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on Aug 14, 2015 1:16:58 GMT
Posted: Aug 14, 2015 1:16:58 GMT
At last! I have finally found a near mint copy (allegedly - it's from Ebay and should arrive next week) of the ML 35-70 f4 - a lens I've been hunting for over a year.
I will be comparing the performances of all the ML/MC lenses that cover these focal lengths - I will also test them against the Zeiss Vario-Sonnar 35-70 f3.4 - and post the results on this Forum.
Forum members may be a bit bored by the lens comparison work that I've been putting on these pages but some time ago it was suggested that it would be helpful if we produced a guide as to the qualities of the Yashica range of lenses to augment our list; my feeling is that to avoid too much controversy, comparative testing against equivalent, well-regarded glass should offer an acceptable method that provides a measure of objectivity. We can also look at sites like allphotolenses.com to provide additional data though as I've been a contributor to their reviews, where there is only my own review, I will exempt it from our site's assessment processes. In addition to comparing the qualities of lenses within the ML/MC/DSB range, among the 3rd party C/Y lenses chosen as comparators will be a selection from Zeiss, Tamron SP, Tokina AT-X along with others selected on a lens-by-lens basis to give us a degree of comfort in the objectivity of our results. Necessarily, those results will be based on user performance rather than simple MTF data; I believe this is more helpful to our readers as the MTF sheets only tell part of the story. I do not propose trying to offer a comparison of C/Y lenses with their equivalents from other camera system manufacturers such as Olympus, Canon, Nikon, etc. except where I have direct user experience.
I hope member's will give me time to complete this process - I'm only able to work with lenses that are compatible with the C/Y mount and some of the M42 ones. I have no experience with the AF range and so can't comment on them - perhaps other members may like to have a go at them; I've noticed a few Sigma lenses with the Yashica AF mount on Ebay which might add to the comprehensiveness of such an assessment.
Of course, once we start providing assessments of the qualities of lenses, any of our readers is more than welcome to contribute. To help make the task a little easier, I plan initially to limit the assessment criteria to build quality, optical quality and handling.
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on Aug 15, 2015 2:27:15 GMT
Posted: Aug 15, 2015 2:27:15 GMT
Sounds like a plan. I can give one piece of information to any AF lens users. If you thought the Yashica Power Zooms got sticky, you should try a Sigma. One of them came on my 230-AF Super the other day, and I almost threw it in the trash. Took quite a bit of rubbing it down with 91% isopropyl alcohol (IPA) to rid it of the mess. Which reminds me, I haven't used the 300 in a while, so I should check to see if those lenses need another cleaning.
Keep up the good work, Biggles.
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on Aug 23, 2015 12:30:24 GMT
Posted: Aug 23, 2015 12:30:24 GMT
OK everyone - the 35-70 f4 has arrived; would you know it - the blades are oily and it sticks at f8. That was not mentioned on the Ebay listing. Anyone here know how to dismantle enough of the f4 to get at the aperture blades?
On the positive side, I can at least shoot all 4 lenses wide open and at f5.6/f8 which should be enough for the comparison. I may also throw in the ML 28-85 and ML 35-105 at the 35-70 focal lengths. As the weather here is awful, it may be a week before I can take them out and grab some piccies.
In the meantime, a line-up of the ML 35-70s...
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on Aug 23, 2015 12:39:03 GMT
Posted: Aug 23, 2015 12:39:03 GMT
Interesting!
You have a copy of each Yashica 35-70mm?
Looking forward to your comparison.
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on Aug 23, 2015 14:16:09 GMT
Posted: Aug 23, 2015 14:16:09 GMT
Depending on how hot the package got while in transit, that could be the reason for the oily blades. I've had it happen to a couple of lenses so far. That's why I don't like to take a chance on ones from Goodwill, especially since you don't know what kind of shape they are in to start with.
PF
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on Aug 23, 2015 16:51:02 GMT
Posted: Aug 23, 2015 16:51:02 GMT
The f/3.5 looks nice. For me it would be to add the 35-105 to the mix as it is a lens I really like.
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Status: Yashica ML Collector
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on Sept 2, 2015 6:10:07 GMT
Posted: Sept 2, 2015 6:10:07 GMT
OK everyone - the 35-70 f4 has arrived; would you know it - the blades are oily and it sticks at f8. That was not mentioned on the Ebay listing. Anyone here know how to dismantle enough of the f4 to get at the aperture blades?
It took me quite a while to find one of those 4/35-70. Mine has the same problem with oily blades. I took off the mount and rear element, that gave me access to the blades. After careful cleaning with q-tips and iso alcohol, the situation got better, but I will have to repeat the procedure. Unfortunately, I could only reach the rear side of the blades and I am very reluctant to go further - these zoom mechanisms can be bitchy.
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on Sept 2, 2015 14:16:10 GMT
Posted: Sept 2, 2015 14:16:10 GMT
Thanks paguru - I'll try the same process. And welcome to the Forum - I'm sure I've seen your avatar on another site some time ago....?
