Hello Zenographer, another nice lens with exceptional image quality is the Minolta 5.6/100-200mm (MC or MD version). It’s compact, very well made, bitingly sharp with exuberant colors due to only eight elements in the lens design. I‘m astonished how well this rather old lens performs for instance on a Sony A7 II. And it has almost no chromatic aberration which is seldom in old telephoto and telezoom lens designs. Best wishes, Ralf
I have the vivitar 80-200m with a K-mount, picked it up for £10 a few years ago. Wonderful lens, pin sharp at 80. Was my first zoom lens and is still a favourite. Will try and pick up a few of the others
Have you tried the close focus mod on the Mir-1? It's really easy to perform. You open the rear of the lens and remove the MFD stop. This has no negative effects as the focus ring is then stopped by the other side of the infinity stop. Retro Foto House who is the master of step by step Soviet lens repairs has a video on the mod entitled MIR-1 2.8/37mm focusing tricks. I've got a Silver 1962 Mir-1. You're right about the lens flare, bubbles and swirl. Certainly not a lens to part with in a hurry.
Great video. Agree with your comments regarding the Pentacon 50mm. Got both the m42 and bayonet mount versions on their original praktica film bodies and they are lovely.
Thanks, glad you enjoyed the video. That Pentacon is really quite something - sure, there are (technically) better lenses in the world, but there again it depends how you measure quality. In the end it comes down to whether you like the images, and images from this lens are very nice indeed, in my opinion at least.
Oh the irony of you posting this today! Before I went out earlier was on Facebook on the micro 4/3rds group saying how better older lenses are and one guy just wouldn't have it! A classic case he is of all the gear no idea and to say his kit was new and expensive it never could hide the fact he is a crap photographer and frankly a bit of a knob! A great video as always from you, hope you are well, all the best.
Many thanks, glad you liked the video! Modern lenses are nice, but I find the older lenses less clinical, with more character. I guess that in the final analysis it's not the gear that's important, but what you do with it!
Thank you for this review. Many times the rubber grip seems to expand, some brands are more than others but it's ever present among several lenses. Regarding the zooms; the general idea is that the 1970s and 1980s zooms were poor performers and to be fair; many are but the aid of computers for calculating the optics were starting to change this and the exceptions can be, just as you found, very good. There are a few more out there but I'm on your side here; I like the footwork you need to do and the idea of prime lenses and as you stated; they are often much smaller and lighter. One small side note, you referred to the Tokina as a "fixed aperture" and the Vivitar as a "constant aperture" which really is the correct terminology. A fixed aperture does not wary at all, like on a mirror lens, but it's true the aperture isn't a "variable aperture" like for those zoom or varifocal (varifocal means the focus shifts as you zoom, which a true zoom does not) lenses that the opening stays the same which means the f-stop to focal length varies when you zoom the lens. Lastly, if you like bokeh of the Mir-1 lens, try the Petri C.C. Auto 35mm f/2.8 lens. You can see a sample here: www.flickr.com/photos/24288287@N05/46692338874/
One thing you neglect to mention in terms of the Helios and here with the Mir 1 is; while they can easily be adapted to mirrorless cameras, you have to sacrifice the form/compactness of the camera as well as the distribution of weight. The channel Old Cameras explains it well in his review of the Industar 61. While great on DSLRs, the design of the Helios and Mir + the already long flange distance of the M42 mount just feel too bulky and protrude too much on a mirrorless camera for me even to consider using it as a walking around lens. I'm not saying they're bad lenses, just the physical design of them doesn't mesh well with short-flange cameras.
It's true, SLR lenses do add bulk to mirrorless systems, but I've not found that a problem, at least, with focal lengths up to 50mm or so. Thanks for watching!
It depends what mount the Vivitar has. In case you didn't know, Vivitar was a third party lens manufacturer and they made lenses in all the popular mounts of the day. If you look carefully at the mount of the Vivitar it should say which it is. Let's say your Vivitar has an Olympus OM mount, you would need an OM to micro 4/3 adaptor. A simple 'dumb' adaptor will work fine - it should cost you around £10. Do identify your mount first though!
Thanks for review. For me was very interesting about lens Mir1. I have this lens 25 years and I like it. This time I use it with camera Olympus ep-2 and Canon 1100d. Can you do review about lens Tair-11, 135mm, aperture 2,8.
Zenography I bought the lens Tair 11a black color 1986 in supermarket of Riga, before my service military. This lens I bought for my camera Zenith TTL. After that I had the camera Zenith ET with kit lens Helios 44m-4. I like these old lenses and I am happy to use them with adapters in my mirrorless camera Olympus Pen EP-2. Your opinion about the camera Olympus EP-2, with kit lens 14-42 ED? I bought it from second hand one year ago the price 70€. I would like ask you where are you from? I live in Kaunas, second city of Lithuania.. Excuse me for my English. I started to learn English five years ago.
