pabaker34
Member
Can anyone say how the Kobalux compares to the Voigtlander or the Contax Biogon? I know the Voigtlander is only f4 but as far as sharpness, distortion? Thanks in advance!
Avenon, Komura, Kobalux LTM Jackpot!! Deadstock Avenon 21mm f2.8!
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Avenon, Komura, Kobalux lenses
peter_n
Veteran
I have not compared mine to a CV 21mm/f4 but WRT distortion my sample exhibits no rectilinear distortion whatsoever. With the lens wide-open vertical lines remain vertical (and straight) out to the edges of the frame. That was one attribute that was articulated on the now-no-longer-available Kobalux web page on this lens. The lens appears sharp and has, as you might expect, an unbelievable DOF. It is a good lens and its a pity that it is discontinued as the Leica and Zeiss offerings in this focal length/aperture are extremely expensive. 🙁 The one thing that mitigates against the lens is its size - it is not small but to be honest, it is not particularly heavy either.
vincenzo
Established
Mike, I definitely want one of these black beauties but if someone pulls out let me know because I might take two!
kbg32
neo-romanticist
I would be interested in the 28 f3.5. Do you have any pictures of it?
Thanks.
Thanks.
peter_n
Veteran
Keith they are already posted by Mike in the fourth post in this thread.
mtokue
Well-known
WOW, This is exactly the sort of thing that makes this Forum so special!
Thank you Peter for taking over and answering the questions etc. whilst I was
off sleeping through the night!. Global coverage. What corporations dream of
and try to attain. Done here without any coordination and planning!.
Now isnt this the sort of thing that Zeiss should lookinto for their new range.
Drop the Pricepoint and get us to distubute their Lenses!!
Well, as for the Avenon 21mmLenses all 9 are now spoken for, But if there are other
members that are interested please let me know I will put together a waiting list.
You never know. I might find that they have a couple more when I go tomorrow!
My Card company is gonna love me tomorrow when I pay for all these lenses!!
There are still two of the 28mm available.
Cheers
Mike
Thank you Peter for taking over and answering the questions etc. whilst I was
off sleeping through the night!. Global coverage. What corporations dream of
and try to attain. Done here without any coordination and planning!.
Now isnt this the sort of thing that Zeiss should lookinto for their new range.
Drop the Pricepoint and get us to distubute their Lenses!!
Well, as for the Avenon 21mmLenses all 9 are now spoken for, But if there are other
members that are interested please let me know I will put together a waiting list.
You never know. I might find that they have a couple more when I go tomorrow!
My Card company is gonna love me tomorrow when I pay for all these lenses!!
There are still two of the 28mm available.
Cheers
Mike
mtokue
Well-known
LCT
ex-newbie
How about the front focus issue referred to by David here:
http://www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=5355&page=2
Best,
LCT
http://www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=5355&page=2
Best,
LCT
mtokue
Well-known
Well, LTC,
I personally do not have a problem with my 21mm with regards to
Front Focus, But then again I also don't have a problem with my 35mmASPH Cron
And I seem to recall someone had problems with that lens also.
I really can not comment but although david did mention that he has tried a couple
of L-M adapters, perhaps there is a chance of a problem there as he seems to be
content with the results on his M2.
And as far as my logic goes as he is not experiencing the same type of problem
on the M2 it does not seem that the lens needs adjusting.
I will however mention that the RD-1 is not a very forgiving camera and any
discrepencies and or technical problems seem to be almost magnified in the results.
FYI the adapter that I use on mine is designated for use on a 135mm Lens.
I really need to find my Calipers!
And my Leitz L-M adapter does not seem to sit properly (Thread completely)
with my silver 21mm Avenon, but is fine with my Non Branded adapter.
Mike.
I personally do not have a problem with my 21mm with regards to
Front Focus, But then again I also don't have a problem with my 35mmASPH Cron
And I seem to recall someone had problems with that lens also.
I really can not comment but although david did mention that he has tried a couple
of L-M adapters, perhaps there is a chance of a problem there as he seems to be
content with the results on his M2.
And as far as my logic goes as he is not experiencing the same type of problem
on the M2 it does not seem that the lens needs adjusting.
I will however mention that the RD-1 is not a very forgiving camera and any
discrepencies and or technical problems seem to be almost magnified in the results.
FYI the adapter that I use on mine is designated for use on a 135mm Lens.
I really need to find my Calipers!
And my Leitz L-M adapter does not seem to sit properly (Thread completely)
with my silver 21mm Avenon, but is fine with my Non Branded adapter.
Mike.
Jim Watts
Still trying to See.
Mike,
Given the problems of Cam compatibilty with certain lenses (note my posts on the 35mm Crons) do you think you could check (or have you) if there are any forward or back focus problems with this lens on the R-D1. Your Temple Donation Box picture looks pretty good but as there is plenty of DOF I suspect that this is stopped down a bit. Full aperture at less than 5 feet is what I am interested in as I expect a lot of my pictures with this lens would be at that focusing distance. Is your lens from the same series as the Deadstock? Many thanks again for your time and help.
