Fine. I have two Tessar M42 (Carl Zeiss Jena), plus a couple of Soviet Industars – would there be an easy/simple method to spot/show what quality difference there would be between your Contax version and mine?
I don’t know if there’s any way to do it remotely. It’s hard enough for me to put a finger on why I prefer its output to my Tamron 45/1.8 that is technically superior in every way save for size. I doubt it would be easy with another Tessar.
Is this really a 24? I only know about the 35mm.
Thanks, you are right, it’s a 35mm
Actually, I was hoping 
I was like damn that’s some bokeh for a 24mm… I have a modern Nikon 24mm f1.8 and it doesn’t produce bokeh even remotely close to that!
The Flektogon has a really great bokeh and it is practically a macro, especially on APS-C and MFT sensors. Minimal focusing distance is really close. I was going to use it as a macro on my Olympus but then I realized that it was not sharp enough for that purpose. It is an excellent normal or wide angle lens on APS-C or larger sensors though. It is not less sharp than my M.Zuiko 25/1.8.
What is your definition of “really close”?
Here is an example of a good lens rendition, in my opinion. Image not enhanced in darktable.
Lens = Carl Zeiss Jena Orestegon 29mm/2.8, focus at minimum distance, i.e. 25 cm (about 10").
@anon41087856: don’t you agree that my model is flashier than yours?
Have fun!
Claes in Lund, Sweden
Man, I have been out-flashed. I yield, you win.
The Fektogon has 19cms. For a wide angle lens that’s quite close. Sure, it’t not like a real macro, but as far as I remember I shot a lot of macros with it. Never had a full frame camera though. Btw, the Pancolar also has a short minimal focusing distance and more focal length, so it’s even better as a macro.
I have loads
Helios 44m-4 58mm f2
Helios 44m-2 58mm f2
Helios 44m 58mm f2
Pentacon 50mm f1.8
Industar 50mm
I have several L39 legacy lenses too Industar Industar И-61 53mm
Jupiter 135mm f3.5
I love them all , they produce beautiful photos when attached to my Sony a6000.
I’ve got legacy glass from Pentax , Olympus, fujinon etc., all for a tiny fraction of the cost of modern lenses. The most I’ve paid for a lens is 20 GBP .
Have a peek at this flickr album.
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Not m-42, but I really got into Canon FD glass, such as the 50mm f1.4 S.S.C, 35-70 f2.8-3.5, and 200mm f4. All of which can be a little soft wide open, but insanely sharp only slightly stopped down.
And then there is the Nikon El Nikkor 135mm f5.6 enlarger lens which I just love, somehow has that pleasing and ill defined ‘medium format look’ on my only FF sony A7 ii, is sharp to the point of aliasing, yet still has a pleasing subtle glow at the corners wide open that is only noticeable when pixel peeping. Also, I can tilt-shift the lens pretty hard on a Nikon pb-4 bellows, as it was made to cover large format.
Great texture! Sharp and soft in the right places.
I just stumbled across this topic and I realised that I do have some M42’s
- (Asahi) Takumar 55mm f/2
- (Asahi) Takumar 135mm f/3.5
- Pentacon 29mm f/2.8
- Tele-Universar 300mm f/5.6
They are all part of the camera that I got as a kid in the early/mid 70’s to learn: Asahi Pentax S1a
Question: I would love to try these and I know there are adaptors that allow me to use them with my current DSLR Nikon F-mount.
Anybody have experience with a particular adaptor brand/type?
I dont have actual experience but I know that it does not work well because you need an adapter with lens which decreases image quality. Afaik there are adapters though.
I am assuming that there will be (some) degradation, but you can buy simple and cheap ‘f-mount on one side and M42 on the other side’ adapters, but there are also those that have a (focusing) lens in the adapter.
simple: https://fotodioxpro.com/collections/nikon-f-adapters/products/m42-nik-v2
with lens: https://fotodioxpro.com/collections/nikon-f-adapters/products/m42-nikf-pro
I am curious if the lens version is actually worth it.
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You only need an adapter with built-in glass in case you want to reach infinity.
Quote from the link above
Being disappointed with my initial results, I removed the infinity focus correction lens, and tried again. This time with spectacular results at Howard Peters Rawlings Conservatory. Except for the first one, all shots in this set are taken with the Helios 44-2 lens.
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@Claes: Thanks! That was rather helpful and makes making the choice a lot easier.