Some unexpected new lenses and things.

[Stevenson Gawen]

Recently I did someone a small favour (different story) and he surprised me by producing a bag of unwanted miscellaneous photographic bits.
I had a look through it, (involuntarily producing noises probably reminiscent of a child at Christmas!) finding a couple of nice (if not super exciting) lenses, in very good condition, among other bits.
He actually offered the lot to me for nothing, but I didn't feel that was fair and said so. We eventually settled it honorably with the exchange of a crispy $50 note.


Most of the interesting bits are in this picture.

The mini tripod is sort of 'cute'
The lenses are:
a Nikon F-mount Tamron 28-200 f3.8-6.3 in the wrong box!
an M42 mount "Asanuma" 135mm f2.8
and an M42 mount Tokina-Special 35mm f2.8

The superzoom is predictably (for a film era wide range zoom) slow and soft, but fully functional on my D750 body. I feel like it's decentred too, but not confirmed yet...

The two primes I haven't been able properly test yet, as I don't have anything to mount them to. A couple of cheap adapters (to Sony E mount and Pentax K mount) are in the post as I type!
What I did do was pop my existing Pentax K to Sony E adapter on my Sony A7S, and simply held the lens in place against the adapter. The flange distance is (nominally) the same, so it worked quite well, albeit very awkward from an ergonomic perspective!
The preliminary results have left me quite impressed - they're both pleasingly sharp, especially the 35mm Tokina. I've had a 35mm Tokina before and didn't like it much - low contrast - this one seems a lot better, from a very limited test. The rather generic 135mm is nice too - a little soft and hazy wide open, but not unpleasantly so.

I'm looking forward to the adapter arriving so I can use them for some real shooting. Initially digital, on the A7s, but I think the 35mm would be nice on my Pentax film bodies too. I've read slightly conflicting reports of focus-to-infinity issues with the M42-to-K adaptors, but I'm hopeful.

A few rather dull sample shots below...


The Asanuma 135mm at f8 near minimum focus distance


135mm wide open at f2.8


As above


Tokina 35mm wide open at f2.8



Tamron 28-200 on D750 at 65mm f5


Tamron 28-200 on D750 at 82mm f8



Tamron 28-200 on D750 at 195mm f5.6 (according to Exif - I thought I was right at the 200mm end) - 1/60th ISO12800 not helping sharpness

I like this one though!

 

[Ralph Turner]

Great stuff! Interesting what you say about the infinity focus issue. My first slr (Pentax ME) had a PK/M42 adaptor, as the lenses that came with it were all screw mount. I don't recall having any issues with it (though that was rather a long time ago and the old grey cells ain't what they used to be). That 35mm does, indeed, look to be a good'n. Have fun!

 

[Stevenson Gawen]

Great stuff! Interesting what you say about the infinity focus issue. My first slr (Pentax ME) had a PK/M42 adaptor, as the lenses that came with it were all screw mount. I don't recall having any issues with it (though that was rather a long time ago and the old grey cells ain't what they used to be). That 35mm does, indeed, look to be a good'n. Have fun!

Thanks Ralph! Yep, I ordered a 'flangeless' adaptor (like the real Pentax ones) so it should work ok, as like you say, they were supposed to be fully compatible to ease the transition to the then-new K mount.
I'll find out I guess. I suspect some of the issues I read of were in relation to the flanged adaptors that are easier to mount but obviously add a little distance in there.

 

[Stevenson Gawen]

I forgot to mention the Sunpak flash unit - haven't tried it yet, but it looks in perfect condition like everything else. It's got no camera communication for TTL, distance etc., but various settings itself. May need to find an instruction manual...

 

[Rob MacKillop]

Interesting collection, Steve, and the fun shots look good to me. Interesting bokeh in the second at 2.8.

Do you have a big collection of gear? I couldn't cope with all the options.

 

[Gianluca Drago]

@Stevenson Gawen, I must have very evil connections, because no one ever gives me anything like that.

 

[Stevenson Gawen]

Do you have a big collection of gear? I couldn't cope with all the options.

Err... um. It's not really big... I think... I...

8 digital bodies
4 film bodies
Unspecified number of lenses...
about 10 digital compacts (some broken!)

I guess I'm a hoarder. Most of my stuff is old enough that it's not worth an awful lot by the time I decide want something newer - so it just goes in a drawer! Until I decide I want to use it again.
I think I like options. Sometimes.

because no one ever gives me anything like that.

It's the first time it happened to me! Live in hope, Gianluca!

 

[Gianluca Drago]

Live in hope, Gianluca

To live in hope is to live in misery

 

[Stevenson Gawen]

To live in hope is to live in misery

Hm. Now that you've made me think about that, I feel you may be right!

I'll retract my own advice and instead suggest lurking on whatever local Buy and Sell websites you may have in your part of the world.
That's where a significant portion of my collection originated...
Of course, as @Rob MacKillop suggested, there's also a lot to be said for the absence of choice!

 

[Gianluca Drago]

Hm. Now that you've made me think about that, I feel you may be right!

I'll retract my own advice and instead suggest lurking on whatever local Buy and Sell websites you may have in your part of the world.
That's where a significant portion of my collection originated...
Of course, as @Rob MacKillop suggested, there's also a lot to be said for the absence of choice!

I'm fine with my compact camera, even when I know it's made from noodles. I named it 'Hasselblad' so we love each other.

 

[Stevenson Gawen]

Noodles?! Well well well... I never would have guessed from it's output! Just goes to show what a skilled photographer can obtain even from culinary equipment.

Seriously though, your Lumix is a world away from my partly broken collection of compacts. Mine are all tiny sensor digicams, unlike yours which is a real camera with a big sensor, decent lens etc. It's a mirrorless that just happens to have only one lens!

 

[Gianluca Drago]

Noodles?! Well well well... I never would have guessed from it's output! Just goes to show what a skilled photographer can obtain even from culinary equipment.

Seriously though, your Lumix is a world away from my partly broken collection of compacts. Mine are all tiny sensor digicams, unlike yours which is a real camera with a big sensor, decent lens etc. It's a mirrorless that just happens to have only one lens!

It is identical to the Leica D-Lux 7, it is exactly the same camera but without the red sticker. And it has the same strengths and weaknesses. Except that the Lumix costs much less than the Leica and has a handgrip.

 

[Ralph Turner]

Err... um. It's not really big... I think... I...

8 digital bodies
4 film bodies
Unspecified number of lenses...
about 10 digital compacts (some broken!)

I guess I'm a hoarder. Most of my stuff is old enough that it's not worth an awful lot by the time I decide want something newer - so it just goes in a drawer! Until I decide I want to use it again.
I think I like options. Sometimes.

Erm... I won't mention mine. I'm not good at decisions, either, so I do myself no favours in that regard..