I love seeing a potential revival of M42. It's so amenable to focal reducers and focusing helicoid adapters, the latter of which would help you get that close MFD without too much fuss. It appears to be a Cooke Triplet, which dates all the way back to 1893 and was pretty revolutionary at the time for its control over aberrations. I just wish the price of this lens were a bit lower, but I guess soap bubble bokeh, or soapy bokeh balls, or soaked bubbly balls, or whatever, rightfully command our attention. Which reminds me, I really need to take my Fujinon 55mm f/2.2 out for a walk sometime soon.
These old (or newly old like this one) MF lenses are much nicer to use on mirrorless bodies. You can meter stopped down. Focus peaking works better as a focusing aid and gives instant feedback as to DoF.
If you ever come to Görlitz (beautiful Renaissance city centre) at the German-Polish border, check out the photography museum dedicated to Meyer-Görlitz. One big room crammed with vintage gear (they even have a working Daguerrotype camera) and some interesting expositions in an old factory. You will love it. But check the opening hours before!
Great news for my m42 film cameras too. Vintage m42 lens prices are kinda getting out of hand. I was just eyeing pentacon 135 2.8, seriously considering this now! It's a newly built lens, so no need for maintenance and the modern lens coatings are better. Definitely hope they do more of these
I thought of this idea years ago - Chinese manufacturers making replicas of legendary classic lenses. I’m honestly kinda stunned that it took this long, as besides a few M-mount oddities, this TTArtisan Trioplan “tribute” (how’s that for alliteration?) is the first mass-market replica objective. I hope we’ll see a lot more of these in the future, coming in classic mounts too (I’m already drooling over some rangefinder Nikkor and Serenar copies in LTM 🥰). Thanks for the video!
@@snappiness Once the patent on an optical design expires, it’s fair game for anyone to copy. The problem are trademarks, like ‘Trioplan’ or ‘Biogon’. It’s sometimes hard to market a replica without mentioning terms like these - I think that’s the main difficulty. That’s why TTArtisan probably chose a copy of the Trioplan, as it’s been heavily marketed for current audiences. A tangentially-related phenomenon is that some glass types are currently impossible to make - no, we’re not getting radioactive Takumar replicas anytime soon ☹️ And often, these old designs used leaded glass… but that can be worked around with a few tweaks.
@@yargnad Yes and no. A lot of their stuff is derivative, using existing designs as a base, but they’re different enough that an established manufacturer (probably) wouldn’t sue them out of existence. But precious few Chinese lenses are actual replicas of classic designs, whose patents have expired long ago, of the rangefinder and early SLR eras. We actually see more Yongnuo copies of old Canon EF lenses than we do legendary Leica/Zeiss/Nikkor/Zunow/younameit optics.
There are a lots of used M42 lens on ebay, Helios, Contax, Zeis, Jupiter. A lot of them in great shape and far bellow a hundred bucks. AND they're originals.
I thought this lens had flown under the radar, but I have now seen a few videos in as many days. I don't know when it was released, but it popped up on ebay a couple weeks ago. I love the Meyer Optik lenses, they almost always have great bokeh. I finally dropped the buck fifty for one over the weekend, just before this video popped up.
@@snappiness Update, this puppy must be selling quickly. I tried to grab one off eBay as I was saying, but my order was canceled a week later due to being out of stock. I asked the seller what was up and he said there were more on order and the factory cant keep up. So , I ordered another from a different seller and same situation. I wish they would close the listing if they don't have any, or at least update the quantity. I just tried your link to Pergear and they're out too. I might try again with a third seller this week, but I'm just not having any luck as of yet.
The M42 lens is an excellent idea. Many people use vintage lenses with an adapter and modern digital cameras. I am using a speed booster with my Fujifilm camera now. If I decide to sell the camera and invest in another system, I simply get a new adapter - the ordinary adapters cost around 10€ and can keep using the lenses I have collected. It is great that I can add to my collection with a new 'vintage' lens without raiding my bank account. This lens seems actually pretty good.
Your reference to "new lenses based on old designs" is right on target. Pentax has their 50mm f1.4 "classic" and "new design" based on re-releases of the older Takumar lenses. Different coatings on the two releases, one is designed to enhance flare, the other to reduce it.
Very tempting - like the look of those shots. M42 mounts are cool, but the only thing I don't like is that they often end up with the DoF scale and such ending up to the left or right of centre when fully screwed in. A small thing, but it bugs me 😂. I love my Helios 44s (have a couple of them) and my Jupiter 11a 135 f4 is maybe my favourite lens, producing magic every time for me.