Greetings from the other side of the pond. I recently bought a Bessa-L and I am shooting a test roll with a 50mm industrar lens. I have been looking around for a wider angle lens for this camera but they cost hundreds of dollars. I tried using my Jupiter 35mm put when it covered the light meter I was afraid to fire it as I do not what to damage the shutter, any suggestions for lens or adapters?
Hmm, yes, I know what you mean. There don't seem to be many wides available for rangefinders at reasonable prices. The Orion 15 is a 28 mm lens but it can be a bit pricey; there's also the Voigtlander Skopar 35mm but again, it's not cheap. I've never used a Bessa so I don't know if the J12 will mount safely - it may be worth looking on the RF forum, where doubtless someone will be able to advise.
The Tokina lens probably had a knurled plastic ring around the zoom ring which has been lost. For example, see www.pentaxforums.com/userreviews/tokina-rmc-35-70mm-f4-constant.html
Great review, I’m glad that you’ve mentioned the Pentacon 50mm f1.8. Despite having several top rated vintage lenses - Olympus 55mm f1.2 and Olympus 40mm f2 to mention a few - I only use it on my Leica CL... People make jokes of me but when they see the results...😀 In my opinion all other lenses are... just lenses. The Pentacon is a paintbrush. I’ll post a link to my Instagram page - instagram.com/monochrome_das_wesentliche/ - just to give you an idea of the quality of this lens. Please ignore my poor skill photography. Feel free to delete the link if I’m not allowed to do so. Thank you again and sorry for my bad english.
Wow, some very nice images there! All shot with the Pentacon? I didn't realise it will mount to the Leica CL. And I don't think your English is bad at all! Thanks for watching.
Zenography Yes, almost all of the last 100 images were taken with the Pentacon. I use it with the new mirrorless Leica CL, the one with the aps-c sensor.
Hello Zenographer, another nice lens with exceptional image quality is the Minolta 5.6/100-200mm (MC or MD version). It’s compact, very well made, bitingly sharp with exuberant colors due to only eight elements in the lens design. I‘m astonished how well this rather old lens performs for instance on a Sony A7 II. And it has almost no chromatic aberration which is seldom in old telephoto and telezoom lens designs. Best wishes, Ralf
Thanks for the tip, I'll look out for one!
I have the vivitar 80-200m with a K-mount, picked it up for £10 a few years ago. Wonderful lens, pin sharp at 80. Was my first zoom lens and is still a favourite.
Will try and pick up a few of the others
That sounds nice, hope you're still enjoying it! Thanks for watching.
Have you tried the close focus mod on the Mir-1? It's really easy to perform. You open the rear of the lens and remove the MFD stop. This has no negative effects as the focus ring is then stopped by the other side of the infinity stop. Retro Foto House who is the master of step by step Soviet lens repairs has a video on the mod entitled MIR-1 2.8/37mm focusing tricks. I've got a Silver 1962 Mir-1. You're right about the lens flare, bubbles and swirl. Certainly not a lens to part with in a hurry.
Great video. Agree with your comments regarding the Pentacon 50mm. Got both the m42 and bayonet mount versions on their original praktica film bodies and they are lovely.
Thanks, glad you enjoyed the video. That Pentacon is really quite something - sure, there are (technically) better lenses in the world, but there again it depends how you measure quality. In the end it comes down to whether you like the images, and images from this lens are very nice indeed, in my opinion at least.
Oh the irony of you posting this today! Before I went out earlier was on Facebook on the micro 4/3rds group saying how better older lenses are and one guy just wouldn't have it! A classic case he is of all the gear no idea and to say his kit was new and expensive it never could hide the fact he is a crap photographer and frankly a bit of a knob! A great video as always from you, hope you are well, all the best.
Many thanks, glad you liked the video! Modern lenses are nice, but I find the older lenses less clinical, with more character. I guess that in the final analysis it's not the gear that's important, but what you do with it!
Thank you for this review.
Many times the rubber grip seems to expand, some brands are more than others but it's ever present among several lenses.
Regarding the zooms; the general idea is that the 1970s and 1980s zooms were poor performers and to be fair; many are but the aid of computers for calculating the optics were starting to change this and the exceptions can be, just as you found, very good.
There are a few more out there but I'm on your side here; I like the footwork you need to do and the idea of prime lenses and as you stated; they are often much smaller and lighter.
One small side note, you referred to the Tokina as a "fixed aperture" and the Vivitar as a "constant aperture" which really is the correct terminology. A fixed aperture does not wary at all, like on a mirror lens, but it's true the aperture isn't a "variable aperture" like for those zoom or varifocal (varifocal means the focus shifts as you zoom, which a true zoom does not) lenses that the opening stays the same which means the f-stop to focal length varies when you zoom the lens.
