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Hidden gems among lenses
  • 136 Replies sorted by
  • nomadnomad

    Technically, you are right.

    But this is the MD version of the Tokina, and the Minolta 35-70mm is parfocal on the same adapter. Nevertheless it's a nice lens and it uses a similar mechanism to keep the aperture constant, just like the Rokkor.

    I wish we could have this in the 12-35mm Panny lens instead of the stepping aperture motor…

  • aki_hartikainenaki_hartikainen

    Minolta 35-70 is not parfocal on the MD adapter I have, so perhaps the Tokina could be ;-)

  • Energy80sEnergy80s

    @nomad @aki_hartikainen Yes, I've noticed quite a variation in adapter quality - and it has nothing to do with price. I bought a mid-priced MD-m4/3 that was very loose and the lens was slapping about all over the place (even after I tried to adjust the locking pin on it) and then I bought a cheap £11 one that was perfect, so it doesn't surprise me that they can also be slightly different lengths too (which would also affect infinity focus). Certainly my Tokina 28-85 is parfocal on the GH2, so you may have ended up with a dodgy one, or as we said the adapter might be at fault.

  • nomadnomad

    Thanks for the info, I'll try another adapter.

  • sammysammy

    just got the vivitar 28-200mm from ebay in fd mount .im not sure its the fd adapter to m43 this one http://www.amazon.com/Fotga-Adapter-Canon-Mount-Micro/dp/B00870R1D4 but i cant seem to be able to focus this lens at all unless its set on 200mm ,anything below i get a blurry focus on all the ranges of the focus gear .. is the macro function on this lens only available at 200mm? it seems like its locked (the 1:4 macro option) once the lens is set to anything below 200mm, maybe i have a defective lens, im not sure its the lens or the adapter

  • LaserGuidedTacoLaserGuidedTaco

    Hey Sammy I also just received the same lens but it's the pentax version and I'm also having great difficulty focusing, the strange thing is focus only works at 200mm I'm baffled...

  • daisukedaisuke

    @sammy @laserguidedtaco I should be receiving the vivitar 28-200mm fd mount shortly. I will verify if there is a focusing problem, etc...

  • Jean71Jean71

    I bought this one from Germany, FD version (this is the actual auction http://www.ebay.com/itm/360453537790?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649 ). I can say this lens is awesome. (Thanks to @Vitaliy_Kiselev for the good advice) I have the Fotga adaptor, and the lens can focus from 2 meters to infinite without problems. The macro function "unlock" at 200mm, and it can focus 60 cm circa.

  • markussenmarkussen

    Carl Zeiss C/Y 135mm 2.8 a rarely mentioned lens which works perfectly with the M4/3. For the performance the price is very affordable. Very usable for portraits, for nature/wildlife w. ETC and 720P and with macrorings great for insects etc. small example on my youtube:

    Kurt

  • Vitaliy_KiselevVitaliy_Kiselev

    @markussen

    Carl Zeiss C/Y 135mm 2.8 can be rarely mentioned, but it is not hiudden gem.

  • sammysammy

    @LaserGuidedTaco i have tried everything and i cant focus that lens , maybe we got a faulty adapter , but why would oit focus correctly at 200mm if that was the case

  • LaserGuidedTacoLaserGuidedTaco

    @sammy I'm not sure if its a faulty adapter...I purchased a Fotodiox Pentax K (PK) to Micro 4/3. I guess we will have to wait for Daisuke's results...

  • kazuokazuo

    The Navitar 75mm f1.3 CCTV lens is a hidden gem. I had one, shot quite a few films with it, but eventually sold it cos I thought it was a 1 inch lens, and not future proof. I could be wrong, seeing that C mount could some day make a comeback, especially now with contraptions like Digital Bolex looming on the horizon. Those who are able to locate one should try it. Luminous lens that yields hairline sharpness, and yet the images are filmic.

