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Tair 11 / 11A 135mm F2.8 | | Latest Review Posted | Tair 11 / 11A 135mm F2.8
Found this Soviet M42 lens w/o caps, but in great optical and physical condition in a used photo equipment store. Looks and built like an artillery shell :) The aperture has 20 blades which help retain circular OOF highlits. It closes down smoothly - there are no clicks, but you can preset the minimum with a second ring. Focusing is smooth (worse than my 50mm Super Tak, but beats most other lenses) and precise, thanks to the long throw, wide and comfortable focus ring. There is a built in retractable hood (see pics) which helps fight flare somewhat.
At F/2.8 the sharpness is acceptable in the center, but corners are softish (not a problem, considering primary uses for this lens). Sharp from ~f/4 and very sharp starting at ~f/5.6. Sharpness is somewhat uneven - there's a softer area right in the center. Extreme corners reach max sharpness by f/8. CAs are lower than moderate, but flare resistance is weak (no multicoating?).
The rendering is very "portrait-friendly", highly flattering for female portraits. Here's an example (F/4 IIRC) with on-camera flash pointed at the ceiling:
https://www.pentaxforums.com/gallery/images/14884/large/1_IMGP0574_x800.jpg
Conclusion: If you have enough space (or shoot outdoors) to use a 135mm as a long portrait prime, this is a very nice option. QC is known to be somewhat of a lottery, so try before you buy. | |