That's a good point. Oddly enough, that has only happened on one of my four adapters I've tried, so somehow the others are all the perfect thread amount or whatever.
@@snappiness guess I'm unlucky then. It happens in my PK-M42 and MFT-M42 adapters and even my Zenit 12 XP. They're old lenses and probably have a bit of wear.
@@AndrewSowerbythere are typically three small hex set screws holding the ring with the threads in place. Cheaper ones for M42-EF don't have it, but my M42 adapters for MFT, NEX, and FX all do. I recommend getting a single M42-EF with the adjustable indexing feature and then just get EF to whatever mirrorless mount you use to potentially cut down your total number of bulky adapters (PK, Nikon F, Olympus OM, Exakta, C/Y, DKL, and a few others easily adapt to EF). Where this is especially great is you potentially only need one EF mount focal reducer to handle all those lenses. It's something I wish I'd thought about more before going nuts and buying a ton of big adapters for NEX and MFT...which, if I'd been smarter, would have realized there's an MFT-NEX adapter, too. I had to dremel-shave down the raised portion of the outer ring on mine to allow it to accommodate all of the different MFT adapters I have.
We could start seeing more of these companies like ttartisans making m42 instead. Make only one mount and let people adapt it to whatever they are shooting
I bought the original few months ago, i think youtubers don't even know how to use it, i don't really see the bubbles in any of the videos, but it's pretty easy to get them in my photos, just get a model and shoot against the leafs of a tree at sunset or so. Plants will look great in the morning dew.
My dads hand me down that started all my love was m42 - It actually a Vivatar I think and I had an awesome radioactive super takumar that was a dream on it..,
Like with recreation of new movies derived from old classics. Same goes with lenses. Hope this trend goes since you can buy m42 lens and use in virtually any camera.
Have you heard of the manufacturer Light Lens Lab? They're another Chinese manufacturer that is producing modern clones of classic lenses. They recently released a remake of the Speed Panchro II, one of the lenses famous for the "Cooke look" in cinema. It's probably more expensive than what you typically feature on this channel, but still much more affordable than trying to buy an actual Cooke lens!
Never thought other manufacturers apart from some Chinese companies and KMZ factory still make M42 lenses. Yeah, soviet-russian KMZ still makes lenses and while most of them are Sony-Canon-Nikon mounts - there is two lenses with M42 mount - Helios 40-2 1.5/85 and MC Zenitar 2.8/18
I think there is definitely room for repros of old formulas. It t-bones the somewhat inflated secondary market pretty hard, which is good for prices and availability.
Soap bubble bokeh, swirl, and wild flaring seem to be the top three feature-flaw effects vintage lenses produce for artistic purposes. Maybe radioactively-yellowed glass, too. So repros of trioplan and primoplan for bubble, Biotar and Helios-40 for swirl, and idk what people are chasing for great flare. My Canon FL 1:1.2/58 swirls and flares pretty crazily, it's an acid trip of a lens.
This actually makes me wonder if Pentax might use m42 for their eventual new slr camera they're developing. It would definitely make sense as far as compatibility and companies like ttartisan would have immediate support.
I think K mount makes more sense. With K mount you can adapt M42 or use K mount lenses, whereas using M42 you can't adapter K mount lenses. If that makes sense.
didn't knew something like this exists, i need one for my trioplan but i have exakta mount. I currently hold the lens in my hand in front of the camera and i can adjust the macro level very quickly
@@snappiness I will dig out my original and get some photos with it. I looked online for the TT Artisan version but all I see so far is the tilt/shift version. I'll be patient, I'm sure it will appear soon.
I'm confused... So... a modern company making a M42 mount lens, means the lens is intended for DSLR's and not MILC bodies? If they sell the lens in another mount other than M42 (X Mount for example), then the lens would be shorter? The M42 mount includes the additional padding/length for the correct flange? 😵💫
From what I understand, there's no intention to make this lens in other mounts. On the product page they advise buying an adapter for whatever camera you want to mount it on. Interestingly, they also show it's coverage on Fuji GFX.
The lens would actually be longer for mirrorless bodies. Look at Sigmas quick fix for their lenses before they made special designs for mirrorless. They had a longer tube but the same otherwise.
You'll need a Pentax K -> M42 adapter. It's a thin silver ring. There's an official one Pentax made years ago you can find still, but it's pricier ~$50. There's also cheap third party ones. That's the one I have. It's about $15.
A lot of these vintage designs are pushing 70 years so as their patents fully expire classic designs will definitely be reproduced with modern optical coatings
This is a great move. Why bother making lenses with loads of various mount options, saving money in manufacturing and design and research, and put out a lens that can be universally used on nearly any camera with an adapter.
