[ChrisPlatt]

Auto Sears MC 50/2 lens, same as XR Rikenon 50/2

Chris

[Jome]

I believe the M* and A* are functionally identical save for the A contacts. Understand, the individual reviews remarking on low micro contrast bring down the A version’s average rating. Both those reviewers had a tendency to rate consistently, but lower than, the average reviewer.

There might have been a coating update between the M and A to account for the alleged loss of minor detail, but I’ve never heard that. I’d chalk them up to sample variation.

Enjoy your new lens.

Thanks for your update. As it is my first 300mm prime (and I shoot RAW only), perhaps I won't see it as a problem .

[Jean Poitiers]

Way behind posting, so here we go.

For 2€ each at a rummage sale, two Paterson beakers which will be handy in the darkroom.



For 7€ at my thrift store, a nice working (and without a "squeak") Canon AE-1 with a new roll of color film. The 35-70 has some fungus on the rear element, so I may try to fix this when time allows.




For 10€ from the thrift store again, some "like new" Canon/Sigma gear plus a bag ... not even sure this stuff has ever been used.



And some matte black fabric paint and a brush to fix some pinhole light leaks in the shutter curtains of my Leica IIIf Red Dial. I have loaded some Rollei RPX100 B&W film to test ... we'll see if this will buy me some time before a complete CLA.

[WPRESTO]

For 2€ each at a rummage sale, two Paterson beakers which will be handy in the darkroom.

Pity you are so far away as I have idle darkroom equipment I'd be glad to give you free = enlarger timer, trays, jugs, Patterson print washer, multiple film developing tanks, a couple enlarging lenses, and if I still have all the pieces, a Bogen enlarger (I sometimes use the base & vertical as a copy stand, but I have other options).

[BigMackCam]

Just received today a new Samyang (Rokinon) 35mm f/1.4 UMC in Sony A-mount to use on my Hasselblad HV.

I got this from Wex Photo Video at a bargain price. Seems like it was the only copy in stock, as the price jumped right back up after I placed my order. I think it was probably a display model, as there was minor dust in the grooves of the rubber focusing ring. But it has clearly never been mounted on anything, there are no signs of use, and the velvet-like lens bag is unused. It's boxed with paperwork. So, I'm sure it's new... but it's been out of the box before - I know that much. Anyway, for the price I paid, I don't care

I've tested it briefly and it's really nice! Like many Samyang / Rokinon lenses, infinity focus isn't 100% accurately aligned - this one reaches infinity about 1mm before the end-stop and visual marker. It's so close that I shan't even bother adjusting... I can live with it "as is". Optically, it's better than I expected wide open - at least, it appears to be, based on the few test shots I've taken. Stopped down it's really very good indeed.

Looking forward to putting this through its paces in the next couple of weeks

Apologies for the poor photo

EDIT: I believe @Adam or one of our members posted a discounted deal for the K-mount version of this lens in the "Price Watch" forum, and it wasn't much different in price to what I paid for my heavily discounted A-mount copy. If manual focus is your thing and you're OK with it for fast lenses, I think it's worth considering...

[jeallen01]

OK, a couple of days ago, I pulled the trigger on a K-70 for £395 (around US $500) from the SRS (UK!) "Xmas sale" - should arrive on Monday (could have been earlier but I couldn't be sure that someone would be here to accept it until Monday).

PS: The K-30/ "K-50" might then go into honourable "semi-retirement" !...!

The K-70 duely arrived today and caused me a few "issues" which, so far, are now solved.

OTOH, so did, very belatedly, a new Samsung M-2835DW mono laser printer which I had to order from Amazon ( ) after the 4 yr old M2825ND finally died on Friday.

And thereby stands a rather painful story, albeit, with a reasonable conclusion,: I actually ordered another M2825ND from Amazon Marketplace (so "not new"!) and that should have arrived on Saturday, but it didn't!

A printer was finally despatched at 19.00 on Saturday and should then have arrived on Sunday, but it didn't after a lot "issues" caused by the courier service (Hermes!) which meant it was shuttled to a local distribution centre and then, for some unexplained reason, to one further away!

This morning, I got another series of SMS messages to tell me that it would (finally!) arrive today, and it did - in a really tatty box!.

Then again, when I opened the box, I found it to actually be a M2835DW, and so not an M2825ND (!). But it's a somewhat later model with NFC etc., and looks "pristine", and which then took me quite a time to get installed on the 3x "critical" PC's.

Thus I now have a later model printer, and at the same price as the original!, whereas the listed price on Amazon for this "new" printer is around £22/$28 higher than the one I ordered!

[D1N0]

A Kiron 28-85 2.8-3.8 is coming my way.

[edom31]

This one took a few weeks to post... Soligor 105/2.8 T mount (early version - not the Telephoto branded one) - preset... a beauty, that has seen better days cosmetically speaking.

- The Soligor 105 mm f/ 2.8 Lens. Specs. MTF Charts. User Reviews. = this is my lens (not the one in our database).

The lens was acquired used off the bay (private seller). Got it for $20 with shipping, so I figured why not.

It took me a while as when I acquired it I attempted to clean the elements - there was a very small dust spec on the side of the front element (inside)...

The bottom 2 elements were very easy to clean and reach. However, I mistakenly flipped the 3rd element when reassembling.

I went for the front elements knowing that it was going to be some work as the thread on the barrel was hurting for lack of a better word - (need to take off the ring to access these) - I could not get the ring off the last few roads of threads for the life of me! Tried more than 4 times, even cleaned the threads and lightly oiled them (being very cautious of not getting any oil to go in).

