Your underrated lenses

[David Murphy]

The CZJ wide angle lenses are all great performers, remarkable given how early they appeared on the scene.
I've recently acquired an Enna 4/24 and need to properly test it. It is a very compact design when compared to the CZJ 4/25 or the ISCO 4/24, so I'll be pretty impressed if it can outperform those lenses.

I own the Enna 24mm F4 Lithagon in Praktina mount. It's a beautifully made lens, somewhat uncommon these days. It makes sharp images with sort of a pleasant vignette common on early very-wides - reminescent of the first version of the 21mm Super-Angulon.

In fact I'm starting to conclude that many of these early post-war German SLR lenses are underrated!

 

[p.giannakis]

There are quite a few vintage lenses that started again enjoying popularity due to being adapted to digital cameras. To me it seems that although people started appreciating Rokkors again, they are still not in the forefront of people's mind when looking out for lenses.

There are some that i liked when i first used them but when i used other company's equivalents, realised they were not that great. Rokkor MD 28f/2.8 is a good example - I used the alpha mount version too: good lens but not a match for the AiS28f/2.8 or the EF28f/2.8 or even the zuiko 28f/2.8.

I do enjoy their 50-58mm lenses though. Only exception is the old Auto-Rokkor PF 55f/2 which I have mixed feelings about. The MC-II 58f/1.4 is underrated although a difficult lens to handle.





The 50f/1.4 was underrated but people figure it out now. Still less expensive to buy than an equivalent Nikkor or a Canon FD.



One of the most underrated Rokkor has to be the plain MD 50/1.7 - even the cheaper 50f/2 enjoys more fame online. The 50f/1.7 is cheap, excellent performer, plentiful and has not been infected by the horrible "Hypus Internetus" disease.

 

[Zuiko-logist]

There are quite a few vintage lenses that started again enjoying popularity due to being adapted to digital cameras. To me it seems that although people started appreciating Rokkors again, they are still not in the forefront of people's mind when looking out for lenses.

There are some that i liked when i first used them but when i used other company's equivalents, realised they were not that great. Rokkor MD 28f/2.8 is a good example - I used the alpha mount version too: good lens but not a match for the AiS28f/2.8 or the EF28f/2.8 or even the zuiko 28f/2.8.

I do enjoy their 50-58mm lenses though. Only exception is the old Auto-Rokkor PF 55f/2 which I have mixed feelings about. The MC-II 58f/1.4 is underrated although a difficult lens to handle.

View attachment 4876093

View attachment 4876094

The 50f/1.4 was underrated but people figure it out now. Still less expensive to buy than an equivalent Nikkor or a Canon FD.

View attachment 4876095

One of the most underrated Rokkor has to be the plain MD 50/1.7 - even the cheaper 50f/2 enjoys more fame online. The 50f/1.7 is cheap, excellent performer, plentiful and has not been infected by the horrible "Hypus Internetus" disease.

View attachment 4876092

The 35/2.8 Rokkor also seems underrated - my copy was at least better than the 28/2.8.

 

[caila77]

Konica Hexanon 28mm/F3.5 - very cheap, but very good (at least my copy).​

one of my favourite underrated 28mm...
other underrated lenses:

hexanon 50mm f1,7 and f1,4

 

[caila77]

Zuiko 100mm f2,8.... well known...... quite cheap, I payd mine 40 euros...

 

[Out to Lunch]

A nice and smallish 50mm: the Collapsible Heliar 2/50.

 

[p.giannakis]

Zuiko 100mm f2,8.... well known...... quite cheap, I payd mine 40 euros...

View attachment 4876097

I think you've been exceptionally lucky to find it at this price.

 

[santino]

Zuiko 100mm f2,8.... well known...... quite cheap, I payd mine 40 euros...

View attachment 4876097

Your lens is a great find. Please tell me what that yellow micro fibre cloth in the background is? Is it by any chance made by Dunlop for car dashboards? Just asking.. I think I have the same 👍

 

[valdas]

one of my favourite underrated 28mm...
other underrated lenses:

hexanon 50mm f1,7 and f1,4

Agree, 50/1.7 is one of my favorites, it gives beautiful OOF (bokeh). I never had a chance to try 1.4 though.

 

[Leon C]

The MC-II 58f/1.4 is underrated although a difficult lens to handle.

I was looking at an MC-I one earlier attached to an SRT101 and a couple of other lenses I don't need! In a kit, whilst tempting I'm trying to be good! But the price is the draw....£50 for everything!!! 😉

 

[Nitroplait]

For a relatively short period between 1975-79 Nikon made a 6 element 35mm f2.8 that was better than the both the 7 element predecessor and 5 element successor, both of which are not so highly regarded.
This particular 35mm lens placed in-between may be a little difficult to identify and therefore mostly sell at the same (low) price as its successor.

It is absolutely worth picking up if you spot it.
Serial no. should be in the range 773111-870063.

It features two very thick elements which were said to be too expensive to produce for what was basically meant as an entry level lens.

