Which Russian Zoom is the Sharpest?

[Dave Cramer]

For use on the Krasnogorsk 3 which Russian made zoom do you think is the sharpest? The 7.5 to 75mm, the 10-100mm, the 12-120mm, the 15-60 Pentovar or the regular Meteor 17 to 69?

 

I understand most of the above mentioned zooms are not regularly available in M42 screw mount, yet do you think it is possible to have one of them (not the 17 to 69) converted to M42 screw mount?

 

Thank You,

 

Dave Cramer

[Olex Kalynychenko]

For use on the Krasnogorsk 3 which Russian made zoom do you think is the sharpest? The 7.5 to 75mm, the 10-100mm, the 12-120mm, the 15-60 Pentovar or the regular Meteor 17 to 69?

 

I understand most of the above mentioned zooms are not regularly available in M42 screw mount, yet do you think it is possible to have one of them (not the 17 to 69) converted to M42 screw mount?

 

Thank You,

 

Dave Cramer

 

The original user manual ( result of test )of 16 OPF-12-1 10-100 mm zoom lens with 0.75x front wide angle attachment wrote :

- the photographic resolution of picture ( mm -1):

At centre ( y=0 mm ) lens 10-100 mm,

zoom position 10 mm =74 lines per mm , 50 mm = 64 lines per mm, 100mm = 50 lines per mm.

 

At centre ( y=0 mm ) lens 10-100 mm with 0.75 front wide angle attachmnet ( 7.5-75 mm )

zoom position 7.5 mm( marking 10 mm ) =72 lines per mm , 75 mm ( marking 100mm ) = 50 lines per mm.

 

At corner ( y=5.5 mm ) lens 10-100 mm,

zoom position 10 mm =43 lines per mm , 50 mm = 36 lines per mm, 100mm = 29 lines per mm.

 

At corner ( y=5.5 mm ) lens 10-100 mm with 0.75 front wide angle attachmnet ( 7.5-75 mm )

zoom position 7.5 mm( marking 10 mm ) =32 lines per mm , 75 mm ( marking 100mm ) = 28 lines per mm.

 

The technical information ( result of test ) of 16 OPF-1-2M 12-120 mm zoom lens wrote :

 

- the photographic resolution of picture ( mm -1):

At centre ( y=0 mm ) lens 12-120 mm,

zoom position 12 mm =58 lines per mm , 50 mm = 50 lines per mm, 120mm = 43 lines per mm.

 

At corner ( y=5.5 mm ) lens 12-120 mm,

zoom position 12 mm =28 lines per mm , 50 mm = 28 lines per mm, 120mm = 22 lines per mm.

 

The technical information ( result of test )of Meteor-5 17-69 mm zoom lens wrote :

 

- the photographic resolution of picture ( mm -1):

At centre ( y=0 mm ) lens 17-69 mm

zoom position 17 mm =68 lines per mm , 69 mm = 58 lines per mm.

 

At corner ( y=5.5 mm ) lens 17-69 mm,

zoom position 17 mm =25 lines per mm , 69 mm = 38 lines per mm.

 

 

The technical information ( result of test )of Pentavar 15-60 mm /F2.8 zoom lens wrote :

 

- the photographic resolution of picture ( mm -1):

At centre ( y=0 mm )

zoom position 15 mm =60 lines per mm , 69 mm = 55 lines per mm.

 

At corner ( y=5.5 mm )

zoom position 15 mm =15 lines per mm , 69 mm = 18 lines per mm.

 

 

16 OPF-12-1 10-100 mm do not conver to M42, can be convert on K-3 bayonet mount only.

 

P.S You think about better zoom lens now.

Tomorrow you will ask about crystal sync speed.

The next, you will think about 120 m film magazines.

May be, you will think about all this factors now?

And will study of professional Kinor-16 SX-2M camera now too ? with 30 m, 120 m film magazines, electrical motor ( can be convert on crystal sync speed ), zoom lenses 7.5-75 mm, 10-100 mm, 12-120 mm, prime lenses from 6 mm up to 300 mm.

