Rachel Oliver Posted August 23, 2004 Share Posted August 23, 2004 Hi; Can anyone tell me about Zeiss Distagon mark 1 primes, ie when these lenses were produced and how they stand up to other modern lenses. I'm used to my very well kept set of last generation Kern Switar primes but thinking of upgrading after finding a great deal on a set of Distagons, what could I expect? I'm looking for sharpness to make the best out of the S16 format. Thanks for all your advice Olly PS will the 9.5mm cover S16? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sam Wells Posted August 24, 2004 Share Posted August 24, 2004 If this is for a Bolex I'd stick with the Switars, they were designed for Bolex reflex prism system, Superspeeds are not. -Sam Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rachel Oliver Posted August 24, 2004 Author Share Posted August 24, 2004 Good point! Had not even considered that. Just wish my 10mm diddn't vignette but I get away with it for TK stuff..... Olly Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Yaroshevsky Posted August 24, 2004 Share Posted August 24, 2004 You could go with a set of standard speed 35mm primes (no use in fast lenses since you can't be any wider than about 3.2f with "non-rex" lenses on the Bolex). Of course to achieve the focal length you require you would have to use a 10mm Zeiss. This is an absurdly large lens for a Bolex but I have used it with my PL mount adapter from Les Bosher. The image is remarkable -- you are using only the centre area of the lens (I believe someone referred to it as the 'sweet spot')-- a super sharp 10mm (in S16) image. Nevertheless, it's difficult to support such a set-up as the lens outweighs the Bolex body almost 2:1. Other primes are ideal (perhaps not the VPs...). M.Y. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sam Wells Posted August 25, 2004 Share Posted August 25, 2004 Good point! Had not even considered that. Just wish my 10mm diddn't vignette but I get away with it for TK stuff.....Olly Oh if it's S16 -- I've wondered why Kern didn't try and re engineer the 10mm Switar.... I guess they want to concentrate on selling the 12.5-100 with the Aspheron... which is a nice lens, but..... I don't know what the solution is..... -Sam Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sam Wells Posted August 25, 2004 Share Posted August 25, 2004 Wel once you're into Zeiss Variable Primes it might be time to question why you're using a Bolex.... for me the subversive charm would be lost even with an Ultra Prime. Using 35mm format glass - & the sweet spot as you say - hmm. What you don't want is an exit pupil too close to the film plane. More so the case than putting an f 3.2 limit on aperature, so says "St. Dennis" Long ago I used a Kinoptik 9mm on a Bolex Rex, it worked fine although I don't think I tried to focus at infinity. Nor do I know for sure it would cover S16 (but doesn't that new Swedish S16 camera use a 9mm Kinoptik ? -- the small 9mm not the 9.8 Tegea) -Sam Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Yaroshevsky Posted August 25, 2004 Share Posted August 25, 2004 Bolex is of limited use; however, certain m.o.s. shooting situations suit a small, wind-up camera very well. I've used it with a range of 35mm lenses: Zeiss, Cooke, Optex and the results are plainly superior to S16 lenses. Charm isn't always subversive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sam Wells Posted August 25, 2004 Share Posted August 25, 2004 Whatever....... -Sam Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rachel Oliver Posted August 25, 2004 Author Share Posted August 25, 2004 Long ago I used a Kinoptik 9mm on a Bolex Rex, it worked fine although I don't think I tried to focus at infinity. Nor do I know for sure it would cover S16 (but doesn't that new Swedish S16 camera use a 9mm Kinoptik ? -- the small 9mm not the 9.8 Tegea) -Sam Sam; Is that 9mm (swedish cam) a new lens? I can never seem to find info on it..... PS since my 1st post I think your right about sticking with Kern, they are really sweet, someday though it would be nice to have the choice of modern and retro. Thanks for the replys guys Olly Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Member Nathan Milford Posted August 26, 2004 Premium Member Share Posted August 26, 2004 Ahh yes, the A-Cam: http://www.ikonoskop.com/index.asp The site says: Kinoptik 9 mm f/1.5 cine lens. No other info though.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sam Wells Posted August 26, 2004 Share Posted August 26, 2004 I didn't mean to be short about this but.... you do have to think of the scale you are going to work at. If cost size etc no object you can shoot 35mm too... -Sam Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rachel Oliver Posted August 26, 2004 Author Share Posted August 26, 2004 I'm personally acutely aware of that fact thanks! Olly Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sam Wells Posted August 26, 2004 Share Posted August 26, 2004 Everyone's aware of it ! Use what you can and make it look better than it is; when you've done so don't have to tell them. Kinoptik have been around forever - but never caught on much in the US although Karl Heitz the US distributor was in Long Island for a long time. I don't know if they stil are. (Well the 9.8 and 5.7mm Tegea lenses were popular at one time as they were very wide angle solutions for shooting in 35, now there are newer options.....) -Sam Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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