RE: [Leica] Trinol amateur test

[Jem Kime <jem.kime@cwcom.net>]

Robert,
I have bought three of these things and managed to dupe (er, sell) Marc two 
of them. Although the mount is Scottish, the lens/optics were made by the 
National Optical Company, in Leicester I believe. I have a coated lens, 
though whether someone had this done later, personally, I don't know. Marc 
has two as I have found at least these two variants. Yours seems to have 
lost some colour on the brass part of the barrel, though as you remark, the 
general impression of the lens is certainly not coherant, it seems to have 
many different parts. Mine is all black apart from the chrome base and the 
silver ring near the front of the lens.I've used the Trinol only for a roll 
of test film. Mine is #035236, I'd be interested in hearing what your ser. 
# is. One of the most disturbing things about this lens is that it focuses 
contrary to other lenses (apart from a prewar Meyer optic I had) in that, 
looking from the top, you turn the barrel to the left to focus closer, does 
it feel strange to you?
The other rarish lens you mention, the
Sankyo Komura, 105mm, f2.8. Japan, $49.95	+ $6.50 for LTM in 'Pop. Photog.' 
(p121), Jan 62	
is one I regret not picking up previously, but I do have 2 finders for it, 
if one would be of use to you? I haven't tested it's abilities.

best regards,
Jem

- -----Original Message-----
From:	Robert Beaudoin [SMTP:bussbearm@cedep.net]

Bonjour,

  Last week I purchased (dirt cheap, in the Leica context) a used Trinol
105mm 3.5 lens.  Much marks on the barrel, but with near mint uncoated
glass.  This past week-end I spent some time taking photos of my young son
in the backyard and inside the house.  All photographs were made on color
(400) negative film with the beloved M5 and enlarged to regular 4" x 6" 
format.

  Now, this being Scottish glass you know it has to provide unique
results...Well this lens lives up to this photographer s
expectations...Being uncoated it is very much affected by stray sunlight (a
shade was used) and loses contrast accordingly.  However under more 
diffused
light conditions, it performs nicely even at full aperture.  Colors
(different shades of green) are well rendered and fine details are visible.
Performance is slightly better in the center than in the corners.  This 
lens
performance seems to be between the Komura 105mm and the Elmar 90mm in 
screw
mount.  The former (the only one I ever owned) had a ridiculous and 
unusable
performance wide open (f2 I think) and was barely usable at other f stops,
not to dwell on the fact that the front element easely came loose.  The
latter had more consistent and better performance at about all apertures
than the Trinol.

  Overall that was an interesting very amateur test to perform.  Actually,
this lens, considering it s price, has a very good price/performance ratio.
Anyone on the lug trying these unusual optics from time to time.

  This being my second post today I hope no lugger will bear a grudge for 
me
flooding the bandwith.

  Regards,

  Robert (Un chevalier sans blason)

  P.S. This is one strange looking lens...two black paint rings, three
chrome rings and one brass color body.