[Guest]

I dropped by a second-hand electronics store today, and they had a couple old lenses:



A Cosmicar Television zoom 22-66mm f/1.8 - I was baffled to see a zoom lens at f/1.8, but it's C mount, which is too small for EOS anyway. I'm htinking the quality is not that great, given it's a TV lens.



Mamiya/Sekor SX 55mm f/1.8 - M42 mount, which is convertible, and it sounds good, so I may have to grab that.



Danubia 500mm f/8 (72mm thread version) - T2 mount, also convertible, it's fun just for the crazy size of it, and image quality is supposedly good for the price.



But here's the strange one: Dixi 135mm f/2.8 - I can find no references to it on the web whatsoever. I'm not versant in mounts yet (only know the above due to some googling afterwards). Anyone got any idea what it is?



-Lars loves looking at old camera equipment

[Guest]

[quote name='larsrc' date='15 July 2010 - 09:41 PM' timestamp='1279226519' post='1029']



A Cosmicar Television zoom 22-66mm f/1.8 - I was baffled to see a zoom lens at f/1.8, but it's C mount, which is too small for EOS anyway. I'm htinking the quality is not that great, given it's a TV lens.

[/quote]





Wow, F1.8 standard zoom. i guess it should have a very small image circle.



Dixi lens, never heard of it.

[wim]

Standard zooms for the smaller formats are often equipped with rather large maximum apertures. The quality may actually be quite ok, but of no use for an APS-C or FF camera <img src='http://forum.photozone.de/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt='' />.



The Mamiya Sekor is ok, provided it is the multi-coated version. I don't know M-S well enough to be able to tell you straight away, however <img src='http://forum.photozone.de/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt='' />. Most 50-55 mm lenses from the analog days, provided they have apertures no larger than F/1.7, tend to be quite good. The optical designs used are actually still used today, except for lenses like the F/1.2s and faster, and the Sigma 50 F/1.4. They typically perform better up to about F/2.5 than their faster brethren (the F/1.4s). At F/2.8 the F/1.4s normally get better, up to about F/5.6, and then from F/8 they tend to be equal again.



If you pay a really low price for the Danubia, it may be worthwhile as a novelty gadget. Don't expect too much from it.



The Dixi is likely one of the many advertising brands only, and this company likely got their stuff from a variety of manufacturers, whereever they could get it cheapest. Could be Cosina, the cheap stuff that is, or almost anything else. If the coating looks green, it is probably a Cosina, if it is bluish purple, it could be anything.



Kind regards, Wim

[Guest]

[quote name='wim' date='15 July 2010 - 11:28 PM' timestamp='1279229320' post='1032']

Standard zooms for the smaller formats are often equipped with rather large maximum apertures. The quality may actually be quite ok, but of no use for an APS-C or FF camera <img src='http://forum.photozone.de/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt='' />.



The Mamiya Sekor is ok, provided it is the multi-coated version. I don't know M-S well enough to be able to tell you straight away, however <img src='http://forum.photozone.de/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt='' />. Most 50-55 mm lenses from the analog days, provided they have apertures no larger than F/1.7, tend to be quite good. The optical designs used are actually still used today, except for lenses like the F/1.2s and faster, and the Sigma 50 F/1.4. They typically perform better up to about F/2.5 than their faster brethren (the F/1.4s). At F/2.8 the F/1.4s normally get better, up to about F/5.6, and then from F/8 they tend to be equal again.



If you pay a really low price for the Danubia, it may be worthwhile as a novelty gadget. Don't expect too much from it.



The Dixi is likely one of the many advertising brands only, and this company likely got their stuff from a variety of manufacturers, whereever they could get it cheapest. Could be Cosina, the cheap stuff that is, or almost anything else. If the coating looks green, it is probably a Cosina, if it is bluish purple, it could be anything.



Kind regards, Wim

[/quote]



Thank you. Not sure how to tell if the Mamiya is multi-coated, it doesn't say on the lens. Attaching shot of the front. Does the 'Auto' mean it has autofocus? Not that I expect it can be adapted, of course.



I guess I should get a couple adapters first, so I can try them out in store. The T2 is trivial enough, but I'm seeing a huge price variation in M42 chipped adapters, from $100 down to [url="http://cgi.ebay.ie/AF-Confirm-M42-Lens-Canon-EOS-Adapter-fr-550D-500D-/180519096223?cmd=ViewItem&pt=UK_Photography_CameraLenses_Lens_caps_hoods_adaptors_ET&hash=item2a07c6cf9f#ht_1052wt_1139"]this one[/url] for 19 pounds. Having only one body, I'm a little skittish about crappy hardware possibly damaging it. Anybody got experience with chipped M42 adapters?



-Lars

[wim]

Hi Lars,

[quote name='larsrc' date='16 July 2010 - 12:10 PM' timestamp='1279275003' post='1040']

Thank you. Not sure how to tell if the Mamiya is multi-coated, it doesn't say on the lens. Attaching shot of the front. Does the 'Auto' mean it has autofocus? Not that I expect it can be adapted, of course.[/quote]

Auto in the days of this lens meant automatic diaphragm coupling and closing, when shooting of course. There is no way to do this automatically with such a lens when adapted <img src='http://forum.photozone.de/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt='' />. It's mechanical rather than electronic.

