Interesting leica M fisheye

[mattj]

Well not really but a Takumar Ashai 18mm f11 in M mount. I was pricing some optics on Adorama camera website and stumbled upon this lens. I went to the store but salesman couldn't find it and told me to come back some other time so he can look for it more. He told me thou that the lens is a converted one to fit M bodies. How cool is that? I always like fisheyes... Anyone has any experience with this particular piece of glass? Lens by itself is not that expensive since I saw it poping on Ebay for $100-$200 but it wasn't in M mount only Pentax or 42mm screw in.

http://www.adorama.com
http://www.adorama.com/catalog.tpl?op=itemlist&sid=105040773137133347&cat1=Used&cat2=Leica%20M%20Bayonet&cat3=Lenses

Matt Jachyra
http:\brunerdog.tripod.com

 

[jtrevino]

Matt,

I still have a Super Takumar 17mm (previous model I think) sitting in my shelves along with the rest of my Spotmatic system. Sadly I haven't used it in a long, looong time... It baffles me that this used to be an expensive lens in 1971, about US$400.

As far as I remember this was not a stellar performer and, of course, the barrel distortion plus ±170º diagonal coverage restricted the possible subject matter; but then most ultra wides suffer from the first and second characteristics.

Your message made me question why I don't shoot more with those fun cameras and superb lenses -most of them- which got me hooked into photography during my college and post grad years. I shall load a roll of Tri-X in my Sp-II today, fit it with the 17mm and go comparing it to the Voigtländer 15/4. Something interesting will come out, I'm sure.

I seem to remember that Stephen Gandy had an adapter from M42 thread to M bayonet. That would be a thrill. Any ideas for suitable viewfinders?

PS, just checked; S.G. does have the M42->M adapter. The link to the Cameraquest page is this: http://www.cameraquest.com/adpSLRRF.htm