$60 Pentax that's actually a $800 Zeiss with optics by designer of Stanley Kubrick's NASA glass

[andy lee]

as we are talking about Zeiss hidden jems

 

The Yashica 24mm f2.8 in Contax /Yashica mount is widely regarded as a Distagon equivalent

I have 2 of these lenses and they are great Distagon quality at a fraction of the Zeiss price and made by Contax Yashica in the same factory in Japan.

 

the Metal lens barrel is almost the same design as Zeiss I can hardly tell the differance - really if it had a badge saying Contax Carl Zeiss T* on it you would not know the differance!!

 

worth getting one!!

[nathanleebush]

That's an interesting one. Very nice bokeh from the samples online. Yet to use a medium format lens with my anamorphics. What film did PTA use it on?

Can you recommend some sites you use to find samples? And any other good forums related to lenses?

[JohnBarlow]

That's an interesting one. Very nice bokeh from the samples online. Yet to use a medium format lens with my anamorphics. What film did PTA use it on?

Its available in Exakta mount, good for Canon, plus you can do aperture pulls

[core_33]

Hi everyone.

I have Super Takumar 50mm f/1.4 М 42. The lens has nice bokeh, but is too dreamy wide open (soft focus?) and basically not quite as sharp as many feedbacks are stating.

I'm just curious does anyone here consider this lens as a great lens?

Thanks.

 

 

[andy lee]

and for all of you that like Russian copies of Zeiss designs like the 58mm Helios etc

there is a Russian Copy of the Carl Zeiss Biometar 80mm f2.8

 

its the VOLNA-3 f2.8 80mm made for the SALUT C and KIEV 88

 

its cheaper and does the Russian 'flare thing' very nicely too

you will need a Kiev 88 adaptor as its slightly different to a Pentacon 6 adaptor

you can get Kiev 88 - Canon EOS adaptors off a guy on ebay in Russia - thats where I got mine from.

[Omar Abushaikha]

Where can you buy one of these? I can't find it anywhere

[andy lee]

ebay ! - doh!

 

http://lmgtfy.com/?q=ebay

 

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/MC-VOLNA-3-V-80mm-F2-8-lens-for-salut-S-old-Kiev-88-camera-BIOMETAR-copy-1982-/310685707573?pt=Camera_Lenses&hash=item48564fad35

 

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Volna-3-80mm-f-2-8-prime-lens-medium-format-for-Kiev-60-bundle-hood-filters-/110986661939?pt=Camera_Lenses&hash=item19d7521033

 

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/VOLNA-3-f2-8-80mm-RUSSIAN-LENS-MF-forSALUT-C-KIEV-88-EXELLENT-2-macro-ring-/330933754547?pt=Camera_Lenses&hash=item4d0d305ab3

[nsfray]

I was really surprised to see this lens featured, because I'm an owner of this lens, and I've never heard anyone talk about it online for video uses. 

 

I lucked into it back in 2010, being my first vintage lens bought on ebay for video. (Bought it for $400) 

I did have to modify it to fit. It works perfectly on a full frame sensor. 

 

I found out about it from randomly stumbling on this video shot with the 28mm 

http://vimeo.com/7028401

- thanks to Gonzalo Ezcurra for pointing me in the right direction! 

 

 

The 28mm 2.0 is really quite an amazing lens. 
It just pops, and wide open there's so much depth to it, yet little distortion. 

It really is one of my go to lenses. 

 

here's a couple of videos shot with this lens

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cxNL_wtz3EY
100% Pentax 28mm 

 

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vsdyR5o9QA0&feature=c4-overview&list=UU987H1gwQUCAO3Iof2_60xQ

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fwEk-yQihWU&feature=c4-overview&list=UUHPcn5GH9KuKkvxdB5mkKMQ

- this one is a mini doc series my wife and I shot in our first year of marriage. All of the b-roll and man on the street interviews was shot with the Pentax. 

 

 

so yeah, great lens. Good luck finding one!! 
I've only ever seen 1 on ebay in the last 3 years at $800 

 

 

 

 

[madrivermotorcompany]

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Pentax-50mm-f2-PK-Pentax-M-Bayonet-mount-Lens-Pentax-K-/380424594592?pt=Camera_Lenses&hash=item589312a4a0

 

if this is it - it's $45

[premini]

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Pentax-50mm-f2-PK-Pentax-M-Bayonet-mount-Lens-Pentax-K-/380424594592?pt=Camera_Lenses&hash=item589312a4a0

 

if this is it - it's $45

I think it isnt, the lens you posted is 50mm. 

[Ivar Kristjan Ivarsson]

ebay ! - doh!

 

http://lmgtfy.com/?q=ebay

 

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/MC-VOLNA-3-V-80mm-F2-8-lens-for-salut-S-old-Kiev-88-camera-BIOMETAR-copy-1982-/310685707573?pt=Camera_Lenses&hash=item48564fad35

 

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Volna-3-80mm-f-2-8-prime-lens-medium-format-for-Kiev-60-bundle-hood-filters-/110986661939?pt=Camera_Lenses&hash=item19d7521033

 

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/VOLNA-3-f2-8-80mm-RUSSIAN-LENS-MF-forSALUT-C-KIEV-88-EXELLENT-2-macro-ring-/330933754547?pt=Camera_Lenses&hash=item4d0d305ab3

Hahaha, that first link is awesome :)

[Ivar Kristjan Ivarsson]

Oh, and thanks Andy and Andrew for some great lens ideas.

