Auto Flex 1 Review: 2.8 f = 50mm Japan

According provided by lens Auto Flex 1: 2.8 f = 50mm Japan huge thanks to Igor.

Auto Flex 1 Review: 2.8 f = 50mm Japan

Auto Flex 1 Review: 2.8 f = 50mm Japan

Auto Flex 1: 2.8 f = 50mm Japan - one of many copies of the original Tessar 2.8 / 50, for example, this CARL ZEISS JENA DDR TESSAR 2.8 / 50... Only the original Tessars have much smaller MDF and better image quality :)

Auto Flex Lens Basics

Auto Flex Lens Basics

Making a bad lens based on the Tessar optical scheme is quite difficult, and the Auto Flex 2.8 / 50 is no exception - a good lens with a predictable, characteristic Tessar image quality.

Auto Flex 2.8 / 50

The front lens of the lens is small and deeply set into the frame of the body. The frame rim creates a kind of built-in hood.

Auto Flex 2.8 / 50 can't boast huge aperture, which is typical for most fifty dollars, but, nevertheless, creates a fairly sharp and pleasant picture, even at F / 2.8.

Auto Flex 2.8 / 50

Enlightenment of the front and rear lenses of Auto Flex 2.8 / 50 lens

The lens has a rubberized focusing ring that rotates approximately 220 degrees, making it easy to focus. When focusing, the front lens does not rotate, and the trunk lengthens. For convenient use on digital cameras, lock the blinking lens aperture lever. On the sample from this review, the control ring rotates smoothly, without fixed intermediate values, but most likely the ring does not work correctly, because the vast majority of lenses with a similar body design and functionality have an aperture ring with clicks for fixed F-number values.

The parameters shown in the photo gallery:
All shot on Canon EOS 350D. EGF lens on Canon 350D is 80mm. On-camera JPEG L, high quality (without any processing). Noise reduction at slow shutter speeds was turned off. Parameters: contrast correction - 0, sharpness - 0, saturation - 0, tone color - 0. Used white balance: 'Overcast' and 'Shadow'. The size of the photos has been reduced to 3 MP.

AutoFlex

Auto Flex 50 2,8 Lens Side View

How to use with modern cameras?

Lenses with mounting thread M42 (M42 X 1 / 45.5), such as the lens from this review, are very easy to use on almost any modern digital camera (both SLR and mirrorless), for this it is enough to choose the right adapter (adapter). You do not need to carry out any additional steps to modify the lens.

The cheapest adapters can be found at Aliexpress.com... There are adapters (adapters) with a chip that provide more convenience during shooting, usually chips are used to confirm focus and / or metering exposure, and form the correct EXIF. The chip does not affect the image quality in any way.

For some SLR cameras (for example, with the Nikon F-mount), you need to use adapters with a corrective lens, which allows you to focus correctly at all focusing distances. For any mirrorless cameras, such a lens is not needed, and the adapter is a simple decorated hollow metal tube with an appropriate mount.

For SLR cameras

  1. Canon: For cameras Canon EOS with bayonet mount EF / EF-S need an M42-Canon EOS adapter, such an adapter with a chip can be found herewithout chip here.
  2. NIKON: For cameras Nikon DX / FXas well as for cameras Fujifilm и Kodak with a Nikon F mount, you need an M42-Nikon F adapter, you can buy such an adapter without a lens and a chip here, with a lens without a chip herewith chip without lens here, with lens and chip here. Why a lens? Why chip?
  3. PENTAX: For Pentax cameras with K mount, you need an M42-Pentax K adapter, you can buy such an adapter here.
  4. SONY/MINOLTA: For cameras with a Sony / Minolta A mount, you need the M42-Sony A adapter, you can find such an adapter without a chip at this linkwith a chip at this link.
  5. OLYMPUS/PANASONIC/LEICA: For cameras with a 4/3 bayonet mount (not to be confused with Micro 4/3!) You need an M42-4 / 3 adapter, you can buy such an adapter here.

