Other/Uncategorized I bought an Astra 35/3.5 What is it?

Other Screw mount bodies/lenses
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trittium

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Supposidly this lens is a leica screw mount lens, but I cannot find any information about it online, and it was the only one on ebay. Any information about this lens would be greatly appreciated. The lens is maked W.A. Astra 1:3.5 f=35mm
 
It looks like a nice lens Matt... Congrat's! Maybe it's just me, but the scalloped focus ring looks very similar to the Soligor lenses I have (T4 interchangeable mount for slrs)... Maybe it is a rebadged/clone lens??? From what I have read some Japanese lenses were sold under a few different names. I know Soligor made a lens or two for the Argus C3, but can't recall if they also made ltm lenses. I think they may have...

Peter
 
kbg32 said:
Almost looks like an enlarging lens, except that it has a depth of field scale. BTW, why would you buy something that you know nothing about?
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I trust the seller that it is a leica thread mount lens because he is selling other ltm lenses and his name is can-rf. It was a decient price for a 35mm, and even better concidering it is rare. Plus it will be fun to see the results of an unknown lens.
 
physiognomy said:
It looks like a nice lens Matt... Congrat's! Maybe it's just me, but the scalloped focus ring looks very similar to the Soligor lenses I have (T4 interchangeable mount for slrs)... Maybe it is a rebadged/clone lens??? From what I have read some Japanese lenses were sold under a few different names. I know Soligor made a lens or two for the Argus C3, but can't recall if they also made ltm lenses. I think they may have...

Peter
Click to expand...

It could be a soligor. According to camerapedia soligor did make a 35/3.5 in ltm
 
This looks a lot like the Kyoei W.Acall 35mm F3.5 which was sold in the 1960's by New York camera dealers. I've owned a couple and they are very good lenses (I am looking for a new one). I have heard, somewhere (or read) that the Acall was actually a rebranded Komura lens (also good), but I doubt anyone really knows. My guess is that it is a result somehow of tooling and processes left over from the Japanese surge in LTM lens/camera production in the 50's.
 
I think you are right Dave. This does amazingly close to the komura 35/3.5.

komura3501.jpg


Now I am really excited about this lens. I hear komura's are excellant.
 
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Here a few photos with the Acall 35/3.5 (Vancouver, LA, Hong Kong). The photos are degraded a lot by the posting size restriction here -- the night shot of HK is really quite sharp and taken with the lens wide open -- it can be seen in one of my galleries in higher resolution here:

http://www.rangefinderforum.com/photopost/showphoto.php?photo=36740

Matt if you ever get tired of this lens and want to trade or sell it let me know!
 

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I would say that it's a rebadged Komura 35mm f3.5 lens, which was manufactured by Sankyo Kohki. The same lens was also rebadged as a W. Acall (as already mentioned). I've only seen one other Astra lens, a 135mm f3.5 Tele Astra that I got a while ago. That lens too is identical to a Komura 135/3.5 and Super Acall 135/3.5.

I think that Sankyo Kohki is the manufacturer because there was quite a full line of Komura lenses made in many mounts (as well as large and medium formats), while there were only a few Acalls and Astras. I also have a few Soligor lenses in Leica screw mount that do not resemble Komuras.

Anyway, I have both Komura and Acall samples, and, as David Murphy wrote, they are pretty good lenses, particularly around f5.6. Have fun with it.

David
 
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the same styled lens was also sold with the ACCURAR label also.
they must have a common source, Komura is the best bet.
 
Thanks Nachkebia! I was definately happy with the results. Stephanie, didn't you mother teach you not to ask that question? Just kidding. It was pretty pricey, but I think I got it for a steal anyway considering it's rarity. Since you are looking to save money for that house, you might want to look into a jupiter-12. My friend has one, and it takes nice pictures. He purchased his with another zorki for under $40
 
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