The Amazing Menopta: My second roll

[raid]

I am very impressed with the overall performance of the Menopta lens which Brian Sweeney sent my way for my Contax IIIa. It is the only lens that I have for the Contax.

The lens has medium contrast and is very sharp. It is very well built.

This is a view of Escambia Bay. I used a roll of Walgreens ASA 400 film here, and without filtering.

This is Dana taking care of "her flowers". The colors are quite pleasing with the Walgreens film.

This is the last shot. It shows Dana and Lina playing on a pinic table, with Escambia Bay in the background.


Here are more photos from this roll:
http://www.photo.net/photodb/folder?folder_id=750425


Raid

 

[payasam]

The second shot best shows the qualities of the lens. There seems something wrong with the first -- a spot of camera shake, perhaps -- but it might just be my vision playing up.

 

[Sonnar Brian]

The Menopta is a fine performer, as is the Helios-103. It is a shame that they were not produced in LTM.

I think that distance and haze over the water are the culprit on the first shot. And of course, it does not have Raid's cute grirls in it.

 

[varjag]

I can only agree to these conclusions. The lens shines with color and is quite solid.

Brian, I recall you mentioning once about project to refit H-103 into LTM. Just wonder which lens barrel were you thinking to reuse?

 

[Sonnar Brian]

The H-103 was too big for a J-3 focus module. Same with the Menopta (of course).

I ended up using a Zeiss Contax to M-Mount adapter with an arch custom cut by Roland to correct the residual focus error. It works nicely.

I have a test roll in with an H-103 with the shim that controls the standoff between the front and rear group polished down to change the focal length to use on the Nikon. I had been changing the main shim to get the lens to focus nicely wide-open and close-up, but required F4 for infinity. I will post results. If it works, the lens should be in focus wide-open across the entire range. It looked good on ground-glass with the 15x loupe.

 

[dexdog]

Raid, you photos have convinced me to buy a Menopta. I just got one for a $25 BIN. I hope that it is as good a performer as yours, without having undergone Sweenification.

 

[Sonnar Brian]

The Menopta should be fine on a Contax, no adjustment required. One of the shims needs to be changed for use on a Nikon, the easy rule of thumb is to back the focus module out 1/2 turn and retighten the set screws to hold it in place. Out of 6 Menopta's, two required some filing to fit on the 1969 Kiev 4. All of them fit onto my Contax IIIa without modification.

 

[dexdog]

Brian, thanks for the info. Nice to know that it should work on a Contax with no problems. This thread has reminded me that I need to work more with 50mm lenses. I am such a wide-angle guy that I forget that other focal lengths are useful too.

 

[raid]

Mark: Congratulations. You will enjoy this fine 50mm lens. I am very pleased with it. Thanks to Brian, of course.

Raid

 

[Juancho]

Hi, really nice shots, I wonder how and where could I buy a Menopta lens for my Kiev? Thanks.

 

[Xmas]

Juancho

The H103 which is rather similar you can buy by the hundred...

http://cgi.ebay.com/Helios-103-1-8-53-MINT-for-Contax-Kiev_W0QQitemZ170132362149QQcmdZViewItem

Noel

 

[dexdog]

That is the seller that I bought my $25 menopta from. He was also selling 5 menoptas for $75.

 

[raid]

There is a Menopta for less than $25, which includes shipping!

 

[shadowfox]

Raid, nice colorful shots without pelting my eyes with saturation.
You and your loyal cute models 🙂

If you have a Helios-103, wouldn't it be fun to have a comparison shot?

As for the film, my wife just got 20 rolls of walgreen's for sale. Be also on the look out for Kodak BW400CN sale also at walgreen.

 

[Sonnar Brian]

The Menopta looks like an export version of the Helios, made in limited numbers about 10 years after the Helios. The tolerances on the Menopta's looked better than the Helios-103's that I've seen from 1984 and 1985. I had to file down the 1884 and 1985 lenses to fit on Kiev's, Contax's, and Nikons. Two of six of the Menopta lenses required some filing for the Kiev and Nikon. The 1981 and 1982 Helios-103's went right onto all three. The light baffle changed from the '81 and '82 lens, looks more effective but caused a little trouble when fitting onto the cameras.

Again, only my experience with 12 or so lenses.

 

[xayraa33]

nice pictures Raid, I told you the Menopta/ H-103 was a fine lens when you got your Contax.

 

[raid]

The second shot best shows the qualities of the lens. There seems something wrong with the first -- a spot of camera shake, perhaps -- but it might just be my vision playing up.

payasam,
On my pc monitor, the first shot is sharp. Look at the two [red] cranes in the distance.

Raid

 

[raid]

nice pictures Raid, I told you the Menopta/ H-103 was a fine lens when you got your Contax.

Yes, you did, and you were right. I am not even looking at Sonnar 50 lenses for my Contax. The Menopta will do.

Raid

 

[raid]

Raid, nice colorful shots without pelting my eyes with saturation.
You and your loyal cute models 🙂

If you have a Helios-103, wouldn't it be fun to have a comparison shot?

As for the film, my wife just got 20 rolls of walgreen's for sale. Be also on the look out for Kodak BW400CN sale also at walgreen.

Thanks.
I don't have any Helios lens, so I cannot make any comparisons here.
The color film from Walgreen's is really great.

Raid

 

[Sonnar Brian]

> If you have a Helios-103, wouldn't it be fun to have a comparison shot?

Take my word for it, they produce identical results! Just the Menopta's are machined a little bit better.