"Image" 28-80mm - any more info?

[mabman]

A while back I was given a K-mount "Image"-brand 28-80mm f/3.5 manual focus zoom lens in really good condition. It has a "close-focus" quasi-macro pull-out function as well. It has an all-metal barrel, and takes a 62mm filter.

I know the Image brand was the house brand of Black's Photography here in Canada and possibly elsewhere, and it says "made in Japan" on the barrel. Given who I got it from I suspect it was purchased/made in the mid-80's to the early 90's (he doesn't remember).

I realize the proof is in the pudding, and I haven't actually shot anything with it yet, but I'm curious as to who actually made this and therefore what other zoom lenses it might be comparable to. I can't really find anything via searching about it.

Anybody have an idea how I can narrow down it's provenance? I know given it's "made in Japan" it's likely Cosina, Tamron or Tokina, but I hate not knowing more about it

Thanks!

 

[dehk]

Post a photo of the lens!

 

[elekm]

Could be Sigma, Cosina, Kiron or someone else. If Black's is still in business, you could ask them.

And a photo of the lens probably would be a good idea, because it could be used to compare it with other lenses from that era. Also, sometimes there are clues to its construction.

 

[mabman]

OK, here's what it looks like. Excuse the hand and compression artifacts. I haven't cleaned the lens up yet, so yes, there is some dust and apparently some sticker residue

To be more precise, I should have said it's an f/3.5-4.5 lens as per the pics.

I'm fairly sure Black's has changed hands a few times since the 80's - while they still have some sort of 35mm c-41 processing and do sell rebranded Superia, in terms of cameras all of their stores are digital camera-only (and many locally are small shoebox stores with minimal stock at that). It's highly doubtful there is much if any institutional memory exists from that period.

 

[Nige]

probably best to ask on PentaxForums

 

[dehk]

I've been looking online for an hour now. Thinking this lens might be a re-badge lens. Its a 28-80mm f3.5-4.5 MF - Macro, I found out that its not a Vivitar, Sigma, Kiron, Ricoh, Tamaron, Tokina. (either focal length, f stop, or macro does not have an exact match, or it looks way different)

Only Soligor made a 28-80mm f3.5-4.5 Macro(What i can find on top of my head), but it does not look the same, but it does take a 62mm filter. Take a look at this page on ebay.

I got this far, see if you can figure out the rest.

 

[elcabezagrande]

I think it may be a Sunagor lens, it looks very similar to this:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=160506015807#ht_500wt_922

 

[mabman]

probably best to ask on PentaxForums

Done and done. It doesn't match anything in their lens database either.

Thanks for the all the effort

 

[mabman]

OK, the PentaxForums admin got it in one - it appears to be a rebranded version of a CPC Phase 2 28-80mm f/3.5-4.5. I found a pic here. It looks right, and has the right aperture and filter size. The macro function may have been added for the rebranded version.

I was also unaware of CPC as a brand. Apparently Pentax manufactured and sold lenses under this name, although they may have been different lens designs and not necessarily the same image quality vs. the equivalent Pentax-branded lens.

Learn something new every day

 

[dehk]

"according to Modern Photography from August 1984, Cosmicar (a Pentax subsidiary in Taiwan and Japan) has manufactured a number of "CPC Phase 2" lenses where CPC stands for Combined Products Corporation."