Lastly, if you like bokeh of the Mir-1 lens, try the Petri C.C. Auto 35mm f/2.8 lens. You can see a sample here: www.flickr.com/photos/24288287@N05/46692338874/
One thing you neglect to mention in terms of the Helios and here with the Mir 1 is; while they can easily be adapted to mirrorless cameras, you have to sacrifice the form/compactness of the camera as well as the distribution of weight. The channel Old Cameras explains it well in his review of the Industar 61. While great on DSLRs, the design of the Helios and Mir + the already long flange distance of the M42 mount just feel too bulky and protrude too much on a mirrorless camera for me even to consider using it as a walking around lens. I'm not saying they're bad lenses, just the physical design of them doesn't mesh well with short-flange cameras.
It's true, SLR lenses do add bulk to mirrorless systems, but I've not found that a problem, at least, with focal lengths up to 50mm or so. Thanks for watching!
I have a vivatar 70-210 . Do you now what converter a person would use for M43? Loved the video by the way
It depends what mount the Vivitar has. In case you didn't know, Vivitar was a third party lens manufacturer and they made lenses in all the popular mounts of the day. If you look carefully at the mount of the Vivitar it should say which it is. Let's say your Vivitar has an Olympus OM mount, you would need an OM to micro 4/3 adaptor. A simple 'dumb' adaptor will work fine - it should cost you around £10. Do identify your mount first though!
@@zenography7923 Thank you !
Thanks for review. For me was very interesting about lens Mir1. I have this lens 25 years and I like it. This time I use it with camera Olympus ep-2 and Canon 1100d. Can you do review about lens Tair-11, 135mm, aperture 2,8.
Hi there, I'd love to review the Tair 11 - if I had one! Ah well, maybe some day... Thanks for watching.
Zenography I bought the lens Tair 11a black color 1986 in supermarket of Riga, before my service military. This lens I bought for my camera Zenith TTL. After that I had the camera Zenith ET with kit lens Helios 44m-4. I like these old lenses and I am happy to use them with adapters in my mirrorless camera Olympus Pen EP-2. Your opinion about the camera Olympus EP-2, with kit lens 14-42 ED? I bought it from second hand one year ago the price 70€. I would like ask you where are you from? I live in Kaunas, second city of Lithuania.. Excuse me for my English. I started to learn English five years ago.
Old Vivitar zoom lenses are cheap, and you can get some good images if you can find a good copy.
The Tokina zoom is missing the zoom ring cover; it wasn't manufactured like that. You would never see the screw in the ring from a new lens.
Yep, was goimg to point out too. Hunt for right size rubber bands begins
You're right, I realised this - after I posted the video! Thanks for watching.
Me too, the issue of expanding and falling off rubber grips are a problem with some lenses.
Nice vedio make more vedios about vintage lense for mirrorless canon
Thanks, glad you enjoyed it!
I was expecting a Rokkor. In one of these lists.
I hear great things about the Rokkors, but so far one hasn't come my way!
Zenography
I carried my SRT 100 with rokkor 135 and 50 mm all over the world. I loved it, got compliments.
Greetings from the other side of the pond. I recently bought a Bessa-L and I am shooting a test roll with a 50mm industrar lens. I have been looking around for a wider angle lens for this camera but they cost hundreds of dollars. I tried using my Jupiter 35mm put when it covered the light meter I was afraid to fire it as I do not what to damage the shutter, any suggestions for lens or adapters?
Hmm, yes, I know what you mean. There don't seem to be many wides available for rangefinders at reasonable prices. The Orion 15 is a 28 mm lens but it can be a bit pricey; there's also the Voigtlander Skopar 35mm but again, it's not cheap. I've never used a Bessa so I don't know if the J12 will mount safely - it may be worth looking on the RF forum, where doubtless someone will be able to advise.
The Tokina lens probably had a knurled plastic ring around the zoom ring which has been lost. For example, see www.pentaxforums.com/userreviews/tokina-rmc-35-70mm-f4-constant.html
Yes, it does seem to have lost a couple of bits along the way!
Great review, I’m glad that you’ve mentioned the Pentacon 50mm f1.8. Despite having several top rated vintage lenses - Olympus 55mm f1.2 and Olympus 40mm f2 to mention a few - I only use it on my Leica CL... People make jokes of me but when they see the results...😀 In my opinion all other lenses are... just lenses. The Pentacon is a paintbrush. I’ll post a link to my Instagram page - instagram.com/monochrome_das_wesentliche/ - just to give you an idea of the quality of this lens. Please ignore my poor skill photography. Feel free to delete the link if I’m not allowed to do so. Thank you again and sorry for my bad english.
Wow, some very nice images there! All shot with the Pentacon? I didn't realise it will mount to the Leica CL. And I don't think your English is bad at all! Thanks for watching.
Zenography Yes, almost all of the last 100 images were taken with the Pentacon. I use it with the new mirrorless Leica CL, the one with the aps-c sensor.
@@takaya4203 That sounds like a very nice set up, and it certainly gives lovely results!
I wonder how bad lens should be for you to dislike it. May you make a video with some bad lenses? 😄
good informative video, but the commentary was hard going (dreary)