Another one: Schacht Travenar 90 f/2.8
Another one lens ? Yes.
In my collection ? No.
This one, too, belongs to the same seller who borrowed me the Porst 55/1.2. I got it to cleanup some cleaning traces and a few spots of fungus.
This time, i haven't made a tutorial because the lens is really easy to service. But, if you really want to know how to proceed, feel free to leave a comment here requesting more info, and i will either update this post, or make a new one ...
Once cleaned, i played a bit with it, of course, just to check how it would perform when compared to my Travenar 90/2.8 (yes, i already have one ;-) ...).
Well, this sample seems to be better than mine. At least it has a better contrast (but, maybe, mine needs some cleaning, too) ...
A sample picture, taken with the lens wide open:
Another one, at f/5.6:
Both pictures are straight from the raw files. The only PP, performed by Silkypix, has consisted in pushing the contrast a bit (this sample, like mine, really needs an hood).
The resized pictures really don't show the IQ of the lens (especially the first one). If you really want to appreciate it, go see the full res versions, browsing to my Flickr set here, the last 8 pictures are the ones i took this afternoon ...
And, for the chronicle, i really like the bottle and the content ;-) ...
Labels: Pentax K10D, Schacht Travenar 90 f2.8
posted by IndianaDinos at 10:32 PM
9 Comments:
The lens looks cool. If you need a cobaye for the bottle, you know how to get in touch with me ;-)
Thanks for the lens ...
For the bottle, well, since i like to take care of my friends, avoiding them drinking poison, i'm currently testing its contents at first on me ;-) ...
Hello, your website is very interesting, thanks for doing that.
I tried to look for alternative contact but can't locate it. This is a bit off topic to your original post:
I have a question. I found two lenses locally which I have yet to see, a Super Takumar 24/3,5 and pre-set Takumar M42 100/3,5. Apparently the 100mm has slightly stiff focus and is starting to show oil on aperture blades. I will be checking them out this afternoon. The 100 is very rare lens and could be late 50's or early 60's M42 3 element design.
Any idea if it's worth refurbishing the 100, and who/where can that be done? The 100 looks like a simple 3 element design so you think it's worth getting some tools and maybe do a self fix? I have a technicians/technologist background but I never opened up a lens :)
Thanks for any info you might provide,
Eric J.
London,Ontario, Canada.
eric.janiszewski@gmail.com
Hi Eric,
At first, thanks for stopping here and for your kind words about my site ...
Well, effectively, you are right, just noticed that there is no contact link in the menu ... Will fix shortly ...
Then, the lenses ...
The STak 24/3.5 is really fine, IMHO. If you need a wide angle lens and if the price is fair, go buy it.
The 100/3.5 preset is, effectively, quite rare and thus expensive ... The stiff focusing ring can be fixed quite easily, provided that you take some care when servicing (will explain later). I wouldn't care about a few oil on blades, since it is quite normal for a lens of that age. Modern lenses suffer much more of oily blades than older ones ...
Again, if the price is fair for a lens requiring service, i would get it, as it is quite difficult to find. And the triplet design can lead to some nice results (just look for pictures taken with Triotar or Trioplan on Flickr) ...
If you have never serviced a lens, i wouldn't start with a lens such as the 100/3.5, rare and expensive. Instead, buy a cheap Helios 44 and start with it ... Then, once you feel more confident, you can try to fix the 100/3.5. If you don't want to try by yourself, re-lubing an helical by a professional repairman shouldn't be too expensive (it's quite simple), probably less than the cost of a good spanner wrench ...
The main issue when removing the focusing ring to access the helical for cleaning, is that if you don't mark the point at which the ring unscrews from the helical, you will be in troubles for a proper realignment of the distance scale (did this when first re-lubing a Tessar 50). These lenses have more than one thread on the focusing helical. When you screw in back the focusing barrel, if you don't match the correct thread, you will have the focusing scale that no longer matches the marks ... This doesn't affect IQ, of course, but i found it quite disturbing on my Tessar. And fixing it could be quite time-consuming (on the Tessar there are 6 threads, if i remember well, maybe more on the 100/3.5) ...
