Zeiss JENA Flektogon 25mm f4

 

While looking for a 35mm f2.4 version of a Cold War era East German Zeiss JENA lens, I happened upon a bargain-priced vintage Zeiss Jena Flektogon 25mm f4 at the online lens retailer KEH.com. So I jumped on it.

Known for its sharp images, beautifully saturated colors and appropriate contrast, the Zeiss Jena Flektogon lens draw attention.  This 25mm is less talked-about then its sisters the 35mm f2.4 and 2.8 lens versions.

It was a M42-mount version, serial number 7135573 with no optical defects in very good cosmetic and working order.  Using a M42-to-NX mount adapter, the lens looked quite handsome on my Samsung NX1 digital camera (see photos below):

 

This lens has a front lens threaded filter size of 77mm.  Due to the lens's focal length of  25mm [37.5mm 'crop factor' equivalent on the NX1's APS-C sensor], I figured that since I would use this lens primarily for street photography, a circular-polarizing lens filter would help with bright sun and accentuate cloudy skies.

Some basic historical/technical information, the Zeiss Jena Flektogon 25mm f4 is provided below by allphotolenses.com/

 Source: http://allphotolenses.com/lenses/item/c_2177.html

The following photographs are presented 'as-taken' - handheld, without in-camera filters or effects and no post adjustments.  They are my first pictures with this lens.

The photo below includes a 9X magnification to illustrate the sharpness of the lens. 

F-11  /  ISO200  / EV 0  /  1/80sec

 

I find that the photograph photo below of the post office has a nice gradual transition between the light and more shadowed areas.  It's attractive.

 

F-11  /  ISO200  / EV 0  /  1/80sec

              F-8  /  ISO800  / EV 0  /  1/80sec

F-5.6 /  ISO800  / EV 0  /  1/80sec

 F-4  /  ISO200  / EV 0  /  1/250sec

 For the photo below I switched to the monochrome camera setting on the NX1 (aka "Classic")

F4-5.6  /  ISO3200  / EV +0.6  /  1/40sec

F-4  /  ISO400  / EV 0  /  1/125sec

The photographs above were the first pictures I had the opportunity to take with this lens and so far the results are quite good.  I would like to experiment more with a full open aperture to further explore the bokeh of this lens and under different lighting conditions.  I would like to get a few indoor shots. 

 Technical drawing of this lens found on the Internet.  Only difference is the 'Exacta" mount.

Learn more about this and other Carl Zeiss Jena Flektogon lenses:

"Carl Zeiss Jena Flektogon, Wide Angle Lens History and Review" by Cheyenne Morrison. An informative post on the Zeiss Jena lenses can be found here:

https://casualphotophile.com/2019/04/02/zeiss-flektogon-lens-review/

Further observations from  http://www.legacylens.eu/lens-database/german-lenses/carl-zeiss-jena/

"..The 25mm f4 Carl Zeiss Flektogon is a rare wide angle lens that's very hard to find today, especially in good condition. It is the first of a wide angle lens series that continued with the 20mm f4 and f2.8 MC Flektogons. In terms of design, the 25mm Flektogon represents the starting point from which the series would later develop. Its optics is good, but remember that this is an old single coated lens, so you shouldn't expect the same raw performance that you'd extract from a newer multi-coated version.  The 25mm f4 Carl Zeiss Flektogon has a minimum focusing distance of 0.2m and it weighs around 350g. Filter diameter: 77mm."

Please leave a comment with any questions or to further the discussion.  Thanks, Bart

Konica Hexanon 52mm f1.8

 

This post is the second in a series for three vintage Konica lenses I picked-up for about $17/each.  It's turning out to be a real home run. Read on...  

The lens featured here is the Konica Hexanon 52mm f1.8 lens with and aperture range of f1.8 to f16 with a serial number of 7414893. It has a bayonet-style mount and was essentially a kit lens coupled with Konica camera bodies.  The lens construction is made up of 6 elements in 5 groups and the filter ring size is 55mm.  The lens was made in Japan and was made for consumer and prosumer 35 mm SLR camera systems. 

A detailed history of this lens is hard to find, research suggests that the lens was from the early 1970's.  However there is a website that has a page with details (specs) of this lens and the other versions in it's family can be found following this link: https://www.buhla.de/Foto/Konica/Objektive/e52_18.html

I attached a Konica-to-Samsung NX mount adapter and took the Samsung NX1 camera out on a walk in downtown Phoenix close to sunset. I like to photograph architecture and the changing landscape of a city that is growing and redeveloping.  I also look for artistic opportunities, especially if the subject has color or definition that will help me better understand how the lens performs.

