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on Aug 27, 2021 6:35:11 GMT
Posted: Aug 27, 2021 6:35:11 GMT
I just received an ML 35-70 f4. I was concerned unnecessarily as it turns out about oily aperture as it appears and functions perfectly. Seems very sharp wide open with excellent contrast. Optics unmarked. Only curiosity is that it focuses beyond infinity by some margin. I’d be interested how typical this might be. When infinity is in focus the lens marker is between 5-10 meters. Hopefully this will only be an issue if zone focusing. Hello adr and welcome to the Forum. Well done on grabbing a 35-70 f4 - a superb lens, almost on a par with the f3.5 and lighter too. I have checked my copies and none appears to focus beyond infinity; have you also checked the minimum distance of 0.6m (2ft)? Is that accurate? And while I remember, congratulations on the Penta J with the gold lettering and that lovely Yashinon lens. It’s certainly curious that it focuses well beyond infinity. Perhaps it’s been dismantled and reassembled by a previous owner. It doesn’t appear to have any practical impact. Focusing distances become noticeably incorrect beyond about 2-3 meters. I may get my camera technician to take a look at it. This lens and the ‘gold ‘ Penta J came from the same camera shop and both were to my mind inexpensive (£60-100)
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Status: Long, long time Contax and Yashica user; glad to be here and hope to contribute.
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on Aug 27, 2021 10:44:14 GMT
Posted: Aug 27, 2021 10:44:14 GMT
Hi adr, It certainly sounds as though it may have been disassembled at some stage but not properly collimated when re-assembled. Given that it's a manual focus lens and that it focuses correctly, regardless of the indicated distance, it's probably not worth the expense of re-collimating. Just continue to enjoy using it.
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Status: Failed treatment for L.B.A. and G.A.S,
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on Aug 27, 2021 18:27:23 GMT
Posted: Aug 27, 2021 18:27:23 GMT
adr ... For clarity - is the infinity focusing an issue on film bodies, or just on digital? If it's only on digital, that's probably the fudge-factor that comes along with the cheaper adapters, when their flange distance isn't in tolerance. It might be correctable if you don't want to go the expensive adapter route with buying a Novoflex or Rayquel, or a couple of others. Brass or oil-paper shims under the front mounting plate can lift up the flange to a more appropriate measurement.
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on Aug 30, 2021 8:14:19 GMT
Posted: Aug 30, 2021 8:14:19 GMT
adr ... For clarity - is the infinity focusing an issue on film bodies, or just on digital? If it's only on digital, that's probably the fudge-factor that comes along with the cheaper adapters, when their flange distance isn't in tolerance. It might be correctable if you don't want to go the expensive adapter route with buying a Novoflex or Rayquel, or a couple of others. Brass or oil-paper shims under the front mounting plate can lift up the flange to a more appropriate measurement. I’m using the 35-70 f4 ML on a Contax 139. I found rather unsurprisingly that I had identical issues trying it with Aria, RTSII etc
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Group: Administrator
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on Aug 30, 2021 10:28:32 GMT
Posted: Aug 30, 2021 10:28:32 GMT
adr ... For clarity - is the infinity focusing an issue on film bodies, or just on digital? If it's only on digital, that's probably the fudge-factor that comes along with the cheaper adapters, when their flange distance isn't in tolerance. It might be correctable if you don't want to go the expensive adapter route with buying a Novoflex or Rayquel, or a couple of others. Brass or oil-paper shims under the front mounting plate can lift up the flange to a more appropriate measurement. I’m using the 35-70 f4 ML on a Contax 139. I found rather unsurprisingly that I had identical issues trying it with Aria, RTSII etc Thanks for that update, and it does sound like an issue with the lens itself. There may be a simple focus adjustment that can be dialed in. Unfortunately it isn't something I'm familiar with but perhaps another member can point you in the right direction.
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on Oct 8, 2021 11:11:17 GMT
Posted: Oct 8, 2021 11:11:17 GMT
Got my 35-70mm f4 fixed for all of £10 charity donation by a retired local technician. He also fixed the light meter on my FX-3 as part of the bargain. Seemingly a simple fix. Clearly a previous owner had some work done on the lens ( perhaps cleaning aperture blades?) but a couple of scres had been lightly fixed ( with nail varnish) in the wrong position.
All fixed now. I've had a decent number of images back from the 35-70 and have a hard time telling them from images on the same film (Fujifilm ACROS) taken with various Zeiss primes. I think it's at it's sharpest at the 35mm end but is decently sharp at all FLs wide open.
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Group: Moderator
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Status: Long, long time Contax and Yashica user; glad to be here and hope to contribute.
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on Sept 27, 2022 9:30:26 GMT
Posted: Sept 27, 2022 9:30:26 GMT
It's always pleasing to get hold of an unused lens from 40 years ago; this one belonged to a London camera-shop owner who apparently put it into stock in 1981 and then forgot all about it. When he retired, it was among a lot of old gear that was bundled into boxes and then stored in his attic. With that space now being turned into a hobby room, the boxes of photographic goodies came to light and out popped this NOS ML 35-70 f4. Unused ML 35-70 f4It remains one of the best short zooms produced by Yashica - and is perfectly capable of giving its illustrious Zeiss cousin a scare...
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on Sept 27, 2022 18:31:34 GMT
Posted: Sept 27, 2022 18:31:34 GMT
I've had an easier time finding a couple of the f/3.5's, but have yet to find any f/4 versions, in any condition, let alone as NOS and in its original box with lens case. A very nice find indeed, and with luck, there might be a similar forgotten cache of these (and others) still waiting to be discovered somewhere here in the colonies.
Since it is NOS, did it also come with any inserts, and perhaps they'd contain some new details?
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Group: Moderator
Post: 2,039 (562 liked)
Join date: April 2014
Status: Long, long time Contax and Yashica user; glad to be here and hope to contribute.
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on Sept 27, 2022 22:42:12 GMT
Posted: Sept 27, 2022 22:42:12 GMT
Hi lumiworx If you hurry across to Yahoo Japan auctions, there is a 'junk' Yashica FRII being sold for a song with a 35-70 f4 attached. Not sure of the lens' condition but at the price being asked, it would be worth it even if you had to pay to have the lens cleaned....
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on Dec 7, 2022 13:17:22 GMT
Posted: Dec 7, 2022 13:17:22 GMT
Wow Biggles, congrats ! A minty 35-70/F4 ML! I have boxed editions of the 80-200/F4, 28-50/3.5 and 50/1.7 ML lenses.
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Group: Moderator
Post: 2,039 (562 liked)
Join date: April 2014
Status: Long, long time Contax and Yashica user; glad to be here and hope to contribute.
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on Dec 7, 2022 14:01:44 GMT
Posted: Dec 7, 2022 14:01:44 GMT
Wow Biggles, congrats ! A minty 35-70/F4 ML! I have boxed editions of the 80-200/F4, 28-50/3.5 and 50/1.7 ML lenses. What a lovely boxed collection. That ML 28-50 is one of the best short zooms produced by any manufacturer, even the mighty Zeiss. It is one of the few lenses that I can't fault in any way - I've used it recently on the Fuji GFX 50S and it's more than a match for the 50Mp sensor.
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