[Ira Ratner]

Olex, I bought my K-3 from the Ukraine, and I have a question:

 

I'm just a hobbyist, and I know the camera is limited in many ways, although it can be modified, but...

 

What kind of people bought these cameras when they were first manufactured? For example, before camcorders were introduced, did regular people over there shoot 16mm as opposed to 8mm super 8, for their home movies? Or was it more for semi=professional or people simply trying to upgrade?

 

I'm curious, because it seems that there are so many of these available for sale, that at one time, it was a camera for home use and everyone had one.

[Dave Cramer]

"16 OPF-12-1 10-100 mm do not convert to M42, can be convert on K-3 bayonet mount only".

 

Olex,

 

Thank you for the information. Since the 10 to 100 zoom cannot be converted to M42 which lenses can be? Also, is it possible to make an adapter from M42 to Krasnogorsk Bayonet? Again, thank you for all your knowledge and patience.

 

Have a Great Day,

 

Dave Cramer

[Olex Kalynychenko]

Olex, I bought my K-3 from the Ukraine, and I have a question:

 

I'm just a hobbyist, and I know the camera is limited in many ways, although it can be modified, but...

 

What kind of people bought these cameras when they were first manufactured? For example, before camcorders were introduced, did regular people over there shoot 16mm as opposed to 8mm super 8, for their home movies? Or was it more for semi=professional or people simply trying to upgrade?

 

I'm curious, because it seems that there are so many of these available for sale, that at one time, it was a camera for home use and everyone had one.

 

At time of USSR, government had big programms about technical education of children.

And build many centres of technical education of children, to open children's clubs and technical study group.

The one programm was - photo and cine children's clubs.

The clubs had photo and cine cameras, phono and cine films, chemistry, processing equipmnets. And all this was free of money.

The childrens must have of wish only.

From other side, you can shoot of photos and movie at home, out of clubs, but, must buy of all photo and cine cameras personally at shops.

 

If we will told about cine cameras

The USSR product inductry give of cine cameras for hobby shooting :

Normal 8, Super 8, D8, DS8, ( Ekran, Kama, Quarz, Avrora ...)

For semi-professional film shooting - 16 mm. ( Alpha, Kiev, Krasnogorsk ).

 

The home movie shooting, widding shooting do at Super 8, Normal 8.

But, the amateur documentary films, travel films, scientific expedition, scientific experiments, educational films - at 16 mm.

Krasnogorsk cameras delivery at children clubs, research laboratory, factory, but, you can buy of camera at shops too.

As for me, 99% of all cameras send by government delivery.

But, this was up to 1990, after, the 80% of all cameras sold by shops on private persons.

The administration of factory to make a present ( Krasnogorsk) of persons, who retire on a pension.

 

Krasnogorsk have high price, 640 rubels ( the salary of engineer was 130..140 rubels per month ).

Super 8 Quarz had price 280 rubels, simply Avrora- 140 rubels.

That's why, we don't had possibility to buy of Krasnoghrosk at private use.

But, if i was at children's club, i can take of Kransogrosk for personal shooting free of money.

 

The many guys to buy of Quarz, Avrora cameras for shoot of home movie, shoot of private travel movie, wedding.

 

I was student, and can buy of old stock of Super 8 films with big discount ( 10..20 copecks per roll).

The new films had price near 2 rubels per roll and processing at lab 1..2 rubels per roll.

This was accessible hobby.

And many guys had N8, S8, D8, DS8 cameras at personal usage.

 

Krasnogorsky optical and mechanical factory ( KMZ, manufaturer of Quarz and Kransogrosk cameras ) manufactured:

1960 - 3500 pcs of Quarz

1965 - 80000 pcs of Quarz and 15 pcs of Krasnogrosk-1

1970 - 60000 pcs of Quarz and 6000 pcs of Krasnogorsk-1,-2

1980 - 32000 pcs of Quarz and 5000 pcs of Krasnogorsk-3

1990 - 30000 pcs of Quarz and 8000 pcs of Kransogorsk-3

 

Total 157000 of Krasnogorsk-1, 2, 3

 

I had business with Krasngorsk cameras long time and can imagine of life story of every camera from condition of camera.

