Back before I knew better, I bought a Quarry Master MC Auto Zoom for my FT-1. It is 1:4.5, f=80-205 and I believe I bought it from Ritz Camera....probably 10 years ago. I never liked the lens and haven't used it for years. I also have a Vivatar 70-210 (heavy lens) and Hexanon 50, 28 and 135. Love the 135.

Question...does anyone know anything about the Quarry Master line. If so, am I right in calling it a poor lens?

-- Anonymous, November 10, 2000

Answers

Quantaray lenses...

Hi Bob, (and others in the group),

Well, I cannot comment on Quarry Master brand lenses, but I can comment on Ritz Camera lenses that are very close to the same name. Ritz Camera "brands" their own lenses Quantaray lenses and the lenses are mostly Sigma lenses relabled. Quantaray lenses are just as good as the Sigma counter-parts (actually it IS the same lens) but ofcourse they do brand some entry-level Sigma lenses as their own too. I have owned the Quantaray 500 f8 / 1000mm f16 lens and was OK with it. I rate it a 3.5 out of 5.

I just bought myself a Konica mount Quantaray 200 f3.5 lens so I will tell the group more when I get it and try it out.

Mike.

-- Anonymous, November 14, 2000

Quarry-Master Zoom

Bob,

I, too, have one of these "Quarry Master" zooms. I got it in a box of stuff acquired at a camera show to get what I really wanted - a cable-switch.

Examining this lens, it's most definitely NOT a Sigma, Kiron, or Tokina product. I have never used it, noting that it has the aperture lever protecting plate w/o cutout, which might cause problems. Quoting Greg Weber, who explained this best:

"You may use the EE the same as the AE except for the early Autoreflex lens which will damage the T-1 and newer if used in their original form. Most lens were converted in the late Atuoreflex run to work on the newer cameras.(T's and up) You can tell if you have an early Autoreflex lens by the cosmetics, the early ones are a shiny or gloss finish and do not have a cut out on the aperture lever protection plate on the back of the lens. If there is a cut out the lens has had the update or is the newer model and will work fine on all the AR mount cameras. All meter fuctions will work fine, like if you used a 57 f1.4 on a FT-1 and the lens had the cut out your meter would read correctly and the lens would work just fine. All newer lens will work fine on the older models also."

-- Anonymous, November 14, 2000

Quarry Master

Thanks to both you and James LePard for the replies. The lens that I own has a definite FT-1 mount and with that I have had no problem. Admittedly, I haven't used the lens for a long long time because I thought it totally lacked sharpness. However, I have just shot a test roll with the zoom set at 135mm. I used as a control lens my 135mm F3.2. Every third frame I used my Sigma 20-210 also set at 135mm. Bright sun and a variety of subjects. I'll get them over to the lab in the next day or so and take another look. I'll post my findings on the board.

-- Anonymous, November 14, 2000