Schneider Componon 35mm f4 4/35 Lens Test Online

[Macro_Cosmos]

￥1800≈$260 on Taobao, that $600 is just...
Speechless.

[Macro_Cosmos]

There was no alternative though.

I can get the Mejiro for you and really most not-too-expensive Taobao stuff if you like. You'll have to cover shipping+insurance and paypal fees, along with the 3% CC surcharage if applicable. I'll try and circumvent that. I'll test it and send images before sending it out. I'm not expecting to make a giant profit, 10% for testing and trip to PO is all I want. If it's not good, Taobao has me covered.

As for Taobao prices, the buyer is absolutely expected to negotiate with the seller when it comes to industrial surplus. When you see prices such as 1 yuan or 888 or whatever that looks odd, it's that. FYI, 8 means "fa" which is fortune in Chinese.

It's nothing deceptive or anything IMO, it's just commonly assumed among Chinese buyers and sellers. Can't go into a totally foreign market with different rules and simply apply "ebay common sense" to it. On Taobao, if the buyer doesn't pay or changes mind before paying, the buyer's order will get cancelled in 2 days or the buyer can cancel it, that's an absolute "no" on eBay. I have this buyer from Europe who bought a lens, it's been almost 10 days without a payment, I must open a case to have it cancelled or he can just retaliate with a negative review. Frustrating as I miss out on a week's worth of exposure.

[dolmadis]

I can get the Mejiro for you and really most not-too-expensive Taobao stuff if you like. You'll have to cover shipping+insurance and paypal fees, along with the 3% CC surcharage if applicable. I'll try and circumvent that. I'll test it and send images before sending it out. I'm not expecting to make a giant profit, 10% for testing and trip to PO is all I want. If it's not good, Taobao has me covered.

That is an entirely neighbourly approach if it extends to me as well ?


BR

John

[Macro_Cosmos]

I can get the Mejiro for you and really most not-too-expensive Taobao stuff if you like. You'll have to cover shipping+insurance and paypal fees, along with the 3% CC surcharage if applicable. I'll try and circumvent that. I'll test it and send images before sending it out. I'm not expecting to make a giant profit, 10% for testing and trip to PO is all I want. If it's not good, Taobao has me covered.

That is an entirely neighbourly approach if it extends to me as well ?


BR

John

Yeah, I'm happy to help forum members that are around often.
Just shoot a message. Not sure about lead time, since that virus is still circulating.

[dolmadis]

Thank you very much.

I have had some orders on AliExpress go past due on shipping deadline and automatically refunded.

This is obviously a problem understandably encountered by sellers and I have decided to wait a bit.

Will be in touch and again thank you.

BR

John

[Bakwetu]

Thanks for the offer, and thanks for all the info you are providing here and on your site. I already have a no-name adapter for the rear end. I got 2 when I bought it for my SK 28mm. The front end is the problem. I guess I have to either clamp it or use a system like the one you are using with an outer tube that you screw it into?

Nice gear!

So the adapter won't clear the front cell?

You can always use a thread adapter, I think the threads are M37 off the top of my head.

Yes, the tube mounting is really nice. For this I have a couple of a M42 x 1.0 to SM2 thread adapters.

Best,

Robert

My Mejiro has no threads in the front so attaching a reversed lens to it is problematic.
I tried finding the distance for infinity, but couldn't really work it out, nothing seemed sharp at long distances no matter what elongation I used. Eventually I decided on it backwards by checking how much magnification I got with a stacked lens (gaffa taped).

Btw I also tried the Linos 35/1.6 together with the Mejiro (gaffa taped), it is really sharp in the centre, but the usable area seems too small even for crop cameras. I got a lot of chromatic abberation at f1.6, but most of it cleared up at f4. I might test increasing the distance between the tube lens and the Linos to see if that helps.

[RobertOToole]

My Mejiro has no threads in the front so attaching a reversed lens to it is problematic.

I mount both lenses inside a threaded lens tube from Thorlabs so filter threads or lack of filter threads aren't an issue.

I tried finding the distance for infinity, but couldn't really work it out, nothing seemed sharp at long distances no matter what elongation I used. Eventually I decided on it backwards by checking how much magnification I got with a stacked lens (gaffa taped).

Usually the focal length in mm + the FFD (flange focal distance, 22mm for Sony) for the camera + adapters gets you close and you just focus on something distant to get it right. Some lenses are very sensitive so I use a variable extension tube to make setting the distance easy.

Btw I also tried the Linos 35/1.6 together with the Mejiro (gaffa taped), it is really sharp in the centre, but the usable area seems too small even for crop cameras. I got a lot of chromatic abberation at f1.6, but most of it cleared up at f4. I might test increasing the distance between the tube lens and the Linos to see if that helps.

The MeVis? Those are made for C-mount cameras, so usually a very small sensor, 11mm or so Diagonal. These lenses need high resolution to cover the small pixel pitch of those small sensors.

Best,

Robert

[Bakwetu]

Yeah, I am realising I might need to go the Thorlabs route to make this work. It's gonna cost a bit, but it seems way more flexible once you're set up. I guess you go from whatever thread size on the various lenses to m42 and then m43 to SM2 adapters? You indicated that M52 will be compatible

According to Qioptiq leaflet the shorter (12-16mm) MeVis-C have 11 mm image circle, but the longer ones (25-50mm) have 16mm.

[RobertOToole]

Yeah, I am realising I might need to go the Thorlabs route to make this work. It's gonna cost a bit, but it seems way more flexible once you're set up. I guess you go from whatever thread size on the various lenses to m42 and then m43 to SM2 adapters? You indicated that M52 will be compatible

According to Qioptiq leaflet the shorter (12-16mm) MeVis-C have 11 mm image circle, but the longer ones (25-50mm) have 16mm.

