A Day Spent with 2 New Lenses

[bmattock]

OK, folks, got some new old vintage lens tests for ya...

Up first is a recent eBoy find - a Komura 135mm f2.8 LTM on the Bessa R. Yes, that's right, an f2.8! This is a large lens - bigger than any of my other third-party 135's. It is black and pretty brassy, but the optics are sweet and clean. The seller mentioned that he had purchased it from Adorama as a Leica screw-mount lens, but he could not see how it coupled, so he was selling it. I took a chance and bought it cheap, and I almost missed it to. Seems there is a counter-rotating screw inside the body of the lens that is in fact the rangefinder tab. It is circular like the Russian lenses. As you screw the lens focus in - the counter-rotating coupler comes out. I took it apart and had a go at getting it to re-engage. Took awhile, but I finally got it. Put it back together and gave it a rough adjustment for distance. I was hoping it would be a good lens - 135mm and f2.8 is going to be a real bokeh machine, eh? Well, turns out it is, but perhaps too much of a good thing. Up close, this thing has maybe two inches of 'in focus' area, then it fuzzes out completely. OOF is nicely rendered, though.

Here is the first shot. Komura 135mm f2.8 @ 1/1000, Fuji Neopan 100SS (not Acros). Souped in D-76 1+1 for 8:15 @ 68 deg F. Scanned with Minolta Scan Dual IV, processed by The Gimp 2.0 (linux). This is a fence post in northern NC:

 

[bmattock]

Here's the same fence post, but with a different new-old eBoy find. This was taken with an Arco 135mm f3.8. Also open all the way, f3.8 @ 1/500. Everything else the same. By the way, the Arco Colinar is a tiny little lens. They also made a "Snowva" model 135, I don't know what the difference is...

 

[bmattock]

That Komura is pretty good. This was taken of some rocks in the river near Roanoke, VA yesterday. Distance maybe 30 feet, f5.6 @ 1/125.

 

[bmattock]

Milo and Molly, f2.8 @ 1/60, in our backyard this morning. With the Komura of course.

 

[bmattock]

Another little comparison. Here's my wife this morning, f2.8 with the Komura and f3.8 with the Arco. Little bit more sharpness with the Arco - but notice that the DOF for the Komura is very shallow. I focused on the edge of her glasses frames and got her hair in front of her forehead in focus. Not too bad - she was about 5 feet away from me at the time. So yes, the RF is a tiny bit off, but not enough to fiddle with, I think. I like the Arco image better, but the Komura might have looked just as nice stopped down to f4.

 

[bmattock]

One last shot of Milo and Molly, 'cause I'm proud of the little poopers. They sit and shake hands already. Make papa so proud. I'm an idiot.

Anyway, once more, this was shot wide-open at 5 feet away with the Komura.

 

[bmattock]

Just a couple of thoughts to close...

1) Folks, if you have a Bessa R or a Leica screw-mount or a Russian Leica-like, you owe it to yourself to check out some of the non-Leica, non-Canon, non-Nikon LTM lenses (not just the Russian ones). They are quite nice!

2) I'm very pleased with the Fuji Neopan 100SS. It is DEAD CHEAP, but you have to go to the Massive Dev Chart to get processing info, for some reason - Fuji does not even list it, like they're not proud of it or something.

3) I am no longer using an external 135mm finder on my Bessa R. I just compose inside the 90mm lines and it works out fine. Yes, you have to keep your subject centered - hard to do 'rule of thirds' etc. But I find NO PROBLEM getting focus from 5 feet to infinity, and obviously no problem with parallax either. I like 135mm on the LTM mount cameras! It's a useful range - and ever buddy and their brudder made 135mm LTM lenses, it seems.

OK, that's it. Hope you enjoyed!

Best Regards,

Bill Mattocks

 

[denishr]

Bill, I just love your little essays. They always make me smile 🙂

Had to laugh out loud this time, though - when I read this one:
"They sit and shake hands already. Make papa so proud. I'm an idiot."

I know the feeling 😀

Regards,

Denis

 

[back alley]

nice going bill.
i think i prefer the look of the arco.

of course if i start looking for and buying off brand lenses and liking them i will have to curse you. i don't need another custom search button on ebay. 😉

in that first shot of the pups milo looks a bit demonic. i assume that's not his normal look or personality?

and one last thing, i noticed the missus got a new 'dew', looks great.

joe

 

[former member]

That ARCO looks sharp, what other lenses did they make? You can guess that I am including Komura F2.8 in my search parameters.

135mm has been one of my favorite Focal Lengths since I first started shooting SLR's. It is the first telephoto that I picked up for the Nikon RF's. As of late, you've sucked me into the wider tier of manufacturers. The Schacht 135 F3.5 turned out some beautiful portraits.

