Bought from charity shop.....any good?

AndyWest

AndyWest

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I went into a charity shop today and came out with a camera with lens and a zoom lens on it's own.

The camera is a Pentacon LLC with a Pentacon Electric 50mm f1.8 M42 lens. I'm guessing that the camera is worth very little so is the lens worth selling separately? I will test it on my 40d 1st to see what it's like. If it's good i will keep it.

I also bought a Petri MC 80 - 200mm f4.5 zoom. I have no idea about this lens as i have never heard of them.

Any info? Also what fitting is this (see pic below) and are adapters available for Canon EOS DSLR's/

Thanks

P1000776.JPG


P1000777.JPG
 
I look forward to the test images through the lenses. I keep looking at M42 mount lenses you know where to put on my 40D and even though I like the idea of a right bargain, I can't help but think I'll be getting £20-worth of quality. Shall be delighted to be proven wrong though....
 
Most helpful Dave, thanks:thumbs: Looks like pentax k mount.

The lens was a fiver so it's going on ebay as soon as poss :)
 
tikkathreebarrel said:
I look forward to the test images through the lenses. I keep looking at M42 mount lenses you know where to put on my 40D and even though I like the idea of a right bargain, I can't help but think I'll be getting £20-worth of quality. Shall be delighted to be proven wrong though....
Click to expand...

If you buy the right lens you get superb quality! Check out http://forum.mflenses.com gallery.

Test shots from the Pentagon 50mm f1.8 It cost me £10 including camera!

1: at f1.8
banana_800pix.jpg


@ f11
banana2_800pix.jpg


2:My son again i think at f1.8 ( i should have done this one at f8 or f11)
toby_Face_800pix.jpg


3: Bubbles at f8
bubbles_800pix.jpg


4: Bubbles using a Canon 50mm f1.8 (Nifty Fifty AF)
bubbles_Nifty50_800pix.jpg


NOT the sharpest tool in the box! but it was cheap.
 
What do you think about the Pentacon 50..?
 
I 1st thought it was a bit soft but on further testing against the canon Nifty fifty it's not bad at all. More testing is needed i think!! Well worth £10 and i think it's going to be a keeper. At the moment it get's a 7/10 but still stunning value for money! :D
 
I'd expect it to be sharp and it looks pretty sharp to me except the portrait which is shot at 1/10th..:)
 
AndyWest said:
Most helpful Dave, thanks:thumbs: Looks like pentax k mount.

The lens was a fiver so it's going on ebay as soon as poss :)
Click to expand...

Andy

If you are talking of the Petri lens; I think Petri had their own mount. Petri SLRs are still available; but some reports say that they suffer from reliability problem just like the Rollei SLRs.

Apparently the lens are great though; and having used a Petri CRF, I would agree to that

Ujjwal
 
"If you buy the right lens".... don't suppose they'll have IS or a thin red line? Nope, thought not. But then I'm not out of pocket by serious money either.

Tell you what I'll have a go with a 135mm f/2.8 prime.

Now if I could just find a lens shorter than 17mm.....
 
tikkathreebarrel said:
"If you buy the right lens".... don't suppose they'll have IS or a thin red line? Nope, thought not. But then I'm not out of pocket by serious money either.
Click to expand...

IS...erm No! :D

Tell you what I'll have a go with a 135mm f/2.8 prime.
Click to expand...

Good stuff! My Helios was as cheap as chips at £16.01 and is very good.

Now if I could just find a lens shorter than 17mm.....
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Manual lenses are very expensive lower than 28mm which is a shame! Also very rare!

Let us know how you get on and remember, with manual lenses the tripod and live view are your friends!:cool:
 
AndyWest said:
Let us know how you get on and remember, with manual lenses the tripod and live view are your friends!:cool:
Click to expand...

Well, what I bought is a Photax-Paragon 1/2.8 135mm lens. Dunno if it's a good brand or a junk brand.

What I ought to be doing is finding the time to set up the tripod and take side by side images with it and at the same focal length my 100-400 and 70-200 to make real comparisons. So far, all I've had time to do is screw it to my 40D and play. I've so far established that with the body set to f/9, rather than the f/8 mentioned in the seller's advert, the distance scale reads close enough to be true and I'm experimenting with shutter speeds in Tv to get "best" results. (How am I doing so far?)

Somehow, the changes to exposure from different lens settings and/or shutter speed seem exaggerated compared to my usual Canon EF product. Consequently I feel that I'm learning a lot.

Images - comparative and otherwise - later.:wave:
 
They are different to use. I have an Olympus 50mm f1.4 that over exposes like a banshee on f1.4 so you have to fiddle with the exposure compensation.

Not heard of Photax-Paragon but have been told that all 135mm's are good!

Just have a play and enjoy the lens. Before you know it you'll be watching every manual lens on ebay!! :D
 
The problem is Canon's meter for a wide open aperture because the rings don't close down until the shutter is released whereas a manual focus lens is stopped down before the shutter is released.
 
The23rdman said:
The problem is Canon's meter for a wide open aperture because the rings don't close down until the shutter is released whereas a manual focus lens is stopped down before the shutter is released.
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Thats usefull to know, I have just sent off for an M42 adaptor so I can play with some of my old lenses on my 30D.



Dave.
 
AndyWest said:
Before you know it you'll be watching every manual lens on ebay!! :D
Click to expand...

Oh I have a saved search :clap: Looking for a short length lens to go under 50mm and ideally under my 17-40. Pigs/flying/usual stuff! Better start editing early results and get 'em posted to photobucket:rules:
 
Focal lengths 50-200 are easy to come by. Less than 50 and prices can rise. Less than 20 it gets silly.

Just about any 50mm or 135 will be pretty good and plenty of choice.

I use a Canon 40D and M42 mount lenses and can confirm that the metering is pretty accurate and always within a stop if not spot on. I think user error causes people to think that the meter is off (backlit or lots of sky without compensation).
 
First uploaded image, taken/saved in RAW, converted to jpeg but no pp or cropping in order simply to see how it comes out. (So I'm not looking for c&c on the content.)

Hand-held, 40D on f/8, no memory of lens settings but ISO 100 and distance about 12 feet.

_MG_2198.jpg
 
martinsmith99 said:
Focal lengths 50-200 are easy to come by. Less than 50 and prices can rise. Less than 20 it gets silly.
Click to expand...

Oh shame :thumbsdown:

I use a Canon 40D and M42 mount lenses and can confirm that the metering is pretty accurate and always within a stop if not spot on. I think user error causes people to think that the meter is off (backlit or lots of sky without compensation).
Click to expand...

Yes, I found that compensation would have helped too. At this stage I was content to work out the basics before returning the lens to that website or playing further.
Further play will follow.:thumbs:
 
Well that looks pretty damn sharp to me! Should be good in the sun with something colourful!
 
The praktica LLC was unrealiable and had the reputation of a trabant ( they came from the same country)

Sticky shutters , battery drain, unreliable exposure was the hallmark of this camera ( we sent them back by the shedload when I was in retail)

The pentagon 50mm 1.8 is a good lens being third in the line up of four lenses practica used on their cameras

Domiplan. Tessar, Pentagon, Pancolour. with the right adaptor you will get stunning results

The petri Mc 80 lens 'looks' like a K mount Pentax fit . what you have to consider with lenses of theis vintage is that most came out of 2-3 factorys and were rebadged depending on the importers.

I suspect average results with this lens given that its coatings are peoberbly 'glass to air' in other words muti coating of the lens is on the elements externaly not internaly.

I am afraid that lens and camera construction was varible in the 70's early 80's but hay ho if it was a bargain then you cannot lose.
 
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