gnashings Posted June 5, 2011 Share Posted June 5, 2011 <p>Hi All,<br /> A while ago I saw a post on this very forum (I know...shocking!) of a very nice family of Spotmatics living in perfetct harmony under the roof of one of our fellow CMC'ers.<br /> Having only a couple of SP's, a 500 and a 1000 I grew to like these cameras a lot, but really wanted a "proper" Spotmatic... you know... one that said "SOTMATIC" on it, and ideally, I wanted a black one. As is a commonly known scientific fact, black cameras are more professional and take better pictures because they are just so damn cool;)<br /> Seriously, I have no better reason for wanting one... deep down, I have to be honest... I just wanted one. And I think the black ones are hella cool... I know - I am a small, easily amused person - but hey, c'est la vie!:)</p> <p>I recently spotted (get it: SPOTTED? ya I know, I kill myself!) a black Spotmatic on eBay, and on a lark, bid on it. A few hours later my snipe came through and for $20 +shipping I had a beautiful black Spotmatic. Upon arrival, I inspected it and concluded it was a very accurately described item, with beautiful, authentic "weathering" - yes, I actually like the brassing. Wish I got it that way myself, but at least it came by its badges of honour honestly. The meter fired up and checked out against all my other cameras - I was a happy camper.</p> <p>A short while ago, Rick Drawbridge posted some pictures with an Albinar 135mm which I noticed looked very,very much like an M42 Soligor of the same focal length that I picked up for $5 a while ago and never got around to using it. Rick's post got me curious and reminded me of the old lens, so I dug it out and cleaned it up.</p> <p>I decided to take both new addition and forgotten step-child of a lens for a test drive:)</p> <p>Two conclusion were immediate: 1) Rick is a great photographer and the lens doesn't matter, 2) The lens works wonderfully, especially on a per dollar basis. And 3) oh yeah, there is three actually - the black Spottie was a pleasure to use and sounded mechanically perfect, solid and well built.</p> <p>I put a roll of drug store brand 400asa print film (thinking rebranded Fuji something or other), and found no light leaks or any other mechanical shortcomings.</p> <p>First, for a family photo:</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gnashings Posted June 5, 2011 Author Share Posted June 5, 2011 <p>Pentax trio - check out that 90-230 zoom... its a lead pipe of a lens!</p><div></div> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gnashings Posted June 5, 2011 Author Share Posted June 5, 2011 <p>The black beauty itself</p><div></div> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gnashings Posted June 5, 2011 Author Share Posted June 5, 2011 <p>One more, with a closer look at the lens - it has a built in hood! I know, wonders never cease :)</p><div></div> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gnashings Posted June 5, 2011 Author Share Posted June 5, 2011 <p>As usual, the photos are representative of my facility to scan them, etc. (the above images are from a cell phone - it is what it is:))<br> First, the obligatory shot of my shed door, min. focusing distance, wide open.</p><div></div> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gnashings Posted June 5, 2011 Author Share Posted June 5, 2011 <p>Secondly, it is a portrait lens, so some portraits:</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gnashings Posted June 5, 2011 Author Share Posted June 5, 2011 <p>Sorry, my computer is being a mac..</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gnashings Posted June 5, 2011 Author Share Posted June 5, 2011 <p>Once more - portrait</p><div></div> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gnashings Posted June 5, 2011 Author Share Posted June 5, 2011 <p>and one more - all of these were shot close to wide open, up to f4 I'd say, trying to use the meter in the camera - which I found a pleasure to use.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gnashings Posted June 5, 2011 Author Share Posted June 5, 2011 <p>Nope, its trying to put my pics on their side...</p><div></div> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gnashings Posted June 5, 2011 Author Share Posted June 5, 2011 <p>One more - this one... well, they say never work with children or animals ;)</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gnashings Posted June 5, 2011 Author Share Posted June 5, 2011 <p>It posted this one up side down, even though its clearly not on my comp... grrr one more try:</p><div></div> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gnashings Posted June 5, 2011 Author Share Posted June 5, 2011 <p>And some vegetation, I believe this was about f8, thanks for looking:)</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gnashings Posted June 5, 2011 Author Share Posted June 5, 2011 <p>OK one more try, hopefully this time it will put it in the right orientation...</p><div></div> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tom_price1 Posted June 5, 2011 Share Posted June 5, 2011 <p>That is a great looking camera and a fine 135mm lens. A black brassed Spotmatic is just plain cool.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gabor_szabo3 Posted June 5, 2011 Share Posted June 5, 2011 <p>Peter, you wrote <em>"SOTMATIC"<strong> .... </strong></em>is this related to the fabled <em>"Schnapps-O-Flex"</em> ? :oP<br> Great post, by the way. Always a pleasure to read and see that<br> 1) Old Pentaxes get plenty of exercise<br> 2) El-cheapo glass finally gets some respect<br> 3) Mr. Drawbridge gets yet another mention in a pnet article</p> <p> </p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gnashings Posted June 5, 2011 Author Share Posted June 5, 2011 <p>Gabor, I noticed my typo but pnet doesn't allow me to edit... but no, that's just me - when there is a "Schnapps-O-Flex" involved I am even more illegible:) </p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
