MTC Photography Posted February 23, 2017 Share Posted February 23, 2017 CZJ Flektogon 20/4 is an ultra wide angle lens for Exakta Varex. Selling for under $300, while a Leica Elmart R19 ver II is fetching about $4000, even version I is about $1300. So Flektogon 20/4 is a lot cheaper. What about its performance, center/corner sharpess, distortion level, etc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JDMvW Posted February 23, 2017 Share Posted February 23, 2017 The Flektogon is a rival to the Angenieux for the "first" 35mm retrofocus. No one really knows which was the first retrofocus wide angle for 35mm SLRs. YOu might want to look at the Angenieux as well, though it's usually pricey in its own right. Historical bits aside, I have used it in a Praktina mount and it is excellent. Somewhere in the archives here on P.net I did a report on it with examples. It's available, I think, in most of the East German SLR mounts (Exakta, Praktica, Praktina, etc._) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bonsignore_ezio Posted February 23, 2017 Share Posted February 23, 2017 It is also available in M42 screw mount. I have one and use it both on M42 cameras as well as (with adapters) on Canon FDs and Minoltas. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ben_ballard Posted February 28, 2017 Share Posted February 28, 2017 This lens is legendary for having almost no distortion. I have the M42 version and I love it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MTC Photography Posted March 7, 2017 Author Share Posted March 7, 2017 My Flektogon 20/4 is in transit, cannot wait to mount it on Exa and try it out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SCL Posted March 7, 2017 Share Posted March 7, 2017 Had one in the late 1990s for my Exakta. It was a strong performer, but I never really was very good shooting with it...the screen on my Exakta didn't help much, and I ended up selling both for a little more than I paid for them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MTC Photography Posted March 7, 2017 Author Share Posted March 7, 2017 Flektogon 20mm F4 on Ihagee Exakta Exa SLR Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MTC Photography Posted March 7, 2017 Author Share Posted March 7, 2017 Unfortunately the same CZJ Flektogon 20/4 does not work on my Exakta Varex IIa, mounted on that camera the aperture always open at max. It works only on my Exa Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MTC Photography Posted January 9, 2018 Author Share Posted January 9, 2018 (edited) The Flektagon 4/20 on one of my Exakta Varex IIa, but not on other Exakta camera,( the one with straight label plate) quite odd. Edited January 9, 2018 by MTC Photography Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MTC Photography Posted January 10, 2018 Author Share Posted January 10, 2018 I used Leitz Elmarit R-19/2.8 extensively on my Canon EOS MARK ii CAMERA, there is corner fall off with this lens at wide open Flektogon 20/4 has no vignette problem Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JDMvW Posted January 10, 2018 Share Posted January 10, 2018 It is also available in M42 screw mount Of couse, Praktica (and its ancestor the Contax S) ARE the original M42 lens mount. The others adopted it as the first "standard" SLR mount. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chuck_foreman1 Posted January 10, 2018 Share Posted January 10, 2018 I find that strange that it fits the Exa but no the Exakta?!? That the aperture is opens when it is mounted points to something amiss with the mount. I've been able to adjust this I think on some Exakta lenses. IIRC there is a variable distance adjustment on the shutter release button ..ie that's the thing that closes down the aperture. See if that can't be adjusted somehow ... but hey.. one working 35mm Exakta mount lens is still great.. so happy shooting with the Exa... please post results. I keep the 35mm on my Exa btw. The Exakta has the Pancolar usually!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rodeo_joe1 Posted January 11, 2018 Share Posted January 11, 2018 Like a lot of East German stuff, the mechanical construction sometimes lets them down. My sample of 20mm f/4 Jena Flektagon has a tilted image plane, and so has softer corners one side than the other. It's a fairly old "zebra stripe" finish version. Centrally, the image quality is very good, but overall contrast is on the low side. I have a 25mm and a 50mm Pentacon 6 version as well. Unfortunately the 25mm Flektagon has a worn iris mechanism that catches on stopping down. Otherwise its performance is OK, but doesn't match a "modern" 24mm design like an Ai-S f/2.8 Nikkor. Good enough for B&W film, would be my assessment. Because although the correction of colour aberrations is very good, the contrast of these lenses takes the saturation out of colour shots. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
subbarayan_prasanna Posted January 14, 2018 Share Posted January 14, 2018 (edited) Here is a sample picture taken with the lens in 1971 . Please see the next frame. Sorry, some problem with the uploading. But you can see the images. Regards SP Edited January 14, 2018 by subbarayan_prasanna Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
subbarayan_prasanna Posted January 15, 2018 Share Posted January 15, 2018 Hope this helps! 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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