I taked a Kranosgorsk -1 cameras, what use at many scientific expeditions and had many marks about famous places.

I think, the many Krasborgosk-1 and Krasnororsk-2 cameras had good work life.

The first lots of Kransogorsk-3 cameras ( up to 1990 ) had good work life too.

 

But, the many Krasnogorsk-3 cameras (1988..1992) had " like new " condition and do not use any time, storing only.

I think, this cameras to buy for storing of money only, because, we had super inflation.

 

Any case, this is my personal opinion only.

 

 

The next question :

 

= Since the 10 to 100 zoom cannot be converted to M42 which lenses can be?

Yes. 10-100 zoom lens have big diameter of rear part of lens, That's why, do not possible to install of M42 screw mount back on rear side of lens.

 

We can install of bayonet mount of K-1, K2, K-3 cameras on rear side of 10-100 zoom lens only.

 

= Also, is it possible to make an adapter from M42 to Krasnogorsk Bayonet?

Sorry, this is do not possible too.

If you have K-3 M42 and with use of 10-100 zoom lens, the one way - to repalce of lens mount of K-3 camera from M42 version on bayonet version, but, this is do not easy procedure.

 

Will need replace of front part of body with centering of lens mount and re-adjust of flange focal distance.

Thats' why, will be better, and cheap, to buy second body of K-3 with bayonet mount.

[Richardson Leao]

And one from england (a kinor) was in ebay for 100 pounds and no bidders...

[Ira Ratner]

That was interesting, Olex! It explains a lot!

 

People bought the later K-3s (mine is 1990) more for investment than to use. THAT'S why you see so many for sale in really good condition, because they just sat in the closet.

[Dave Cramer]

Olex, again thank you for all your information and help.

 

Basically, I'm trying to find another zoom lens for a K-3 M42 camera other then the 17 to 69 zoom lens. Can the 12-120 or 7.5-75mm zoom lenses be converted to M42 Screw mount? Which do you think are sharper, the 12-120 Russian zoom or the Angenieux 12 -120 zoom lens?

 

Thank you for your Patience,

 

Dave Cramer

[Ira Ratner]

Dave, the stock K-3 zoom is supposedly VERY good for a zoom, but any reason you're so interested in zooms as opposed to primes, except when you HAVE to use a zoom?

 

I'm on an M42 prime buying spree right now, and to kind of answer your question, I don't think you'll have ANY problem finding a converter to M42. However, I haven't found any mounting rings to convert an M42 to something ELSE. It's always EVERYTHING else to M42.

 

I would like to have an M42 to Pentax K-mount adaptor, based on the reasonably priced K lenses I see out there for sale. But so far, no such animal.

Edited September 3, 2008 by Ira Ratner

[Dave Cramer]

Dave, the stock K-3 zoom is supposedly VERY good for a zoom, but any reason you're so interested in zooms as opposed to primes, except when you HAVE to use a zoom?

 

I'm on an M42 prime buying spree right now, and to kind of answer your question, I don't think you'll have ANY problem finding a converter to M42. However, I haven't found any mounting rings to convert an M42 to something ELSE. It's always EVERYTHING else to M42.

 

I would like to have an M42 to Pentax K-mount adaptor, based on the reasonably priced K lenses I see out there for sale. But so far, no such animal.

 

Ira,

 

Thanks for your post. Just like you wrote I only want a zoom for when I have to use it, not as my only lens. I'm planning on traveling down to Belize with two K-3's. A K-3 Bayonet with a 12.5 lens in an underwater housing and a K-3 M42 for all long lens shots because it seems only the M42 version has any good long lens options. Right now in M42 I have an 8mm Peleng, 28/35/50MM Takumars, a weird Hanimar 135, a Vivitar 70 to 150 and the matched 2X extender for the zoom. The zoom has a constant 3.8 f stop and allows close focus at 75mm.

