??Promaster??

[olroy2044]

Does anyone know anything about this lens? Picked it up at the local Salvation Army store for $3.00. Figured I couldn't go wrong, since it had a nice polarizer mounted on it. Fairly heavy, and in good shape.





Here's a couple shots taken with it on a Pentax P3n in program mode on Fuji Superia 400




Roy

[John Parry]

Roy, I looked at these, and thought you'd got the worst case of lopsided vignetting that I'd ever seen! At that price you can't complain - my favourite 28mm is a brand that I refuse to even mention, it's so poorly thought of in my country. Works for me! Yours looks good, but you could have prepared us with a single 24mm shot of the same thing!

Regards - John

[nikonbob]

Roy

My kind of bargain and it looks to work OK too. Can't tell you much about Promaster lenses but if Kurt see the thread you might get an answer.

Bob

[olroy2044]

Roy, I looked at these, and thought you'd got the worst case of lopsided vignetting that I'd ever seen!

;D

Sorry 'bout that, John Flips from side to side, too! Wonder if it would fall to the bottom if I shot it Vertical?

Thanks for the replies, Bob and John
Cheers, Roy

[herron]

Roy:

I've heard Promaster lenses called just about everything, from re-branded Tokina, Tamron or Sigma. I've also heard they were possibly from all of the above, as rebranded lenses made in Korea for sale through Ritz Camera.

What the truth is, I cannot say, although I've heard (again, just speculation) that they are less-than-stellar copies of the above.

I have one, an f/4.5 80-205mm zoom, with a Mamiya ZE bayonet mount. Takes decent pictures ... but I've never compared it to other glass.

I know that doesn't help much, but it's all I have!

[casualcollector]

P.R.O. is a Connecticut based consortium of photo retailers. They buy stuff and have their label put on it. I have some of their stuff. Enlarger, flash and a couple of lenses. I have a Promaster 28-70 zoom bought back on '00 or '01. I first saw it in Singapore under two brands, Koboron and Vivitar but couldn't get it in Canon FD mount. Got back to the States and saw the same lens with the Promaster label and picked it up on e-bay. It is manufactured by the Kobori Optical Company. I have an older Pro-Matic 35 in Canon FL mount. Never could make out who manufactured it until this past weekend. I saw a nearly identical Vivitar, only slight cosmetic differences. The Vivitar serial started with 22 which identifies it as made by Kino precision. My newest Promaster is a 28-105 in Canon EOS moount. It's a Tamron. I'm sure that P.R.O. Just like Vivitar, Soligor, Lentar, Kalimar, etc. etc. purchased lenses from many other makers at various times.

Roy, if yours matches a Vivitar with a 77xxxxx serial #, it's a Kobori.

[Deleted]

Our local camera store sell the Promaster "house brand." When I got my D100 I bought a used Promaster 28-105 zoom and used it on our Europe trip. Built as good as recent Nikkors--better than some--and produced very good photos. Mine allegedly made by Tamron. I think quality probably varies according to whose making them at that moment.

[olroy2044]

Roy, if yours matches a Vivitar with a 77xxxxx serial #, it's a Kobori

Do you have any other info re: Kobori? I googled (love these new words! ) it and could find only references to lab equipment. I am quite impressed with my 3 buck lens! Ah think ah got me money's worth! ;D Roy

[pentaxgraflex]

I can tell from the cosmetics yours is a rebadged Sigma. Our local camera store also sold them.
I have a M42 mount one I use on my Spotmatic that is actually pretty good.

[olroy2044]

This one seems to be pretty good. Haven't really wrung it out yet, tho. Thanks Roy

[alexkerhead]

They are surprisingly capable lenses. I had a 210mm zoom macro lens made by promaster and the glass is good quality stuff.

[olroy2044]

Mounted the Promaster 28mm on my old Ricoh XR-1 and gave it a whirl.







This is the same plane I shot with the XA2


I think I got my 3 bucks worth! ;D ;D

[mickeyobe]

Roy,

It looks like you were focusing on the closest trees.
If you had focused at infinity or the hyperfocal distance would the depth of field of the 28 mm not have given you a relatively overall sharp photo?

The airplane picture appears to be sharp from the foreground to infinity.

It looks like a very capable lens.

Mickey

[olroy2044]

It looks like you were focusing on the closest trees.
If you had focused at infinity or the hyperfocal distance would the depth of field of the 28 mm not have given you a relatively overall sharp photo?

Mickey, you are absolutely correct. I wasn't thinking of focus to infinity, or hyperfocal point at the time. I kinda wanted to see how the background would hold up.








That's a fancy way of saying I forgot! Roy