[ducdao]

Thanks to this thread as it has helped me to discover this great lens! I used to think that Super Tak 50mm f1.4 is the best out there but when I tried the MS 55mm f1.4 for the fist time, I fell in love with it. Since then it barely left my K10D. Below is why I love it.

[Nomad]

Hey all,
I picked up a 400mm 6.3 that is full manual ancd has no offending pin to get stuck. I have it mounted with an m42 to k adapter but did have to place a .012" shim between the lens and adapter to properly focus.

[Ira]

1972:

I had a Mamiya Sekor 1000DTL with a 50 something 1.2. System was M42.

The lens was rated outstanding then, and I still search eBay for this lens.

They obviously didn't have the sales numbers that Pentax had, and most of this gear just wound up in the garbage, because people didn't know what they had.

[ducdao]

1972:

I had a Mamiya Sekor 1000DTL with a 50 something 1.2. System was M42.

The lens was rated outstanding then, and I still search eBay for this lens.

They obviously didn't have the sales numbers that Pentax had, and most of this gear just wound up in the garbage, because people didn't know what they had.

There is no 1.2 at 50mm. You must meant either 1.2 at 55mm or 1:2 at 50mm. If it's the latter then it's widely available on Ebay for 10-15 bucks + SH.

I know it because I've been collecting them.

[RioRico]

A "Mamiya/Sekor 55mm f1.4 Lens. M42 Screw Mnt. Minty Cond." just sold for US$51 on eBay.
A couple 50/2's are (or aren't) selling for around US$10.
This seems to be a good time to buy good non-Takumar lenses.

[knyghtfall]

Went around to shoot with my Mamiya Sekor 60mm f2.8 macro today -

[knyghtfall]

I'm lovin' my mamiya, and here's why:





All 4 pictures were taken at f2.8 by the way

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Last edited by knyghtfall; 09-19-2010 at 09:00 PM.

[Miguel]

It's great to see other people's shots with the 60mm macro. That lens (including the Yashica twin) is not very common. They are so well built that they'll be in use for another 35 years easily.

Since getting a FA 50mm f2.8 macro, my use of the M/S 60mm had tapered off significantly. But then I purchased a Canon 7D and the M/S 60mm was born anew.

Echinops



7D, Mamiya/Sekor M42 60mm f2.8 macro, f11 @ 1/20, ISO 800

M

[knyghtfall]

2 more casual shots from the mamiya

[Nick Siebers]

I realized Blue asked me a question way back when, which I missed. My 58mm f/1.7 Mamiya Sekor is indeed pre-TL, it was a kit lens on the Mamiya CP/CWP. Unfortunately that camera developed problems that were no longer worth repairing, but the lens lives on. And it is GREAT.

Those 60mm macro shots are impressive, too. I have been watching for that lens in one of its incarnations, but others have been too, obviously. :-)

With the 58/1.7:





Here's the lens on the camera:

[Urkeldaedalus]

My first camera:



Unfortunately I never owned any good lenses for it. It served me, well, though.

[knyghtfall]

On a weekly session to get to know this lens better. Here's one shot of flowers in the rain.





I must admit I'm not a big fan of the hexagonal bokeh - though the colours and the sharpness are great.

[georgweb]

I must admit I'm not a big fan of the hexagonal bokeh

Avoid the specular highlights :-) Seriously, I would either try to frame the background and blur it in pp (which of course does look overdone many times), or try to shoot full open as much as possible. All that is more academic than practical, I know.

Miguel & Nyghtfall, how would you judge your 2.8/60 performance in the mid-to-infinity department ? Reason for it, I am suspecting this lens to be a copy or a close friend of its Zeiss brethren, which is said to have eye-bleeding near performance (like your lenses obviously) but not so great inf. performance.

Here is a lens very well suited for full open use. I have been searching for this thing for 2 years and finally the patience paid off. It is a 4-in-4-element design and known for it's full open performance, which I can confirm. Watch out for flaring, though.


M42 Mamiya Sekor SX 2.8/135 @f/2.8


M42 Mamiya Sekor SX 2.8/135 @f/2.8

PS: A valuable link for M42 Mamiya Sekor (SX) lens schemes by the one and only Frank Mechelhoff:
II. Rolleinar lenses for Rolleiflex SL35 (QBM) Series
... and their Zeiss brothers on the same pages:
Page 2: Carl Zeiss (Oberkochen) lenses for Rolleiflex SL35 (QBM) Series

.

[Ira]

M42 Mamiya Sekor SX 2.8/135 @f/2.8

I just bought this lens, but it won't mount. Seems I have to grind down the perimeter near the mount.

Did you do this too?

[Miguel]

Hi George,

Beyond macro or closeup proximity, the lens performs poorly. I only use it for closeups. It meets the old definition of what macro lenses did best and worst.
I don't know about the Zeiss theory. I wouldn't consider the Mamiya/Sekor 60mm the best or sharpest macro lens in my toolkit. I like it for the artsy color rendering and aberrations. Plus presets are very easy for closeups.

For pure sharpness and contrast, the Pentax FA 50mm f2.8 macro, and the Voigtlander SLII 125mm f2.5 are unparalleled. The M/S is getting a lot of use these days because it fits my 7D, and I'm spending more time using (and learning) that new system.

M

[delete]

Miguel & Nyghtfall, how would you judge your 2.8/60 performance in the mid-to-infinity department ?

[deleted]
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