Carl
Zeiss Planar T* 1.4/85 ZE
(EF manual)
Construction: *******
Condition: A
Elements/groups: 6/5
Optical Performance: 9.5 /10
Estimated value (mint): € 999,-
Highlights: fantastic optical performance, extremely fast, quality!
Downsides: price
"Perhaps the best possible fast 85mm lens!"
Nikkor-H
1.8/85
(F)
Construction: ******
Condition: A-B
Elements/groups: 6/4
Optical Performance: 9 /10
Estimated value (mint): € 251,-
Highlights: fantastic optical performance, very fast
Downsides: price
"An absolutely fascinating lens. In every respect top-class!"
Asahi
Super-Takumar 2.8/105
(M42)
Construction: *****-******
Condition: A
Elements/groups: 5/4
Optical Performance: 8.5 /10
Estimated value (mint): € 60,-
Highlights: optical performance, built
Downsides: simple coating, focusses not closer than 1.2m
"A very nice lens and very pleasant to use."
Carl Zeiss Hasselblad Planar 2.8/80
(Hasselblad /Leica R)
Construction: ******
Condition: A-
Elements/groups: 7/?
Optical Performance: 8.5 /10
Estimated value (mint): € 300,-
Highlights: optical perf., built, button release for aperture ring
Downsides: size when travelling, button release for aperture ring
"Hasselblad lenses are legendary. On an APS-DSLR their performance is very good but not better than a high class format 135 lens. These medium format lenses really start to shine when used on a fullframe DSLR!"
Volna-3
MC 2.8/80
(P6/M42)
Construction: *****-******
Condition: B
Elements/groups: 6/5
Optical Performance: 8.5 /10
Estimated value (mint): € 60,-
Highlights: optical performance, built, handling
Downsides: size when travelling (rather big, a medium format lens)
"The Volna-3 is a medium format lens and on a 120/220 cam a standard lens. On a 135 cam and a APS-DSLR it turns into a short tele photo lens. It renders colours, details and bokeh very nicely and is one of my favourite lenses."
Exakta 2.8/80 MC
(P6/EOS)
Construction: ******
Condition: A
Elements/groups: 6/5
Optical Performance: 8 /10
Estimated value (mint): € 80,-
Highlights: optical performance, built, fantastic handling
Downsides: size when travelling (rather big, a medium format lens)
"This lens is a standard lens for medium format Exakta cams and can be adapted to the EOS system. It has one of the best haptics I have ever felt, but the performance does not reach the level of the Hasselblad Planar - it's still very good, though.."
Jupiter-9
2.0/85
(M42)
Construction: *****
Condition: A-B
Elements/groups: ?
Optical Performance: 8 /10
Estimated value (mint): € 70,-
Highlights: optical performance, built, very soft at f2 (portrait)
Downsides: very soft at f2, some problems with highlight bokeh
"That is a fine lens! I have read a lot about it and many users are very pleased with it. Now I know why. Definite recommendation!"
Steinheil München Culminar 2.8/85 VL
(EXA)
Construction: *****
Condition: B-
Elements/groups: 5/?
Optical Performance: 8 /10
Estimated value (mint): € 50,-
Highlights: bokeh, built, very compact, wonderful circular diaphragm
Downsides: not really fast, EXA mount
"This Culminar is a hidden gem. It renders ever so nicely."
Meyer
Optik Trioplan 2.8/100 V
(M42)
Construction: *****
Condition: B-C
Elements/groups: 3/3
Optical Performance: 8
/10
Estimated value (mint): € 40,-
Highlights: built, nice pictures, very good bokeh
Downsides: not many
"A nice little lens, excellent for portraits if you want the background blurred a little more. This lens has an excellent bokeh."
MC
Kaleinar-5N 2.8/100
(F)
Construction: ***
Condition: C-D
Elements/groups: 4/4?
Optical Performance: 8
/10
Estimated value (mint): € 111,-
Highlights: good optical performance, quite a nice bokeh
Downsides: built (of my copy) could be better
"This is a very nice lens, some kind of Russian sleeper, since not many people know about this glass. Unfortunately, my copy is not in the best condition, and still the pictures it produces are very nice. I wonder if a mint copy might be a stellar performer?"
Hanimex
Tele-Lens 4/100
(M42)
Construction: ****
Condition: B+
Elements/groups: ?
Optical Performance: 7 /10
Estimated value (mint): € 30,-
Highlights: price, size
Downsides: only f4
"This lens is really small. It is as long as my index finger and about 4,5 cm in diameter. Of course, such a lens will not offer more than f4. But the pictures you can take with it are amazingly good. Another really surprising lens that is fun to play with."
Zeiss
Novar-Anastigmat 4.5/105
(now M42)
Construction: ***
Condition: B-
Elements/groups: ?
Optical Performance: n.a. (very special results but really
usable)
Estimated value (mint): n.a.
Highlights: individual optical performance, very nice bokeh
Downsides: home-made construction
"This Novar was the lens of a Nettar 6x9 medium format cam and I have re-built it to be used on bellows. It's a very interesting lens and fun to use."