Author Topic: semiautomatic biotar!!!  (Read 1674 times)

richardHaw

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semiautomatic biotar!!!
« on: August 26, 2021, 12:38:55 »
https://richardhaw.com/2021/08/26/repair-carl-zeiss-jena-biotar-58mm-f-2-2/

the best biotar version ive tried :o :o :o

a better investment instead of the cheap chinese lenses (that look like buttplugs) ::)

Airy

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Re: semiautomatic biotar!!!
« Reply #1 on: August 26, 2021, 15:34:07 »
Better than Helios 58/2 ?

At first sight, the photos look similar (incl. the slight purple cast on out-of-focus areas)
Airy Magnien

richardHaw

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Re: semiautomatic biotar!!!
« Reply #2 on: August 26, 2021, 16:22:31 »
very similar but according to what i recall from the helios, this one should be better. its already very good wide-open. better than nikkors of its time :o :o :o very impressive. look at the sample photos. ::)

MEPER

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Re: semiautomatic biotar!!!
« Reply #3 on: September 01, 2021, 21:15:44 »
This gives a good overview of different generations of Biotars?
https://casualphotophile.com/2019/02/13/carl-zeiss-jena-biotar-58mm-f-2-lens-review/

There is also a 17-blade aperture version. I did not know that.
And also a modern Japanese copy?      Oprema from 2018?

This one:
https://petapixel.com/2017/09/19/opremas-new-biotar-58mm-f2-0-lens-record-17-blade-aperture/

Can you get them cheap in Japan?

richardHaw

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Re: semiautomatic biotar!!!
« Reply #4 on: September 01, 2021, 22:13:54 »
the oprema isnt cheap :o :o :o

i personally think the semiautomatic one is a better buy.
for the price of the oprema you can get something better ::)

MEPER

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Re: semiautomatic biotar!!!
« Reply #5 on: September 01, 2021, 22:49:42 »
It is also a heavy lens. 410g vs. 214g for the "semi-auto".
I guess chromed brass vs aluminium?

richardHaw

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Re: semiautomatic biotar!!!
« Reply #6 on: September 01, 2021, 23:43:05 »
i am not sure, probably aluminum.  :o :o :o

the optics between the oprema and the classic ones seem similar.

i dont know what was the point in making this lens because the older biotars that have many blades were already good enough. i doubt making the blades to 17 from 10 or 12 helps much ::)

richardHaw

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Re: semiautomatic biotar!!!
« Reply #7 on: September 01, 2021, 23:47:35 »
i just looked at the oprema photos. nothing too different to warrant the price. the bokeh still looks ugly to me, maybe even uglier ::)

for that money they should have been able to add AF and CPU contacts to it, now that would have been a better deal instead of the 17 blades.

BUT if one is enterprising it is possible to adapt it to AF like what I did :o :o :o

MEPER

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Re: semiautomatic biotar!!!
« Reply #8 on: September 01, 2021, 23:58:08 »
Yes, the bokeh is very "busy". A bit like a mirror-lens.
The Helios 40 has a bit of the same but much more "gentle" or "relaxed".

If there are no high-lights in the background bokeh is quite nice?

richardHaw

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Re: semiautomatic biotar!!!
« Reply #9 on: September 02, 2021, 04:09:35 »
depends. its kind of mixed actually :o :o :o

in general i find biotars to perform really well in terms of bokeh.