So, my advices are: buy both lenses and, once you notice that the focusing ring of the 100/3.5 is effectively stiff, try to find a repairman near where you live. Otherwise, buy also an Helios 44 and start practicing with it, before trying to fix the 100. Keep in mind that a good spanner wrench may cost more than 100 US$ (and, believe me, the first time you scratch a lens or a ring because of poor tips, you will really want a good spanner wrench) ...
Hope this helps ...
Hi,
Yes, I check your site and it's very interesting info.
I just bought both for $140. The Super Tak 24mm is mint and looks brand new - it's got a very tiny scratch on the front element, very tiny and won't affect images. It's sharp wide open and very sharp at around f/5,6. I think this will be one of my most used lenses, the focal length is of interest to me.
The 100/3,5 is sweet! I have yet to take some real shots but the test shots reveal some interesting qualities. Like you said, it does look rare and I might look for a service person to fix the stiff focus ring. It's actually not that bad.
Thanks for the info and keep up the good work around here :)
Eric J.
ps. if you know a service person in Canada, or even US, then please let me know. The 100/3,5 seems like it's worth refurbishing, especially the aperture ring and focus ring.
Hi Eric, i just replied through PM ...
And yes, the 100/3.5 really deserves fixing, IMHO.
Congrats for the bargain ...
Hello, I found your blog by searching for "Steinheil Edixa Auto-D-Tele-Quinar" as I have one which I obtained very inexpensively, but the aperture blades do not operate when the Auto/Man slide is moved, nor when the aperture setting ring is moved.
I have not been able to find disassembly instructions anywhere, but I see that you disassemble many lenses and that you have owned a similar Steinheil.
Do you have any thoughts on how the stuck aperture may be repaired? Or accessed?
I have found that most of the body simply unscrews to access various elements, but I hesitate to dive into the aperture without a clue.
I have previously repaired the aperture blade mechanism (slow due to oil) on a Meyer Domiplan 50/2.8, and cleaned elements in many lenses. So, I am not totally inexperienced, but usually I have found at least a written description of how to access the exact area.
I have enjoyed all your photos on flickr and this blog as well. Very interesting.
Thank you!
Perdoname completamente, porfa...
The lens that I have and want to disassemble is a Steinheil Edixa Auto-D-Tele-Quinar 135mm 1:3.5
Also, the focusing helicoid is fine - smooth and not wobbly, but the control ring on the focus is just a tiny bit loose - a tiny rattle of movement. There are almost microscopic screws, but do they really tighten up the attachment of the control ring? It seems like it would be incredibly easy to strip such tiny screws and then they'd be useless.
Thank you again for any advice you can provide. I've been reading more archives of your blog and loving ALL of it!
Abrazos desde YucatAn! ;-)
Hi YucatanPentax,
At first, thanks for spending your time here and commenting, glad to have feedback from people enjoying my posts ...
Unluckily, i cannot help this time ...
In fact, i have both 135 from Steinheil, the 3.5 and the 2.8. And, while the 2.8 is perfectly working, my 135/3.5 (the same Steinheil Edixa Auto-D-Tele-Quinar as your) is not working at all ...
Its diaphragm blades are stuck wide open (i'm asking myself if they are still there ...) and i have been unable to find a way to open it. The only screw i have been able to remove is the one that keeps the focusing ring in place. But, even if you remove it, you will not be able to remove the ring (just rotate it) ...
Thus, i'm stuck with such a beautiful lens that i can use only wide open ... Nevertheless, even in such conditions, it is a true keeper ... It's sharpness wide open is unbelievable ...
I'm afraid you will have to find other sources for repair (either a professional repairman or a service manual). Up to now, i haven't found someone able to service this lens ...
Strangely enough, the 135/2.8 seems to be much more easier to service ...
I will keep you informed if i found a way to fix it ...
Thanks again for your comments ...
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