Week 13: Soligor C/D Zoom+Macro 3.8-5.3/35-200 MC

There is not much to find out about this lens in the net (as you can see here) and I have never seen anybody else using it, which really is a shame since it is a fine zoom lens, very good on film and very nice on a digital APS-C DSLR (even though the equivalent focal length is not that thrilling any more then).

I liked that lens (I have to use past tense, because I sold the lens some time ago) a lot on my Nikon film bodies and it was nice on my EOS 350D. On a digital fullframe cam (such as my EOS 5D) it is not that good any more, still useable but it shows the typical drawbacks of a zoom lens with that focal range (35 to 200, wide angle to medium long tele): weak corners and visible distortion.

It’s built is very nice, as with all Soligor “C/D” lenses which used to be some kind of top series similar to the “Series 1” by Vivitar or the “AT-X” by Tokina.

It’s no bokeh king and sharpnesswise it’s good but not extraordinary, but the contrast it renders is pretty nice and it has no real “no-go” flaw. And if we consider the extensive zoom range and allow for some compromises this is a lens that we could easily call “recommendable”.

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