The 4/4 version of the 135mm 2.8 is the best. It's hard to identify, only by weight and dimensions. But it's quite sharp wide open, and the rare and expensive 2.0 version only reaches the same level when stopped down to 2.8.
About a year ago I picked up the MC Tele Rokkor - PF F2.8. I really enjoy using this lens - but it is too heavy for me to hand-hold well. Mine has an integrated lens hood.
I have several copies of the Rokkor 135, and they are just a bit soft, but there are many, many variants on these. I will try to make a test of whatever I have lying around, but the 135s have been thoroughly tested by better testers than me. I don't get sharpness like from a good 85, 90 or 105mm. I haven't tried the F2, though. My experience with all the 135mm I tried was that you have to go to F4 to get good results, but some people claim to do better wide open.
Minolta Rokkor MD 135mm can be found at f2.0 and at f2.8
If you have the lovely 55mm Vivitar macro you can get the 135 matching model. Also Komine made, it is a very nice, well built lens that has the slow spiralling extension like the 55mm. It is not as super sharp as the 55mm, however, but still nice. http://www.techtheman.com/2008/09/vivitar-135mm-f28-12-macro-from-komine.html
If you don't want to wade through hundreds of 135mm lenses to find this one, you are looking for a serial starts with 28 (Komine) and a filter of 62. Most of them say "close focus" or some variant of that on the front but you can't always see it in the photos.
Some pics of the Sonagar from the Ebay listing. Seller says aperture has clicks.
Flatter is better than crazy colors. Thanks @soundgh2
F2~wow that Soligor is kind of a cool lens, but pretty old. Good luck finding a cheap one. I tested a bunch of these and I was never that happy. The Sonnar 2.8 was good, but it is not 2.0.
I just bought the Sonagar 135mm F2.8...i will post results when I get it along with the right OM-M43 adapter! Pentacon was a little out of my price range for now.
Similar to Contax Zeiss colour wise slightly flatter colours but contrast is comparable.
It comes with clickless aperture? Awesome! Do you know if it gets close to color with any other glass you have, old or new?
Ill throw it on in the morning - super cheap too - clickless aperture nice colours good contrast and sharpness its a bargain
@soundgh2 That's a pretty cool looking lens! Do you have any examples from it?
I have the Pentacon 135 2.8 15 bladed aperture M42 and it's very sharp with lovely bokeh.
Vitaliy, it's been awhile since the last post on this topic, but I've just found some interesting 135mm lenses on Ebay:
A Sonagar 135mm f2.8 (10 blade aperture), and the Meyer-Optik Pentacon 135mm 2.8 (15 blade aperture!).
Anybody have experiences with either?
The Meyer-Optik Pentacon is considered the 'bokeh king' in this realm, and the Sonagar is quite hard to find info on.
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