I guess I should get a couple adapters first, so I can try them out in store. The T2 is trivial enough, but I'm seeing a huge price variation in M42 chipped adapters, from $100 down to [url="http://cgi.ebay.ie/AF-Confirm-M42-Lens-Canon-EOS-Adapter-fr-550D-500D-/180519096223?cmd=ViewItem&pt=UK_Photography_CameraLenses_Lens_caps_hoods_adaptors_ET&hash=item2a07c6cf9f#ht_1052wt_1139"]this one[/url] for 19 pounds. Having only one body, I'm a little skittish about crappy hardware possibly damaging it. Anybody got experience with chipped M42 adapters?



-Lars

The cheap one is likely to have the older generation chip. The newest chip, which is programmable very easily and widely for the lens connected, can actually provide some extra exif information, such as the lens name, provided you programmed it in.



Personally, I would opt for a black anodized adapter, so as to prevent any glare and veiling from reflections of the adapter. Personally I use these:

[url="http://haodascreen.com/m42.aspx"]http://haodascreen.com/m42.aspx[/url], and you can find a picture on the home page. Very good, well finished, excellent service.



M42 adapters should not harm your camera, as the register distance of M42 lenses is larger than that of the EOS mount. The only damage I could think of is not well polished adapters which may scratch your camera mount by burrs on the adapter flanges. If you buy a decent one that shouldn't be a problem.



Another good supplier you can find here: [url="http://www.fotodiox.com/catalog/index.php?cPath=21_29_32"]http://www.fotodiox....?cPath=21_29_32[/url]

These are the professional grade ones <img src='http://forum.photozone.de/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt='' />.



Other than this you could also go for Novoflex, but those are really expensive. I've got a few Leitz-R adapters from Novoflex. Very well made too.



With cheaper adapters it is always a question whether they are machined properly, i.e., evenly, so that the lens sits perfectly in position, with its optical axis perfectly perpendicular to the sensor/EOS mount, and is also of the exact and correct thickness for that particular lens brand, with infinity focus still being possible. You don't have such problems with the above three, at least, not to my knowledge so far <img src='http://forum.photozone.de/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt='' />.



BTW, if you ever want to adapt a Nikon G-lens and still want to control the aperture, you'd need to get a G-EOS adapter, which was only available from 16-9.net, [url="http://www.16-9.net/nikon_g/"]http://www.16-9.net/nikon_g/[/url]. Works very well too.



I did try quite a bunch of cheap adapters, and I did find that if you're lucky about 1 in 2 or 3 works properly. I didn't have any of those problems with the better ones <img src='http://forum.photozone.de/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt='' />.



Regarding the Mamiya 55 F/1.8.: Since I don't know this particular Mamiya lens, I decided to do some more checking on it, and it looks like there may be a slight problem with the SX lenses when adapting to another mount. Check here:

[url="http://forum.mflenses.com/mamiya-sx-lens-aperture-ring-removal-etc-t30313.html"]http://forum.mflenses.com/mamiya-sx-lens-aperture-ring-removal-etc-t30313.html[/url]



Just scroll down a little for the post with the picture. The aperture ring may be in the way of the adapter to fit properly, and the extra pin it has for coupling with the Mamiya metering system also needs to be filed away. The SX series actually has a modified M42 mount in order for them to have additional benefits with Mamiya cameras...



In short, I reckon it is best just to be on th elookout for standard M42 lens rather than this particular one. It looks like it may be a fair amount of trouble to make it work properly with a Canon EOS mount camera. However best check the lens first, if you can anyway.



BTW, is it a reltive of yours in this particular thread on mamiya lenses in the mflenses forum?

[url="http://forum.mflenses.com/auto-mamiya-sekor-50mm-f28-m42-t26406.html"]http://forum.mflenses.com/auto-mamiya-sekor-50mm-f28-m42-t26406.html[/url]





I can't find anything about its coating, but I guess it has at least two layers, and since it is from the early seventies (1974) and later, I do expect it to have multi-coating. It looks like Mamiya used both Tokina and Contax Zeiss to source lenses from. F.e., the 55 F/1.54 is a Zeiss lens, the 28 F/2.8 a Tokina. The 55 F/1.8 is said to be good, but slightly less so than a Takumar 55 F/1.8, whatever that means. It also looks like this lens is better at the larger apertures than the F/1.4 version, which is something universal based on my own test of 50 mm lenses, with very few exceptions <img src='http://forum.photozone.de/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt='' />.



HTH, kind regards, Wim

[Guest]

[quote name='wim' date='16 July 2010 - 01:53 PM' timestamp='1279281223' post='1042']

Hi Lars,



Auto in the days of this lens meant automatic diaphragm coupling and closing, when shooting of course. There is no way to do this automatically with such a lens when adapted <img src='http://forum.photozone.de/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt='' />. It's mechanical rather than electronic.