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on Sept 2, 2015 17:41:43 GMT
Posted: Sept 2, 2015 17:41:43 GMT
Thanks paguru - I'll try the same process. And welcome to the Forum - I'm sure I've seen your avatar on another site some time ago....? Thanks for reminding me to (re)introduce myself. I'll do that in the Yashicas section ... |
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on Sept 2, 2015 19:49:31 GMT
Posted: Sept 2, 2015 19:49:31 GMT
Oh, and there are lots of screws at the rear, but you only have to remove the 4 screws with the rounded heads (R) in order to get the mount off. Leave the screws with the flat head (F) as they are. My copy has 7 screws - starting clockwise near the red line: R - F - R - F - R - F - R - (gap)
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on Sept 12, 2015 13:44:28 GMT
Posted: Sept 12, 2015 13:44:28 GMT
Oh, and there are lots of screws at the rear, but you only have to remove the 4 screws with the rounded heads (R) in order to get the mount off. Leave the screws with the flat head (F) as they are. My copy has 7 screws - starting clockwise near the red line: R - F - R - F - R - F - R - (gap) Many thanks paguru!
I was able to use your method to clean the blades and they are now moving freely again. I had quite a fight to replace the mount as aligning the three long tabs into the correct positions proved a problem for a while but it is now working perfectly. I am most grateful for your advice.
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on Apr 23, 2016 11:40:23 GMT
Posted: Apr 23, 2016 11:40:23 GMT
I am thinking about the ML 3.5-4.8 version. In the picture it looks nice and seems obtainable. Does it differ from more common ones like the ml 3.5-4.5?
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Group: Moderator
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on Apr 23, 2016 12:39:03 GMT
Posted: Apr 23, 2016 12:39:03 GMT
I am thinking about the ML 3.5-4.8 version. In the picture it looks nice and seems obtainable. Does it differ from more common ones like the ml 3.5-4.5? There is a world of difference between the ML 3.5-4.8 and the MC 3.5-4.5.
Firstly, the 4.8 is a two-ring zoom and offers a limited macro facility; the 4.5 version being a push-pull type without the macro. On the face of it, the 4.8 offers greater versatility but there's a much bigger difference that won't be obvious in photographs - the quality of construction. Here, the 4.5 version is superior to the 4.8 (a rare example of the ML being inferior to the MC) and you get a hint of that in the weight of the lenses with the ML weighing 186g and the MC 334g - the ML is Cosina-made and uses plastic in the body of the lens where the MC uses metal, though both use metal mounts. Although engineering thermoplastics are pretty impressive these days for rigidity, shock resistance and UV resistance, I would always prefer a metal-bodied lens given the option, even more so if it's going to be used outdoors where it might get a knock or two.
Having said all that, both lenses produce good images of similar quality - they'll never be a match for the ML f3.5 or the ML f4 versions - but at around f5.6-f8, they are competent performers and the smaller, lighter ML f3.5-4.8 does offer macro...
If the price is right, the lens you are looking at is probably worth buying, but don't expect stellar performance; it's a good, middle-of-the-road lens. Contrast in both lenses is good by the way.
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on Aug 14, 2016 8:14:46 GMT
Last Edit: Aug 14, 2016 8:15:43 GMT by lenslover
OK everyone - the 35-70 f4 has arrived; would you know it - the blades are oily and it sticks at f8. That was not mentioned on the Ebay listing. Anyone here know how to dismantle enough of the f4 to get at the aperture blades?
On the positive side, I can at least shoot all 4 lenses wide open and at f5.6/f8 which should be enough for the comparison. I may also throw in the ML 28-85 and ML 35-105 at the 35-70 focal lengths. As the weather here is awful, it may be a week before I can take them out and grab some piccies.
In the meantime, a line-up of the ML 35-70s...
You've got them all...Biggles, congrats! :-)) Such a rare find...i would really love, like to see them into 1:1 comparsion, and you can please throw into the 28-85 ML, too....would love to see them in comparsion from optical quality, how they perform. Do you still schedule a comparsion between these lenses yet? Would be very delightful. I have never seen the 35-70/4 ML into "the wild", but i do have 2 copies of the 35-70/3.5 ML. :-) |
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on Sept 18, 2016 18:13:50 GMT
Posted: Sept 18, 2016 18:13:50 GMT
OK everyone - the 35-70 f4 has arrived; would you know it - the blades are oily and it sticks at f8. That was not mentioned on the Ebay listing. Anyone here know how to dismantle enough of the f4 to get at the aperture blades?
On the positive side, I can at least shoot all 4 lenses wide open and at f5.6/f8 which should be enough for the comparison. I may also throw in the ML 28-85 and ML 35-105 at the 35-70 focal lengths. As the weather here is awful, it may be a week before I can take them out and grab some piccies.
In the meantime, a line-up of the ML 35-70s...
Hi Biggles, when would you do possible a 1:1 comparsion with all the 35-70's you've got? I am still way interested about the Image Quality ! :-) thanks Marc |
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