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Re: [OM] Soligors (was Lens w/internal telescoping extension tube????)

Subject: Re: [OM] Soligors (was Lens w/internal telescoping extension tube????)
From: Gary Schloss <schloss@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Wed, 21 Oct 1998 00:02:30 -0800
>> Gary Schloss wrote:
>>
>> >Soligor produced quite a few lenses of very decent quality,
>> >with fine optics and excellent fit and finish.
>> <snip>
>> >Better still are Soligor's G/S series lenses, though most are NOT marked
>> >as G/S.  All but one are primes: 24/f2.5, 28/f2.5, 135/f2.5, 200/f2.8,
>> >300/f4.5, and 400/f5.6.
>> <snip>

>Ulf Westerberg wrote:
>>
>> After reading this I felt the need to speak out my experiences of my 28/2.5
>> Soligor, not marked G/S. While optics are not bad, I don't reckon them as
>> good either. But the mechanics, at least in this sample are just plain
>> terrible. The stop-down button is thin, almost as sharp as a knife and VERY
>> hard to push, making it a real exercise to use. The focus ring is VERY
>> stiff, the aperture ring has no feel at all, you have to look while turning
>> it as the settings are unnoticeble, to say the least.
>>
>> If this applies to other Soligors, I don't know, but I sure don't feel the
>> need to try.

George Anderson piles on:

>Yeah, I gotta go with Ulf on this one.  Preface: I am impressed with GS'
>knowledge of Soligors, (and politics, for that matter <g>) and don't
>doubt AT ALL what he's saying. However, based on my sample of two, one
>zoom, one fixed, I'd have to say that the optics are inferior at best
>and the mechanics are shoddy at best.  Caveat Emptor!


Hmm, it sure is comforting to learn that your loyal friends will drop
you like a rock at the first sign of potential trouble :-)

For the record, I have no intention to defend Soligor's reputation
(what reputation?? :-)).  Even their better products sufferred from
severe mechanical quality problems (sticky diaphragms and fungus are
a common occurrence). However, the Soligors I had mentioned above are
a safer bet than many other aftermarket products, including other
Soligor lenses.

Re: Ulf's post, I am not sure we are talking of the same lens.  The
problem is that the brand name "Soligor" was used very differently
outside the US.  In fact, it is still in wide use in Europe, long after
Soligor USA went out of business.  For instance, many lenses sold on
this side of the Pond as Vivitars, are labelled as Soligors in Europe.
(Welcome to the wonderful world of international commerce! :-))

Similarly, I suspect that the Miranda flash often mentioned by Konrad
Pizzuto is indeed a Soligor.  AFAIK, Miranda never made any strobes,
but millions of Soligor brand flashes were sold in the US.  (Of course,
Soligor didn't manufacture any of those either).

I do not diminish in any way the validity of Ulf's input.  However,
without additional information there is no way to tell whether he's
got a bad 28/f2.5 C/D, or maybe, just maybe we were comparing apples
with oranges.

Soooo, the "rats" are welcome back -- the ship is afloat, and Skipper
Gary is at helm. ;-)

Cheers,


/Gary Schloss.
Studio City, CA
schloss@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx



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