Given the problems of Cam compatibilty with certain lenses (note my posts on the 35mm Crons) do you think you could check (or have you) if there are any forward or back focus problems with this lens on the R-D1. Your Temple Donation Box picture looks pretty good but as there is plenty of DOF I suspect that this is stopped down a bit. Full aperture at less than 5 feet is what I am interested in as I expect a lot of my pictures with this lens would be at that focusing distance. Is your lens from the same series as the Deadstock? Many thanks again for your time and help.
Jim Watts
Still trying to See.
Sorry Mike I started to post the above before I saw your 10.03 comment.
akalai
Well-known
Before people begin to fret perhaps someone should ask David Kieltyka what version of the Avenon 21mm lens he was using.
Its my understanding that there were at least three versions of this lens and that supposedly there was an improvement both in optics and build quality in the 3rd generation lens. The third generation lens has the short focus, .7m compatibility and has 8 aperture blades....although I am not sure how many the earlier versions had...
The lens that Mike is offering to run around after for people here is the latest and greatest version of this lens, is the 3rd generation lens.
AKALAI
Its my understanding that there were at least three versions of this lens and that supposedly there was an improvement both in optics and build quality in the 3rd generation lens. The third generation lens has the short focus, .7m compatibility and has 8 aperture blades....although I am not sure how many the earlier versions had...
The lens that Mike is offering to run around after for people here is the latest and greatest version of this lens, is the 3rd generation lens.
AKALAI
mtokue
Well-known
I have a proposal / Idea.
Tomorrow when I go to check the lenses (I can actually do this at lunch)
and haggle, plus see how many there actually are. I can choose one of
them at random and take a series of shots.
I would imagine the following shots would give a rough coverage:
Shot of the sky - f2.8 & 22 Show Vignetting
Shot of a subject at min focus dist - f2.8 & f 22 to show Dof & Focus & OOF & Bokeh
If there are others that would be useful Please let me know.
Now, I would like to have requests in in the next 12 or so hours this will
allow me to check the site before I set out in the morning.
If there is anything else I can do to test the lens Let me know.
I'm getting one of these for myself as well so I do want to be sure as well.
As Akalai has pointed out these are the Last Generation
which from reading around the web do seem to be the ones to go for.
Cheers
Mike.
Tomorrow when I go to check the lenses (I can actually do this at lunch)
and haggle, plus see how many there actually are. I can choose one of
them at random and take a series of shots.
I would imagine the following shots would give a rough coverage:
Shot of the sky - f2.8 & 22 Show Vignetting
Shot of a subject at min focus dist - f2.8 & f 22 to show Dof & Focus & OOF & Bokeh
If there are others that would be useful Please let me know.
Now, I would like to have requests in in the next 12 or so hours this will
allow me to check the site before I set out in the morning.
If there is anything else I can do to test the lens Let me know.
I'm getting one of these for myself as well so I do want to be sure as well.
As Akalai has pointed out these are the Last Generation
which from reading around the web do seem to be the ones to go for.
Cheers
Mike.
vincenzo
Established
If you have time could you try to take a quick street portrait at 2.8 and 8 at MFD ?
peter_n
Veteran
Akalai is correct. There are three generations. The third generation is considered the "best" lens. I have the second generation which also has a short focus throw, 0.9M closest focusing distance and 6 aperture blades. I understand the major differences between the two versions are closest focus distance and some adjustment in the optics to allow this. I believe that optically the 2nd and 3rd versions of the lens are otherwise very similar.akalai said:
David Kieltyka
Clicking away feverishly
My Kobalux 21mm is from the third generation. But I wouldn't assume because my particular lens has an issue (front focus) with my particular R-D1 that all samples of this lens have the same issue. I've used my Kobalux on other cameras, two Leicas and two Bessas, and haven't noticed focusing discrepancies with any of them. This includes a careful lens test on my M2 after first noticing the problem on the R-D1. It may be my R-D1 is slightly out-of-spec in a way that only manifests itself with wide lenses. Dunno. I may have DAG take a look at it to be sure.
-Dave-
-Dave-
Sonnar2
Well-known
Let me on the list for the 21mm....
Thanks, Frank
Thanks, Frank
imagineitframed
Newbie
I'd like to join the waiting list for the 21/2.8.
Thanks for the great service.
Rich
Thanks for the great service.
Rich
jlw
Rangefinder camera pedant
Have you read the thread I just started about variations in screw-to-bayonet adapters? An adapter that's too thick would cause wide-angle lenses to front-focus, and the wider the lens, the more the deviation would be.
David Kieltyka
Clicking away feverishly
jlw said:
Yep, I have read it. I've tried out the Kobalux with a number of different adapters...from Cosina, Kobalux themselves (both made to order by other companies no doubt) and today a Leitz. The front-focusing behavior is the same with all of them. Now I guess all the adapters could be a little out-of-spec. But I'd expect to see this with the 28mm Ultron too and I don't. At close range the discrepancy is small enough that DOF covers it by f/4. But at infinity it's quite obvious even at small apertures. This leads me to suspect the R-D1, but since focus is on-the-money with longer lenses and I rarely use the 21mm (I prefer to go from 28mm right to 15mm) I may not bother doing anything about it.
-Dave-