 

I got on the kick about a lens other then the 17 to 69 because of the footage (all be it very compressed) from K-3's on You Tube. Now, individual exposures, processing, lenses and even bad telecine affected the quality of those videos. Yet one music video looks really good, it was shot with a different zoom lens. That music video was also transferred to Digi Beta.

 

I agree with you about the T mount adapters. I'm tempted to try to machine a K-3 Bayonet to M42 adapter. Which do you think is sharper, the K-3 bayonet primes or the Takumars?

 

Have you ever thought of taking your K-3 underwater? Have you used the East German Zeiss (the DDR stuff) lenses?

 

Thanks,

 

Dave Cramer

[Ian Cooper]

Hi Both,

 

Ira:

 

I suspect you might have difficulty finding an adapter to put Pentax K mount lenses on an M42 mount camera. Both the M42 and K mount have the same flange focal distance (45.5mm), but I think you'll find the K-mount is a larger diameter than the M42. There were/are adapters to put M42 lenses on K-Mount cameras (as the adapter would be increasing the diameter of the lens mount), but I doubt you'll find anything to go the other way around.

 

 

Dave:

 

You mentioned about trying to machine an adapter to convert an M42 lens to fit a K3 bayonet camera. The flange focal distance for the M42 lens will be 45.5mm, whilst the distance for the bayonet camera is 52mm. This means the registration surface of the lens will have to sit 6.5mm further inside the camera body than the current mount on the camera. The inside diameter of the bayonet mount is 43mm, so in short I suspect you'll have great difficulty making an adapter that will position the lens in the correct place.

 

HOWEVER, if you have machining facilities have you considered making an adapter to fit Arri Std mount lenses to the K3 bayonet mount??

 

The Flange Focal distance of both the K3 bayonet and the Arri Std is 52mm.

The diameter of the Arri Std is 41mm, whilst the diameter of the K3 bayo. is 43mm.

 

I started to make an adapter for myself, but that has ground to a halt now I've bought a Beaulieu. The Arri lens is a plain cylinder with a groove at the end to hold the lens in position. The adapter for the K3 just needs to be a sleeve with 41mm inside diameter, 43mm outside diameter. Two lugs on the outside to register in the K3 bayonet, and some form of grub screw to drop into the groove at the rear of the lens to stop it falling out! The lens will still register against the original surface of the camera, so absolute precision in the adapter isn't essential for focusing. If you did make said adapter it would obviously open up a whole world of different zoom and prime lens options!

 

My own machining has produced the sleeve, I would just need to add lugs and grub screw to finish off. As it stands I can drop an Arri Std lens into the sleeve, then slide the combination into the camera and whilst holding the lens against the camera mount I can focus.

 

As ever, the only thing to be careful of is that the rear of the lens isn't so long it collides with the camera shutter! The 10mm Arri Std lens I have clears it Ok.

 

 

Regards,

Ian.

[Ira Ratner]

Dave, I don't have nearly enough experience to say which is sharper, but the Takumars are about as good as they get in the price range. As far as going underwater, I have enough problems ABOVE water to ever consider that.

 

I have something else going on which has me scratching my head:

 

Yesterday, I received a Vivitar 28 and a Lentar 200 off eBay. Both are as spotless as they come, and I won the 200 for only 10 bucks, so what the heck. But I don't see a pin on it, and there are TWO aperature rings. When you turn one ring closed/stop it down, it rotates the other ring, but only in one direction, stopping it down.

 

Does one ring affect only the metering? And then you have to match it with the other one? Never saw something like this before, and I've een on this earth a pretty long time.

 

To make matters more complicated, the Vivitar has an L/0 button. What the heck is THAT!?

 

.

Edited September 3, 2008 by Ira Ratner

[Dave Cramer]

Dear Ian,

 

"The inside diameter of the bayonet mount is 43mm, so in short I suspect you'll have great difficulty making an adapter that will position the lens in the correct place".

 

Thank you for the technical info, this helps me before I go do some work. Now, if I only wanted to use M42 Telephoto lenses or zooms, do you think an adapter would work? I ask this because I've seen so many 35mm still camera mount adapters to c-mount for people wanting to use those lenses.

