Lens Diagram for Spiratone YS 85mm f/1.7 Lens?

Lucked into a very nice copy of what seems to be a fairly scarce lens. Spiratone 85mm f/1.7 with a YS swappable mount.

Exactly filter thread text: Spiratone Telephoto YS Lens Made in Japan 1:1.7 f=85mm No. 101XXX


I can't find much info about this particular lens online. Anybody have an old magazine portrait lens shoot-out stashed away that might have some more info? I looked pretty hard when I first got it, then realized the aperture blades were stuck but today had some me time so took it to fix the aperture.

Reason I ask: While mounted on another Canon besides my EOS 3, I could see the focus point shifting fairly significantly backwards away from the camera like what I've read about re: Sonnars and Sonnar clones like the Jupiter-8 and Canon LTM 50/1.5. I think I can count 6 reflections inside, but I'm not very confident in my reflection counting skills.

Attached is a photo of the lens next to a Takumar 85/1.9 and a Nikkor 105/2.5 Gauss for size comparison.

Fixcinater said:

, I could see the focus point shifting fairly significantly backwards away from the camera .

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I'm not sure what that means. Like the focus shifts without touching the ring?

not sure

I am not so sure that lens is that rare. Spiratone lenses don't get no respect; there's probably lots of them just sitting around in out-of-the-way places looking for a good home. I used many pre-set Spiratone lenses and had good luck with them. They didn't cost too much at the time.

ic-racer said:

I'm not sure what that means. Like the focus shifts without touching the ring?

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It means the focus shifts as you change the aperture.

I've got the 135mm f/1.8 Spiratone, and that shallow depth of field combined with the telephoto effect can make for some nice pictures. I'm sure you'll be pleased with the lens. I've been looking around at YS lens info for several years, and there isn't a lot out there.

Trask, is your 135mm the 77 or 82mm filter thread version? I've got the Sigma-XQ / Sigmatel branded 77mm filter thread version. Fairly low contrast compared to the Takumar 135s I've had but you're right, 1.8 at that focal length has a specific and interesting look.

ic-racer, I probably should have waited until this morning to actually post. Yes, I meant focus shift as the aperture is stopped down. Some designs suffer from it more than others depending on aperture location and other factors I don't understand.

Sonnars in rangefinder mounts are infamous for it, if users don't know about it they might think the lens is faulty.

Gosh, now you've got me wondering -- I'm thousands of miles away from the lens, as it's in storage -- maybe I have a Sigma lens, not a Spiratone. I can't remember the filter size. Guess I'll have to respond more accurately in about eight months!

Sounds good, Trask.

I need to put some film behind the 85 mentioned here and the 135. Maybe that will help diagnose the construction of this 85mm.

Bump for more info.