That, my friend, is a generic Asian 135/2.8 lens such as were sold by Sears, JC Penney, Wards, K-Mart, and several of the larger camera store chains. They were remarkably uniform in appearance despite being made by multiple OEM manufacturers in Japan, Korea, Singapore, and Philippines. I agree that the DOF scale is rather unique, but without seeing actual photos, I don't know that many of our resident experts would hazard a guess. As for Samyang...they were and are not the only Korean lens makers.


Steve

[stevebrot]

I think I might have found an older "cousin" sold with Revue branding...

Revuenon Auto Revuenon 135mm f2.8 Lens Reviews - Miscellaneous Lenses - Pentax Lens Review Database


Steve

[.a.t.]

That, my friend, is a generic Asian 135/2.8 lens . . . . .

Steve

So you're saying I may as well chase my tail?
Yes, I suppose it's silly but I do enjoy trying to puzzle out who made Sears lenses. Especially the 135s.
I was hoping someone here might actually own a copy of that lens.

Thanks for the info and the link, Steve.


Tim

[D1N0]

There's one cheap on eBay. Also Korea Sears 135mm F/2.8 M Manual Focus Lens For Pentax K Mount {52} | eBay The first two numbers of the serial are probably production year (maybe even date which would make it december 5 1983 33rd copy of the day

[UMC]

So you're saying I may as well chase my tail? ...

Probably not. I've been working on a (private) catalogue of K-mount lenses since 2013, collecting pictures of almost 5000 lenses and variants of lenses. Doing so, I have come across 2 totally different 135/2.8 lenses in 8 variants in Sears brand, albeit I have never seen the specific one shown in the image you posted.

It appears that Sears had made their 135mm lenses by Tokina and Samyang. Here are the lenses I know of:

Japan (most likely Tokina):
Auto Sears MC 135mm 1:2.8 (K) : 199.730590, S/N 100nnn-???nnn, Different shape with double aperture scale
Auto Sears MC 135mm 1:2.8 (K) : 199.730670, S/N 100nnn-105nnn, Different DOF scale
Auto Sears MC 135mm 1:2.8 (K) : 199.730670, S/N 106nnn-???nnn, Different aperture ring

Korea:
Auto Sears 1:2.8 f=135mm (K) : Mod.No. 202.730590, S/N 21nnnn-22nnnn, Mod.No. 202.730590
Auto Sears MC 1:2.8 f=135mm (K) : Mod.No. 202.737370, S/N 819nnn, 822nnn, 832nnn, 852nnn, 864nnn, 879nnn, 888nnn, 922nnn,
Auto Sears Multi Coated 1:2.8 135mm (K) : Mod.No. 202.737370, S/N 840nnnnnn,
Auto Sears Multi Coated 1:2.8 135mm Macro (K) : Mod.No. 202.736950, S/N 840nnnnnn, 841nnnnnn,
Auto Multi Coated 1:2.8 f=135mm (KAR) : Mod.No. 202.7368100, S/N 860nnnnnn, 870nnnnnn,

[stevebrot]

There's one cheap on eBay. Also Korea Sears 135mm F/2.8 M Manual Focus Lens For Pentax K Mount {52} | eBay The first two numbers of the serial are probably production year (maybe even date which would make it december 5 1983 33rd copy of the day

I love the item description...someone at KEH had their copy scrambled.


Steve

[stevebrot]

Auto Sears MC 135mm 1:2.8 (K) : 199.730590, S/N 100nnn-???nnn, Different shape with double aperture scale

Is this a lens with pre-set aperture? Do you have a photo?


Steve

[stevebrot]

So you're saying I may as well chase my tail?

Not really. I love a good mystery and challenge as much as the next person, but an old catalog photo is not much to go on. FWIW, I was actually in the market back in 1980 and probably handled this lens at Sears as part of my shopping. They were still very big into camera stuff back then and had an extensive selection of cameras and lenses in most of the larger stores for both name and house brand stuff. Strangely, the same was true at both JC Penney and K-mart and even the larger variety/drugstore chains. Those were the days.


