Any info/experience with this"Soligor" 35mm f/2.8 T-Mount lens?

RLangham · Feb 7, 2020

So I'm new here. I'm trying to get some information about a Japanese T-mount 35mm f/2.8 lens branded as Soligor. Now, I know Soligor is a brand name used at least partially for a lot of different manufacturer's low-end lenses, so I'm including pictures.

This lens actually looks very usable and interesting, unlike some of the Soligors I've dealt with. Actually, I'm pretty fascinated to see what the images look like. It's a decently-compact black metal unit, as you can see in the photos I've uploaded, with preset aperture, not automatic. Less apparent from the picture is that there is an eight-blade aperture with grey metal blades, and a fairly decent-looking coating on the front element

It has a Minolta bayonet mount on it, and I bought it because A: I use a Minolta SR-T 200, B: I thought I had a Nikon T-Mount lying around so I could also use it with my Nikkorex F, which I don't have a wide-angle for (turns out to be a different universal mount adaptor) and C: I love preset lenses for some reason. I just do.

So has anyone seen this type of lens? Anyone shot with it? I have no images yet, and in fact I haven't shot with it because I think the T-mount ring needs to be adjusted to get this lens to be sharp at infinity. (It has set screws and a movable sleeve that receives the threads on the lens.

M-88 · Feb 7, 2020

Hello and welcome to the club!

It looks like an awfully old lens. Like, 1960s lens. It's got a manual aperture preset, which you already know. A little Googling gave me several results on "mflenses" forum, complete with samples and all. They also say it's made by Tamron.

One:
http://forum.mflenses.com/soligor-35mm-f2-8-t29784.html

Two:
http://forum.mflenses.com/soligor-35mm-f-2-8-old-tamron-made-t-mount-t67213.html

Those links are better than nothing, I guess. And if that lens has a swirly bokeh (which it apparently has), then I wouldn't pass it by.

RLangham · Feb 7, 2020

Thanks for the warm welcome!

I had seen the first thread over the course of my search. I don't know if I have a comparable one to the OP in that thread, as his seems to be automatic, iirc. The second one... it does bear what I might call a family resemblance, perhaps, but mine lacks the ridged cowling around the front element, and that lens appears to have a shorter barrel too. Both were good leads, however. Thanks for searching!

M-88 said:
Those links are better than nothing, I guess. And if that lens has a swirly bokeh (which it apparently has), then I wouldn't pass it by.

Yes, swirly bokeh is a high priority for me. I have a 35/2.8 MC W-ROKKOR-X that begins to approximate some swirly bokeh when wide open, but I've never actually achieved a full swirly bokeh effect. That's one reason I buy weird old lenses like this.

M-88 · Feb 7, 2020

RLangham said:
I had seen the first thread over the course of my search. I don't know if I have a comparable one to the OP in that thread, as his seems to be automatic, iirc. The second one... it does bear what I might call a family resemblance, perhaps, but mine lacks the ridged cowling around the front element, and that lens appears to have a shorter barrel too.

I should have been more attentive to such details... The main difficulty with such third party lenses is that they are usually manufactured by several different companies and sometimes difference in quality is drastic (good examples are manual focus Vivitar primes, where you can tell the different manufacturer based on serial number). I hope someone here will have certain experience with this specific Soligor...

RLangham said:
Yes, swirly bokeh is a high priority for me. I have a 35/2.8 MC W-ROKKOR-X that begins to approximate some swirly bokeh when wide open, but I've never actually achieved a full swirly bokeh effect. That's one reason I buy weird old lenses like this.

I like that too, that's why I could never part with any of my three Soviet Helios lenses.

AgX · Feb 7, 2020

Would it have been a 28mm lens, my local store likely would have sold it for 5€, but 35mm lenses are more rare in comparison. But still I would not bother much discussing it, but just using it. You may set up a test-chart wall and test all your lenses and compare them to each other. But asking for opinions here sems difficult to me, as even same lens might have come in different barrel designs, maybe even vice versa...

RLangham said:
I think the T-mount ring needs to be adjusted to get this lens to be sharp at infinity. (It has set screws and a

To my understanding there should not be any designed space to adjust them. I assume there is a circular V-groove at the barrel and the T-adapter is fixed by those screws at that groove, The screws though allow rotational adjusting, if necessary, to get the automatic-diaphragm actuator or the markings in line.

shutterfinger · Feb 7, 2020

A Lens Collectors Vade Mecum states that Soligar were an independent lens brand imported into the UK in the SLR boom of the early 1960's. The name also appears as Miranda-Soligar on Miranda cameras.
was used in both M39 mount and T2 mount lens. In 1974 they had several programs running and the quality varied depending on the market they were designed for. They were Auto Miranda, Auto T4, and T2. series. You likely have a T2 series. I bought a Soligat 75-260 Zoom In T2 mount in 1972 or 1973. It was quite good. I gave it to my nephews.
The Vade has this to say about Miranda:

Yours should be a good performer.