For mirrorless cameras

  1. SONY: For cameras with 'E'/'FE' mount series SonyNEX и Sony Alpha you need an adapter M42-Sony E (aka M42-Sony Nex), you can find it at this link. An autofocus adapter is also available for these cameras. Techart PRO Leica M - Sony E Autofocus Adapterwhich can be found at this link.
  2. OLYMPUS / PANASONIC / KODAK / XIAOMI: For cameras with a bayonet mount Micro 4/3 (Micro 4:3) you need an adapter M42-Micro 4/3, you can find it at this link.
  3. CANON M: For cameras with Canon EF-M mount need adapter M42-Canon M, it can be found at this link.
  4. CANON R and RF-S: For cameras with Canon RF mount need adapter M42-Canon R, it can be found at this link.
  5. Nikon 1: For cameras Nikon 1 Series need adapter M42-Nikon 1, you can find it at this link.
  6. Nikon Z: For cameras Nikon Z series (FX/DX) need an adapter M42-Nikon Z, it can be found at this link.
  7. FUJIFILM X: For cameras with mount X need an M42-Fuji X adapter, you can find it at this link.
  8. FUJIFILM GFX: For medium format cameras G-mount need M42-Fuji GFX adapter, you can find it at this link.
  9. SAMSUNG: For cameras with NX mount, you need an M42-Samsung NX adapter, you can find it at this link. There are no adapters for the NX mini camera yet.
  10. PENTAX: For Q-mount cameras, you need an M42-Pentax Q adapter, you can find it at this link.
  11. SIGMA / PANASONIC / LEICA: For cameras with L mount you need an M42-Leica L adapter, you can find it at this link.
  12. LEICA: For cameras with a bayonet mount Leica M need adapter M42-L / M, you can find it at this link.

If you have any questions on compatibility and adapters - ask in the comments (comments do not require any registration at all).

AutoFlex

Auto Flex on SLR Camera

Comments on this post do not require registration. Anyone can leave a comment. Many different photographic equipment can be found on AliExpress.


Conclusions:

Auto Flex 1: 2.8 f = 50mm Japan at flea markets can be bought for a penny and do your own photo experiments, for example with macro rings. The lens has good sharpness and characteristic bokeh.

Material prepared Arkady Shapoval. Training/Consultations | Youtube | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Telegram

Add a comment: d.martyn

 

 

Comments: 8, on the topic: Auto Flex 1 review: 2.8 f = 50mm Japan

  • Sergei

    Arkady hello! I want to ask you maybe there is somewhere in the infa blog, send a read, I’m interested in the following, which quickly discharges the battery in the camera, a lens with a SWM motor or motorless lenses when the camera twists them. Thank you and sorry if not in the profile topic.

    • Arkady Shapoval

      You will hardly find such studies anywhere. From my experience - about the same.

    • d.martyn

      Slightly larger screwdriver, due to the larger kinematic ligament.

    • Denis

      There is some significant variation in battery discharge values ​​among “motorized” lenses. From personal experience - with Nikkor 18-105, Nikkor 50 f / 1,4G lenses, the battery in the D7000 camera is enough for 600-650 shots, with the Nikkor 70-200 f / 2,8 VRII lens, the battery allows you to take more than 1000 shots. I don't know about the reason for the different power consumption, just the facts ... I use 2 batteries for the camera, which increases the "purity of the experiment".

      • Novel

        It all depends on how many lenses and how far the motor needs to be moved. At fifty dollars, the entire lens unit is clearly moving - rather big and heavy. 18-105 is an almost 70x zoom with multiple lens groups moving relative to each other. The 200-XNUMX has a rather large MDF, which means that the large rear lens unit remains stationary and does not move away from the matrix. And only two small groups with aperture move, and because of the small zoom, not very far. Although enabling VR should reduce the number of shots significantly.

        Again, the shooting style. At 18-105 we constantly refocus, because we shoot diverse scenes from ultra-wide to moderate telephoto .. At fifty-kopeck we have to play with the distance to achieve the desired viewing angle - we also refocus the heavy block. At 70-200, portraits are usually shot in series at about the same distance to the model, so the “movement” of the lens unit is less.

  • Oleg

    Auto Flex 1: 2.8 f = 50mm Japan is one of many copies of the original Tessar 2.8 / 50, for example, this CARL ZEISS JENA DDR TESSAR 2.8 / 50. Here are just the original Tessars have a much smaller MDF >> and what, is 50cm for fifty dollars a lot?

    • Arkady Shapoval

      The point is that the tessar referenced has a mdf of 35cm.

  • Anatoly

    judging by the photo, the picture quality is very good. And the bokeh is just gorgeous!

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