I love seeing a potential revival of M42. It's so amenable to focal reducers and focusing helicoid adapters, the latter of which would help you get that close MFD without too much fuss. It appears to be a Cooke Triplet, which dates all the way back to 1893 and was pretty revolutionary at the time for its control over aberrations. I just wish the price of this lens were a bit lower, but I guess soap bubble bokeh, or soapy bokeh balls, or soaked bubbly balls, or whatever, rightfully command our attention. Which reminds me, I really need to take my Fujinon 55mm f/2.2 out for a walk sometime soon.
These old (or newly old like this one) MF lenses are much nicer to use on mirrorless bodies. You can meter stopped down. Focus peaking works better as a focusing aid and gives instant feedback as to DoF.
Mirrorless cameras are the best thing that ever happened to classic lenses.
If you ever come to Görlitz (beautiful Renaissance city centre) at the German-Polish border, check out the photography museum dedicated to Meyer-Görlitz. One big room crammed with vintage gear (they even have a working Daguerrotype camera) and some interesting expositions in an old factory. You will love it. But check the opening hours before!
Great news for my m42 film cameras too. Vintage m42 lens prices are kinda getting out of hand. I was just eyeing pentacon 135 2.8, seriously considering this now! It's a newly built lens, so no need for maintenance and the modern lens coatings are better.
Definitely hope they do more of these
I thought of this idea years ago - Chinese manufacturers making replicas of legendary classic lenses. I’m honestly kinda stunned that it took this long, as besides a few M-mount oddities, this TTArtisan Trioplan “tribute” (how’s that for alliteration?) is the first mass-market replica objective. I hope we’ll see a lot more of these in the future, coming in classic mounts too (I’m already drooling over some rangefinder Nikkor and Serenar copies in LTM 🥰).
Thanks for the video!
Yeah! Wouldn't that be cool? And I feel like they totally could when parents expire and stuff. Not sure how all that stuff works exactly.
@@snappiness Whose "parents" have to die!!?? 😆
Haven't they been doing that for years now? Nearly all their lenses are derivative or near copies of time-tested optical designs.
@@snappiness
Once the patent on an optical design expires, it’s fair game for anyone to copy. The problem are trademarks, like ‘Trioplan’ or ‘Biogon’. It’s sometimes hard to market a replica without mentioning terms like these - I think that’s the main difficulty. That’s why TTArtisan probably chose a copy of the Trioplan, as it’s been heavily marketed for current audiences.
A tangentially-related phenomenon is that some glass types are currently impossible to make - no, we’re not getting radioactive Takumar replicas anytime soon ☹️ And often, these old designs used leaded glass… but that can be worked around with a few tweaks.
@@yargnad
Yes and no. A lot of their stuff is derivative, using existing designs as a base, but they’re different enough that an established manufacturer (probably) wouldn’t sue them out of existence. But precious few Chinese lenses are actual replicas of classic designs, whose patents have expired long ago, of the rangefinder and early SLR eras. We actually see more Yongnuo copies of old Canon EF lenses than we do legendary Leica/Zeiss/Nikkor/Zunow/younameit optics.
There are a lots of used M42 lens on ebay, Helios, Contax, Zeis, Jupiter. A lot of them in great shape and far bellow a hundred bucks. AND they're originals.
An easy hack to get a shorter minimum focus distance is to unscrew the lens a few turns from its M42 mount!
Love the bokeh this lens puts out. Thanks for the review!
I didn't know either that m42 is fashion again... Sorry, but my Takumar lenses aren't for sale. 😋😅
I am not into the bubble bokeh, but it looks fun.
GO M42!!! Thanks for the vid, this is so cool!
I thought this lens had flown under the radar, but I have now seen a few videos in as many days. I don't know when it was released, but it popped up on ebay a couple weeks ago. I love the Meyer Optik lenses, they almost always have great bokeh. I finally dropped the buck fifty for one over the weekend, just before this video popped up.
I think it was just released officially last week. Have fun with it! I wish I had a Meyer Optik to compare directly to. I'm curious what you'll think.
@@snappiness Update, this puppy must be selling quickly. I tried to grab one off eBay as I was saying, but my order was canceled a week later due to being out of stock. I asked the seller what was up and he said there were more on order and the factory cant keep up. So , I ordered another from a different seller and same situation. I wish they would close the listing if they don't have any, or at least update the quantity. I just tried your link to Pergear and they're out too. I might try again with a third seller this week, but I'm just not having any luck as of yet.
