Do you eat bananas or have an older luminous watch. If so, you are exposed to more radioactivity than those lenses add to your environment.Are y’all ever concerned with the radioactivity of these old M42 lenses? I would hate to drop one and have it break inside my house or classroom.
They're not all "radioactive". There is a version of the f:1.4 50mm Takumar, and maybe one or two others. They emit very little radiation, nothing to be concerned about unless you line your underwear with the thorium glass elements and wear them for several decades.Are y’all ever concerned with the radioactivity of these old M42 lenses? I would hate to drop one and have it break inside my house or classroom.
I can recommend: Helios 58mm
I also have a Helios 44M (58/2) and a Yashica Yashinon DX 50/1.7. I did quite a bit of comparison shooting between the 44M and the Yashinon a while back, and the Yashinon is clearly the better of the two lenses. It's noticeably sharper.
As said by others, the radioactivity level of these glasses is nothing to worry about. The addition of rare earths in the compound was very small to begin with. Quite obviously I don't keep them right under my pillow 24/7, but on the other hand I use these lenses without absolutely any concern.Are y’all ever concerned with the radioactivity of these old M42 lenses? I would hate to drop one and have it break inside my house or classroom.
I have a Helios 44-2, stopped down, it's sharp enough, but wide open you have to watch the background or the swirlies give you vertigo.As a matter of fact, I can very hardly understand why the Helios was mentioned at all in a thread concerning "the most versatile lenses". I actually consider it a specialised portrait lens, a soft focus with elliptical defocused highlights wide open (also known as swirly bokeh). Some love it, some hate it, but in my opinion it definitely doesn't qualify amongst most versatile lenses.
As said by others, the radioactivity level of these glasses is nothing to worry about. The addition of rare earths in the compound was very small to begin with. Quite obviously I don't keep them right under my pillow 24/7, but on the other hand I use these lenses without absolutely any concern.
As a matter of fact, I can very hardly understand why the Helios was mentioned at all in a thread concerning "the most versatile lenses". I actually consider it a specialised portrait lens, a soft focus with elliptical defocused highlights wide open (also known as swirly bokeh). Some love it, some hate it, but in my opinion it definitely doesn't qualify amongst most versatile lenses.
...it's a good half length portrait lens with characterstic 'swirley' bokeh (with the right b/g), it's sharp stopped down, it's cu abilities are appreciably better then most '50s' - 16 percent longer focal length and 0.45m min focus. So, by my reckoning that's 2
'special powers' - in other words 'versatile'. I took a Helios 44-3 for a once-in-a-lifetime vacation to Naples last year along with a 30mm Lydith and a 35mm Flektogon f/2.4 -all used on my 'foundling' non-metered Chinon m1. Hard work, but everything held together. Must go again one day.
It's apparent none of you has owned an Olympus FTL with dedicated Zuiko M-42 glass. Try getting any now.
I don'y have an FTL, but I do have Zuiko OM lenses. I prefer Nikkors and Takumars, generally.
Howdy, APUG!
I've always been a Nikon guy and I've also shot my fair share of Ricoh cameras and lenses. Both have been great complimentary systems. I recently developed in an interest in M42 cameras and lenses, and I landed a clean Yashica J-3 with a Auto Yashinon 50mm f2 last year. I had heard good things about the Auto Yashinon being sharp and such, and it is very sharp indeed. I picked up a Auto Rikenon 50mm f2 that I plan to do a comparison check with the Yashinon, but from what I can tell, there are not many accolades for this particular Rikenon. However, if it renders colors like the K-mount Ricoh lenses that I have, then I will be pleased.
Anyways, I'm curious, from your experience, would any of you care to share what you think is most versatile M42 lens out there, and/or perhaps your favorite and why?
Thanks, APUG! Looking forward to read your responses.
-Paul
They're certainly not crap, but I don't think all of them are great. I had a 100/2.8 that was very good, but the 105 Nikkor (Sonnar) I like a lot more. My early 50/1.4 Zuiko was disappointing, but I generally don't like fast 50s; I have 5 50/2 Nikkor H & HC lenses, one for each body, my favorite 50 for Nikon. The 28/2.8 MC Zuiko is very good, as is the 35 shift, 135/2.8 MC, even the 35-70 zoom is decent.I never understood the glorification of Olympus lenses!
I have 5 50/2 Nikkor H & HC lenses, one for each body, my favorite 50 for Nikon.
You mentioned the J9 85/2 as being overrated, mine is a Kiev mount from Lytkarino, 1970, and I love it - typical old Sonnar wonkiness wide open, at f:4 you can count eyelashes in a half length portrait, it behaves very similar to the prewar CZJ Sonnars in fact, despite having 7 elements.
One of my 50/2 Nikkors came on a '65 Nikkormat FT.Great taste in Nikkors. The 50/2 is quite an achievement for a 1964 lens.
As for the jupiter-9, mine is way too unsharp and contrast way too low at 2. It gets good at f5.6-8, but what can I think if the EF 85/1.8 is better ar f2.8 than the J9 at f8, yet the EF also has great rendering?
I remember when the Series 1 lenses came out, they were very well regarded.Often overlooked over are Vivitar Series 1 (Version 1 - Kiron 22xxxx) 70-210mm f/3.5 the Vivitar Series 1 (Komine) 28-90mm F2.8-3.5, and 90mm Macro in M 42 mount.
Read more at: https://www.pentaxforums.com/userreviews/vivitar-lenses-for-pentax-zooms-c86.html#ixzz5BztJJKRi
I remember when the Series 1 lenses came out, they were very well regarded.
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