[Marcus Rowland]

I do believe the Varexon lens is a Korean made lens
I see alot about a 135 2.8 they made on google pages

This one appears to be made in Japan. Looks fairly typical low-end, the sort of thing that gets sold under a lot of different badge names. Varexon is probably the name used by an importer or a camera chain rather than the original name.

[timw4mail]

• Honeywell Pentax H1a
• Focal 28/2.8
• Soligor 135/2.8
• Rikenon 135/2.8
• Super-Takumar 1:2/55
• Super-Takumar 1:1.4/50 (The boring 7-element variant)
• Seimax de Luxe CdS light meter
• K1000 lens/accessories brochure
• K2 brochure
• KM brochure

[cyberjunkie]

After the Super Takumar 1.4/50mm 8-elements, after the Trioplan 2.8/100mm aluminium and the Primoplan 1.9/58mm (both awaiting CLA)... I found another vintage lens I wanted to try, but I always ended up losing all the auctions
It's the ISCO Westromat 1.9/50mm. It will come fitted on a reflex Edixa D-L.
It will reach its 2.8/35mm cousin with the same name.
I would have been happier with a previous model, either zebra or aluminium (f/1.9 0r f/2 version). The late black barrel versions (with rubber rings) are not as well built as the previous ones, but probably the coating is a tad better (albeit single-coated).
I suspect that the two Westromats (1.9/50 and 2.8/35) have the same optics of the highly regarded Schneider Xenon and Curtagon, but I have no way to check myself.
I'd be interested in other opinions




cheers

Paolo

[aslyfox]

My SMC Pentax-DA* 300mm F4 ED [IF] SDM was ordered in January and it came on on Friday and I picked it up yesterday. Measured with some very precious but soon to be gone imported genuine UK Jaffa Cakes. Luckily I had enough as it took the better part of 2 boxes. Added to my challenges were 2 six month old kittens who were desperately trying to get in on the treat.

The kittens were after the treat ??

I didn't know they would mess with a lens

To me that is the treat

[Marcus Rowland]

Another good car boot day - A Super Varexon(???) 200mm f3.9 in M42 fitting and a Tamron Adaptall 85-210, unfortunately with a Contax/Yashica mount, for £12. The Varexon needs a good clean but looks like an OK prime lens if it doesn't have fungus, the Adaptall is very nice indeed.
A Voigtlander Vitessa, horrible condition but working, someone who restures things will probably want it, for £5 with some odds and ends (caps, a hood, etc.) in odd sizes thrown in.
and a Praktica BC-1 with an f1.8 lens (very clean) for £10, good used condition.

Also got a job lot on ebay that includes a Minolta XG1 with a Minolta MD 50mm 1:2, a set of Eos auto extension tubes (Jessops so they may actually be OK), an Eos remote cable, and three rolls of film for £23.50 inc P&P - I've been after a Minolta old mount body for ages, need one for lens tests, and the Eos stuff will be good for my testbed camera.

In less good news the Samyang 8mm lens I bought the week before last still hasn't arrived. It was sent more than a week ago, hoping it hasn't been lost somehow.

Update - The Varexon cleaned up very nicely, but there is a small blob of fungus or some other biological thing inside - not causing any problems, but annoying and will clobber the price. The Tamron cleaned up very nicely indeed. Another annoyance, the Praktica lens looks pristine but doesn't couple to their horrible electronic metering system, it's probably fixable but not by me.

Another small annoyance, the order with the XG1 etc. arrived today and the pentaprism has a silvering fault which blocks a lot of the image - fortunately the focusing screen is visible, and since I only wanted it to test lenses mechanically and for focus it isn't going to be a problem. Everything else in the order is very good including the 50mm lens and the extension tubes, so I'll easily make my money back selling my old extension tubes (which aren't nearly as good) and the 50mm lens.

Meanwhile the Samyang arrived today, having been in postal hell for more than a week due (apparently) to the counter clerk forgetting to put the postage onto the package. Needless to say the weather was lousy, but I took it to the park and tried it out on some familiar landmarks such as the Italian Gardens and the Albert Memorial.



Sometimes the curving effect is very surreal, a bit like Inception etc.



My camera doesn't meter with it fitted, but I'm used to guesstimating exposure and only had a couple of duds, and on a digital camera a trial photo or two isn't much of a problem. My initial thoughts are that this will be fantastic in areas with interesting architecture etc., and that I really ought to carry another, longer lens when I use it, since it's a very specialised optic and isn't much use for general photography.