You certainly settled once and for all that The Bessa RF is good enough to focus a 135mm lens. The shots at F2.8 look in focus. I found that with some care the Hektor 135mm could be used on the Leica CL with its short-base RF. I compared it with the M3; focus first with the CL close-up, ~15', and 40'; then focus with the M3. With some care in focussing the CL, it fell within the F4.5 DOF marks.

 

[bmattock]

nice going bill.
i think i prefer the look of the arco.

of course if i start looking for and buying off brand lenses and liking them i will have to curse you. i don't need another custom search button on ebay. 😉

in that first shot of the pups milo looks a bit demonic. i assume that's not his normal look or personality?

and one last thing, i noticed the missus got a new 'dew', looks great.

joe

Joe,

I accept your curses! And I believe you're referring to Molly - she's the one on the left in the photo you're referring to. Demonic? Well, she has a funny look all right - one eye blue, the other brown. She is a little stinker, too. Very manipulative. But loving!

And thanks for the compliments on my wife's new hairdo. She has decided to go natural and keep it short - and we're both getting to that age - "oh well, a touch of grey" as the Grateful Dead put it.

Best Regards,

Bill Mattocks

 

[bmattock]

That ARCO looks sharp, what other lenses did they make? You can guess that I am including Komura F2.8 in my search parameters.

135mm has been one of my favorite Focal Lengths since I first started shooting SLR's. It is the first telephoto that I picked up for the Nikon RF's. As of late, you've sucked me into the wider tier of manufacturers. The Schacht 135 F3.5 turned out some beautiful portraits.

You certainly settled once and for all that The Bessa RF is good enough to focus a 135mm lens. The shots at F2.8 look in focus. I found that with some care the Hektor 135mm could be used on the Leica CL with its short-base RF. I compared it with the M3; focus first with the CL close-up, ~15', and 40'; then focus with the M3. With some care in focussing the CL, it fell within the F4.5 DOF marks.

The Komura 2.8 is pretty rare - they do have quite a few M42 lenses in that size/speed, though. They look an awful lot alike, too - word of warning. The LTM model even LOOKS like a classic pre-set M42 - it looks like it has two aperture rings near the top - but it is only one ring. I have only seen two of the 2.8's. One was mint / new and went for nearly nothing - nobody knew what it was. I missed that one, kicked myself, and kept my eyes open. Finally saw another and took a chance on it. Mine's very worn looking but the glass is nice. Komura made a lot of lenses for Bronica, Hassy, Nikon, etc. They also made a lot of 2x tele-extenders. Supposedly their 7-element 2x's were pretty nice. Komura also made an interesting 2x for LTM! Came in a small pack with a zoom external viewfinder - you needed it if you were going to put a 500mm+ lens on a Leica IIIf! I see those from time to time, not sure what I'd use it for, though it is kinda cool.

I am not sure what Arco made besides the Colinar and the Snowva 135's for the Leica. I think they made a lens or two for Contax mount, but not sure on that. I don't know if they made other focal lengths, either, I've only seen them in 135mm. And the Arco is such a tiny (but heavy) little lens! All chrome, aluminum screw-in lens cover and steel rear lens cap. Thinner and shorter than the Canon 135, in fact it is the smallest 135 LTM I have by a long shot. I am guessing that the front element is something like 40mm. I'll have to measure it.

I like the look of the Arco too. I will be on the lookout for another - I want to get a Snowva and see how it is different from the Colinar. I missed one - the auction closed while I was at work - no bids at a $25 start price or something like that. Dang.

The Komura might have been as sharp as the Arco stopped down to f4 - but hey, I got the Komura so I *could* use it at f2.8, right? So what's the point of stopping it down? But now I am curious, so I'll probably take a few shots stopped down.

Best Regards,

Bill Mattocks

 

[bmattock]

FYI - There are a couple of Arco Tele-Snowva and Tele-Colinars over at www.ritzcam.com - pretty cheap too. Good photos. They have a Komura 135mm f3.5 also - looks just like my 2.8, just not quite as fast.

http://www.ritzcam.com/catalog/frameset.php?category_id=550

Of course you guys know I have no connection with Ritzcam, etc, etc. Just passing on info - and places where you can see what they look like.

Best Regards,

Bill Mattocks

 

[BJ Bignell]

I just won one what appears to be a non-coated version of the Colinar for USD$9.00 on eBay just yesterday. You can't really tell from the pictures if it's any good, but I don't mind taking a gamble 😀

Assuming the lens is any good, does anyone have suggestions on a finder?

BJ

 

[bmattock]

I just won one what appears to be a non-coated version of the Colinar for USD$9.00 on eBay just yesterday. You can't really tell from the pictures if it's any good, but I don't mind taking a gamble 😀

Assuming the lens is any good, does anyone have suggestions on a finder?

