[Kendigitize]

K1 with Auto Sears 300mm 5.6

[ivanvernon]

I found a copy of the Auto Sears Macro 80-200mm f 4 macro lens in a dark corner of my lens cabinet--no idea how, when, or from where it got there. Seeing it, I had to try it. It is generally softer than modern lenses and unacceptably soft to many users, I suspect, but still capable of producing usable images showing excellent color fidelity. Here are a few shots from this old boy. I found one selling on eBay for as low as $9.99 including freight, so if excellent color fidelity is a priority and you are not afraid of a little softness in your images, this old boy may be the one for you.

[Aaron28]

Auto Sears Macro 80-200mm f 4 macro lens

been a minute since I have used this lens.....I find it a very good lens at short distances not so much at a distance....the bokeh is generally quite pleasing in that buttery smooth look as shown by yer nice samples......I will admit I tend to use a vivitar more often in that zoom range as it sharper at distance and has the 'a' ring for flash use

[goatsNdonkey]

I found a copy of the Auto Sears Macro 80-200mm f 4 macro lens in a dark corner of my lens cabinet--no idea how, when, or from where it got there. Seeing it, I had to try it. It is generally softer than modern lenses and unacceptably soft to many users, I suspect, but still capable of producing usable images showing excellent color fidelity. Here are a few shots from this old boy. I found one selling on eBay for as low as $9.99 including freight, so if excellent color fidelity is a priority and you are not afraid of a little softness in your images, this old boy may be the one for you.

My Sears f4 80-200 is part of a group of zooms with overlapping focal length ranges that I keep considering as a group I could pare down, but I have taken some pictures with that lens I really like, making it hard to part with. I actually haven't used it for macro work as much for other kinds of pictures. It also performs well with black-and-white film.

[Turdmuffin]

Hey, I have recent found this old “auto sears Tele-Zoom 90-230mm” lens and I can’t seem to find very much about it online. I was wondering if anybody knows about it and what kind of camera it would go to. Thanks!

[Adam]

Hey, I have recent found this old “auto sears Tele-Zoom 90-230mm” lens and I can’t seem to find very much about it online. I was wondering if anybody knows about it and what kind of camera it would go to. Thanks!

I would recommend posting some pictures of the lens in a new thread, as I believe there are a few possible mounts/variants.

[.a.t.]

Hey, I have recent found this old “auto sears Tele-Zoom 90-230mm” lens . . .

Welcome, er... 'Muffin.

Are you ready for a lotta links?

Your Sears lens likely has a M42 screw mount. Unless it has a "SX" in its name, which would make it a variation of the M42 mount. But, I'll just assume you have a plain M42.

M42 mount lenses can be used on most 35mm film SLRs and digital interchangeable lens cameras - either natively or with a simple mechanical adapter.

Links:
M42 lens mount - Wikipedia

Sears (Tokina) 90-230/4.5 - Common as dirt !

How to use/meter Manual & M42 Lenses on all Pentax DSLRs (K-1, K-3, K-5, K-30, etc) - PentaxForums.com

Why no review for the classic early 1970s Tokina-made 90-230mm zoom? - PentaxForums.com

And if you do have a "SX" lens, you can check this topic:
Sears (Mamiya SX/Tokina) 90-230/4.5 - last of the line

I would recommend posting some pictures of the lens in a new thread, as I believe there are a few possible mounts/variants.

Edit:

Adam is wise. But I hope my response will be of some help...

[.a.t.]

On the subject of the 90-230, I've been having fun documenting spring scenes with my close focusing version. On APS-C, I find the 90mm end to be not wide enough for general use. But the close focus function - which is at 90mm - is a comfortable length for close ups of small objects.
(All shot with K-5iis.)


quince f/8



daffodil f/4.5



pansy f/4.5



camellia f/4.5



viburnum f/11

[.a.t.]

The 90-230mm f/4.5 was made by lens maker Tokina in several different iterations and sold under numerous brand names. As far as I know, the 90-230 was available in Sears' catalog from 1968 to 1979 and was offered in M42 mount only (along with the Mamiya SX variation of M42) until the Close Focus version was introduced in 1978. The Close Focus was available in the major mounts of the day.

Some years (?) after the 90-230mm was introduced, Tokina began making a 75-260mm f/4.5 zoom. As with the 90-230, the 75-260 went through different iterations and was sold under many brand names. But it wasn't sold as a Sears until 1979.
More info here:
Vivitar (Tokina) 75-260/4.5 - ALMOST the biggest T4

It seems production of the 90-230 and 75-260 overlapped for several years in the 1970s, but I believe they were distinct lenses with different designs. Yet in the late 1970s, both lenses were redesigned and assumed a common form. They became smaller, shed their tripod collars and gained a close focus setting.

In their Fall/Winter 1979 catalog, Sears replaced the 90-230mm Close Focus with a 75-260mm Close Focus. But Sears literature shows that the Close Focus versions of the 90-230 and 75-260 seem to have the same optical layout and specs - apart from the zoom range.
And as advertised, my copy of the Sears 75-260 Close Focus does in fact have a wider zoom range than my 90-230 Close Focus. But other than the zoom rings, they look like twins.










I haven't yet used my 75-260 very much, but P.F. member Sagitta has a copy of the 75-260 and has posted many photos from it in this thread.

[Aaron28]

the buttery cream of an old dirt cheap lens....sears 80-200/f4 macro....K-50....x posted where relevant

[Aaron28]

exploiting the halo effect of the sears 135/f2.8 macro (favorite lens btw ) …...K-50....x posted where relevant

[Aaron28]

more with the sears 135 macro this time non halo style....3 frame pano….k-50

[.a.t.]

the buttery cream of an old dirt cheap lens....sears 80-200/f4 macro....K-50....x posted where relevant

exploiting the halo effect of the sears 135/f2.8 macro (favorite lens btw ) …...K-50....x posted where relevant

more with the sears 135 macro this time non halo style....3 frame pano….k-50

What a luxury to have so many Sears lenses available to us! (In the U.S. and Canada, at least.)
They're more than "good" enough for my skill level, and frequently found at a fantastic value.

And thanks for the nudge, Aaron28. I'm too lazy to do much editing, but I should experiment with pano / stitching.
I even bought a pano tripod head a few years ago, but I've hardly used it.

K1 with Auto Sears 300mm 5.6

Nice shot, Ken! I'm rarely able to get hummingbirds in focus.

[Aaron28]

What a luxury to have so many Sears lenses available to us! (In the U.S. and Canada, at least.)
They're more than "good" enough for my skill level, and frequently found at a fantastic value.
And thanks for the nudge, Aaron28. I'm too lazy to do much editing, but I should experiment with pano / stitching.
I even bought a pano tripod head a few years ago, but I've hardly used it.

it really is! they can be had so very cheap and are capable of producing good results

yer welcome with the 'nudge' ...Microsoft ICE is free and amazingly simple to use with very good results!!

[.a.t.]

. . .
yer welcome with the 'nudge' ...Microsoft ICE is free and amazingly simple to use with very good results!!

Thanks. I'll keep ICE in mind.