Over time I built up my Thorlabs parts slowly sometimes picking things up on eBay to save money.

My most used adapters are SM2 > M42 stepdown adapter and some others of course. Thorlabs supplies 2 lock-rings with each tube to keep everything locked down rigidly.






BTW, SM2 male will thread into M52 x 0.75 female but not the opposite, M52 male will not go more than 1.5-2 turns into the SM2 female. Because of this I have to keep M52 x 0.75 female to male SM2 adapters around.


The thorlabs drawing is a bit off, most enlarging lenses, and line scan lenses, at least below 135mm, will fit inside the SM2 tube.




In this image there is a Mejiro 5.6/90 line scan lens inside the SM2 tube, mounted using the adapter above.

Best,

Robert

[Bakwetu]

"- The CPN 4/35 and CPN 2.8/35 share optics. " This is intriguing, are the older equivalent in the optics to the latest version (2.8/35) and will they perform the same at say f4 or at 2.8 (with modded iris for the 4/35 then of course)?
If so, that is great news, since the 4/35 is way cheaper and easier to find. At least the chrome version and the B00 version pops up frequently at really good prices. I just got a B00 for around $40 that is on its way now.
Or maybe it just the more recent 4/35 BKV-L that is eqiuvalent to the 2.8/35 BV?

When attaching the older versions of 4/35 to your studio setup you use a 30.5X0.5-52x0.75 converter? I haven't found any of those, at least I don't see them claiming to be 0.5 on the male side so I am guessing they are 0.75 on both sides as in https://www.ebay.com/itm/30-5mm-52mm-St ... SwEzxYQkHG

[JKT]

Would one of these do the trick combined with step-down ring?

https://www.customphototools.com/macro/ ... e-adapters

[RobertOToole]

Hi Bakwetu,

"- The CPN 4/35 and CPN 2.8/35 share optics. " This is intriguing, are the older equivalent in the optics to the latest version (2.8/35) and will they perform the same at say f4 or at 2.8 (with modded iris for the 4/35 then of course)?

I cannot tell the difference in performance between the lenses, I believe the iris is the only difference. But, the chances of getting an older 15 blade lens in the same shape as a brand new 2.8/35 would be really tough, so I think condition makes all the difference. Some of the older lenses which I love, were made in the 1960s, so they tend to show a little haze even on new-old-stock units in the original box.

I really like the older lenses, they are just fantastic, but its hard to beat a new 2.8/35 B-V lens!

If so, that is great news, since the 4/35 is way cheaper and easier to find. At least the chrome version and the B00 version pops up frequently at really good prices. I just got a B00 for around $40 that is on its way now.
Or maybe it just the more recent 4/35 BKV-L that is eqiuvalent to the 2.8/35 BV?

Glad to hear, sometimes they are really tough to find.

Later are usually a little better but I do have some of the older 15 blade lenses that are sharp at f/2!

When attaching the older versions of 4/35 to your studio setup you use a 30.5X0.5-52x0.75 converter? I haven't found any of those, at least I don't see them claiming to be 0.5 on the male side so I am guessing they are 0.75 on both sides as in https://www.ebay.com/itm/30-5mm-52mm-St ... SwEzxYQkHG

This one should be okay, its typical for the smaller diameter mounts to drop to 0.5 pitch.

The units I have are just typical units off Ebay, nothing special and they seem to fit the 0,5 pitch ok.

Hope I covered everything!

Best,

Robert

[RobertOToole]

Would one of these do the trick combined with step-down ring?

https://www.customphototools.com/macro/ ... e-adapters

Yes. I have a couple from them and they do the trick. They are a little thicker than I would like they the machining quality is A-okay.

Best,

Robert

[Bakwetu]

Thanks for the link JKT, I didn't know about that shop before. Easier too for me that they are in the EU . Here we have to pay 25% tax on the value of the product and the shipping + a $10 fee for the customs declaration per shipment if it comes from outside the EU. Getting an adapter ring or two then becomes expensive, so I try to minimize the number of shipments or buy within EU when I can.

Thanks for the info Robert, good to hear that the 4/35 in good condition can be as good. That $40 B00 was a bit of a gamble since I am somewhat unsure about the condition. Just in case, I got another B00 4/35 from an US seller for $70+shipping and taxes that is also on its way. She has sold several 4/35 lately, though some of them had issues like a broken aperture etc. I'm going to try your neat aperture transformation with a 5.6/80 on one of them.

[RobertOToole]

Thanks for the link JKT, I didn't know about that shop before. Easier too for me that they are in the EU . Here we have to pay 25% tax on the value of the product and the shipping + a $10 fee for the customs declaration per shipment if it comes from outside the EU. Getting an adapter ring or two then becomes expensive, so I try to minimize the number of shipments or buy within EU when I can.

Thanks for the info Robert, good to hear that the 4/35 in good condition can be as good. That $40 B00 was a bit of a gamble since I am somewhat unsure about the condition. Just in case, I got another B00 4/35 from an US seller for $70+shipping and taxes that is also on its way. She has sold several 4/35 lately, though some of them had issues like a broken aperture etc. I'm going to try your neat aperture transformation with a 5.6/80 on one of them.

Glad to hear! Hope it comes out well. Any questions shoot me an email or message!

Those old SK lenses are built last but some have a thin layer or haze, but the haze seems to mostly show up between the two groups not inside the groups, mostly

BTW, I have a big test I'm working on this weekend BTW that should be interesting to everyone, 1-3x. Looking forward to it. I'll post some info soon!

Best,

Robert