BJ

Ah, that was you, was it? I was watching that auction - decided not to bid on it, as I seem to have a good one, don't need two. I'm not sure it is non-coated, however. Post-WWII Japan, should be single-coated even if not multi-coated. Maybe I'm wrong. I noticed that some of the Arco Colinars have a 'C' on the beauty ring, some don't (mine doesn't) but mine appears to be coated.

In any case, congrats, hope you enjoy it! I don't use a 135mm finder - I just crop tight inside the 90mm marks in my Bessa R. Works for me!

Best Regards,

Bill Mattocks

 

[BJ Bignell]

Well, the $9 Colinar arrived yesterday... Glass is hazy, very dusty, focus is stiff enough to unscrew the lens from the body, and the aperture ring sticks a little as well. And, it has a massive dent in the filter ring.

On the plus side, it looks like a simple design and should be easy to work on, there don't appear to be any scratches in the glass, and the blades are clean. And it does appear coated, even if it doesn't have the "C" on the front ring. I should have her fixed up in a few days, and then I guess we'll see!

Does anyone else have some examples from this lens to share in the mean time? I think I need some inspiration to get on this!

 

[jlw]

The Komura 2.8 is pretty rare - they do have quite a few M42 lenses in that size/speed, though. They look an awful lot alike, too - word of warning. The LTM model even LOOKS like a classic pre-set M42 - it looks like it has two aperture rings near the top - but it is only one ring. I have only seen two of the 2.8's. One was mint / new and went for nearly nothing - nobody knew what it was. I missed that one, kicked myself, and kept my eyes open. Finally saw another and took a chance on it.

Could you take photos of the two lenses sometime and post them? I'm particularly interested to see what the RF coupler on the Komura looks like. The way you described it, it sounds pretty weird!

I am not sure what Arco made besides the Colinar and the Snowva 135's for the Leica.

I'm not sure who they were, but they made a LOT of stuff. I used to have an Arco spring-wound 8mm cine camera -- very nicely-made, sophisticated machine, designed kind of like a mini B&H Filmo 70. It had a turret finder that mounted three D-mount lenses -- wide, normal, tele -- all with f/1.4 maximum apertures, and all also made by Arco. (Hey, I googled 'Arco' and found a picture of it -- click here! )

Looks as if they made some interesting still cameras, too --

For the page from which I linked this picture, click here... But I warn you, folding-RF fans, once you read the writeup, you are really going to want one of these! Check it out and you'll see...

 

[BJ Bignell]

An update! I managed to get the lens almost completely apart, without losing any of those little aluminum grub screws or my sanity. Easy to disassemble and work on, and simple to reassemble too: the focussing assembly only properly fits one way, so it should be automatically re-aligned! Only problem was I couldn't get the front name ring out, it's in there real tight. This means I couldn't get to it to clean out the haze. I took some pictures with it anyways, just for kicks, should be "interesting".

I'm going to Home Depot tonight to find a small piece of PVC pipe; I'll attach a rubber band or ring of some type to the end, and this should help me get it off (and prevent doing any more damage 😱 ). If that doesn't work, I'm going to put two tiny notches in the ring, and find me a spanner wrench. If that doesn't work, I'll probably just start cursing out loud... :bang:

If there's interest in the disassembly/repair/reassembly process, please let me know. I can put off working on it until this weekend, so that I can borrow a digicam to document the process.

 

[bmattock]

BJ,

Sounds very cool, good luck with that! Post some photos! I've got quite a few LTM third-party 135 lenses now - all makes and models, and the Arco is a great little performer, and it is also one of the HEAVIEST lenses I have!

JLW,

I'll try to get some photos up soon. I have aquired a second Komura 135mm f2.8 in LTM, and it looks NEW! But, bad news, the focus-ring does NOT turn. I boogered up a screw head trying to get it apart - looks like it might have been 'pinned' to stay focused at infinity - at the factory? Not sure, not sure. This is a lens that looks like it was never on a camera - I might just send it out to get fixed the right way. Anybody have a recommendation?

Best Regards,

Bill Mattocks

 

[laurentvenet]

HI Bill

As always, you made an interesting analyse. I personally bought not long ago a steinheil muchen 135 / 4.5 culminar.

But I do have hesitations to focus with my Bessa, it's not as easy as with the 35mm to focus. I had 2 portraits which were a bit fuzzy last time.

And for viewfinder, I also try to remain in center of viewfinder. I bought a pretty canon viewfinder on ebay in juanuary but it was lost by USPS, I'm waiting for some news...

The Jupiter 9 is much more easy to focus.

Here's one example with Culminar 135 :

http://www.rangefinderforum.com/photopost/showphoto.php/photo/8614/sort/1/cat/500/page/2


Best regards, Laurent