markjwyatt
Well-known
The Contax iia with a SC Skopar 21mmf4 is one of my favorite shooters. Small, compact, sharp, contrasty lens, with a really nice bright line finder. Any lens on an M42 with that field of view would be much bigger and would have to be more complex (retro-focus). I like my M42 cameras, but will stick to the Contax for super wide.
flavio81
Well-known
davidswiss
Established
I can recomend the Skopar 21mm. It's likely to be cheaper and more available than the Biogon.
hap
Well-known
A lot lot lot cheaper.
stephen_lumsden
Well-known
Waiting for a Praktica LB with Tessar 50mm f2.8 and case , bought for £29 incl. postage off Ebay with 30 day return option. Even if the lens and case are ok, I will be happy. Looking at the Lydith 30mm f3.5 to go with it. Voightlander choices for the Contax will have to wait til Christmas or next year.
Mos6502
Well-known
I have the later Pentacon version of the Lydith. I think they're the same except the Pentacon version got multicoating. Very contrasty lens and very sharp (much better than the later 2.8/29).
Peugeot by Berang Berang, on Flickr
Peugeot by Berang Berang, on Flickr
p.giannakis
Pan Giannakis
Most of the m42 Tessars 50f2.8 I've come across had sluggish aperture blades. There is quite good guide here http://oomz.net/tessar/ although I never needed to disassemble it to this extend.
edit: most of the times it is this part that needed cleaning
Attachments
stephen_lumsden
Well-known
yep, the lens was stiff all right. Viewfinder not clear or focusing either. Body looked ok, but I cannot test without a lens. Returning it. Guess I went too cheap.
stephen_lumsden
Well-known
After trying and returning Praktica LB (lens tto stiff and unusable, viewfinder tiny) and aYashica FR2 (counter faulty and could not leave the battery in, even overnite), I got a Praktica L2 with a Domiplan. The lens is ok, but since have got a Pentacon 50mm f1.8 and a 30mm f1.8, both producing good images. The viewfinder is bright and focusing of the L2 easy enough. Overall it feels quite solid, may get a second one and some Flektogons (35mm and 20 f4 sound reasonable). Thanks for the recommendation.
oftheherd
Veteran
Sorry, late to the thread, actually to all of RFF for a long time, due to many reasons. But for the original poster or others who might view the thread, I will give some of my experiences. I got my first SLR in 1970. I really didn't know anything about different brands, or RF over SLR, or bayonet vs screw mount, as I had been using a Welta Welti and thought it was a very good camera, and it was. I looked through the PX catalog and narrowed it down to Nikon or Yashica. Money mostly made the decision for me. I got the Yashica TL Super which I think was mentioned above, it was a good camera for many years. I later got the Fujica ST 901, 50mm, f/1.4 lens, silicon blue cell for metering, shutter speed led lights in the viewfinder, EV -3 to +18 spec's, but actually a little more on mine. I don't know how well everyone's have held up over the years, but mine still works. I am not sure how many photos I have taken, but it has to be in the 10 to 15 thousands at least. The ST 801 has a meter that works without stop down, and a 1/2000 shutter speed, as if most users need that kind of speed. Mine still works when I take it out to exercise it, but haven't used it for film and a very long time.
The Yashica lenses of that time were Yashinons and Yashikors. Forget the Yashikors and go for the Yashinon lenses. They can compete with pretty much any other lens as they were made by Tomioka, which Yashica bought out for themselves. If possible, it seemed to me that the Fujica lenses where a little better. But over the years, I have bought lenses that most would have shunned, and found they worked quite acceptably well for me. Maybe I am not as discerning as I should be. But it has been my observation that a lot of the "cheap" lenses from that time did surprisingly well. Would they compete with Nikons, Canons, or Rokors? Maybe not one for one, but surprisingly close. And how good do they have to be? I have an 18mm lens whose name I can't even recall, that fits all my M42 cameras and gives me shots I couldn't get otherwise, that are actually nice. In an extreme wide angle, there is so much to see, most people don't think about sharpness unless it is a really bad lens. If you can afford a more expensive lens, that is probably only a little better, go for it. But look for some of cheaper lenses that are still good, and certainly good enough.
Sorry for rambling on, and going against the grain on lenses. Mind you I have been fortunate to have acquired Yashinons, Fujinons, and Contax C/Y mount lenses in a variety of focal lengths that I am not giving up. But any other brand that will give me good/acceptable photos, isn't going away either. BTW, most Sun lenses I have seen from the 70's have been good too.
Good luck in your quest.
EDIT: I have my flame retardant vest on so anyone feel free to disagree with me.
The Yashica lenses of that time were Yashinons and Yashikors. Forget the Yashikors and go for the Yashinon lenses. They can compete with pretty much any other lens as they were made by Tomioka, which Yashica bought out for themselves. If possible, it seemed to me that the Fujica lenses where a little better. But over the years, I have bought lenses that most would have shunned, and found they worked quite acceptably well for me. Maybe I am not as discerning as I should be. But it has been my observation that a lot of the "cheap" lenses from that time did surprisingly well. Would they compete with Nikons, Canons, or Rokors? Maybe not one for one, but surprisingly close. And how good do they have to be? I have an 18mm lens whose name I can't even recall, that fits all my M42 cameras and gives me shots I couldn't get otherwise, that are actually nice. In an extreme wide angle, there is so much to see, most people don't think about sharpness unless it is a really bad lens. If you can afford a more expensive lens, that is probably only a little better, go for it. But look for some of cheaper lenses that are still good, and certainly good enough.
