Closeuphotography.com Lens Test Schedule Update incl. Printing Nikkor Test

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ray_parkhurst
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Re: Closeuphotography.com Lens Test Schedule Update incl. Printing Nikkor Test

Post by ray_parkhurst »

What serial number is your 105PNA?

Lou Jost
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Re: Closeuphotography.com Lens Test Schedule Update incl. Printing Nikkor Test

Post by Lou Jost »

What a fascinating set of lenses! I am especially curious about the PNs. Though I am sure they will all be great (and hard to find). Best of luck on finishing all these proposed tests. Such an important service to our community.

RobertOToole
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Re: Closeuphotography.com Lens Test Schedule Update incl. Printing Nikkor Test

Post by RobertOToole »

dickb wrote:
Mon Oct 10, 2022 11:41 am

Any day you get to buy an S-Orthoplanar for $300 is a very good day, I did that once or twice. There is also a less valued S-Planar 60mm f/4. The 32mm you mention is an S-Planar. I have seen both these S-Planars with a variable aperture starting from f/4.0 or with a fixed one at f/5.6, those tend to be pulled from scanning machines and the like. $300 is a reasonable price for those fixed ones.
I agree about the 32mm, I've seen them sell since then for $500-600 and two are listed right now on eBay USA for...you ready? $1200 and $1300!
Although collector prices can cut both ways, they sometimes allow me to buy yet more weird and wonderful optics if I were to sell some collector stuff.
Also another factor, 90% of high-end optics go to Hong-Kong or Bejing (maybe not that bad). Almost all my most expensive lenses have been sold to Chinese buyers! I used to hesitate at first but after a few days without any US or EU bidders I end up taking the Chinese money. They love Rodagon-Gs and anything Zeiss. Funny thing is they shoot them at infinity with cheap Chinese focus mounts, even printing-nikkors!

On another eBay note, I found two stolen hacked ebay accounts yesterday. Both have ads with all high-end optics and Rolex watches and all auctions starting at less than $1. Funny part is people are bidding, and bidding! The ads say do not bid, instead contact seller for wire transfer details. Its like visiting a red flag factory! #-o

A brand new $12,999 Sony FE 600 mm F4 GM OSS in the box for $1, oh my god, I'm bidding $10! I'm going win this one! :-k
RobertOToole wrote:The lens mount threads are a close match for the Thorlabs SM1 threads adapters that I have in the office. Same OD/ID but pitch is slightly off.
Indeed, they fit some of my M25 adapters. I take it you have tried it both reversed and in standard orientation? Should be easy to do with the Thorlabs system.
Yes, I did try both directions. Reverse is much better for 2.12x. Forward is nice for 0.5x (0.47x to be exact).

RobertOToole
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Re: Closeuphotography.com Lens Test Schedule Update incl. Printing Nikkor Test

Post by RobertOToole »

ray_parkhurst wrote:
Mon Oct 10, 2022 1:09 pm
What serial number is your 105PNA?
501286

I thought I sent you that in the past Ray but then again...

Best,

Robert

RobertOToole
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Re: Closeuphotography.com Lens Test Schedule Update incl. Printing Nikkor Test

Post by RobertOToole »

ray_parkhurst wrote:
Mon Oct 10, 2022 1:09 pm
What serial number is your 105PNA?
Forgot to mention this lens was from a batch of 5 or 6 that popped up off-eBay at some surplus place but under as-is and "we are not optical experts please do not contact us for optical condition, all sales final" but they were $100 (fungus) to $300. So I got worried and bought one express mail. Later that night at midnight I get up and try to buy the $100 fungus PN and to my surprise someone beat me to it ( I wanted the mint looking outer housing or maybe the fungus was on the outside glass?) but it was gone already.

A week later it shows up in Mint AA condition. I go back online all gone. I kept the serials, they all ended up selling on eBay later for $1100-1400.! One went to a Japan buyer.