Steve

[UMC]

Is this a lens with pre-set aperture? Do you have a photo?

No, it is M-style K-mount, and yes, you may have a look at it here: Microsoft OneDrive - Access files anywhere. Create docs with free Office Online. As of now there are 2 PDFs in this directory, one older about Tokina 90-230 and todays PDF on Sears 135s. However, please do not re-distribute the documents, because I do not own the copyright of all the images.

[.a.t.]

There's one cheap on eBay. Also Korea Sears 135mm F/2.8 M Manual Focus Lens For Pentax K Mount {52} | eBay The first two numbers of the serial are probably production year (maybe even date which would make it december 5 1983 33rd copy of the day

Yes, that version of Korean made 135 is one I see often on ebay. My catalog lens is older than that example, I think.
And I've also wondered about a serial number code for Sears lenses. It doesn't seem to apply to the older Japanese made lenses.

Probably not. I've been working on a (private) catalogue of K-mount lenses since 2013, collecting pictures of almost 5000 lenses and variants of lenses. Doing so, I have come across 2 totally different 135/2.8 lenses in 8 variants in Sears brand, albeit I have never seen the specific one shown in the image you posted. . . . .

Wow - what a resource, UMC! Thank you for the information.

Not really. I love a good mystery and challenge as much as the next person, but an old catalog photo is not much to go on. FWIW, I was actually in the market back in 1980 and probably handled this lens at Sears as part of my shopping. They were still very big into camera stuff back then and had an extensive selection of cameras and lenses in most of the larger stores for both name and house brand stuff. Strangely, the same was true at both JC Penney and K-mart and even the larger variety/drugstore chains. Those were the days.


Steve

Interesting.

I've searched a lot on ebay and have yet to see a Sears lens just like the catalog 135. I'm beginning to wonder if that's just a stand in photo of a lens Sears never actually sold? Who knows?

Anyway, I'll keep my eyes open just in case.

[UMC]

... I'm beginning to wonder if that's just a stand in photo of a lens Sears never actually sold? Who knows? ...

This is pretty much what I think too. However, I know for sure that I have seen the characteristic style of the DOF scale somewhere on my harddisk, but definitely under a different (off-)brand.

Edit:
I take back "know for sure". I found a similar (but not equal) style on Focal (K-Mart) lenses and also Panagor used a similar design for the DOF scale. However, the shape of the lens in the catalogue looks very much like the bred-and-butter Korean standard 135 of the late 70ies / early 80ies. Samyang must have produced millions of these under hundreds of different names, changing the design slightly at least 10 times...

[stevebrot]

No, it is M-style K-mount, and yes, you may have a look at it here: Microsoft OneDrive - Access files anywhere. Create docs with free Office Online. As of now there are 2 PDFs in this directory, one older about Tokina 90-230 and todays PDF on Sears 135s. However, please do not re-distribute the documents, because I do not own the copyright of all the images.

Cool!

I see now. They added a second row of aperture numbers to accommodate the Judas window on some bodies.


Steve

[E-man]

Not really. I love a good mystery and challenge as much as the next person, but an old catalog photo is not much to go on. FWIW, I was actually in the market back in 1980 and probably handled this lens at Sears as part of my shopping. They were still very big into camera stuff back then and had an extensive selection of cameras and lenses in most of the larger stores for both name and house brand stuff. Strangely, the same was true at both JC Penney and K-mart and even the larger variety/drugstore chains. Those were the days.


Steve

And don't forget the catalog showroom stores like Brendle's, Best Products, Sam Solomon's and Service Merchandise. That whole segment of the retail market has disappeared in the last 20 years.

[babywriter]

I think I may have a Sears 135mm f/2.8 in my collection at home. Not sure if it's the same as the picture. I'll take a look tonight and post back if I find anything interesting.

ADDITION: Nope, it's a Focal (K-mart) 135mm f/2.8. Same general family, but not this lens.