 

"HOWEVER, if you have machining facilities have you considered making an adapter to fit Arri STD mount lenses to the K3 bayonet mount??"

 

Arri standard mount is a little out of my price range right now, though it does provide so many more quality and fast f stop lens choices. I'm basically trying to work out the best arrangement for a K-3 to be able to take usable wide lenses, a zoom and telephoto lenses for my trip to Belize next year. Yet, if the Angenieux zooms are sharper then the Zenits then I'll find the money to buy one and get it modified or make an adapter. On that note, how sharp do you think the old Rodenstocks or Schneiders were in Arri standard mount for a 75mm lens?

 

Ian, have you shot anything with the 12.5mm, the 20mm or the 50mm prime lenses that are available for the K-3 bayonet? Just curious.

 

Talk with you soon,

 

Dave Cramer

[Dave Cramer]

Dave, I don't have nearly enough experience to say which is sharper, but the Takumars are about as good as they get in the price range. As far as going underwater, I have enough problems ABOVE water to ever consider that. That made me laugh out loud.

 

I have something else going on which has me scratching my head:

 

Yesterday, I received a Vivitar 28 and a Lentar 200 off eBay. Both are as spotless as they come, and I won the 200 for only 10 bucks, so what the heck. But I don't see a pin on it, and there are TWO aperature rings. When you turn one ring closed/stop it down, it rotates the other ring, but only in one direction, stopping it down.

 

Does one ring affect only the metering? And then you have to match it with the other one? Never saw something like this before, and I've een on this earth a pretty long time.

 

To make matters more complicated, the Vivitar has an L/0 button. What the heck is THAT!?

 

.

Ira,

 

Is the 200mm lens a macro? I remember a Kifit Macro lens that seemed to have a weird aperture ring feature. Do you think the Vivitar 28mm's L/O button is like the manual or automatic setting on a Takumar? Maybe it's a depth of field preview?

 

Discussing these lenses makes me think of a odd question. I remeber being told that, Cookes (not the modern S4's) and Angenieux (not the modern zooms) are soft and warm while Zeiss is sharp and cold. So where do you think that puts Russian optics? Does it matter since we will all just time out the differences in Telecine anyways? This came to my mind when considering how shots from your lenses will cut together.

 

Talk with you soon,

 

Dave Crmaer

[Ian Cooper]

Hi Dave,

 

...Now, if I only wanted to use M42 Telephoto lenses or zooms, do you think an adapter would work? I ask this because I've seen so many 35mm still camera mount adapters to c-mount for people wanting to use those lenses.

 

 

Without altering/destroying the existing bayonet mount I don't think you'll physically be able to do it. There is only 1mm difference between the outside diameter of the M42 thread and the inside diameter of the bayonet mount - that's 0.5mm all around.

 

For the lens to focus at infinity the end of the M42 thread on the lens, where it meets the rest of the lens body, will need to be positioned 6.5mm inside the 43mm dia. bayonet mount of the camera. For this to happen will either need the rear of the lens to be heavily modified so it is no more than 43mm diameter (not very practical), or you modify the front of the camera (thus preventing it from working with bayonet lenses). To modify the camera would basically mean removing the current bayonet mount, so you might as well do the job properly and change the mount to M42 and be done with it! The effort required to make that modification and get everything aligned means it would be easier to just get a second K3 which is already M42!!

 

Cameras with a C mount can use a wide range of lenses with adapters because the C-Mount flange focal distance so very small (17.526mm). Virtually all other mounts have a larger distance, so the adapter just has to hold the lens away from the camera by the required amount. Wikipedia has a nice table of various lens mounts and their dimensions.

 

 

 

...Arri standard mount is a little out of my price range right now, though it does provide so many more quality and fast f stop lens choices. I'm basically trying to work out the best arrangement for a K-3 to be able to take usable wide lenses, a zoom and telephoto lenses for my trip to Belize next year.

