TAIR 11/11a
Hey gang! New acquisition to my ever growing vintage glass collection. I’ve recently gotten my mitts an early production TAIR 11. Curious to see if anyone here has the 11 or 11a and I’d love to see your stuff! We’ve got a long month before mine arrives from the good ol Motherland!
Maybe it's just because it's as far as my 18-135 walkabout lens goes, but 135mm is the focal length I shoot at the most, so this is very interesting to me. I looked at sample images on Pentax forums (https://www.pentaxforums.com/userreviews/tair-11a-135mm-f2-8.html) and can't believe how nice the images are. The background separation and bokeh is fantastic.
This is yet another great lens I never heard of and now want. 🤣
Edit: Forgot to say congrats on your new acquisition, looks like it'll be a fun one!
Thanks! I'm super stoked to get my hands on another Russian lens. They make some really unique stuff that's worth investigating into. You can basically count on me to come to the forum and share anytime I pick another one up, so hopefully you'll get to hear about a few more in the coming months. I have my sights set on probably two others currently but I'm not going to jump the gun and grab them quite yet.
Quote from HeggenDazs on February 11, 2022, 4:21 pmThanks! I'm super stoked to get my hands on another Russian lens. They make some really unique stuff that's worth investigating into. You can basically count on me to come to the forum and share anytime I pick another one up, so hopefully you'll get to hear about a few more in the coming months. I have my sights set on probably two others currently but I'm not going to jump the gun and grab them quite yet.
Yes!! I have LOVED getting my hands on Russian lenses. So interesting, charming, and cheap. They keep being way better than everybody says. I've only shot ones up to 50mm tho (Industar 61).
Looking forward to your shots on the Tair 11.
So far no updates. Last update was the 18th and it was processed through a Russian shipping facility in Moskva. Unfortunately my package may be heavily delayed because the Russian government is using cargo planes for all the wrong reasons right now, or possibly due to sanctions. I will keep y’all updated if the package ever shows progress again. It is still saying it’s expected by mid-March.
lastly I feel the need to say that what’s happening is the Russian government’s fault. Don’t blame the people of Russia for this. (Not that anyone is)
Quote from HeggenDazs on February 27, 2022, 6:17 pmSo far no updates. Last update was the 18th and it was processed through a Russian shipping facility in Moskva. Unfortunately my package may be heavily delayed because the Russian government is using cargo planes for all the wrong reasons right now, or possibly due to sanctions. I will keep y’all updated if the package ever shows progress again. It is still saying it’s expected by mid-March.
lastly I feel the need to say that what’s happening is the Russian government’s fault. Don’t blame the people of Russia for this. (Not that anyone is)
Totally agreed. Aeroflot (Russia's biggest air carrier) is being heavily rerouted due to closed airspace, and I'm not sure if you'll see it any time soon. Unless maybe it goes to China and get on air freight or a ship there. Some of my friends who work with ATI or Kalitta Air aren't flying into Russia anytime soon for cargo.
I think Putin is really losing the country day by day. Seems like the Russian people have had enough. There's been whole companies of soldiers surrendering due to low morale or them feeling it's unethical.
Bummer, Soviet glass has so much character too.
IT ARRIVED! My TAIR-11 finally made it from Russia, somehow. I got it yesterday and only just started taking photos with it. I'm hoping I quickly gather up a catalog of shots but for now I only have sunset photos that don't really show off the qualities of the lens.
Sunsets & Silhouettes by Alec Heggen, on Flickr
Sunsets & Silhouettes II by Alec Heggen, on Flickr
Quote from HeggenDazs on April 5, 2022, 3:42 pmIT ARRIVED! My TAIR-11 finally made it from Russia, somehow. I got it yesterday and only just started taking photos with it. I'm hoping I quickly gather up a catalog of shots but for now I only have sunset photos that don't really show off the qualities of the lens.
Awesome! I was afraid it was going to get stuck there with everything going on right now. The straight into the sun shots look surprisingly clean! No weird flare/ghosting/terrible CA going on from the looks of it. That's a good sign 😀
Glad you got your lens!
Those sunset shots look stunning. Perfect test.
Got any more?
*ist by Alec Heggen, on Flickr
I recently shot this using the TAIR 11 as well.
