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Optical
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Updated
Jul 16, 2026
Lentar Lentar 135mm f3.5
M42 · 135mm · f/3.5
AI-assisted · from real reviewsUpdated 16 Jul 2026
Overview
Lentar (often branded 'Tele-Lentar' on telephotos) was not a manufacturer in its own right but a mid-20th-century rebadge/house brand — the kind of name applied to lenses built by various Japanese optical works and sold through department stores and mail-order outlets. The 135mm f/3.5 is the classic 'entry' medium telephoto of that era: nearly every third-party maker offered a 135mm around f/2.8–f/3.5 because it was an inexpensive, easy-to-manufacture portrait and detail lens. The reviews here span two closely related Lentar 135s — a preset f/2.8 and this simpler f/3.5 — and consistently praise the same traits: light weight, smooth focusing, and pleasant out-of-focus rendering thanks to a rounded aperture. No established nickname or cult jargon exists for this lens; it has a modest following rather than a legendary one, valued as a cheap, characterful vintage telephoto rather than a sought-after collector's piece. People who love it do so because it delivers agreeable subject separation and 'nice' bokeh at a bargain price, making it an easy gateway into manual-focus vintage shooting.
Verdict: The Lentar 135mm f/3.5 is a budget-friendly vintage medium telephoto best suited to portrait and street shooters who value smooth, natural background separation and pleasing round-aperture bokeh over clinical sharpness. Its slightly soft rendering flatters people and mood but underwhelms for critical landscape detail. Buy it as an affordable, characterful gateway into manual-focus shooting — not as a collector's legend.
Optical Character
Bokeh
Smooth, natural subject-background separation with round out-of-focus highlights from the rounded aperture; no swirl or soap-bubble effect.
Sharpness wide open
Described as a bit soft, flattering for portraits and street but weak for critical landscape detail.
Contrast
Reported as a little soft rather than high-contrast, but no direct contrast data.
Community Insights
What people love
- Smooth, natural subject-to-background separation and pleasant bokeh — repeatedly the standout compliment across reviews
- The rounded aperture yields round out-of-focus highlights rather than harsh polygonal ones
- Light, compact build with smooth focusing, making it easy to carry and use
- Good value and low-light-capable f/3.5 aperture for a vintage medium telephoto
What people dislike
- A bit soft, which frustrates users wanting crisp landscape detail (noted on the related Lentar 135)
- Fully manual focus and aperture demand deliberate, slower shooting
Pro Tips
- Lean into its softness for portraits and street — it renders skin and background gently, so treat the slight lack of bite as a feature rather than a flaw
- Shoot wide or near-wide to exploit the praised rounded-aperture bokeh and subject separation; stop down a little when you need more edge-to-edge crispness for detail work
- Focus deliberately and carefully; at 135mm depth of field is thin, so nail the eye or key subject and confirm focus before firing
- Manage your own steadiness at this focal length — use a faster shutter or support to avoid softening an already gentle-rendering lens
Compatible Adapters
Real adapters from our shop that fit this lens mount.
Standard · ฿325 · In stock
Standard · ฿325 · In stock
Standard · ฿325 · In stock
Standard · ฿325 · In stock
Standard · ฿540 · In stock
Standard · ฿540 · In stock
Standard · ฿540 · In stock
Standard · ฿540 · In stock
Standard · ฿540 · In stock
Standard · ฿1,250 · In stock
Standard · ฿890 · Out of stock
Standard · ฿890 · Out of stock
Sources (1)
Web-grounded synthesissecondary
Lentar (often branded 'Tele-Lentar' on telephotos) was not a manufacturer in its own right but a mid-20th-century rebadge/house brand — the kind of name applied to lenses built by various Japanese optical works and sold through department stores and mail-order outlets. The 135mm f/3.5 is the classic 'entry' medium telephoto of that era: nearly every third-party maker offered a 135mm around f/2.8–f/3.5 because it was an inexpensive, easy-to-manufacture portrait and detail lens. The reviews here span two closely related Lentar 135s — a preset f/2.8 and this simpler f/3.5 — and consistently praise the same traits: light weight, smooth focusing, and pleasant out-of-focus rendering thanks to a rounded aperture. No established nickname or cult jargon exists for this lens; it has a modest following rather than a legendary one, valued as a cheap, characterful vintage telephoto rather than a sought-after collector's piece. People who love it do so because it delivers agreeable subject separation and 'nice' bokeh at a bargain price, making it an easy gateway into manual-focus vintage shooting.
https://www.pentaxforums.com/userreviews/tele-lentar-135mm-f2-8-preset-135mm-f2-8.htmlhttps://www.vintagecamerastore.us/listing/645295595/tokina-lentar-135mm-f35-tele-lens-m42https://forum.mflenses.com/tele-lentar-135mm-f-3-5-t49638.htmlhttps://thepixelconnection.com/products/lentar-135mm-f-3-5-lens-for-m42-mount-w-m42-nikon-f-mount-adapter-usedhttps://acephoto.net/cameras/pre-owned-tele-lentar-135mm-f-3-5/https://www.etsy.com/listing/1505263795/vintage-lentar-135mm-f35-lens-ke-mount