Sorry for rambling on, and going against the grain on lenses. Mind you I have been fortunate to have acquired Yashinons, Fujinons, and Contax C/Y mount lenses in a variety of focal lengths that I am not giving up. But any other brand that will give me good/acceptable photos, isn't going away either. BTW, most Sun lenses I have seen from the 70's have been good too.
Good luck in your quest.
EDIT: I have my flame retardant vest on so anyone feel free to disagree with me.
David Hughes
David Hughes
Mention of the lovely Lydith reminds me of a camera that few have heard of but which I found very pleasant to use as it didn't get in the way of making the picture; neutral seems to be the word for it. Anyway it's the Soligor TM and there was a very similar version of the camera as the Miranda but it had a different mount. More likely the Miranda was fitted with the M42 mount to become Soligor's camera. The TM always makes me think of the Pentax K1000.
Regards, Daid
Regards, Daid
titrisol
Bottom Feeder
I have several M42 bodies, but to this day the Spotmatics are the most reliable (50 years +) and are still easy to maintain.
Yashica, Fujicas, Mamiyas, etc are great but they are becoming harder and harder to find in good condition.
Yashica, Fujicas, Mamiyas, etc are great but they are becoming harder and harder to find in good condition.
Ko.Fe.
Lenses 35/21 Gears 46/20
Pentax? Why?
I had three Nikons SLR, Nikkormat, F2 and EM. All were purchased at very low price. And I didn't overpaid for Nikkor glory. Vivitar and else lenses were great and cheap. Including 19, 21 and 24 mm lenses. They were even good on FF digital cameras.
I had three Nikons SLR, Nikkormat, F2 and EM. All were purchased at very low price. And I didn't overpaid for Nikkor glory. Vivitar and else lenses were great and cheap. Including 19, 21 and 24 mm lenses. They were even good on FF digital cameras.
markjwyatt
Well-known
I just got a Pentacon 30mm f3.5, and it is pretty sharp and contrasty as you say. It does have unusual bokeh (which is the attraction for many), but I really like the field of view.
rock by Mark Wyatt, on Flickr
LostCat, Lydith by Mark Wyatt, on Flickr
markjwyatt
Well-known
I have a few Spotmnatic bodies, and they are mechanically reliable (and some were really cheap), and perfectly fine. I only have one that the meter works on, and some of them cap at 1/1000th of a second. I do like them, but tend to use my Fujicas (ST 705w mainly, but also an ST 605N) and Prakticas (MTL5 mainly, but also an LTL3) more because they have working meters, and take modern batteries (no mercury). Also, I have a special problem that I have an adapter that allows me to adapt my DKL Schneider Kreuznach lenses to M42, but the adapter does not work on some M42 cameras including the Spotmatics (because the auto diaphragm mechanism in the Spotmatics interfere). Also the DKL adapter only has relative apertures, so having working internal meters is very helpful. I still use my Retina Reflex IV usually, but the M42 mount is my film back-up to keep the DKL lenses available if/when the Retina Reflex stops working (I also can adapt to my Fujifilm XT-2).
markjwyatt
Well-known
M42 gives you access to many interesting lenses- German and Japanese. I have the Zeiss 50mm f1.8 Ultron (which is the centerpiece of my M42 collection), the Pentacon 30mm f3,5 (aka Meyer Lydith), a 50mm f2,8 Tessar, a number of Takumars (35mm, 50mm, 105mm), some Vivitar and 3rd party lenses 28mm to 300mm, a Fujica 43-75mm zoom, etc. I can also adapt my DKL Schneider Kreuznach lenses (35mm f2.8 Cutagon, 50mm f2.8 Xenar, 50mm f1.9 Xenon, 85mm f2.8 Tele-Arton, 135mm Tele-Arton). I just bought a simple adapter (not received yet) that may allow me to adapt my Exakta lneses (58mm f2 Biotar and f2.8 Domiplan). Rather than buying extra bodeis (Retina, Exakta), I am consolidating on M42.
Ko.Fe.
Lenses 35/21 Gears 46/20
I can't see in the list antique of 50ties any lens OP was after: 21, 24, 28mm. But as I mentioned, I had Vivitar in this focal lengths in F mount. They might be in M42 mounts as well. I think, OP should be fine on fifties with Conax/Kiev. Just J3 is totally enough.
The problem with good and not expensive lenses never been with tele lenses. But with UWA. They are arm&leg for any RF mount.
markjwyatt
Well-known
He did say "maybe a 21mm, 25mm or 28mm", and that is why the Lydith (30mm) is relevant. It is pretty close to a 28mm. Certainly closer than a 35mm. But I did mention 28mm, and I meant my Rexagon Auto 28mm f2.8. It is an off brand, but appears to be a pretty decent 28mm lens:
house by Mark Wyatt, on Flickr
That was taken from the front gate. With a 50mm (DKL Retina Xenar, f2.8), the view is tighter:
Wood House by Mark Wyatt, on Flickr
I think, OP should be fine on fifties with Conax/Kiev. Just J3 is totally enough.
And super-wides do not need retro-focus design, and are thus compact.
The Voigtlander/Cosinas are not too bad, but certainly not cheap. I got the 21mm f4 S-mount for my Contax on sale, and it is one of my favorite combinations (Contax iia + 21mm).
titrisol
Bottom Feeder
Spotmatics take silver batteries with no problem SR45/394 type for the SP and SPII and SR44/357 for the SPF.
I have been using them since the 80s.
I have the opposite problem than you most of the Fujicas, Mamiyas and Yashicas I have got have non-operating lightmeters,