[xrayspecs]

What kind of mount would I need to attach Pentax PK 28mm F2.0 to a GH2?

[andy lee]

 Pentax PK to micro 4/3 - google !!!!

[peederj]

As it turns out I am looking for a compact 85mm prime for my anamorphic lenses too now I am using full frame so much. I can highly recommend the Jupiter 12 85mm F2.0 in M42 mount. I am considering also the Samyang 85mm F1.4 and the Super-Takumar.

 

I have the Samyang 85/1.4 and I like it a lot. Though it has a lot of flare and needs the included hood or a matte box. I have the stills version and I'd like to make a couple points about "pretend" cine-lenses.

 

The Samyang cine lenses are all "pretend" in that their designer apparently did not understand why cine lenses are designed the way they are. The Samyangs are just the stills lenses with follow-focus teeth instead of comfortable grips for the focus and aperture rings, and no clicks on the aperture ring. Sure enough, real cine lenses have teeth and declicked iris controls. That is where the similarity ends.

 

On a line of cine lenses, it's crucial that the follow focus/iris teeth have consistent diameters and distances from the flange across the entire line. Why? Because if you're using primes and need to change them, you shouldn't have to completely readjust your whole rig to do so. They should just snap in and the follow focus and matte box and so on should instantly line up. This was utterly lost on Samyang, or perhaps they are just relying on it being utterly lost to all the hopeful amateurs who might be fooled into paying more for a worse product.

 

As for declicking iris rings, I strongly do not recommend doing it on stills lenses, even though it became hip amongst certain pretentious DSLR shooters. The reason again is the difference with cine lenses. Those have very long throw iris controls with clear demarcations on a wide-diameter setting ring. That allows repeatability and logging of exactly what the iris setting was for the shot. With the puny rings on stills lenses, you don't get repeatability, you barely even get fine control, and it's a hazard that you might accidentally turn them and screw up your exposure. All the declick buys you is the ability to attempt smooth iris fades manually. How often does anyone a) shoot with a manual focus lens and b ) actually pull a smooth iris fade? And maintain focus after doing so? More likely scenario in such a case would be to use a variable-ND filter that doesn't change the DoF as a side-effect, though it would have side-effects of its own. (FWIW, the C100 electronic iris control is quite smoothly ramped, as is the "silent tap" control on the 5D3, should you ever find yourself wanting iris pulls.)

 

And your "pretend" cine lens and declicked stills lens will have less resale value due to their not being of interest to stills shooters and suspect due to the modifications. So skip all that, leave the clicks in there, buy $5 rubber follow focus rings to put on your stills lenses and be happy.

[xrayspecs]

 Pentax PK to micro 4/3 - google !!!!

Thanks for the info, but not the condescension!!!!

[andy lee]

this is what you need  I use this version

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Adapter-Ring-For-Pentax-PK-Lens-to-Micro-M4-3-M43-Olympus-E-P1-E-P2-E-PL1-DC154-/251276599721?pt=UK_Photography_CameraLenses_Lens_caps_hoods_adaptors_ET&hash=item3a8140a1a9

[/p/]

Andrew, will this be a recommended lens for the GH3 in your upcoming book? I may have the opportunity to get one though quite a bit more expensive than $60. However as the book isn't yet out and my time is limited I thought you may be able to let me know as I am waiting for your GH3 book for lens suggestions, the deal on this particular lens is time sensitive though. Thanks.

[PiDicus Rex]

I'm all equal parts "No Shit", "Shhh!" and "WTF! ARrrrgh"

No Shit, because Pentax owners are well aware of the quality of the glass available for K-Mount lenses, reaching back to 1975.

Shhh!, because we also know the prices are lower then anything with Canikon mounts for the same IQ.

And WTF! ARrrrgh, beacuse of this,..
 

 

To do this you need to unscrew 3 small screws on the side of the mount holding the protruding piece of redundant plastic casing and bend back and forth the aperture lever for old Pentax bodies until it snaps off – you don’t need that bit on a Canon DSLR. It has no function and instead stops the mirror moving up or down during a shot or when entering live view.

 

 

This is a totally amatuerish and unprofessional to say or do this.

It takes no more the 15 minutes to correctly diassemble the lens and remove the Iris Control Lever, which is needed for use on a Pentax camera.
Do the job properly if you must remove it, then you can refit the Lever for resale.

Or better yet, buy a K-01, enjoy more dynamic range then the 5D (without Magic Lantern ), and output video that is fantastic, especially given the K-01 is now at bargain prices.

[John P. Buck]

Is it possible to use this lens on an APS-C sensor? What would I need to use as an adaptor, this? 

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Mount-Adapter-Ring-For-Pentax-PK-K-Lens-to-Canon-EOS-600D-60D-5D-7D-1000D-DC129-/161252210150