craigd Posted June 5, 2011 Share Posted June 5, 2011 <p>Nice cat portrait and dandelion puffs!</p> <p>I don't have a Soligor lenses, I don't think, just four Vivitars and a Panagor to represent the 1960s-70s third-party vendors. (They're probably all made in the same Japanese factories anyway.) Of those, only the Panagor (a 200mm f/3.5) is M42 mount, and I don't think I've actually shot anything with it yet. I picked it up cheap on eBay a few months ago to give my M42 Pentaxes a bit more reach, but I haven't been shooting them much lately. I've been distracted by my most recent acquisitions, a Canon A-1 and a small fleet of Minoltas.</p> <p>I posted about <a href="00Xq79">my black Spotmatic F</a> last December.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rick_drawbridge Posted June 5, 2011 Share Posted June 5, 2011 <p>Mr. Drawbridge is a little embarrassed by all this...Thanks for the totally-undeserved accolades, <strong>Peter</strong>, but I'm glad I spurred you into creating such an interesting post. That Soligor performs well. I seem to have accumulated quite a range of "Lesser Brand" M42 135mm lenses, and they're great fun . Some of them match the Big Names, in performance, and the build quality is often superb. Panagor(Kino) and Soligor consistently measure up very well. Somehow, while I know many people find it "in-between", I find the 135mm a comfortable and creative focal length.</p> <p>Nice portraits of Phoebe and Holden, though don't let the media exposure go to their heads. The black Spotmatic is beautiful, and I just hope "Sotmatic" isn't a Freudian Slip. My Mother warned me about those, but I don't wear slips, any more...</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gnashings Posted June 5, 2011 Author Share Posted June 5, 2011 <p>Craig, Rick - thank you for the kind and encouraging words - I have to say, I have slipped many a time, but usually on a banana peel... I guess sometimes a banana is just a banana though ;)</p> <p>One thing I can't stress enough is how solid this Soligor is - its a hefty chunk of metal, and everything moves with a solid precision, even if the effort is more along the lines of the Russian "lubricant-compensated" focusing mechanisms, there is nothing sloppy or imprecise about it - and it really snaps into focus very authoritatively even on a somewhat dimmer focusing screen than I am usually used to (not that the Spotmatic screens are bad, I just think my main work horse, the New F1 is pretty extraordinary in that regard).</p> <p>And Rick,the accolades are richly deserved - as far as Pheobe and Holden go, I tried to convey the warning about all this going to their heads... but their people said they'd get back to my people..maybe will do lunch... I don't know how to take it.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brett_rogers Posted June 5, 2011 Share Posted June 5, 2011 <p>Rick, I love seeing what new images you've added and which weird or wonderful camera you've grabbed them with. Especially, being a 35-EE & SE owner, as you're a fan of the Fujica RF series too. Any chance of some more Fujica love in the not-too-distant future?</p> <p>Love the dog shots too, Peter. The Spotmatics are an absolute classic, I suppose I will have to track one down myself eventually. I've stayed with Yashica and Fujica for M42 so far but I often have Super Tak lenses fitted to them.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob_the_waste Posted June 5, 2011 Share Posted June 5, 2011 <p>What a fun post. I like your dog Holden. That lead pipe you have looks strikingly like a lead pipe that I have with a Hanimex label on it. Also 90-230, and also $5.00 (Canadian though...). Depending on when you got your lens, your's may have worked out to be about twenty cents cheaper. Congrats on the Spotmatic purchase. </p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lou_Meluso Posted June 5, 2011 Share Posted June 5, 2011 <p><strong>All</strong> lenses look terrific on a black Spotmatic! Very nice series, Peter, with Holden stealing the show. Surprising results from a $5 lens. </p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gnashings Posted June 6, 2011 Author Share Posted June 6, 2011 <p>Thanks so much for the kind words, and thank you for having a look - the animals are always such gratifying models!</p> <p>Louis - I tend to agree, there is just something so right about that camera, I find myself just fondling it while I watch TV :) Wow... did I just admit to that?</p> <p>Brett - resistance is futile:)</p> <p>Rob - I believe the lead pipe I have is labelled Bushnell, and came with a very nice tripod collar - all purchased at a garage sale with the Sp1000. There was also a 3rd party 35mm that I have never used because it just wasn't really in one piece lol, but over all, it was a god find, lots of photos came out of that camera. And I am also in Canada, so I right now WE IS RICH!!! ;)</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rick_drawbridge Posted June 7, 2011 Share Posted June 7, 2011 <p><strong>Brett</strong>, sorry I didn't acknowledge your question regarding the Fujicas! Nice to see another Fujica fan, but I don't quite know when I might get around to another series. There are a couple of Fujica SLR's I'm cleaning up...</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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