[/quote]



Ah, that makes more sense.



[quote name='wim' date='16 July 2010 - 01:53 PM' timestamp='1279281223' post='1042']



The cheap one is likely to have the older generation chip. The newest chip, which is programmable very easily and widely for the lens connected, can actually provide some extra exif information, such as the lens name, provided you programmed it in.



Personally, I would opt for a black anodized adapter, so as to prevent any glare and veiling from reflections of the adapter. Personally I use these:

[url="http://haodascreen.com/m42.aspx"]http://haodascreen.com/m42.aspx[/url], and you can find a picture on the home page. Very good, well finished, excellent service.



M42 adapters should not harm your camera, as the register distance of M42 lenses is larger than that of the EOS mount. The only damage I could think of is not well polished adapters which may scratch your camera mount by burrs on the adapter flanges. If you buy a decent one that shouldn't be a problem.

[/quote]



I didn't expect the hardware to be a problem, but could imagine cheap electronics being dangerous.



[quote name='wim' date='16 July 2010 - 01:53 PM' timestamp='1279281223' post='1042']



Another good supplier you can find here: [url="http://www.fotodiox.com/catalog/index.php?cPath=21_29_32"]http://www.fotodiox....?cPath=21_29_32[/url]

These are the professional grade ones <img src='http://forum.photozone.de/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt='' />.



Other than this you could also go for Novoflex, but those are really expensive. I've got a few Leitz-R adapters from Novoflex. Very well made too.

[/quote]



Thanks for the links!



[quote name='wim' date='16 July 2010 - 01:53 PM' timestamp='1279281223' post='1042']



With cheaper adapters it is always a question whether they are machined properly, i.e., evenly, so that the lens sits perfectly in position, with its optical axis perfectly perpendicular to the sensor/EOS mount, and is also of the exact and correct thickness for that particular lens brand, with infinity focus still being possible. You don't have such problems with the above three, at least, not to my knowledge so far <img src='http://forum.photozone.de/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt='' />.



BTW, if you ever want to adapt a Nikon G-lens and still want to control the aperture, you'd need to get a G-EOS adapter, which was only available from 16-9.net, [url="http://www.16-9.net/nikon_g/"]http://www.16-9.net/nikon_g/[/url]. Works very well too.



I did try quite a bunch of cheap adapters, and I did find that if you're lucky about 1 in 2 or 3 works properly. I didn't have any of those problems with the better ones <img src='http://forum.photozone.de/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt='' />.



Regarding the Mamiya 55 F/1.8.: Since I don't know this particular Mamiya lens, I decided to do some more checking on it, and it looks like there may be a slight problem with the SX lenses when adapting to another mount. Check here:

[url="http://forum.mflenses.com/mamiya-sx-lens-aperture-ring-removal-etc-t30313.html"]http://forum.mflenses.com/mamiya-sx-lens-aperture-ring-removal-etc-t30313.html[/url]



Just scroll down a little for the post with the picture. The aperture ring may be in the way of the adapter to fit properly, and the extra pin it has for coupling with the Mamiya metering system also needs to be filed away. The SX series actually has a modified M42 mount in order for them to have additional benefits with Mamiya cameras...



In short, I reckon it is best just to be on th elookout for standard M42 lens rather than this particular one. It looks like it may be a fair amount of trouble to make it work properly with a Canon EOS mount camera. However best check the lens first, if you can anyway.

[/quote]



I'll get the adapters first - they'll be useful for many other lenses anyway - and then go down and test it.



[quote name='wim' date='16 July 2010 - 01:53 PM' timestamp='1279281223' post='1042']



BTW, is it a reltive of yours in this particular thread on mamiya lenses in the mflenses forum?

[url="http://forum.mflenses.com/auto-mamiya-sekor-50mm-f28-m42-t26406.html"]http://forum.mflenses.com/auto-mamiya-sekor-50mm-f28-m42-t26406.html[/url]

[/quote]



No, we tend to have our family names last around here



[quote name='wim' date='16 July 2010 - 01:53 PM' timestamp='1279281223' post='1042']





I can't find anything about its coating, but I guess it has at least two layers, and since it is from the early seventies (1974) and later, I do expect it to have multi-coating. It looks like Mamiya used both Tokina and Contax Zeiss to source lenses from. F.e., the 55 F/1.54 is a Zeiss lens, the 28 F/2.8 a Tokina. The 55 F/1.8 is said to be good, but slightly less so than a Takumar 55 F/1.8, whatever that means. It also looks like this lens is better at the larger apertures than the F/1.4 version, which is something universal based on my own test of 50 mm lenses, with very few exceptions <img src='http://forum.photozone.de/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt='' />.



HTH, kind regards, Wim

[/quote]



Some testing required Or I can always try to resell it on eBay. I just really like the feel of it, and hey, want to have a little old-fashioned fun. I've also started collecting old cameras after a couple nice fold-outs came into my hands. I just love a) second-hand shopping, and <img src='http://forum.photozone.de/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/cool.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt='' /> old mechanics.



-Lars