Which 200mm M42 lens would you choose?

I'm post this here because the M42 is so often called a Pentax thread mount and these lenses are often

used with Pentax Spotmatics.

 

I am trying to choose between three 200mm M42 lenses and I was wondering if you guys could help. Also,

if you know anything about the actual manufacturers of these lenses, I'd be greatly appreciative. The first

lens is a Vivitar 200mm F/3.5 Auto Telephoto #28610273. The second is a Soligor TELE-AUTO 200mm,

F3.5 #17100327. The last is a lens marked AUTO-ALPA, Multi-Coated, For ALPA Swiss, 1:3.5 200mm. It's

#2540049 and is made in Japan as is the other two. I've found a little bit out about the Vivitar, but not the

other two.

 

I'm looking at which is going to produce the sharpest, most contrasty images, etc. I'm also looking at

which of these will be the most reliable. I use M42 lenses with a variety of cameras, a Zenit 122, Zenit ET,

Pentax Spotmatic II, and the most recent of my acquisitions is my Voigtländer Bessaflex TM. Thanks in

advance for any info you can give me.

I'm unfamiliar with the other two as well, but if the Vivitar ia a series 1 it should be a very good lens.

The serial number of the Vivtar seems to suggest that it was manufactured for Vivtar by the japanese company KOMINE.

 

Personally, my favourite M42 at 200mm is the Meyer-Optik/Pentacon Orestegor 200/4.

 

http://www.praktica-users.com/lens/mlenses/morp4_200.html

In M42 mount I have a 200/4 Super Takumar, two Vivitar 200/3.8 Fixed Mount (28XXX...), an older Mamiya Sekor 200/3.5 and a 200/3 Vivitar Series 1. I also have a 200/3.5 Vivitar T4 lens and a Vivitar 200/3.5 TX with adapters for M42. The Super Takumar is nice even if it's a little slow. The 200/3.5 Vivitars are very nice. I think all of the lenses Komine made for Vivitar (starting with 28) are good. The 200/3 Series 1 is bright to look through, very sharp and focuses to 4 feet. I believe the Alpa lens you mention was made by Chinon. I have the 50/1.7 M42 Alpa (Made In Japan) lens and it's very nice. The 200 Alpa lens is prettier than the others but of te ones you mention I would get the Vivitar. If you can get the 200 Alpa lens for not too much money I would sell it to a nutty Alpa M42 collector and use the proceeds to buy a Vivitar 200/3 Series 1. The cameras you have do not have very bright viewfinders so a faster lens (at least f/3.5) will be helpful.

Oops! That should read 200mm f/3.5 Vivitar.

I chose the Super-Takumar 200 f/4.

I don't know the lenses you mentioned. I'm using two 200mm in M42 mount: the SMC Takumar f4 and the Tamron f3.5 (with custom mount). I rather the Takumar because its color rendition and bokeh. Hope this could help.

Jeff Adler, I appreciate your feed back. In fact, I appreciate all of you guys' feed back. But

Jeff, you are quite wrong about the view finders of all my cameras not being bright. It's

certainly true of the Spotmatic II and the Argus, but not so true of the Zenits. And the

Bessaflex TM has probably the brightest viewfinder of any camera I've seen. It's brighter

then the FM3A I own!

 

I haven't found any info on the lens marked "For Alpa Swiss" or for the Soligor. The Vivitar

seems like it may have the rubber coating missing from the focus collar, but otherwise

okay. The "For Alpa Swiss" lens is new old stock, in perfect condition. The Soligor looks

to be in good shape too, except for one thing. When you stop it down, and look at the

aperture, it's oblong, not a perfectly symmetrical polygon like the others. Defect? Odd

design?

If you can get your hands on one you really should consider the Pentax SMC 200mm f3.5. I have seen the MTF curve on this baby from an old 1970's era camera mag and it confirms what users already know - it is a lens of unbelievable optical quality. Like most Pentax screw mount lenses it does have a tendancy to need its aperture serviced as it gets sticky.

2.8/180mm Zeiss Sonnar, M42 or Pentacon Six mount + adapter.<br>

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Cheers,<br>

<br>

Sébastien