M42 mount was dropped in early 60's!
The M42 lens is an excellent idea. Many people use vintage lenses with an adapter and modern digital cameras. I am using a speed booster with my Fujifilm camera now. If I decide to sell the camera and invest in another system, I simply get a new adapter - the ordinary adapters cost around 10€ and can keep using the lenses I have collected. It is great that I can add to my collection with a new 'vintage' lens without raiding my bank account. This lens seems actually pretty good.
Your reference to "new lenses based on old designs" is right on target. Pentax has their 50mm f1.4 "classic" and "new design" based on re-releases of the older Takumar lenses. Different coatings on the two releases, one is designed to enhance flare, the other to reduce it.
Cooke triplets were often used on classic cinema lenses. They're never as sharp as a multi-element optic but have wonderful character.
1m30s ::: i love that photo. ,, that background especially. ,, wow.
I am considering this for my Fujifilm camera, but also, I am really enjoying the color grade on this video!
What TT Artisan did was remake the Meyer Optik Gorlitz 100mm f/2.8 Tripolan.
Zenit/KMZ are also doing Helios M42 remakes and some newer ones as well
Very tempting - like the look of those shots.
M42 mounts are cool, but the only thing I don't like is that they often end up with the DoF scale and such ending up to the left or right of centre when fully screwed in. A small thing, but it bugs me 😂.
I love my Helios 44s (have a couple of them) and my Jupiter 11a 135 f4 is maybe my favourite lens, producing magic every time for me.
That's a good point. Oddly enough, that has only happened on one of my four adapters I've tried, so somehow the others are all the perfect thread amount or whatever.
@@snappiness guess I'm unlucky then. It happens in my PK-M42 and MFT-M42 adapters and even my Zenit 12 XP. They're old lenses and probably have a bit of wear.
You can adjust many adapters for mirrorless cameras to have the index in the centre.
@@nobbel65 that may be possible with the one I have, I must check. Thanks.
@@AndrewSowerbythere are typically three small hex set screws holding the ring with the threads in place. Cheaper ones for M42-EF don't have it, but my M42 adapters for MFT, NEX, and FX all do. I recommend getting a single M42-EF with the adjustable indexing feature and then just get EF to whatever mirrorless mount you use to potentially cut down your total number of bulky adapters (PK, Nikon F, Olympus OM, Exakta, C/Y, DKL, and a few others easily adapt to EF). Where this is especially great is you potentially only need one EF mount focal reducer to handle all those lenses. It's something I wish I'd thought about more before going nuts and buying a ton of big adapters for NEX and MFT...which, if I'd been smarter, would have realized there's an MFT-NEX adapter, too. I had to dremel-shave down the raised portion of the outer ring on mine to allow it to accommodate all of the different MFT adapters I have.
im just happy that theres a new lens that isn't for mirrorless only
Yeah, totally!
We could start seeing more of these companies like ttartisans making m42 instead. Make only one mount and let people adapt it to whatever they are shooting
The Pentax K mount 100mm f2.8 is awesome. Available for under £100.
I bought the original few months ago, i think youtubers don't even know how to use it, i don't really see the bubbles in any of the videos, but it's pretty easy to get them in my photos, just get a model and shoot against the leafs of a tree at sunset or so. Plants will look great in the morning dew.
My dads hand me down that started all my love was m42 - It actually a Vivatar I think and I had an awesome radioactive super takumar that was a dream on it..,
Thanks for a very informative video.
Like with recreation of new movies derived from old classics. Same goes with lenses. Hope this trend goes since you can buy m42 lens and use in virtually any camera.
I got my Trioplan (original) a couple of years ago. It's one of the best bubble bokeh lenses. I'm very interested in this TTArtisan lens.
Fantastic. I'm really curious how they compare side by side.
Hey James! Try the vivitar sl/220!
Like I need another lens... so I just ordered one!. It's cheap enough to experiment with that old fashioned bokeh.
Thats cool
Have you heard of the manufacturer Light Lens Lab? They're another Chinese manufacturer that is producing modern clones of classic lenses. They recently released a remake of the Speed Panchro II, one of the lenses famous for the "Cooke look" in cinema. It's probably more expensive than what you typically feature on this channel, but still much more affordable than trying to buy an actual Cooke lens!
I have not Nate, thanks for giving me something to dig into! Sounds really interesting.
Never thought other manufacturers apart from some Chinese companies and KMZ factory still make M42 lenses. Yeah, soviet-russian KMZ still makes lenses and while most of them are Sony-Canon-Nikon mounts - there is two lenses with M42 mount - Helios 40-2 1.5/85 and MC Zenitar 2.8/18
I think there is definitely room for repros of old formulas. It t-bones the somewhat inflated secondary market pretty hard, which is good for prices and availability.