 

 

Keep an eye on EBay. I picked up an Arri Std. 10mm lens for £20 - that's less than 100ft of (fresh) B&W film! Arri Standard mount lenses sell for significantly less than the Arri bayonet versions. Although not always listed on ebay, they appear from time to time and prices aren't too great. There's a 25mm lens currently listed with no reserve.

 

 

 

...On that note, how sharp do you think the old Rodenstocks or Schneiders were in Arri standard mount for a 75mm lens?

 

I'm afraid I can't help as I haven't directly seen comparative results. That said, Tim Carroll's Website has a selection of clips filmed with different lenses.

 

Ian, have you shot anything with the 12.5mm, the 20mm or the 50mm prime lenses that are available for the K-3 bayonet? Just curious.

 

I have the 12.5mm lens and the standard zoom with my bayonet K3. The image from the 12.5mm matches that produced by the zoom. This short film was shot using both lenses. The majority is with the zoom, but the shot from 1:54 until 2:06 used the 12.5mm.

 

Before spending too much time or money on adapters or modifications to the camera, see what you think of the images produced by the lens(es) you have at the moment. If you're happy with their picture then it'll save a lot of bother, the 12.5mm appears fairly frequently on EBay and doesn't cost much either.

[Ian Cooper]

Hang on a sec. Dave - I've just read back through the posts and am slightly confused. Exactly which version of the camera do you have, M42 or bayonet???

 

When you wrote about making a K3 Bayonet to M42 adapter I assumed you were meaning to put M42 lenses on a bayonet camera, but I'm now not so sure.

 

Going in the opposite direction I also think you'll have a problem making an adapter to put a bayonet lens on an M42 camera. Although this time around the lens needs to be positioned 6.5mm away from the current mount surface on the camera, you have the problem that the body of the lens is larger than the diameter of the hole on the camera - this means you won't be able to slide the lens into the correct place as the back of the lens body will collide with the hole through the middle of your M42 adapter long before the registration surface of the lens meets the adapter you've made.

 

I'm almost prepared to stick my neck out and say it is not possible to make adapters to put M42 lenses on K3 bayonet cameras, and it is even more impossible to put a k3 bayonet lens on an M42 mount camera.

 

If your camera is M42 then the only lens you're likely to find wider than the standard zoom will be the Pelang 8mm (with some distortion) which gets mentioned on here fairly regularly. Clearly longer focal lengths are easier to find with a wide selection of M42 lenses in the 50mm+ range to look out for.

 

If you have the bayonet mount version then there's obviously the 12.5mm prime, but longer focal lengths than the standard zoom are a bit thin on the ground! The bayonet version does seem to have the advantage that an adapter to arri standard is pretty straightforward, which clearly opens up the potential for much wider and longer focal length lenses. However, such an adapter does not appear to be commercially available, so make your own or commision somebody else to!

[Olex Kalynychenko]

Olex, again thank you for all your information and help.

 

Basically, I'm trying to find another zoom lens for a K-3 M42 camera other then the 17 to 69 zoom lens. Can the 12-120 or 7.5-75mm zoom lenses be converted to M42 Screw mount? Which do you think are sharper, the 12-120 Russian zoom or the Angenieux 12 -120 zoom lens?

 

Thank you for your Patience,

 

Dave Cramer

 

Sorry, 16OPF-1-2M 12-120 mm or with 0.75 front attachment ( 10-100 mm ) do not possible to upgrade on M42 screw mount. ( and K-3 bayonet mount too ) The lens have too big diameter of rear part of body.

 

If you have K-3 M42 you can use of M42 photo lenses, but, you will have big needs at wide angle lenses, 8...10...12 mm.

But, all photo lenses with similar focus distances - fish eye lenses with big distortion.

That's why, i do not propose of good choose of M42 lenses with wide angle.

 

A few years ago, i had idea to upgrade of 12.5 mm MIR lens from K-1, K-3 bayonet mount lenses on M42 screw mount version. As for me, this is posisble, will need make of new part of body.

If you wish, you can build of hand made rear part of Mir lens with M42.

