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  #1  
Old 26th January 2021, 07:21 PM
John King John King is offline
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Default New bit of Kit

I have pensioned off my venerable Nikon 28/105 F3.5/4.5 AFD I have had it for around 15 yrs so has given good service. Not that it is worn out or cranky, but I have been after something a little wider at one end and a little longer at the tele end.

I splashed out on a Mint- Nikon 24/120 F4 G lens. The first impressions are that it is a couple of steps up from the 28/105. Being sharper goes without saying, even wide open. This is the first lens I have owned that bought new would have cost me over £1000. I paid a lot less than half of that.

I read before I bought it that there was a bit of distortion at the long end, well there is a little, but absolutely not as much as has been claimed. About the same as my 20/35 AFD. The only downside is, being a 'G' series lens, it will not work completely with my F4 except I believe in Programme or Shutter priority.

Has anyone else used one of these? (Not the much cheaper 3.5/5.6, they are acclaimed to be a disaster.)
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Old 26th January 2021, 09:59 PM
Lostlabours Lostlabours is offline
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You should get a proper pro outfit

Just adding a CZJ 135mm Sonnar to my Pratina kit, I want a CZJ 75mm f1.5 Biotar to go with my 58mm f2 Biotar, some Flektagons next.

If you haven't seen a Praktina they were the first true system cameras with a huge range of lenses from many German manufaturers East & West, inter changeable prism and finders, 2 different motor drives, a bulk back, metered prism and years before the Nikon F.

Yes the Exacta was a system camera but not as rugged and not as professional, no bulk back or motor drive.

KW who made Praktina cameras also made a cheaper budget camera the Praktica, and after merging with Zeiss Ikon/VEB Pentacon new models were all sold as Praktica or Pentacon.

Unfortunately no zoom lenses were made for Praktina cameras

Must buy a winning lottery ticket I want tah 75mm f1.5 Sonnar, they sell for over £1000

Ian

Ian
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  #3  
Old 27th January 2021, 12:40 PM
big paul big paul is offline
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that's a nice lens you have there John .
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  #4  
Old 27th January 2021, 03:09 PM
John King John King is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by big paul View Post
that's a nice lens you have there John .
Thanks, yes it is nice and the 1st three I shot this morning of an old church have shown how much sharper it is than the 28/105. Another benefit I was not expecting is, being a newer design, edge colour fringing is virtually nil. But by heavens it a heavy lump. I thought my 35/70AFD f2.8 was heavy, but that is a lightweight in comparison.

I have just weighed them. The 35/70 is 716Gms and the 24/120 is 793gms That isn't an awful lot in it but the new lens is also quite a bit physically bigger.

Last edited by John King; 27th January 2021 at 03:15 PM.
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Old 27th January 2021, 03:26 PM
John King John King is offline
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Default Praktina

Yes I have handled one but never inclined to own one of my own. I am old enough to remember them being sold new about the same time as the Pentacon FM. They vaguely had a body shape like the original Contax reflex which had a frame size of 24mm x 32 which was the equivalent of a 4/3rds format. The body that came with something like a 58mm F2 Biotar was as I remember about the same price as a Leica M3 body only

The Praktina and lenses were well out of my pocket money bracket, so I had to make do with a number of 120 folders until I was able to buy my 1st Pentax.

No zoom lenses were available for any 35mm camera until the advent of the 35mm-85mm made for the Voigtlander Bessamatic which by all accounts was as sharp as a rusty table knife.

Last edited by John King; 27th January 2021 at 03:30 PM.
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  #6  
Old 27th January 2021, 03:31 PM
John King John King is offline
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Default Praktina

Deleted - double post
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