Paul Howell · Feb 7, 2020

As noted by Shutterfinger Soligor was bought by AIC who also owned Miranda, lens were made by a large number of makers, some were rebranded others made to specification. The last designs called CD which either stood for Compact Design or Computer Designed were intended to compete with Vivitar Series 1. From I have read over the years Miranda designed most of their lens, from the early to 70's when AIC went bankrupt most Soligor lens were Miranda designs. I read that in the last 2 or 3 years Miranda did make lens, but I never confirmed this. I have 2 35mm 2.8 one for the labeled Miranda EE and one Soilogor for a Miranda Sensormate other than the meter coupling seems to be the same lens with very good IQ. Then I have 2 135s, one in Miranda and one in Soilgar for Sensormate mount, very different lens, the Miranda version seems to be a match to a Petir 135. As with Vivitar you wont know until you shoot, some lens are very very good, others just dogs.

RLangham · Feb 7, 2020

M-88 said:
I should have been more attentive to such details... The main difficulty with such third party lenses is that they are usually manufactured by several different companies and sometimes difference in quality is drastic (good examples are manual focus Vivitar primes, where you can tell the different manufacturer based on serial number). I hope someone here will have certain experience with this specific Soligor...

No, no, you did better of a search than me, and you certainly didn't have to! Thanks again!

I like that too, that's why I could never part with any of my three Soviet Helios lenses.

I got a Helios-44-2 recently too. It's seized up and I can't get it open, though.

RLangham · Feb 7, 2020

AgX said:
To my understanding there should not be any designed space to adjust them. I assume there is a circular V-groove at the barrel and the T-adapter is fixed by those screws at that groove, The screws though allow rotational adjusting, if necessary, to get the automatic-diaphragm actuator or the markings in line.

I have loosened the screws since posting this and you are correct, the sleeve was already sitting all the way down within the collar. It's less of a V-groove, as it has a flat bottom to it, but you have the gist of it.

I don't know how to make this lens work... I suppose one would have to open the helical, no?

shutterfinger · Feb 7, 2020

The T whatever to camera make was suppose to position the lens to the correct distance from the film plane for correct infinity focus.
If it does not make infinity at the film plane then the focus ring may be off or a similar mechanical error. The lens appears to be assembled correctly in your pictures.

RLangham · Feb 7, 2020

shutterfinger said:
The T whatever to camera make was suppose to position the lens to the correct distance from the film plane for correct infinity focus.
If it does not make infinity at the film plane then the focus ring may be off or a similar mechanical error. The lens appears to be assembled correctly in your pictures.

So it does have to be taken apart to be fixed? Because I have now disassembled and reassembled the mounting ring and mounted it on the lens in what has to be the proper position.

shutterfinger · Feb 7, 2020

RLangham said:
So it does have to be taken apart to be fixed?

I would need it in my hands to make that determination.
In your 2nd photo there is a screw in the focus control ring close to the rings infinity mark, are there others?
The trim ring with the serial number / name / focal length should unscrew with equal pressure 180° or 3 points 120° apart. The front element retaining ring should be behind the trim ring and if pristine the lens has not been taken apart leaving the focus error likely to dried lubricant, tale tale marks says its been opened and possibly the mechanics not reassembled correctly.
An investigation is in order.

RLangham · Feb 7, 2020

shutterfinger said:
I would need it in my hands to make that determination.
In your 2nd photo there is a screw in the focus control ring close to the rings infinity mark, are there others?
The trim ring with the serial number / name / focal length should unscrew with equal pressure 180° or 3 points 120° apart. The front element retaining ring should be behind the trim ring and if pristine the lens has not been taken apart leaving the focus error likely to dried lubricant, tale tale marks says its been opened and possibly the mechanics not reassembled correctly.
An investigation is in order.

Well, I do see a mark on the badge ring that looks like such an operation has been done. I kinda messed up the last lens I opened, but it was built in Ukraine under Kruschev, so maybe it was not completely my fault...

I'll most likely attempt opening it tomorrow.

shutterfinger · Feb 7, 2020

I just did a google for soligar H serial numbered lens and got this as the first hit: https://www.apotelyt.com/photo-lens/soligor-catalog suggesting the lens was made by Kawanon.
Another link references the same serial number chart but states that the H4 does not match the date for the first 3 digit analogy.

Any info/experience with this"Soligor" 35mm f/2.8 T-Mount lens?

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