The full album is here
Samyang 8mm T f3.8 Test | Flickr

[Boris_Akunin]

I spent the evening getting rid of my second-latest acquisition (Windows 10, even the LTSB version pisses me off too much),
seems like a good time to open my most recent acquisition:

[BigMackCam]

I've spent months debating whether or not to do this... but tonight I finally pulled the trigger on a genuine 1986 Zenitar-ME1 1.7/50, coming from a very good seller in Ukraine that I've bought several lenses from in the past. It was a good 30% over the price I would have liked to pay, but the photos show it to be a pristine example with original caps... listed as "New - other" on eBay, though I think it's really just an excellent, lightly used example.

Won't be here for a while yet - a week or so, I'd guess. I'm excited, but trying to set my expectations reasonably to avoid any disappointment at minor flaws

One of the seller's photos attached...

Attached Images

 

[photoptimist]

I've spent months debating whether or not to do this... but tonight I finally pulled the trigger on a genuine 1986 Zenitar-ME1 1.7/50, coming from a very good seller in Ukraine that I've bought several lenses from in the past. It was a good 30% over the price I would have liked to pay, but the photos show it to be a pristine example with original caps... listed as "New - other" on eBay, though I think it's really just an excellent, lightly used example.

Won't be here for a while yet - a week or so, I'd guess. I'm excited, but trying to set my expectations reasonably to avoid any disappointment at minor flaws

One of the seller's photos attached...

Square bokeh!!!!!!!!

The effects of a square aperture if it is aligned with OOF linear objects or grids should be quite bizarre.

Enjoy!

[WPRESTO]

Square bokeh!!!!!!!!The effects of a square aperture if it is aligned with OOF linear objects or grids should be quite bizarre.

Enjoy!

I noticed that square aperture as well, but I thought maybe the lens was purpose-built for photographing architecture, especially rooms. A "realtor's special."

[aslyfox]

just pulled trigger on an " experienced " SMC Pentax-DA* 300mm F4 ED [IF] SDM being sold by a member in the Market Place

now I just have to convince the spouse that I have saved enough on a upcoming solo trip by changing to cheaper accommodations, using a free night at a hotel, planning on dining on baloney and cheese sandwiches and not renting the lens to reduce the " cost " of buying the lens to make a good deal " great " and one that could not be passed up

wish me luck

I may need it.

[bigted]

just pulled trigger on an " experienced " SMC Pentax-DA* 300mm F4 ED [IF] SDM being sold by a member in the Market Place

now I just have to convince the spouse that I have saved enough on a upcoming solo trip by changing to cheaper accommodations, using a free night at a hotel, planning on dining on baloney and cheese sandwiches and not renting the lens to reduce the " cost " of buying the lens to make a good deal " great " and one that could not be passed up

wish me luck

I may need it.

I have no experience convincing spouses on the value of my gear/purchases, but I can say I'm liking my less than 1week old DA*300. I think you will enjoy it too.

[aslyfox]

I have no experience convincing spouses on the value of my gear/purchases, but I can say I'm liking my less than 1week old DA*300. I think you will enjoy it too.

Compared to my D FA * 70 - 200mm F 2.8 and D FA 150 - 450, it will be my " light weight " option for telephoto

[BigMackCam]

Square bokeh!!!!!!!!

The effects of a square aperture if it is aligned with OOF linear objects or grids should be quite bizarre.

Enjoy!

Thanks I'm looking forward to playing with it... I'm thinking a square chain-link fence shot at an angle would be a good test subject...

I noticed that square aperture as well, but I thought maybe the lens was purpose-built for photographing architecture, especially rooms. A "realtor's special."

It's optically the same as the far more common Zenitar-M 1.7/50 that I already own, using the Summicron 50 formula (allegedly). The two blade aperture mechanism was designed for simplicity and reduced cost (ironic given the inflated collector prices nowadays), and to allow easy electronic control from the Zenit-18 camera it was designed for. The Zenitar-M 1.7/50 is very sharp, so I'm expecting this to be at least as good... but with some interesting out-of-focus rendering possibilities

[Jonathan Mac]

This beauty arrived today and I'm happy that upon examination it works perfectly and that, despite being described as having "signs of use", it's virtually mint. It's really beautifully made, built like a tank and everything moves very smoothly.

I'm afraid it's just too pretty not to cross-post to the gear p0rn thread.


IMAGE5740a by Jonathan MacDonald, on Flickr


IMAGE5744a by Jonathan MacDonald, on Flickr


IMAGE5742a by Jonathan MacDonald, on Flickr


IMAGE5746a by Jonathan MacDonald, on Flickr

[ACG]

Pentax A 35-105 for my Sony a7r3.
Mint condition.
Ibis in the camera.
This lens rocks on this camera.
How did they make those lenses back then that are so optically good and with such a build quality that lasts a lifetime?