  • Vitaliy_KiselevVitaliy_Kiselev

    @sammy @LaserGuidedTaco

    I suggest to make or use some existing topic about lens troubles.

  • LaserGuidedTacoLaserGuidedTaco

    ok Vitaliy will do!

  • RRRRRRRR

    Just had a small spending spree today on some gems (hopefully). The above talked about MD 35-70, a couple of fd mount vivitar series 1 zooms (both 70-210 f3.5).. Going for a couple of other ones as well, as long as I can get them cheap. :)

    To sum it up: P-V is quite a resource!

    Edit: Just got a vitaliy favourite(?) – vivitar 28mm f2.8. I´ve also got a rokkor pf 58mm coming... Not quite a hidden gem, but it´s largely overlooked by those going for MD lenses.

  • apefosapefos

    I have a channel on vimeo showing shoots with different vintage lenses:

    https://vimeo.com/channels/lenstest

  • tetakpataktetakpatak

    I've just tested yesterday my russian Jupiter-8 lens (50mm f/2.0) on the NEX-7. Mine example (made 1972, I own it since 1982) has none CA at all, not even in the corners of APS-C sensor. Amazing IQ and beautifull picture in a $20 lens.

  • vicharrisvicharris

    @apefos Thanks! I just bought the Soligor 35-140. Like the idea of parfocul! Does that Vivitar zoom keep focus through the zoom as well?

  • apefosapefos

    @vicharris I sold the vivitar 70-150mm f3.8 and the vivitar 70-210mm f3.5 so I am not sure. What I can remember is

    the 70-210 is impossible to do smooth zoom, the zoom and focus are in same ring and you need to move front and back to do zoom and when you move you get some jumps. but it is a nice lens. there is a video on vimeo with it in my channel.

    The 70-150mm is very smooth zoom, the focus and zoom rings are separate and you rotate the zoom ring to do zoom. If I can remember it is parfocal, but I am not sure. If you find it cheap it deserves a try. But with the 2x crop factor in GH2 this lens will be a strong tele and its image will be prone to shake when you move the ring to do zoom. I used this lens in my full frame 35mm adapter so without a crop factor the 70-150 works better to zoom. In my vimeo channel there is a video done with it.

  • tetakpataktetakpatak

    Ha, talking about great russian lenses almost forgot this one: Helios-103 (53mm f/1,8). Comparing its price with performance, it's a real hidden gem.

    The only two drawbacks are:
    1. I never saw yet an adapter for MFT, the only mount this lens was made for is the old Kiev/Contax bayonet, I think. I bought from some russian guy via eBay his hand-made adapter which works great
    2. this lens has no multi-coating which makes it prone to flare and ghosting. With hood it performs like champion.

  • vicharrisvicharris

    If anyone wants a broken Soligor 35-140, let me know. The one I ordered is all kinds of FUBAR'd. Iris doesn't work properly and sure isn't parfocal. If you know how to work with lenses, maybe you can get it in shape. You pay shipping and it's yours! :) I'm in CA.

  • matt_gh2matt_gh2

    Anyone know of any gems in terms of a wide angle that will match the image type of my Lomos (50mm & 28mm)? Thinking something between around 14-16mm, but maybe more or less. I Don't want a Lomo as the wide ones are soft. My main goal is to get a wide that has the same image type of my other Lomos so they match when editing footage shot with the different lenses. Any gems?

  • tetakpataktetakpatak

    Just bought on ebay Vivitar 28-200mm F3.5-5.3 for 8€ LOL
    The lens is in mint condition and has Canon FD mount.

    EDIT: I confirm what Vitaliy wrote about this lens several times: it really does have outstanding optical performance. I had no time to test it yet in its full focal range and in all details, but the first tests vs Canon FD primes are excellent.

    P1020331.JPG
    1504 x 1504 - 407K
  • apefosapefos

    @vicharris

    I tested two copies of Soligor 35-140mm. One is parfocal from 35 to 105 and the other is not. I just don't know why.

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