What's coming on Dec 21?

[Socke]

thank goodness for 50 year old canon lenses...


joe

They just don't make them like that anymore

 

[ch1]

To be true, I don't care if it's rebranded or not as long as it performs as advertized. When I hear the reports about returned bodies and lenses from major japanese manufacturers due to focusing, sharpness, centering and what not I'm very happy with my "overpriced" japanese made lenses with a german name.

In november a friend returned a Nikon 17-55 EF-S he got for his D2x three times until he got one which was not as expected but good enough, another had to send a new Canon 24-70L in to get the focus calibrated. I know of three Sigma 15-30 EX, one Nikon the other Canon mount, which where not corectly centered and one Sigma 120-300 EX which was delivered with a defective focusing motor.

Socke,

There is no denying that in the "race to digital" we've seen many of the fine Japanese makers "cheapen" their reputations by producing ill-designed "digital" lenses. It's an unfortunate result of the "digital mentality" which assumes that everything will be obsoleted w/in 18 month so why bother with producing something to last longer? :bang:

That said, Nikon continues to produce high-quality Nikkors (both AF and MF and both zoom and prime). I'm sticking with those (and acquiring more) with the expectation that around 18 months from now, just as the new D-200 becomes "obsolete", Nikon will introduce a full sensor digital and all my fine lenses will be totally compatible image-size wise!

 

[leafy]

I just started to advise my friend into buying really old Nikkor lenses from the '70 and '80. They were well built and comes at a very competitive price now. He bought a 50/1.2 non-AI for less than $100! The shots that came out had a very strange texture compared to modern lense. Same holds for old screwmount lenses (hey, this is a RF forrum afterall )

 

[Mazurka]

In november a friend returned a Nikon 17-55 EF-S he got for his D2x three times until he got one which was not as expected but good enough, another had to send a new Canon 24-70L in to get the focus calibrated. I know of three Sigma 15-30 EX, one Nikon the other Canon mount, which where not corectly centered and one Sigma 120-300 EX which was delivered with a defective focusing motor.

How do you know they aren't actually re-branded Cosina/Tamron/whatever lenses? Remember: when it comes to re-branding, any lens is guilty until proven innocent.

 

[Mazurka]

Apparently this "re-branding" disease isn't exlusive to RFF. Last week, I saw someone in photo.net insisted, with the now familiar vehemence, that the Contax S2 AND the Nikkormat EL are "re-branded" Cosinas! I guess they are, and have always been, the only camera-maker in Japan!

 

[ch1]

Apparently this "re-branding" disease isn't exlusive to RFF. Last week, I saw someone in photo.net insisted, with the now familiar vehemence, that the Contax S2 AND the Nikkormat EL are "re-branded" Cosinas! I guess they are, and have always been, the only camera-maker in Japan!

It's fairly well-known that Cosina currently makes the Nikon FM-10 - and I would certainly expect that they also made prior entry-level manual SLR models for Nikon.

However, the Nikkormat line was ended by Nikon after the EL-W model in the early 1980's. I'd be doubtful that the Cosina/Nikon relationship would include these cameras - but don't know that for certain.

If nothing else, this thread has sure helped me (and others I suspect) to sharpen our Googling skills!

But remember, just because it's on the web doesn't make it true!

 

[Huck Finn]

It's fairly well-known that Cosina currently makes the Nikon FM-10 - and I would certainly expect that they also made prior entry-level manual SLR models for Nikon.

. . . and you would be wrong. The only other camera made for Nikon by Cosina is the companion the the FM-10, the FE-10 & it was not made prior to the FM-10.

 

[ch1]

. . . and you would be wrong. The only other camera made for Nikon by Cosina is the companion the the FM-10, the FE-10 & it was not made prior to the FM-10.

In the future, at least have the intellectual integrity not to quote me "out of context". Doing so only undermines your own credibility.

The actual quote was:

"It's fairly well-known that Cosina currently makes the Nikon FM-10 - and I would certainly expect that they also made prior entry-level manual SLR models for Nikon.

However, the Nikkormat line was ended by Nikon after the EL-W model in the early 1980's. I'd be doubtful that the Cosina/Nikon relationship would include these cameras - but don't know that for certain."

I THINK I MADE IT CLEAR THAT I WAS NOT CERTAIN ABOUT ANYTHING OTHER THAN THE FM-10.

So now that we've cleared that up, what WAS your point?

 

[Socke]

Socke,

There is no denying that in the "race to digital" we've seen many of the fine Japanese makers "cheapen" their reputations by producing ill-designed "digital" lenses.

If they did that only with "digital" lenses this would be fine with me. But an Canon 24-70L for 1500 and a Sigma 120-300 for 3500 Euro are meant to be used on film as well as digital bodies.

The guy with the 24-70L uses it on an EOS3, an EOS1n and an EOS 1D MkII. When they told him he had to send in the body and the lens his first question was "which body" and the second "what's with my other lenses"

 

[RJBender]

I just started to advise my friend into buying really old Nikkor lenses from the '70 and '80. They were well built and comes at a very competitive price now. He bought a 50/1.2 non-AI for less than $100! The shots that came out had a very strange texture compared to modern lense. Same holds for old screwmount lenses (hey, this is a RF forrum afterall )

Leafy,

What camera body does your friend use?
While you are shopping for old Nikkors, keep an eye out for the 55 Micro-Nikkor. I think it was Brian Sweeney who said he recently picked one up for $25. Here's what Cooper and Abbott had to say about this lens in Nikon Handbook Series: Lenses and Lens Systems © 1979 Amphoto, page 184:

Originally designed for close-distance photography with an image ratio range of 1:1 to infinity, this is probably the sharpest lens available for general photographic purposes, with center-to-edge resolving power exceeding that of the finest photographic emulsions. Relative to its primary purpose, the great flatness of image plane, high-image contrast, and excellent color rendition are ideal for close-up subjects. Optimum image resolution at the 1:10 image ratio, but resolution remains virtually unchanged throughout the entire focusing range.

