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on Aug 28, 2021 2:23:09 GMT
Last Edit: Aug 28, 2021 2:27:04 GMT by lumiworx
I came across this pinecone shaped oddity while digging through stored stuff, and realized I'd forgotten I even had it. I can't imagine the brand name isn't familiar to most readers of this forum, but I've never really known too much about this aside from it's reason for being. This is the Chinon branded version of the 135mm that was sold with the Alpa Si 2000 line from the late 1970's when they produced that budget line of mass produced gear as a last ditch effort to save Alpa from going under. As far as I know both versions of this are identical, with only the difference in branding. I've read plenty of comments in the past about Alpa users and fans that despised the whole idea, but there's little real detail on the nuts-n-bolts of the lens, and it's real maker -if- it wasn't done solely by Chinon. Supposedly the Si 2000 kit-included 50mm was rumored to be a Kern-Switar assembly line special and not a Chinon, but I've also read that Angenieux may have done it, or they did some (many/all/?) of the other focal length lenses in the lineup, since they were a long-time supplier of Alpa lenses. Obviously Tomioka played a part in being a supplier to Chinon over the years, so I can't rule them out - but there's nothing substantial to rule them in either. The only markings on this are shown, and there's no 'model' designation other than "Multi Coated" stamped in green on the front lens ring. It's hard to tell, but there's a magnetic hood at the front that slides out to 'pop' in place, and that's not something I've seen often, if at all before. I've never owned any and I'm quite in the dark on Alpa gear, as even the Si 2000 is way past my budget for a vintage M42 camera - but thought I'd toss it out here to see if anyone might have something more concrete about its heritage.  |
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on Aug 28, 2021 9:11:01 GMT
Posted: Aug 28, 2021 9:11:01 GMT
I love that 'pine-cone' shape! Fascinating.
I've not seen that lens before; Chinon was a popular brand here in the UK during the 1970s as the High Street store Dixons carried a wide range of their cameras, lenses and accessories, though which companies actually manufactured them remains open to speculation.
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on Aug 28, 2021 13:42:42 GMT
Posted: Aug 28, 2021 13:42:42 GMT
That's an odd one for sure, and I don't know much about the Alpa cameras except for their half-frame models, and their moving to the M42 mount when everyone else was moving away from the M42 mount.
As to Chinon, I've always thought of them as a another Vivitar/Ponder & Best -- largely a marketer of stuff from various manufacturers. Vivitar lenses that were "made" by Cosina have a serial # that starts with "9" -- so maybe they do make lenses. And when they started "making" some of Minolta's lenses in the late 1980's (NON-Rokkor, PRE-Maxxum), it made me assume that they do manufacture lenses.
The only Chinon lens that I have (that I know of) is a Voightlander labelled 12mm f5.6 ultra-wide-angle marvel. Talk about light fall-off. But who actually made it is unclear to me. Does their marketing branch think they will sell more 12mm lenses if they are labeled "Voightlander" instead of "Cosina"?
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on Aug 28, 2021 13:49:42 GMT
Posted: Aug 28, 2021 13:49:42 GMT
OK lumiworx , I know I shouldn't have but I couldn't resist one that was being sold over here. I'm really curious to see its unusual body shape; it would be a nice bonus if it's a decent performer too. |
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on Aug 28, 2021 17:16:18 GMT
Last Edit: Aug 28, 2021 17:19:04 GMT by lumiworx
OK lumiworx , I know I shouldn't have but I couldn't resist one that was being sold over here. I'm really curious to see its unusual body shape; it would be a nice bonus if it's a decent performer too. I did a few test shots on the A7R and it was better than I expected. What I saw at 1:1 in Lightroom is what prompted the questions here...  That doesn't have any sharpening or presence applied, just a bit of post for CA and shadows. The CA can be pretty heavy when something in the frame is white/silver and way over exposed or there's glowing backlights. The full size at 1600px on the long side...  More in the testbed... testbed.lumiworx.com/#16301152599130 |
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on Aug 30, 2021 10:58:04 GMT
Last Edit: Aug 30, 2021 11:00:51 GMT by lumiworx
After a bit of searching, I found a discussion post on Flickr concerning the standard kit lenses - and specifically about the Chinon MCM 55/1.7 - that shed some light on what makers might have been involved throughout the few years run it had. I also found an old specialty auction listing showing the original Si 2000 kit, and the top-down photo does show the same distinctive lens shape used throughout the whole line. It seems the underlying body started life as a Chinon CE II Memotron before Alpa went shopping for help, so I assume some see big value in the Alpa branding to blow the pricing sky high. Another interesting bit on one of the available macro f/1.7 kit lenses, was that it was also rebranded as a Porst and a Chinon, so there seems to have been a few incarnations of what was available over time. In that same article is a linked page that suggests that one of the Chinon macros used on the Alpa line was made by Tomioka. |
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on Aug 30, 2021 15:15:59 GMT
Posted: Aug 30, 2021 15:15:59 GMT
Anyone care to guess who made the Chinon Voightlander lenses?