A 52mm lens designed for a full frame camera is a 78mm equivalent with the Samsung NX1's APS-C size sensor.

The photographs below will demonstrate that this lens 50-years later produces a sharp image with good contrast while balances colors definitively. 

The bottom line: This is a beautiful vintage lens - A keeper!

Konica Hexanon 135mm f3.5

I was dropping-off a roll of 35mm film for development  at one of the few remaining camera and photographic equipment shops left in Phoenix - Foto Forum and on my way out glanced into a display to see what they had for vintage lenses and used cameras.  I normally wouldn't even look because I pick up lenses at thrift stores, pawn shops and garage/estate sales for peanuts and I know at this shop I would be paying 'retail' knowing however they get lenses, they need to make a profit.  Anyway, I was stunned to find a deal: A 35mm Konica camera and three Konica lenses (28mm, 52mm and 135mm) for $50!  I jumped on it.

The lens featured here is the Konica Hexanon 135mm f3.5 lens with and aperture range of f3.5 to f16 with a serial number of 7323909. I struggled to find much detailed history of this lens, but it suggest the lens was from the early 1970's, made in Japan and was made for 35 mm SLR cameras with the Konica F system.  

There is a website that has a page with details (specs) of this lens and the other lenses in it's family.  Here: http://buhla.de/Foto/Konica/Objektive/e135_35.html

I attached a Konica-to-Samsung NX mount adapter and took the Samsung NX1 camera out with me for a walk to the post office to mail a package in downtown Phoenix.

A 135mm lens is a 202.5mm lens equivalent with the NX1's APS-C sensor.

All the photos below are out of the camera as JPEG's with no filters, effects, or film emulations in order to get the best imaging representation of the lens.  The aspect ratio was set at 3:2 and captured at the camera's full sensor resolution of 28MP.    I didn't document the camera setting for each image this time around.

Below is a close-up showing a detail of the building above.  This lens is nice and sharp and at close-up the detail is only lost in a fine-grain type of way.  I'm impressed.

 

Below, a detail in the above photograph of of the electrical pole. Again, impressive detail resolved in this lens and even considering the shot was hand-held

 

Auto SEARS 50mm f2

Came across a 50mm Auto Sears in excellent condition. The lens looks the same as the Ricoh P Rikenon 50mm F2.  The Aperture of this lens ranges from F2.0 to F16. It has a 6-blade aperture and a Pentax mount (easily adaptable to the NX1 with suitable lens adapter) and is stamped with S/N: 309399.

In general this is a sharp vintage lens at greater than f5.6 with good color saturation. Minimum focus distance is about 2ft.

The mount is metal with a plastic barrel; however the lens feels solid and focus adjustments are smooth.  This lens can be found online for around $15-$25 depending on condition.  For that price the lens if totally worth it.

All photos below were taken hand-held on a bright-sunny day.  No 'post' effects except that the 28MP photos were re-sized to 1920x1080.  Below are links to other online reviews and photos.

Yellow flower is a Mariposa Lilly photographed in southern Arizona near the Mexican border.

 PIC52_f11_ISO200_1/500sec_EV-0.6

 PIC54_f8_ISO100_1/320sec_EV-0.3

PIC55_f8_ISO100_1/320sec_EV-0.3

PIC62_f5.6_ISO200_1/16000sec_EV-0.3

(Hedgehog Cactus Flower) f5.6_ISO200_1/1600sec_EV-0.3

 PIC58_f2.8_ISO100_1/320sec_EV-0.3

PIC62_f5.6_ISO200_1/16000sec_EV-0.3

Read more at on the AUTO SEARS 50mm f2 here:

https://www.pentaxforums.com/userreviews/sears-auto-50mm-f20.html

https://blog.bkspicture.com/review_Auto_Sears_50mm_f2.html

https://www.pentaxforums.com/userreviews/sears-auto-50mm-f20.html#ixzz6LKf2dbhA

PROSPEC 28-200mm ZOOM f3.8-5.6 Test Photographs

This len a PROSPEC 28-200mm MC AUTO ZOOM  f3.8-5.6. It has a Nikon mount adapted to the Samsung NX1.  The focal range adjustment given the the NX1's APS-C sensor crop make this lens a 42-300mm equivalent.

The photos below are initial photographs for the purposes of examining the lens for its mechanical and optical properties. 

The photos in this set have not been altered and were shot handheld.

There is very little about PROSPEC lenses on the Internet, but I haven't researched too deeply yet.

125mm  f8  1/125s  -0.3EV  ISO100 

FL 90mm  f3.5  1/250s  -0.3EV  ISO100 

FL 50mm  f11  1/250s  -0.3EV  ISO200 

FL 50mm  f11  1/250s  -0.3EV  ISO200