That's what I was thinking too. Good be a really good thing.
Soap bubble bokeh, swirl, and wild flaring seem to be the top three feature-flaw effects vintage lenses produce for artistic purposes. Maybe radioactively-yellowed glass, too. So repros of trioplan and primoplan for bubble, Biotar and Helios-40 for swirl, and idk what people are chasing for great flare. My Canon FL 1:1.2/58 swirls and flares pretty crazily, it's an acid trip of a lens.
Looks interesting,. Wonder how it compares to the 105 Pentax and Russian versions
Cool, waiting for the review of that fat lens behind you.
The biggin'? 😁
Simon 'Utak' says it as I would. My taks alway look a bit off mounted to my K1.
This actually makes me wonder if Pentax might use m42 for their eventual new slr camera they're developing. It would definitely make sense as far as compatibility and companies like ttartisan would have immediate support.
I really don't think they will. My guess is that they will use the K mount.
I think K mount makes more sense. With K mount you can adapt M42 or use K mount lenses, whereas using M42 you can't adapter K mount lenses. If that makes sense.
If you get a helicoid m42 adapter you will be able to focus to macro with this lens... and they're very affordable too
didn't knew something like this exists, i need one for my trioplan but i have exakta mount. I currently hold the lens in my hand in front of the camera and i can adjust the macro level very quickly
Very nifty! I would love to compare this to my original Trioplan 100mm.
I'm interested in that as well
@@snappiness I will dig out my original and get some photos with it. I looked online for the TT Artisan version but all I see so far is the tilt/shift version. I'll be patient, I'm sure it will appear soon.
Can you use extension tubes with this to juice up the MFD and resulting bokeh?
I do this. Often with a helical adapter instead.
Does the top 1/3 of the lens unscrew like most of the Trioplan 100/2.8 versions?
Buy one , wait to delivery...
Cool, have fun with it!
@@snappiness It is my first M42 lens on Pentax K-70 ;-) I have many MF lenses with PK mount.
u can buy jupiter - 9 85mm f 2.0 m42 like 40$ )
What are the best affordable tt artisan lenses for nature photography?
Other than this one and the tilt-shift 100, I don't think they make anything over 50mm.
I'm confused...
So... a modern company making a M42 mount lens, means the lens is intended for DSLR's and not MILC bodies? If they sell the lens in another mount other than M42 (X Mount for example), then the lens would be shorter? The M42 mount includes the additional padding/length for the correct flange?
😵💫
From what I understand, there's no intention to make this lens in other mounts. On the product page they advise buying an adapter for whatever camera you want to mount it on. Interestingly, they also show it's coverage on Fuji GFX.
The lens would actually be longer for mirrorless bodies. Look at Sigmas quick fix for their lenses before they made special designs for mirrorless. They had a longer tube but the same otherwise.
I think we need an autofocus helios 44-2
I was gifted 2 really nice m42 lenses but I dont know how to use them on my pentax k3. I would appreciate any help/suggestions
You'll need a Pentax K -> M42 adapter. It's a thin silver ring. There's an official one Pentax made years ago you can find still, but it's pricier ~$50. There's also cheap third party ones. That's the one I have. It's about $15.
@@snappiness thanks so much
Images look similar like from Pentacon 135/2.8 with 15 aperture blades.
A lot of these vintage designs are pushing 70 years so as their patents fully expire classic designs will definitely be reproduced with modern optical coatings
That's half the appeal of old lenses, they have no coating
This is a great move. Why bother making lenses with loads of various mount options, saving money in manufacturing and design and research, and put out a lens that can be universally used on nearly any camera with an adapter.
Makes a lot of sense for me with DSLRs and lots of cameras. Cool to use the same lens on many cameras.
3:28 I say 'air bubble bokeh.'
I like that ^
M42 in 2023? Time to dust off my Spotmatic 2.
I wonder if anyone actually tries to make a modern Helios
That would be cool
That looks pretty rough wide open. I'll stick with my Helios when I want soap bubble bokeh. It's also quite a bit sharper wide open.
I had a helios, forget the version, 44 something - and that was my observation as well. Sharper wide open.
Mine is the 44-M-4 version. I read it was a bit sharper, with better contrast, than the 44-2.
Helios is better at swirl than it is at bubble bokeh.
That hasn’t been my experience. I think it’s just as competent at both.
It is not so great . Not to sharp . Very flare prone . Sorry i bought it .