Best

Robert

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Re: Closeuphotography.com Lens Test Schedule Update incl. Printing Nikkor Test

Post by RobertOToole »

Lou Jost wrote:
Mon Oct 10, 2022 3:31 pm
What a fascinating set of lenses! I am especially curious about the PNs. Though I am sure they will all be great (and hard to find). Best of luck on finishing all these proposed tests. Such an important service to our community.
Hi Lou,

Thanks. I'm lucky to have all these PNs here at once. Thanks to the owners. That won't happen again.

Overall I was very impressed with the IQ!

I think some of these lenses will be harder to find once I publish the test(s), and as JKT mentioned probably at higher prices.

Best,

Robert

Lou Jost
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Re: Closeuphotography.com Lens Test Schedule Update incl. Printing Nikkor Test

Post by Lou Jost »

Thanks. I'm lucky to have all these PNs here at once. Thanks to the owners. That won't happen again.
If I go to the US soon, would you be interested in borrowing my PN105A? I got it from Ray. It is the copy that was tested on CoinImaging. So it could connect your testing regime with his published tests. Might be useful.

ray_parkhurst
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Re: Closeuphotography.com Lens Test Schedule Update incl. Printing Nikkor Test

Post by ray_parkhurst »

RobertOToole wrote:
Mon Oct 10, 2022 5:29 pm
A week later it shows up in Mint AA condition. I go back online all gone. I kept the serials, they all ended up selling on eBay later for $1100-1400.! One went to a Japan buyer.
I don't remember the SN1286 but will include it in the serial number list. Did you keep the serial numbers of the other lenses?

simplejoy
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Re: Closeuphotography.com Lens Test Schedule Update incl. Printing Nikkor Test

Post by simplejoy »

RobertOToole wrote:
Mon Oct 10, 2022 5:23 pm
dickb wrote:
Mon Oct 10, 2022 11:41 am

The 32mm you mention is an S-Planar. I have seen both these S-Planars with a variable aperture starting from f/4.0 or with a fixed one at f/5.6, those tend to be pulled from scanning machines and the like. $300 is a reasonable price for those fixed ones.
I agree about the 32mm, I've seen them sell since then for $500-600 and two are listed right now on eBay USA for...you ready? $1200 and $1300!
Very interesting - didn't know even the S-Planar 32 mm f/5.6 was held in high regards... do you know at what magnification it works best? And which direction it should be mounted in?

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Re: Closeuphotography.com Lens Test Schedule Update incl. Printing Nikkor Test

Post by RobertOToole »

simplejoy wrote:
Tue Oct 11, 2022 10:21 am
RobertOToole wrote:
Mon Oct 10, 2022 5:23 pm
dickb wrote:
Mon Oct 10, 2022 11:41 am

The 32mm you mention is an S-Planar. I have seen both these S-Planars with a variable aperture starting from f/4.0 or with a fixed one at f/5.6, those tend to be pulled from scanning machines and the like. $300 is a reasonable price for those fixed ones.
I agree about the 32mm, I've seen them sell since then for $500-600 and two are listed right now on eBay USA for...you ready? $1200 and $1300!
Very interesting - didn't know even the S-Planar 32 mm f/5.6 was held in high regards... do you know at what magnification it works best? And which direction it should be mounted in?
I've seen the 32mm f/4 version, it came from an industrial microfilm document machine. Its for reduction normally mounted at big ratios so best stacked for magnification or as a taking lens at infinity in my experience judging by other lenses I've tested. I do have the docs for the 32mm S-planar I can dig up if you want to know exactly.

Forward to reduction to infinity, or backwards for stacking.

