Gareth Blackstock Posted March 10, 2017 Share Posted March 10, 2017 G'day, I had a quick search around and did not come up with much good info. Basically I wanted to guage opinion on what was best lens choice for my 16mm camera. I can buy a Carl Zeiss TRIOTAR 4/135 zoom for around $200, or I can buy 2 lenses, Carl Zeiss Jena Flektogon 12.5mm and 25mm for around the same money. From my reading, primes appear to be the choice for quality and image, and while zooms are catching up, they are best for flexibilty. Although I am leaning towards 2 primes instead of the zoom, I have a suspicion that still photographers can easily view the differences between lenses, however, will an old 16mm camera, shooting old stock be the best way of seeing the differences between prime and zoom lenses? Am I wasting money on good glass when perhaps I would not not notice it, and would I benefit more from a moderately priced modern zoom? Perhaps I can be educated with some links? cheers, Gareth Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Member Mark Kenfield Posted March 10, 2017 Premium Member Share Posted March 10, 2017 Gareth, I think the most important thing to remember is that old zoom lenses are not the same as the nice, shiny, prime-quality modern zooms we have today. A lot of the older ones breathe like buggery. So primes are a much safer better (performance-wise) for 16mm. That said, you can't zoom them. So it depends a great deal on what your priorities and requirements for the lenses are. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Member Dom Jaeger Posted March 11, 2017 Premium Member Share Posted March 11, 2017 Hi Gareth, The Zeiss Triotar is a 135 mm prime lens, not a zoom. I think the only zoom that works with a Pentaflex AK16 is a Pentovar, probably not that common, and very early in terms of zoom design. It's a turret camera, so really it was made for primes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gareth Blackstock Posted March 11, 2017 Author Share Posted March 11, 2017 Thanks for the advice guys, I think I will steer definitely towards getting some prime lenses, or at least not buy a big prime lens thinking it's a zoom. (face palm) It looks like the most common available for my camera are 12.5mm, and 25mm. I will have to wait until a 50mm comes up on ebay or similar. I am keen to run some film through it... cheers, Gareth Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Member Bill DiPietra Posted March 11, 2017 Premium Member Share Posted March 11, 2017 By the way, what camera do you own?... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gareth Blackstock Posted March 11, 2017 Author Share Posted March 11, 2017 G'day, Well I bought one, I had been watching a nice looking Pentovar 16 for only $130 with free postage. I figured that a wise choice considering I am not sure if me and the camera will get on yet. I was negotiating to buy 2 Zeiss prime lenses, but either my Russian is rather dodgy, or he was giving me the run around. If I end up getting on well with the camera I will be buying a nice set of prime lenses. The camera I bought is a Pentaflex AK16. In quite nice condition, just missing a lens. From the research I did, they seem a hard camera to love, but considering the cost to buy, $170 and the wide options on nice lenses, I thought "what the hell". I already love my K-3 and most reckon thats a hard camera to love... Cheers, Gareth Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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