 

16 OPF-12-1 10-100 mm or (with 0.75 front attachmnet 7.5-75 mm) can be upgrade on K-3 bayonet mount only.

 

I don't can tell you my personal opinion about Angenieux 12 -120 zoom lens, i don't had at my practice.

But, i can tell you me personal opinon about Angenieux 10 -150 zoom lens.

I have this lens with my Eclair ACL-1.5 camera. After a some test, i use of russian 16 OPF-12-1 10-100 mm zoom lens with lens mount adapter with my Eclair.

As for my opinion, Russian 16 OPF-12-1 10-100 mm have better optical characteristics from Angenieux 10 -150.

[Dave Cramer]

Dear Ian,

 

"The effort required to make that modification and get everything aligned means it would be easier to just get a second K3 which is already M42!!"

 

I agree with you, especially after your concise description of lens mounts and Flange Focal Distances. My first K-3 will be Bayonet while the second will be M42.

 

" That said, Tim Carroll's Website has a selection of clips filmed with different lenses".

 

That's a great website, thanks for the link.

 

 

"I have the 12.5mm lens and the standard zoom with my bayonet K3. The image from the 12.5mm matches that produced by the zoom. This short film was shot using both lenses. The majority is with the zoom, but the shot from 1:54 until 2:06 used the 12.5mm".

 

I'm grateful that a 12.5mm lens produced footage as good as yours. I bought one for $20 USD from a fellow in Texas and am waiting for my camera to arrive to test it with. I hope my footage can look as good as yours. It was so sharp in focus! Any idea what f stop you were shooting at?

 

Also, on EBay I've only seen a 12.5, 20 and 50mm lenses for the k-3 Bayonet. Do you know of any other lenses for the K-3 bayonet?

 

Thanks Again,

 

Dave Cramer

[Dave Cramer]

Dear Olex,

 

"16 OPF-12-1 10-100 mm or (with 0.75 front attachment 7.5-75 mm) can be upgrade on K-3 bayonet mount only".

 

So, what does it take to do this upgrade? Is it expensive? How much do you think the 16 OPF-12-1 lens should cost to buy?

 

 

"As for my opinion, Russian 16 OPF-12-1 10-100 mm have better optical characteristics from Angenieux 10 -150".

 

Thank you for the lens review. Over here we have allot of French Angenieux lenses and not many 16mm Russian zoom lenses.

 

Thank You for the Information,

 

Dave Cramer

[Ian Cooper]

Hi Dave,

 

Thanks for the kind words regarding the footage, it looks better on TV than it does on the PC.

 

From what I've read, the 12.5mm, 20mm & 50mm prime lenses were supplied with the K1, then the meteor 17-69 zoom was supplied with the K2 and K3. I think those are the only 4 lenses you're likely to find, although I have read comment that there's a different Russian lens/camera which is also compatible with the bayonet mount - but much googling didn't find any examples, so I doubt you'll have much joy either.

 

I've had a look back at my notes I made whilst shooting the traction engine film. Unfortunately I didn't record the f stop on that occasion. I can tell you it was the first shot on roll 3 and lasted 13 seconds though! The film used was Fuji Vivid 160T, with an 85 colour correction filter. I suspect the lens was closed right down at f16 as the weather was pretty sunny. Focus with the 12.5mm isn't too difficult, you can almost leave it set on infinity the whole time! ;)

[Ira Ratner]

Ian said:

 

"Focus with the 12.5mm isn't too difficult, you can almost leave it set on infinity the whole time!"

 

And this is what I read today about the Peleng 8mm on a bunch of sites--since I just ordered one today for my M42 K-3.

 

So since we're going all over the road here in this thread, let me continue:

 

From what I've gleaned, I meter based on the outside aperture ring. Then I match that setting with the INSIDE stop-down ring, and hit lock.

 

I ask because this seems to be the same case with my cheap 200mm Lentar.

 

Anyway, I'm done buying lenses, because as of today, I will soon have all of the following:

 

1) Stock K-3 zoom, 17 to 69.