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on Aug 30, 2021 17:32:01 GMT
Posted: Aug 30, 2021 17:32:01 GMT
Does anyone know what was the idea and/or purpose behind that pine cone shape?
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on Aug 31, 2021 0:18:01 GMT
Posted: Aug 31, 2021 0:18:01 GMT
Anyone care to guess who made the Chinon Voigtlander lenses? Chinon? :) or more logically, Cosina. It might have more to do with licensing the brand, than producing the product in a factory. CameraQuest was the distributor for all of Cosina's Voigtlander 'Bessa' bodies and lenses - both LTM and L-mount - so it might come down to tracking the sales channel and who imported a particular model. If it was them, then Cosina would be the obvious choice. Does anyone know what was the idea and/or purpose behind that pine cone shape? This is just a wild guess, but I think it was more gimmick than just a simple design choice. After a while, many lenses start to look similar to those from other makers, and it might have been an opportunity to get some positive press coverage. They weren't the first to mimic that general shape though. Carl Zeiss Jena Werra 1 had a sloping look with its rounded nose - plus the radical cone-shaped lens cover made it very distinct looking. They even came in several color schemes if the shape didn't attract your attention enough. |
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on Aug 31, 2021 0:34:58 GMT
Posted: Aug 31, 2021 0:34:58 GMT
Pardon my mistake. I was confusing Cosina and Chinon. DUHHHHHH!!!!
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on Aug 31, 2021 4:22:39 GMT
Posted: Aug 31, 2021 4:22:39 GMT
Pardon my mistake. I was confusing Cosina and Chinon. DUHHHHHH!!!! I'd assumed that Chinon made one - or marketed one - since you'd asked the question, so I didn't think for a minute that they didn't. I'm almost as much in the dark about Cosina as I am with Chinon, and I'd most likely just nod my head in agreement. :) |
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on Sept 3, 2021 21:48:22 GMT
Posted: Sept 3, 2021 21:48:22 GMT
It has to be admitted that the Chinon looks rather nice on the TL Electro X in black....  Chinon 135mm f2.8 cone-shapeI grabbed a few snaps on a digital camera but couldn't find my usual M42 adapter and had to use a Kipon BavEyes 0.7x instead - I don't think it did the lens any favours when it came to CA but it proved that it's pretty sharp. When I find the correct adapter, I'll take some more piccies... |
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on Sept 3, 2021 23:46:29 GMT
Last Edit: Sept 3, 2021 23:51:15 GMT by lumiworx
That does look rather good! It's surprising to see the original cap too. Mine came with a loose fitting generic monstrosity that was quickly tossed, and I've yet to run across one with proper Chinon branding. A little more digging points to Chinon's CE II Memotron as the base camera that was rebadged for Alpa, and they're not really much different, other than the Alpa-specific stampings and logo. I still can't wrap my head around anyone listing the body alone, at EUR 299..00, when the exact same Memotron model sold for $45 not long ago, and the same body rebranded as a GAF L-ES went for $25 this past June. I realize folks are buying the Alpa name, but when they're not really getting a body built by Alpa...? Ah well. I'll save my pennies for another Zeiss. EDIT to add: I like the serial # on the lens, biggles3 .. |
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on Sept 4, 2021 9:57:24 GMT
Last Edit: Sept 8, 2021 21:17:27 GMT by biggles3
That does look rather good! It's surprising to see the original cap too. Mine came with a loose fitting generic monstrosity that was quickly tossed, and I've yet to run across one with proper Chinon branding. A little more digging points to Chinon's CE II Memotron as the base camera that was rebadged for Alpa, and they're not really much different, other than the Alpa-specific stampings and logo. I still can't wrap my head around anyone listing the body alone, at EUR 299..00, when the exact same Memotron model sold for $45 not long ago, and the same body rebranded as a GAF L-ES went for $25 this past June. I realize folks are buying the Alpa name, but when they're not really getting a body built by Alpa...? Ah well. I'll save my pennies for another Zeiss. EDIT to add: I like the serial # on the lens, biggles3 .. It was serendipity that found a mint lens with cap & case and such an easily memorised serial number. Your comments about people paying a premium for the Alpa badge reminded me of the early days of the Four Thirds system when Leica was a participant. They produced a model which was simply a re-badged Panasonic but people were willing to add hundreds to the cost of the camera for that celebrated red circle... Fans or fools - it's a fine dividing line! I'll try to keep my eyes peeled for that Chinon 55mm pinch cap - there are a few 58mm ones of the right type out there but I've yet to spot the one you need. Fingers crossed.... |
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on Sept 4, 2021 13:06:44 GMT
Posted: Sept 4, 2021 13:06:44 GMT
How about the Leica Sofort that uses Instax film and cost over $1,000 -- ten times more than the same camera with the Lomography name!
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