I want to share with you a new year purchase of a used M42 lens. I have not a clue of the manufacturer of this lens. It is very cute looking. It cost much less than a SuperTakumar. It is Super-Lentar 28mm f/2.8 in M42 mount. I like its look with some silver and black color and I think it may go well with the white camera. It is all metal build around and the lens barrel reminds me of SuperTak but the mix of silver and black color make this a charming lens.
First day with it seems like a good performer. Even wide open shots seems good in sharpness.
I add a +4 for a close up in lunch
and +4 close-up on flower
One noted caveat is on its non-circular blades opening in f/5.6
Impressions & Notes:
- A brand name not well known, which I like the most -- I have something nobody has.
- Inexpensive lens to get category
- Decent sharpness seen in casual test shots
- Lens is well built with metal barrel
- Very cute lens with distinct silver and black, it will go better with white camera
- Wipe open aperture quite sharp but I am NO pixel peeper
- Bokeh is found busy on off focus rendering area.
- Blades have sharp spikes at middle apertures as in f/5.6, and shooting into sunlight create oddly shaped shadows
- Filter size is 58mm, the right size to share accessories with Cosina 55mm f/1.2
- Close up is not its strength as minimum focusing distance is about 1.5 feet
- A and M auto-aperture toggle is nicely done with a big nob. I found it very convenient to toggle to A for wide open aperture in focusing and then toggle back to M for the actual metering
- Av mode can be used to some degree for indoor. In bright daylight, I happen to need to use M mode and stop-down metering for accurate metering
- Overall a great value lens to have at probably half the cost of a Super Takumar. I like bigger lens barrel for focusing as in this lens as compared to 49mm tiny lens barrel in Super Takumar 35mm f/3.5 or that in Super Takumar 105mm f/2.8
- Focusing ring is bit stiff but I think it will smooth out in repeated operation
- A charmer in my book
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