 

2) The 8mm Peleng

 

3) Super Takumar 55mm, 1.8. (Yeah, not the fastest, but what the hell.)

 

4) Cheap 200mm 4.5 Lentar (TEN BUCKS!!!)

 

5) Vivitar 28mm 2.8

 

6) Super Takumar 135mm 3.5

 

I also had a bid on a Fujinon 43 to 75 zoom, which I just now see that the seller CANCELLED the sale, because it was a no reserve and I guess the price wasn't going anywhere near where he wanted, with the auction ending tomorrow.

 

5) Super Takumar 135mm 3.5

Edited September 5, 2008 by Ira Ratner

[Dave Cramer]

Dear Ira,

 

What do you think of your 135mm Takumars? I've been thinking of getting one.

 

6) Super Takumar 135mm 3.5

 

5) Super Takumar 135mm 3.5

 

If you have any pictures taken with them or your new 200mm I'd like to see them.

 

Thanks,

 

Dave

[Dave Cramer]

Dear Ian,

 

"From what I've read, the 12.5mm, 20mm & 50mm prime lenses were supplied with the K1, then the meteor 17-69 zoom was supplied with the K2 and K3. I think those are the only 4 lenses you're likely to find, although I have read comment that there's a different Russian lens/camera which is also compatible with the bayonet mount - but much googling didn't find any examples, so I doubt you'll have much joy either".

 

Twice I've read about Kinor 16 zooms being modified to fit K-3 bayonets and that lenses from SP-16's (a kind of Arri-S knock off). I'm still trying to figure out if that is true. Who knows maybe the Zeiss primes that often come with the Pentaflex 16 might even be modifiable?

 

 

"I've had a look back at my notes I made whilst shooting the traction engine film. Unfortunately I didn't record the f stop on that occasion. I can tell you it was the first shot on roll 3 and lasted 13 seconds though! The film used was Fuji Vivid 160T, with an 85 colour correction filter. I suspect the lens was closed right down at f16 as the weather was pretty sunny. Focus with the 12.5mm isn't too difficult, you can almost leave it set on infinity the whole time! ;)"

 

 

I can't tell you who happy I was that you shot Fuji at F16. That is what I am planning to do next year. How did you transfer your film? Did you spend allot of time timing it in telecine? Did you shoot the other footage that is there with your K-3?

 

Thank you,

 

Dave Cramer

[Ian Cooper]

...I can't tell you who happy I was that you shot Fuji at F16. That is what I am planning to do next year. How did you transfer your film? Did you spend allot of time timing it in telecine? Did you shoot the other footage that is there with your K-3?

 

 

Hi Dave,

 

The transfer was done at Todd-AO in London on an URSA Tk. The telecine was an unattended best light, I then applied a couple of tweaks to boost the contrast in a couple of shots when the footage reached me.

 

All of the colour footage on my Vimeo account and YouTube page are shot with the K3. There's a couple of extras on YouTube, but even on the 'high quality' setting the picture isn't as good as on vimeo. The B&W footage was shot on super-8 and again Tk'ed at Todd-AO. The traction engine film is the only one shot on Vivid 160T, the rest is on Kodak stock.

[Ira Ratner]

Dave, I haven't shot a single frame yet.

 

I have a totally retarded way of doing things, and I wanted all of my ducks in a row before starting testing my camera. Once my last two lenses arrive, I sit down and make a serious decision on what stocks I'm going to test with, and pre-plan what I'm going to shoot and with which lenses.

 

I figure I'll go with reversal, 100D Ekt and Plus-X to start.

 

The sun in South Florida where I live is weird--it's always there. Or it's raining. Or clouds roll in and out, but we typically don't have what you would call overcast days.

 

I'm in this for the fun. No ambitions of it going anywhere, so I figure with my level of experience (zero), I'm going to lean in a direction where I do a series of similar shoots with the same look and feel. In other words, TRY to develop a style that I can replicate time and time again.

 

That's why the 8mm Peleng was so attractive to me:

 

For better or worse, it sure has style.

Edited September 5, 2008 by Ira Ratner