• asab
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Topic: Opinion on 135mm 2.8 please

Of the Pentacon 135mm 2.8 or Pentax Pressman 135mm 2.8 does anyone have any odea which is the better of the two and how much it's worth paying?

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  • buze
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Re: Opinion on 135mm 2.8 please

1) Define "Better" and 2)

Canon 350D and a few lens -- Tachihara 8x10. Chamonix 45N-1, Crown Graphic 4x5. Moskva, Zeiss Super Ikonta C
Bronica S2A, Agfa Super Isolette, Iskra, Rolleiflex. Leica M2, Bessa R, Zorki 1,3,3M and a few more...
  • asab
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Re: Opinion on 135mm 2.8 please

I mean better as in the best value.  But if they are both only worth

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  • Farside
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Re: Opinion on 135mm 2.8 please

They only fetch as little as a fiver because they were and are plentiful and overlooked by the majority of buyers. IQ on the Pentacons is excellent and it should be since it's basically an unchanged Zeiss design from decades before.
In brief, if you get one for a fiver you're getting a bargain.

The Lenses of Farside
  • asab
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Re: Opinion on 135mm 2.8 please

I can see I have a lot to learn here - probably the hard way.  My wife is wondering why, after spending a fair wack on some L series lenses, that I am so keen to grab some of the old ones now :-)

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  • From: Hessen; Kent ('95-'96)
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Re: Opinion on 135mm 2.8 please

Just imagine which collection you could have gathered for the price of one "L" lens... ;-)
Welcome to the club!

Carsten | 5D, 40D, 50e, 300, SPII, Nikon F etc.; Fed 3b, Electro 35 GS, Minox, Kodak...AF: 1.8/24;1.8/50;12-24;15-30;18-125;24-200;28-70;28-105,80-210
3.5/8;2.8/16;3.5/17;4/20;2.8/24;2/28;2.5/28;2.8/28;1.9/35;2/35;2.8/35;3.5/35;1.4/50;1.7/50;1.8/50;2/50;2.8/50;1.2/55;1.9/58;1.8/85;2/85;2.8/85;2.8/105;2.5/135;3.5/135;4/135;4/180;8/500 # 28-85;28-105;35-200;60-300;70-220 - http://tinyurl.com/35x4vve

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  • From: Herefordshire, UK
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Re: Opinion on 135mm 2.8 please

Pentacon 135 and its earlier Meyer versions is a fine lens, although I've never seen one go for less than

Canon EOS30D, 17-40L/4.0, EF 50/1.8, but who gives a damn about that? The interesting stuff is...
Tamron SPs: 90/f2.5, 35-80/f2.8-3.8, 35-210/f3.5-4.2, 60-300/f3.8-5.4 and a whole heap of other stuff not "quite" as good
Lens-tagged pics here and a Flickr manual lens group for Canonistas
  • asab
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Re: Opinion on 135mm 2.8 please

I am starting to see how I could have save d a bit of cash now  lol.  Shh don't tell her!  I got a CZ Jena Tesar 50mm 2.8 which should arrive tomorrow so I'm hoping that was a good investment.  I'f it's a duff buy for

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  • DPaul
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Re: Opinion on 135mm 2.8 please

Hi,

I had a pentacon 135mm and it was excellent.
Cost me 10 euro.

http://www.milestone.be/pics/Sports/pic1813_w.jpg

Paul.

Equipment:  5Dii + nikkors + taks + czjs + contax + canon stuff.

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  • asab
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Re: Opinion on 135mm 2.8 please

then a 135 is next :-)  Thanks for the feedback guys.  I am rather a MF virgin so it's good to see there are so many others out there doing it.

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  • peterqd
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Re: Opinion on 135mm 2.8 please

asab, it would be worth doing a little research before you buy the first Pentacon 135 you find.  When Meyer was merged into the Pentacon group, production of their original Orestor 2.8/135 was continued with the Pentacon badge.  The Orestor is a pre-set lens with a 15 blade diaphragm and, although not the sharpest 135, it has a great bokeh and highlights and gives lovely colours.  Later on the Orestor design was replaced by a new auto Pentacon 135 with an A-M switch and 6-blade aperture, and with inferior IQ by most accounts I've read.  You can easily recognise the pre-set version by its bulgy barrel shape and the aperture control in front of the focus ring.  On the later version the aperture control is next to the mount and it has more parallel sides.  You should be able to get a preset for about

Last edited by peterqd (2008-01-29 18:09:31)

  • Registered: 2007-12-15
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Re: Opinion on 135mm 2.8 please

Taken with Pentax K100d and Pentacon 135 (latest preset version):

http://old.ntalk.de/Dokumente/Ftp/Timo/Lama.jpg

  • Gelios
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Re: Opinion on 135mm 2.8 please

Between a preset Meyer and the Pentacon Auto, I choose ther Meyer: nice diaphragm as said, better build even if it is heavier. If you want something light with good results, consider the Jupiter 11.

Anyway, it is difficult to find a really bad 135mm unless it is a lemon.

  • asab
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Re: Opinion on 135mm 2.8 please

Hy why don't you guys just make is more complicated :-)   Seriously though thanks for the help.

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  • cvig
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Re: Opinion on 135mm 2.8 please

Welcome to the forum timo832000! The hair/eyebrows around the eyes of the llama have a lot of detail.

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  • From: Romania
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Re: Opinion on 135mm 2.8 please

Hello all,

Here, asab, are a couple of 135mm M42 lens that I know would be ok if not better:
Jupiter-37A (135mm f:3.5)
Tair-11A (135mm f:2.8)
I have the latest and I like it very much, but be careful when turning the aperture ring. The lens has 20 aperture blades !
I've got (and like) a Porst MC 135mm f:2.8 too, full metal, very well build (i think by Cosina) and smaller than the Pentacon Auto/Electric 135mm f:2.8.
Here are some samples with the later one:
http://forum.manualfocus.org/viewtopic.php?id=7052
http://forum.manualfocus.org/viewtopic.php?id=6498

Last edited by montecarlo (2008-01-30 05:50:49)

Canonet QL17,Konica TC,Hexanon 50/1.7
Zenit E,Porst Reflex TL,Helios-44 58/2.0,Tair-11A 135/2.8,Jupiter-9 85/2.0,CZJ Flektogon 35/2.4,Pentacon 50/1.8,Porst 135/2.8, Cosinon 200/3.5
Chinon CE4,Petri 28/2,Chinon 28/2.8,Pentax-M 50/1.7,Ricoh 50/1.7,Soligor 135/2.8,Pentax-M 75-150/4
Pentax K100D, Pentax-DA 18-55, Pentax-FA 80-320

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  • Ironfan
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Re: Opinion on 135mm 2.8 please

And this is the model of 135mm lens I can recommend, but you might have to Buy the camera as well yikes)

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/CHINON-CS-35MM-M … p1638.m122

Pentax K200D,Sigma 17-70mm A/F, Pentax-A 50mm f1.7,
Vivitar - Kiron 75-205mm f3.8, Vivitar - Kiron 70-150mm f3.8,
Tamron di LD 70-300mm A/F, Vivitar - Komine 55mm macro f2.8.
  • asab
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Re: Opinion on 135mm 2.8 please

Oooh this is fun ain't it?  I can go out and buy a lens a week without the wife having a fit lol

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  • Registered: 2007-06-15
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Re: Opinion on 135mm 2.8 please

Check out the Tair 11 while you are at it. They are very very sharp and have nice OOF rendition. Also still cheap.


patrickh

Nikon user with some russian and german lenses.