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Tamron Adaptamatic 200/4.5 - A rare Tamron ?
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PostPosted: Fri Mar 13, 2009 6:37 am    Post subject: Tamron Adaptamatic 200/4.5 - A rare Tamron ? Reply with quote

Many thanks to Bill (Casualcollector), who found this for me in a thrift shop, a Tamron Adaptamatic model FO-45Au -

http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=ja&u=http://www.tamron.co.jp/data/old-lens/lm200f4_5.htm



L - 200/4.5 R - 200/3.5 - Its a great deal smaller in every way than the 200/3.5

This is a rather rare member of the Tamron Adaptamatic family. The one Bill found is certainly the only one I have seen. The owner of the Adaptall site had not found one either.

Its easy to understand why this was made. At the time there was a demand for smaller 200mm's. The early automatic 200/3.5's tended to be very large things, usually fitted with tripod mounts. It seems that every manufacturer in the early 1970's introduced a smaller 200mm. I suppose this was the Tamron entry.

Its easy to understand why there were few sold. There has always been a feature or specification-contest in the camera business. In its time the competing automatic lenses were 200/4's and 200/3.5's, a 4.5 must have seemed like an old-fashioned thing. And in spite of its relatively small size compared to the Adaptamatic 200/3.5, its still larger than the Takumar or Yashinon 200/4's. So, on paper, not very attractive. In reality, this is an excellent piece of equipment.

As a lens, it shares all construction details with the other Adaptamatics, and is similarly well-made and superbly finished. It also shared the simple helical mechanism of the other Adaptamatic tele's, the front barrel rotates. The only distinguishing feature, other than size, is the sliding hood has some odd rings at the end that do not appear on any other Adaptamatic. They must have been intended for some function, because they do somewhat spoil the clean lines of its design. It focuses rather close for a compact 200mm, 6ft/2m, which is better than pretty much all the competition in the compact 200mm category of the day.

It is a very good performer. Its not quite sharp as my sensor can distinguish at f4.5, but its close, and has no problems with flare or contrast. I wouldn't say its a Takumar, but I would have a hard time telling the difference. Like most of the Adaptamatics it is easy and pleasant to use on the DSLR, hitting focus immediately.

















The bird -



crop -



PostPosted: Fri Mar 13, 2009 6:59 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Ouch, that's sharp! Nice find Smile


PostPosted: Fri Mar 13, 2009 8:25 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Congratulations on that nice gift. I have never seen this one either, and I thught I had at least spotted all of the adaptamatics at one time or another. Maybe there are more hidden treasure out there. Very Happy

/ Jan