 

[p.giannakis]

I was looking at an MC-I one earlier attached to an SRT101 and a couple of other lenses I don't need! In a kit, whilst tempting I'm trying to be good! But the price is the draw....£50 for everything!!! 😉

Hm... I don't think there is a lot of difference (optically speaking) between the MC-I and MC-II. Some cosmetic differences and different coatings. In all honesty thought, any coating used by Minolta on those 58mm is rubbish 🙄 . You need a good lens hood.
If the aperture is not sticky, £50 is very tempting.

Here are some more samples - I have some more negatives that need scanning.

 

[das]

Looks similar to the CZJ 35mm f/2.4 Flektogon, albeit with a different-shaped third element / group. The Flek has some crazy barrel distortion, though. Wonder Nikon was able to do better.

For a relatively short period between 1975-79 Nikon made a 6 element 35mm f2.8 that was better than the both the 7 element predecessor and 5 element successor, both of which are not so highly regarded.
This particular 35mm lens placed in-between may be a little difficult to identify and therefore mostly sell at the same (low) price as its successor.

It is absolutely worth picking up if you spot it.
Serial no. should be in the range 773111-870063.

It features two very thick elements which were said to be too expensive to produce for what was basically meant as an entry level lens.
View attachment 4876120

 

[Archiver]

@p.giannakis I'm quite a fan of Minolta lenses, and plasticky MD versions can be a cheaper buy than the heavier and more solid MC predecessors.

I love my MC 50/1.4 for the character, and its sharpness when stopped down. The MC W Rokkor 28/2.8 is surprisingly good, and not many talk about it, probably because it isn't the faster f2 model.

S5 - Gold and Blue by Archiver, on Flickr

Panasonic S5 | Minolta MC W Rokkor 28mm f2.8

Nobody talks about the Yashica ML 28mm f2.8. I bought a 'Surveillance Only' version which turned out to be superb. Lots of 3D pop, decent bokeh, slightly lower contrast as is expected from an 80s lens. I dare say it is sharper on the SL2S than the Elmarit M 28mm Asph, or at least, appears that way.

S5 - Yashica ML 28 test 3 by Archiver, on Flickr

Panasonic S5 | Yashica ML 28mm f2.8

 

[CMur12]

@p.giannakis I'm quite a fan of Minolta lenses, and plasticky MD versions can be a cheaper buy than the heavier and more solid MC predecessors.

I love my MC 50/1.4 for the character, and its sharpness when stopped down. The MC W Rokkor 28/2.8 is surprisingly good, and not many talk about it, probably because it isn't the faster f2 model.

...

I, too, am a fan of Minolta lenses, and I have and appreciate the 50mm 1.4 PG MC Rokkor and the 28mm 2.8 MC Rokkor that you reference. I'm also especially fond of my 85mm 1.7 MD Rokkor, which is mechanically an MC Rokkor with the MD enhancements.

I have a number of other Minolta lenses, as well, and I appreciate all of them.

- Murray

 

[p.giannakis]

I love my MC 50/1.4 for the character, and its sharpness when stopped down.

Yes, I agree with what you say.

Just to clarify, my comment was about the MC-II 58 Rokkor. The MC 50f/1.4 is a complete different lens, much closer to the MD50 f/1.4 than to the old 58f/1.4.
The MC 50f/1.4 is an excellent lens with much better coatings.

Also, the ML line of Yashica lenses are outstanding especially those which have an Carl Zeiss equivalent. The reason for this goes back to a dispute between Kyocera and Carl Zeiss when CZ became a bit stroppy over some copyright infringements and delayed the delivery of the Carl Zeiss lenses for the RTS. Yashica then developed a production line and produced some of the ML lenses on the technical information from Zeiss.

For example, the ML 50f/1.7 (carl zeiss 50f/1.7 copy) is an outstanding lens. The ML 50f/2 not so much.

 

[caila77]

I think you've been exceptionally lucky to find it at this price.

I admit I was lucky, but I've seen some online selling for €60-70 recently... still a low price for the quality.

 

[caila77]

Your lens is a great find. Please tell me what that yellow micro fibre cloth in the background is? Is it by any chance made by Dunlop for car dashboards? Just asking.. I think I have the same 👍

just a cloth that I usually use to clean windows.....
🙂

 

[Sonnar Brian]

Minolta 50/1.4 on the Leica M8, converted to RF coupled M-Mount. At F4.

 

[phofseth]

interesting series of observations

Unfortunately , liking the contents of pictures is often confused with equipment quality. Famous names as producers may easily be confused with quality (mainly because the fame was gained by past quality). Also, the use of materials, appearance and style will affect reputation and price.

Hence my contribution to this litany is only to echo a comment a few dozen posts above ad Panasonic L-mount 20-60 variable aperture plastic zoom. I have found it perfectly adequate (and not inferior to the really excellent but much wider Leitz wide zoom for the CL). I have not yet dropped it on a hard surface like what happened to a canon plastic 50mm so that it split in two. But unlike the Leitz zoom, the Panazoom sunshade clicks in place and is not as easily skewed or lost. Such small things also count.

I realize that making lenses optically cheaper and having the cameras correct the flaws creates larger markets. And that plastic construction instead of aluminium and brass (or magnesium), changing couplings and other tricks to create faster aging of ones lens library also keeps the industry alive; while those of us who just keep using less fashionable old equipment because we like the results contribute to the industry demise.

p.