[m8o]

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Anyone have experience with this Arsat shift?

PCS ARSAT H Shift Lens 35mm f/2.8 for Pentax on eBay

Description if you don't want to click the link:

The Multicoated PCS ARSAT 2.8/35mm Shift lens with 11 mm shift and with 360 degree rotating plate capabilities enable the correction of perspective distortion necessary in interior and exterior architectural, landscape and product photography.

This 35mm Shift Pentax K is a sturdy lens. The angle of view of a 35mm is nearly perfect for architecture and interiors. As to its optical performance, it is simply outstanding. Resolution and contrast are excellent.

The main use of this shift lens is for perspective control. The lens tube rotates through 360 degrees and image axis is adjustable by 11mm. This lens is a high quality traditional lens, fast at f/2.8, with plenty of shift movement in all directions, unusually wide angle at 35mm, has the versatile Pentax K mount but without auto exposure contacts (can be used aperture-priority or metered manual).

The lens performs fine rectilinear rendition with many correcting elements, and the superior multicoated optics delivers superb performance under all conditions with excellent resolution, sharpness, contrast and control of flare.

[cheekygeek]

No experience, but one sold for significantly less than that on Jan. 30th.

[m8o]

No experience, but one sold for significantly less than that on Jan. 30th.

Actually, no it didn't. That buyer squelched on the deal, winning the auction for 2 GBP more. Check the Bid history and use GBP for comparison of what you found and what I linked to. 2 GBP does not a significance make.

To the rest of the audience, question still stands. Curious for any in the know, +/-.

[Andi Lo]

Unless you're using film I dont think 35mm would be wide enough for alot of shift applications. It would be good for some, but not a do-it-all. Just imho though, I'm not all that experienced in architecture photog

[wallyb]

Nobody else wanted it? Looks like lots of people wanted it. It sold for a lot of money considering what it is. It's not like a Nikkor PC lens.

[m8o]

Nobody else wanted it? Looks like lots of people wanted it. It sold for a lot of money considering what it is. It's not like a Nikkor PC lens.

a Lot? three bids between two people; two people is a lot? ...and one of those two bidder backed-out of the deal?

Actually, my bad. I now realize I didn't link to the auction that contains that activity:
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/PCS-ARSAT-H-Shift-Lens-35mm-f-2-8-for-Pentax_W0QQitemZ...item1e5a2408d6

I certainly am not confusing it with the upper crust of lenses. "But is it a crappy plastic without any fantastic" is the veiled question here if it wasn't obvious.

[wallyb]

a Lot? three bids between two people; two people is a lot? ...and one of those two bidder backed-out of the deal?

Actually, my bad. I now realize I didn't link to the auction that contains that activity:
PCS ARSAT H Shift Lens 35mm f/2.8 for Pentax on eBay (end time 30-Jan-10 20:48:04 GMT)

I certainly am not confusing it with the upper crust of lenses. "But is it a crappy plastic without any fantastic" is the veiled question here if it wasn't obvious.

In the original link, it does not show how many bids there were. It just says "Sold For: £147.27". Seemed like a lot of money for a totally unheard-of lens. Heck, I just bought a 35mm Tilt-shift lens for Pentax for $20. But it's got a fixed aperture of f/11 It still tilts and shifts just as well though.

[m8o]

Lol. That's funny. As well as Ah, "a lot" as in "a lot'a dinars" not "a lot" in the sense of the interest in it that I was wondering about.

Well, the reason I was interested in this is this seemed like an "affordable" way -- when compared to getting a Pentax 28mm Shift -- for me to get my feet wet with 'shift' photography. Whether I'd ever splurge for a Pentax shift would then be tbd.

[wallyb]

Well, the reason I was interested in this is this seemed like an "affordable" way -- when compared to getting a Pentax 28mm Shift -- for me to get my feet wet with 'shift' photography. Whether I'd ever splurge for a Pentax shift would then be tbd.

So in that case, grab the lens I just did! It's very fun and I'm planning on making a review of it soon:

Loreo Lens in Cap 35mm Perspective Control for Pentax - eBay (item 140328684247 end time Feb-17-10 00:37:12 PST)

(No affiliation with the seller of course, heck, I didn't even buy mine from them)

[xjjohnno]

Aren't there tilt shift/ a specific camera lens mount to PK adapters available for some of the Russian lens mounts? That's something that might be worth looking at, can't remember if it was the Zenit website or the Arsat website though.
Here you go LBA on a grand scale
Arax Photo | Accessories for medium format cameras and lenses.

[Egg Salad]

My explanation would be: Unknown lens maker, relatively new seller with not so great rating, very small market and nothing you generally search for.

[stevebrot]

In the original link, it does not show how many bids there were. It just says "Sold For: £147.27". Seemed like a lot of money for a totally unheard-of lens. Heck, I just bought a 35mm Tilt-shift lens for Pentax for $20. But it's got a fixed aperture of f/11 It still tilts and shifts just as well though.

Totally unheard of? I have heard of the Arsat before, but never a Loreo. By reputation the Arsat is supposed to have reasonably good optics with typical FSU build. It is/was made in the Ukraine by the Arsenal entity. The Arsat 35 T/S is harder to come by than in the past, but is listed at Hartblei.com for $595 USD. Hartblei used to use the Arsat optics in their Super-Rotator T/S lenses before they switched to Zeiss.

Here is a review of the Arsat:

Arsat 2.8/35mm Shift Lens | kosara.net

Steve

(No relation to Hartblei, Arsat, etc...)

[stevebrot]

Aren't there tilt shift/ a specific camera lens mount to PK adapters available for some of the Russian lens mounts? That's something that might be worth looking at, can't remember if it was the Zenit website or the Arsat website though.
Here you go LBA on a grand scale
Arax Photo | Accessories for medium format cameras and lenses.

Arsat and Arax are both products of Kiev-Arsenal in Ukraine. The lenses were/are available in a variety of mounts including Pentax-K. Both labels are available in Pentax-K and both offer T/S lenses, though with different mechanisms.

Steve

[stevebrot]

My explanation would be: Unknown lens maker, relatively new seller with not so great rating, very small market and nothing you generally search for.

Yep, a relatively unknown maker and niche market often results is low price at auction. I say relatively unknown because Kiev-Arsenal is not a household name like Canon. However, given the limited number of makers of T/S lenses, Kiev-Arsenal is actually one of only a handful of firms that has offered this sort of product and one of the few available in multiple mounts. The field is pretty limited, but these are the makers I am aware of for Pentax-K:

• Pentax (shift only, long-time discontinued)
• Harblei (legacy using Arsat optics)
• Hartblei/Zeiss
• Arsat
• Arax
• Loreo (shift only)
• Lensbaby

Arax also makes both tilt and shift adapters (not both) for Pentacon-6 lenses to Pentax-K.

Steve

[wallyb]

Totally unheard of? I have heard of the Arsat before, but never a Loreo.

Unheard of by me, which is of course all that matters

But really, thanks for the info