Sekor C vs. KL lens quality

[steven_d._johnson]

<p>I'd like to hear some opinions regarding the construction quality and optical superiorority of the KL lenses over the Sekor C class, AND WHETHER or not the KL class can mount to the Pro S (NOT Pro SD or RZ) body. Thanks! </p>

[erie_patsellis]

<p>Steven, I can't tell you the difference, as I have only C (50, 65, 90, 127, 150, 180, 250) and non C (360mm) lenses, as far as I know, the only K/L lenses that won't mount are the 75 and 500, the rest i'm told mount just fine.</p>

[bueh]

<p>What Erie said. Even the old non-C lenses were professional-grade glass.</p>

[paul ron]

<p>As far as internals... K/L's have plastic gears in the shutters, non-repairable, while non-Cs and Cs were mostly brass shutters with plenty of adjustment room and interchangable parts (within series) untill Mamiya started cutting back on costs and went to stamped steel and rivited modules in later C and NB lenses.<br>

Once the real economic situation got worse and they were heading down the tubes, their shutters became disposables and construction quality lessened. The hype about better coatings n glass was a ploy to sell more to people chasing the market trends in the hope to recover. Yes the coatings may have gotten better but that is just the evolution of all lenses in general compared to 30 and 40 year old lenses we still enjoy today. All Mamiya lenses were "Pro quality glass" and are, if not, superior to any pro lens on the market today.</p>

<p> </p>

[jim_momary]

<p>Regarding fit, see this recent discussion in this same MF forum ...</p>

<p>http://www.photo.net/medium-format-photography-forum/00TBQi</p>

<p>Jim</p>

[mark liddell]

<p>Some of the KL lenses are optically different to the C lenses and more in line with the RZ lenses. Eg. the 90mm KL has a floating element. I have never seen a proper test.<br>

You can use KL lenses on the ProS (with the exotic exceptions metioned above), you just need to take off the shim/collar before you mount it.<br>

Some of the KL lenses are very overpriced on the used market, esp the 65mm - the C lenses are excellent and much less. Note that there is no KL 50mm.</p>