Best,

Robert

RobertOToole
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Re: Closeuphotography.com Lens Test Schedule Update incl. Printing Nikkor Test

Post by RobertOToole »

simplejoy wrote:
Tue Oct 11, 2022 10:21 am
RobertOToole wrote:
Mon Oct 10, 2022 5:23 pm
dickb wrote:
Mon Oct 10, 2022 11:41 am

The 32mm you mention is an S-Planar. I have seen both these S-Planars with a variable aperture starting from f/4.0 or with a fixed one at f/5.6, those tend to be pulled from scanning machines and the like. $300 is a reasonable price for those fixed ones.
I agree about the 32mm, I've seen them sell since then for $500-600 and two are listed right now on eBay USA for...you ready? $1200 and $1300!
Very interesting - didn't know even the S-Planar 32 mm f/5.6 was held in high regards... do you know at what magnification it works best? And which direction it should be mounted in?
Found it.

1:24-1:32 reduction
Carl Zeiss S-Planar 32mm microfilm lens
150 lp/mm resolving power
16mm microfilm

Robert

ray_parkhurst
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Re: Closeuphotography.com Lens Test Schedule Update incl. Printing Nikkor Test

Post by ray_parkhurst »

RobertOToole wrote:
Tue Oct 11, 2022 12:03 pm
1:24-1:32 reduction
Carl Zeiss S-Planar 32mm microfilm lens
150 lp/mm resolving power
16mm microfilm
So, it is a microfiche taking and/or projection lens?

RobertOToole
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Re: Closeuphotography.com Lens Test Schedule Update incl. Printing Nikkor Test

Post by RobertOToole »

ray_parkhurst wrote:
Tue Oct 11, 2022 6:09 pm
RobertOToole wrote:
Tue Oct 11, 2022 12:03 pm
1:24-1:32 reduction
Carl Zeiss S-Planar 32mm microfilm lens
150 lp/mm resolving power
16mm microfilm
So, it is a microfiche taking and/or projection lens?
Looks like taking. Its from something called an SMA Data Superfile. It looks like a reversed enlarger with the original at the bottom and the camera on a Z column. You can see the little lens sticking out at the top.

Robert

simplejoy
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Re: Closeuphotography.com Lens Test Schedule Update incl. Printing Nikkor Test

Post by simplejoy »

RobertOToole wrote:
Tue Oct 11, 2022 12:03 pm

Found it.

1:24-1:32 reduction
Carl Zeiss S-Planar 32mm microfilm lens
150 lp/mm resolving power
16mm microfilm

Robert
Thank you very much!

16-9
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Re: Closeuphotography.com Lens Test Schedule Update incl. Printing Nikkor Test

Post by 16-9 »

Is it a general rule that to excel at one application, you have to forgo everything else? Most of the lenses I consider exceptional at their job are surprisingly poor as general-purpose tools. The PNs and MS180 seem close to the top of their game, but at longer distances they behave more like a decent slide projector lens. Correspondingly, in Delta-world, Focotars and the late, fast Meogons exist on a razor's edge: superb within a narrow range, and – so I gather from Ray's short distance tests, and our tests at longer distances – disappointing outside it.

Surely collectors using PNs as catch-all taking lenses do so for bragging rights only: there's little to commend them, optically, for that application.

In the last decade, sites like Robert's and Ray's have raised awareness of the importance of optimisation for magnification. Enlarger lenses sit in the same niche as commercial 'macro' lenses that work very well from 1:2 up to the (frequently quite impaired) min.foc of general taking lenses. But I sense that 1:1 is the threshold of the domain of the specialised lenses championed by Robert's site – which has already demonstrated the power to shift perceptions and valuations.

Fortunately prices in this market are not a function of excellence, but the truth is inconveniently reputation-scrambling: for instance, I owe Robert (and simple.joy) for putting me onto Tominon MC lenses which turn out to be almost as brilliant at long range as they are close-up – but that's a small club, of which EL-Nikkors are prominent members – proving that you can, in fact, be good at everything . . . but if you want to be the best at one thing you have to specialise exclusively. At least I think that's what I'm groping toward saying . . . .

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