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Best alternative to 35mm Pentax 645 A using Mirex on A7rii?

NoBob

New member
Can anyone recommend a better lens (distortion, CA and *usable* image circle) than the 35mm Pentax 645 A for use with a Mirex adapter and A7rii?

Thanks.
 

Schafphoto

Member
+1
From what I have heard anecdotally the Contax 35mm lenses (FX shift and 645) are very good. And there is a Hartblei superrotator 35mm available on Ebay. I too am very interested in responses to this query. I would love to get a 30-35mm lens for shift work on my A7R2. It is the gap between 24mm and 50mm that I use the most in 4x5 and need to replicate in full frame. I had heard that the Pentax 35mm was pretty good, are you dissatisfied?

-Schaf
 

Schafphoto

Member
Can anyone tell me about the aperture control on the 35mm Contax 645 Distagon 3.5.
It appears that the aperture is electronic. I see that there is an aperture ring on the lens but does this stop down the lens or is there a stop-down lever like on the 40mm Hasselblad T* Distagon? I'd like to use on a dumb shift adapter.

Thanks

-Schaf
 

MGrayson

Subscriber and Workshop Member
No stop down lever on mine. Aperture ring, yes, but only electronic contacts on the mount. When I use it on the Leica S, I set the aperture ring wide open and then set the real aperture on the camera and it works.

Matt
 

Schafphoto

Member
No stop down lever on mine. Aperture ring, yes, but only electronic contacts on the mount. When I use it on the Leica S, I set the aperture ring wide open and then set the real aperture on the camera and it works.

Matt
Yes I'm not sure having a Contax 645 body around to change the aperture is going to be realistic. I need to find out how to stop down to f8 or f11 on a dumb adapter.
 

rdeloe

Well-known member
I haven't found anything better at 35mm than the SMC Pentax-A 645 f/3.5 lens. I used it on a Sony A7R with dual Mirex adapters. I'm currently using it on a Fuji GFX 50R with a custom mount for my Toyo VX23D. Some people like the FA version. I tested one copy side-by-side against my A version, and found that while the centre was a touch sharper, the edges were a touch softer. So for the lighter weight, smaller filter size and lower cost I chose the A version.

There's also an upgraded DA version that is supposedly improved a bit optically and in coatings. Unlike many other DA lenses it retains the aperture ring, so you can definitely use it on a Mirex adapter. I have not tried this one.
 

scho

Well-known member
I haven't found anything better at 35mm than the SMC Pentax-A 645 f/3.5 lens. I used it on a Sony A7R with dual Mirex adapters. I'm currently using it on a Fuji GFX 50R with a custom mount for my Toyo VX23D. Some people like the FA version. I tested one copy side-by-side against my A version, and found that while the centre was a touch sharper, the edges were a touch softer. So for the lighter weight, smaller filter size and lower cost I chose the A version.

There's also an upgraded DA version that is supposedly improved a bit optically and in coatings. Unlike many other DA lenses it retains the aperture ring, so you can definitely use it on a Mirex adapter. I have not tried this one.
I'm also using the Pentax A-35/3.5 with my Fuji GFX 50R and the Cambo Actus G. Very nice setup for landscapes. Used to have the DFA version as well, but sold it with my 645Z. I could never see much difference in image quality between the two lenses.
 

Audii-Dudii

Active member
Yes I'm not sure having a Contax 645 body around to change the aperture is going to be realistic. I need to find out how to stop down to f8 or f11 on a dumb adapter.
I realize I'm way late to this thread, but for the benefit of others looking for solutions to address this issue, I thought I'd respond regardless.

Instead of carrying around a C645 body, I use a Fringer adapter with a Contax 645 NAM-1 adapter mounted on a tiny Sony A5100 I bought used for $125 solely for this purpose ... works great! And without the Fringer adapter, it also works with my Contax N lenses, too!

To make it easier to change apertures (as well as minimize the amount of handling of the lenses required to do so, because I'm afraid of -- gulp! -- accidentally dropping them), I mounted a small tab on my FrankenKamera and mounted the A5100 / Fringer combo on that:



I'm not sure whether other Sony to C645 smart adapters will also work with the NAM-1 -- I know the original Kipon smart adapter I had would not -- but it might be worth investigating, because the Fringer adapter is quite a bit more expensive than the other options.
 
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