Toronto Winter Camera Show

Each year, Toronto is blessed with 3 to 4 camera shows, or more appropriately, flea market for used camera related stuff. Today was the winter edition of the show and I decided to go after the absence from the last few shows. The venue for this show was decidedly bad. The show was hosted in a hotel's conference room which was too small and the tables were way too closely arranged that it was very difficult to walk around without bumping into people. I hope they will find a better place next time.

I bought quite a few Russian lenses today, including one I have been looking for in the last few shows but none at a reasonably good price: the Zeiss Sonnar 5cm f1.5 in Leica LTM mount. Well, what I got is a clone of the Zeiss Sonnar 5cm f1.5; the Jupiter-3 5cm f1.5. I will have to order an LTM-NEX adapter, since mine was given away.  Can't wait to try it out, especially on a full frame A7.

Other Russian lenses I got were much more reasonable at $10 each, included a Asart H 50mm f2 in Nikon mount, and three Zeiss Ikon Contax mount lenses: 2x Helios-103 53mm f1.8 and a Jupiter-8M 50mm f2. I already have a Jupiter-8M that converted to use on a helicoid and the NEX and I really like the rendering of pictures. I figured it's not bad for $10 a pop.  Will be interesting to see what difference there is between the Helios-103 and the Jupiter-8M.

Another lens was the Vivitar 50mm f1.7 with VMC coating.  I have had many Vivitar lenses but never a 50mm. Again, for $10, I don't mind trying it out.

One last lens worth mentioning is the Voigtlander Color-Skoparex 35mm f2.8 in Rollei QBM mount.  This is a Zeiss Distagon 35mm f2.8 clone.  In fact, it even looks like the Zeiss 35mm f2.8 Distagon I have, also in QBM mount. Will see how it performs.

Overall, it has been a worthwhile drive to the show. Got some stuff cheap to play with.

Jupiter-3 5cm f1.5 in Leica Thread Mount.

Vivitar 50mm f1.7 in M42 mount.

Helios-103 53mm f1.8 (top) and Jupiter-8M 50mm f2 (bottom)