[disconnekt]

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I have a Sears TLS film camera, which iss pretty much a Ricoh TLS, made for Sears (M42 mount) and been looking at wide angle lenses online that would be good for cityscape/landscape photography. This is a 2 part question.

1. Film lens wise, what's the widest lens that won't give too much of a fish eye look/show too much distortion?
From what I've read online, seems like the 24mm is the best choice, since anything wider seems to show distortion or give a fisheye look.

Found two extreme WA/wide angle lenses that are in M42 mount, a Phoenix 19-35mm lens (around $65 bucks on amazon) which I'm leaning toward since it also covers 3 prime wides: 24, 28, & 35mm. The second lens is a 24mm prime for $100 on cambridgeworld.com (don't know the brand name, they don't show the name).

2. Which would be a better choice of the two WA's? The 19-35mm zoom or the 24mm prime?

[LesDMess]

The 15mm f3.5 is the widest and seems to be rated exceptional but quite expensive compared to the others you are listing and not a zoom.

[therion]

very good wide angle m42 lens is Carl Zeiss Flektogon 20/2.8 :

Zeiss Flektogon 20/2.8

Carl Zeiss Jena DDR MC Electric Flektogon 20mm F2 8 20 2 8 Ultra Wide Angle M42 | eBay


Takumar 20/4.5:

https://www.pentaxforums.com/lensreviews/S-M-C-Super-Takumar-20mm-F4.5.html

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Exc-Pentax-SMC-Takumar-20mm-F4-5-for-M42-Ultra-Wide-...item43d41162b8


Also good can be Russian Mir 20/3.5:

MIR 20mm F3.5 MC Lens Reviews - Russian and Zenitar Lenses - Pentax Lens Review Database


There is also Cosina 20/3.8:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/COSINA-20mm-F3-8-MC-WIDE-ANGLE-for-M42-Excellent-246...item23477efb2e

http://www.jr-worldwi.de/photo/index.html?wideangle_shootout.html

[titrisol]

The Jenna Flextogon is legendary!
I think you need to understand how wide you want to go and look for any of the ones mentioned below

28mm are quite common and will give you a very good bang for the buck; and they used to be in everyones shooting bags
I'm partial to the Takumar 28/3.5 but there must be a few others that are realy good.. Vivitar 28/2.5 I think was very good but I never had one

For zooms, try getting the ones made in the 80s, such as the Vivitar series 1.... I never had one untl the 90s, never needed it

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Last edited by titrisol; 12-23-2014 at 08:18 AM.

[wtlwdwgn]

The best bang for the buck is the 28mm f/3.5. I have the S-M-C version Takumar and use it all the time.

[womble]

I'd second the S-M-C Takumar 28mm f/3.5. On film, 28mm is a great wide-angle focal length without many of the more entertaining effects an ultra wide provides. Depends what you want to use it for of course... I have the k-mount version of the 15mm. Great lens but doesn't see that much use.

Best wishes, Kris.

[edmundrt]

SMC Takumar 28/3.5 is definitely a good choice. The Chinon 28/2.8 (the one with the wide, flat front element) is good too.

[eagle1]

The 28/3.5 is always good. I also enjoy using a Vivitar Series 1 19-35mm 3.5.