I really did some damage to the front ring, so the lens does not look as good as it should (mostly scratches, the lens was very dinged up already). In the end, I gave up on getting that ring off... but it was troubling me as my shots were very distorted, in a barrel-like fashion. Today I decided to check the rear elements again and found the flipped 3rd element!.

Took some sample shots, and I honestly love this little senior! I also think I took a further liking in it due to all the trouble I've been into for the past weeks with it, and the beating it has taken through no fault of its own. In the end, while I'm a bit ashamed of my non-handy skills that lead to the lens being scared a bit more, I still want to show it off as it is a really cool little guy. I doubt I'd re-sell it, so the roughed look does not hit me so hard (it does just a bit).

The lens (shot with my SMC Tak 50/1.4):







Sample bokeh (not the best sample, but...):



Test shots:

Colors are beautiful under good sun light:



Indoor:



BW:



Cheers!

[jeallen01]

Posted this in a specific thread, but "appropriate" here too:
"

Had a couple of neoprene Sling Action Straps, and a knock-off clone, for a few years, and they seem to work fine on the K-30 & K-5/K-3/K-3 II with/without grips fitted, and with both short and very long lenses. Not sure if you can still get those?

It's been a while, but I needed another Zing Action Strap - and, after a lot of digging, and finally a phone call to Tiffen (UK Importers of Zing products), they found that the NY warehouse apparently has the very last one available (and they then had to reactivate the product code 580-800 SABK1 !) and it will should be here next week!"

For the K-70

[cyberjunkie]

This one took a few weeks to post... Soligor 105/2.8 T mount (early version - not the Telephoto branded one) - preset... a beauty, that has seen better days cosmetically speaking.

- The Soligor 105 mm f/ 2.8 Lens. Specs. MTF Charts. User Reviews. = this is my lens (not the one in our database).

The lens was acquired used off the bay (private seller). Got it for $20 with shipping, so I figured why not.

I like short preset teles, and I really love the Soligor lenses (preset or auto) with the protruding little knurled "thingies" that allow to easily operate the diaphragm/preset ring with the tip of the fingers.
Many were Tokina's, as yours, but IIRC the same design was used in lenses produced for Soligor by other makers.
I have a couple of longer teles made the same way.

I bough a 105mm myself, dirty but in slightly better conditions... though I paid two and half more money than what you did
Unfortunately half of the cost is due to the shipment from the USA to Thailand.
The auction ended at the starting price, probably because the item was described as "Spiratone 2x TelXtender", with no mention of the lens attached to the teleconverter.
It's a Spiratone Tc 1:2.5 105mm, made by Sankor, and also seen as Mayfair Sankor.
It has preset diaphragm, with a huge number of leaves.
The pics I have seen online show a very good bokeh... and I like old preset Sankor's, so I'm happy I found it.
It's going to be a rather long wait to get the parcel from the USA, and in the meantime I have to order a couple of T2 PK adapters.
I have none left, and this new lens has an unknown bayonet mount that very likely won't be a PK one.
The lens seems to be from a time when Pentax cameras had a screw mount.
As soon as the lens has its T2 PK adapter, I want to check how it performs against the Komura of identical speed/focal I recently acquired.
If the optics are dirty/hazy I will open the lens and find out about the optical design.

[edom31]

with the protruding little knurled "thingies" that allow to easily operate the diaphragm/preset ring with the tip of the fingers.

I noted this with my lens - it really allows the use of the preset (open to focus, then close to shoot if needed) - the worst preset I've found to use is the Helios 44-2. This Soligor's is the best, most userfriendly I've encounter; better than the takumar (talking about the preset function).

Many were Tokina's, as yours, but IIRC the same design was used in lenses produced for Soligor by other makers.

When I got it, I really thought it was a Tokina... but now I do not know. Apparently Tokinas are SN 17xxx (mine is SN 16xxx). I further read that it might be a Sun Optic lens (they did the early Soligors, again apparently). I know that mine is a very early one; the later models had the Telephoto engraving in the ring and a 49mm filter/hood (mine is 46mm). Either way, I love the lens... I do enjoy learning their history, but that won't make or break it for me - leave that to the sellers who need a name to bump the prices (I'm usually a buyer, not a seller - did not mean to offend anyone).

It's a Spiratone Tc 1:2.5 105mm, made by Sankor, and also seen as Mayfair Sankor.

That is a beautiful lens right there! Love the zebra design, yet to owning one. It looks a bit dusty, but probably from storage - at least the front threads are undamaged! if dirty inside, it should be an easy clean.

Just read that it came in t2 or M42 - either easily PK adaptable so you're very likely in for a treat, especially after also seeing some sample shots. Enjoy it!

[Helios 1984]

So here's my latest acquisition, a Singer 301A from 1953. I tried to resist, I already own a sewing machine, but there are prices you just can't refuse.
Also, I love nice industrial designs from this era.

[ChrisPlatt]

Chris

[Arjay Bee]

Also, I can't resist a nice industrial design from this era.

Hmm, looks like a Ford Prefect and finished using war surplus paint. :-)

[Helios 1984]

Hmm, looks like a Ford Prefect and finished using war surplus paint. :-)

A revolutionary design back in the 50s, it was the first machine to operates through a gear driven motor and also the first to have a slant head. For women used to conventional black iron horses, say a Singer 66, this was the equivalent to an exotic sports car.