R.J.

 

[RJBender]

Apparently this "re-branding" disease isn't exlusive to RFF. Last week, I saw someone in photo.net insisted, with the now familiar vehemence, that the Contax S2 AND the Nikkormat EL are "re-branded" Cosinas! I guess they are, and have always been, the only camera-maker in Japan!

We could avoid using the R word if we knew what percentage of internal components in the "rebranded" model were also used in other camera models. Percentages give me more information.

R.J.

 

[ch1]

Leafy,

What camera body does your friend use?
While you are shopping for old Nikkors, keep an eye out for the 55 Micro-Nikkor. I think it was Brian Sweeney who said he recently picked one up for $25. Here's what Cooper and Abbott had to say about this lens in Nikon Handbook Series: Lenses and Lens Systems © 1979 Amphoto, page 184:



R.J.

Hey RJ,

SHHHH!!!!

Let's not create a price run-up on manual Nikkors until after you and I have filled-out our collections!

Happy New Year,
George

 

[RJBender]

Hey RJ,

SHHHH!!!!

Let's not create a price run-up on manual Nikkors until after you and I have filled-out our collections!

Happy New Year,
George

LOL, George! I forgot about that link to this thread on Pnet.

Happy New Year!

R.J.

I just checked KEH. They have twentynine 55mm Micro-Nikkors from $37-199. It looks like the prices were recently reduced, too.

 

[RJBender]

Yeah, they MUST be the same lens. And Yashica put 2 more pieces of glass inside to confuse us when they rebranded it as Zeiss. That is such a consipiracy!

The Yashica lens has 5 elements in 5 groups(構成：5群5枚), as stated from the link above. From www.zeiss.com, Distagon 28/2.8 has 7 elements and 7 groups. Go figure.

BTW, コシナ is Cosina in Japanese. A Yashica lens made by Cosina that has the same performance with Zeiss?

Leafy,

I'd like to see an English version of the magazine Taipei-metro mentioned. The Zeiss website has more information on this lens here. Is the Zeiss lens stamped Made in Japan?

R.J.

 

[leafy]

Leafy,

I'd like to see an English version of the magazine Taipei-metro mentioned. The Zeiss website has more information on this lens here.
Is the Zeiss lens stamped Made in Japan?

R.J.

I don't know the magazine that claimed the Yashica the same as the Zeiss, sorry. In the later days of the now deceased Contax line, only very few lenses were made in Germany (85/2.8 was one of them, IIRC), but 28/2.8 would be made in Japan, as all of my Contax gear, even the famous 100/2 Planar. I *think* Kyocera makes them, but who knows....

 

[leafy]

Leafy,

What camera body does your friend use?
While you are shopping for old Nikkors, keep an eye out for the 55 Micro-Nikkor. I think it was Brian Sweeney who said he recently picked one up for $25. Here's what Cooper and Abbott had to say about this lens in Nikon Handbook Series: Lenses and Lens Systems © 1979 Amphoto, page 184:
R.J.

F F2A F3HP F4s F601QD F90x D1x, and I think he has a D2x too, but I didn't delve into that. Most of his lenses are AF lenses though. The 55 micro is a gem. I used to use it a lot when I owned it several years ago. By-standers used to stare hard at the protruding centerpiece when focusing down to 1:1, it looked really bizzare. $25 is just humiliating for such a thing.

 

[Bryan Lee]

 

[Mazurka]

Ihe actual quote was:

"It's fairly well-known that Cosina currently makes the Nikon FM-10 - and I would certainly expect that they also made prior entry-level manual SLR models for Nikon.

However, the Nikkormat line was ended by Nikon after the EL-W model in the early 1980's. I'd be doubtful that the Cosina/Nikon relationship would include these cameras - but don't know that for certain."

I THINK I MADE IT CLEAR THAT I WAS NOT CERTAIN ABOUT ANYTHING OTHER THAN THE FM-10.

So now that we've cleared that up, what WAS your point?

Huck's point was that your expectation was certainly wrong.

The only SLRs Cosina made/still makes for Nikon are the ones quoted by Huck. Nothing more, nothing less.

And the Nikkormat EL series ended with the Ai-mount EL2, not ELW.

At the risk of being "out of context" -- you're right about one thing: your Google skills (or frequency of use) needs improvement. I don't expect you to disbelieve nikonimaging.com about their history either.

 

[Bryan Lee]

No new donut? Im very disapointed! What exactly is a High-Power lense? I wonder if they ment to say High-Dollar lense and had more translation issues?

 

[ch1]

Huck's point was that your expectation was certainly wrong.

The only SLRs Cosina made/still makes for Nikon are the ones quoted by Huck. Nothing more, nothing less.

And the Nikkormat EL series ended with the Ai-mount EL2, not ELW.

At the risk of being "out of context" -- you're right about one thing: your Google skills (or frequency of use) needs improvement. I don't expect you to disbelieve nikonimaging.com about their history either.

Mazurka and Huck Finn,

I am at least tired of both of you as I am sure you are of me.

Go get your ZF lenses and have fun.

What an enormous waste of time this has all been.

In the entire scheme of life - WHO CARES?

Please do not respond - I sure as heck won't.

BASTA!!!!