The need for speed: Navitar 1.3/75mm BOLEX
We can add a new lens to the “Need of speed” repertoire. It is the Navitar 75mm f/1.3. I found the lens while searching for a good and cheap portrait lenses on Flickr. The Flickr user “Blazouf” posted a very nice set of portrait pictures taken with that lens on a Panasonic GF1. The lens looks very sharp and doesn’t have the heavy vignetting we are used to see with some C-mount lenses. So all in all this could be an affordable option to take nice pictures of our kids!
Useful Links:
Navitar 75mm f/1.3 auctions on eBay
C-mount adpaters on eBay
Direct GF1 shop links Amazon, Adorama, B&H, J&R, eBay
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Recent comments
Comment from FD: It seems the metal around the rear eleme...- Comment from FD: For whoe ever asked, The Navitar and Cos...
Comment from blazouf: If you want to know more about this fabu...
Comment from ZZPhoto: This still remains unclear to me. He say...
Pablo
2 years ago |Hehe :> Just bought one :>
Deducting from the photos and from the design of the glass, it will be much better than my C mount 75mm/1.8 glass, which is probably from the Rainbow brand…
Really looking forward to it.
Btw. Guys.
I am selling now on ebay my C MONUT SENKO 25MM/0.95
So hurry up, just 6 days left :>
tribalmedia
2 years ago |how is the video capability of the lens.. any reviews?
Visitor
2 years ago |Is it better than other 85.4 lenses?
lenzez
2 years ago |Interesting lens. The character is unique as well like other C mount lenses.
But why not just get Rokinon 85mm/1.4? It’s only around $250-270. Better optic, better build, and sharper
http://www.flickr.com/search/groups/?q=gf1&m=pool&w=1010496%40N20&s=int
From the ebay link above the price of this Navitar is even higher than the Rokinon.
JeremyT
2 years ago |The Rokinon 85mm f/1.4 is probably a better lens, but it’s also huge. It really dwarfs my E-P2. The C-mount lenses are a better size fit for m4/3, IMO.
Pablo
2 years ago |As I allready had little use for my C mount 75/1.8 (which was the best c mount lens for the price, I had … about 40$ a year ago). I am not willing to go for a more expensive lens with an even longer focal length. I found 75mm quite usefull in maybe 2% of shots, so just as an additional lens this Navitar will be fine. I allready thought a lot about the Rokinon/Samyang…. 85 lens, however, as the focal length crop of 150mm on m4/3 is for me really not a priority, I will be happy with the 75/1.3. I am also selling my 75/1.8 now. So I will have only one long fast prime. So my target prime setup, (when finished) will look like this:
Pana Nokton Nokton Minolta Navitar
20/1.7 25/0.95 40/1.4 58/1.2 75/1.3
Until then, I will probably sell even my belowed zuiko 50/1.4
(+1100k version) and also the practical, but not enough bright 28/2.8.
blazouf
2 years ago |Wow ! I’m so proud to be mention here !
I’m Blazouf, and i’m a big fan of 43rumors.com. I read you every day..
This lense is amazing for portraits ! I’ve buy it to a guy in the french Panasonic forum.
This lense is 75mm 1.4 and not 1.3.
I do a lot of post processing after with Lightroom.
I also use the Voigtlander 40mm 1.4 but i prefere the Navitar 75mm because peoples seems more “natural” with a big distance.
Max
2 years ago |Navitar and Computar 75mm TV Lens are the same lens?
rUY
2 years ago |I see some reviews in Hong Kong’s forum about this lens a year and half before, my comment is, save your money and get decent camera from tradition brand, the lens is for CCTV purpose. don’t invest money on this kind of lens, it is not even close to c-mount cine lens.
ZZPhoto
2 years ago |Is Navitar 75/1.3 really the lens that Bazouf is using? He mentioned he using 1.4
admin
2 years ago |Yes he is using that.
ZZPhoto
2 years ago |This still remains unclear to me. He says he is using some 75/1._4_ lens. Your post and e-bay links are on 1._3_ lens. Are we sure they are one and the same? “Speed” number would imply they might not be.
blazouf
2 years ago |If you want to know more about this fabulous lense, you can read the french discussion (or use a translator) here :
http://panasonicfz.easyforum.fr/t57870-le-fil-des-lumineux-navitron-montc-dont-le-75mm-14
FD
2 years ago |For whoe ever asked, The Navitar and Cosmicar are the same lens, sometimes the Navitar is marked as f/1.3 but it’s really f/1.4.
FD
2 years ago |It seems the metal around the rear element of the lens touches the light baffle inside the micro four thirds cameras, it doesn’t touch the sensor or shutter but the actual plastic baffle because the rear element is so large for a cmount lens. You can machine a mm or two off the back of the lens but caution and care is required as you will be working very close to the rear element.
It seems there are at least four versions of this lens or at least four different names being put on it. I have seen the lens labelled Pentax, Cosmicar, Navitar and Navitron. The Navitar is badged as a f/1.3 but appears to be the same lens.
I don’t know if the modification is necessary for all the variants but the link to the French forum above references the Navitron version. I would expect all of the lenses to be the same.
I have just bought a Cosmicar version for cheap so I will report my findings!