MC Kaleinar-5H is an excellent short telephoto lens with f / 2.8-22 aperture and 100mm focal length. His double meets ARSAT H 100 F2.8 - they are the same lens. After the collapse of the USSR, the optics of the Arsenal plant began to be produced under the brand name “Arsat“. They say that this is a Soviet copy Nikon 2.8 / 100 Series Ebut this is not so, Nikon and Kaleinar have different optical schemes.
Overview of the lens Kaleinar-5N 2.8 100mm
Lens MC Kaleinar-5N 2.8 / 100 is a legendary lens. MC Kaleinar-5N 2.8 / 100 was produced for 'Kiev' cameras with 'H' mount. Now the lens MC Kaleinar-5N 2.8 / 100 is very popular lens due to its relative cheapness and high quality of the resulting photos. He is rightfully considered one of the best Soviet portrait lenses.
view of the MS Kaleinar-5N 2.8 100 lens from the back and from the side with MDF with an elongated hood
The current popularity of the MC Kaleinar-5H 2.8 / 100 lens is due to the fact that Nikon cameras have not changed their mount type for more than 50 years. Some of the 'Kiev' cameras have the same mount as Nikon, this allows you to use lenses with the 'H' designation on modern Niko SLR camerasn without any adapters. In more detail about the use of old Soviet lenses in the article about Soviet lenses... For those who want to use the MC Kaleinar-5H 2.8 / 10 on a Canon system, an article about old lenses at canon.
Type of lens enlightenment MS Kaleinar-5N 2.8 100
When using the MC Kaleinar-5N 2.8 / 100 lens (the letter 'H' in the name means the mount type), there will be no problems with focusing to infinity, as well as with aperture presetting. Once installed on Nikon cameras, the aperture will be at its maximum open position and will only close at the time of shooting - just like with modern Nikon lenses. It is very easy to find out the year of manufacture of a lens - the first two digits in its serial number are responsible for this.
Sample photo on MS Kaleinar 5-n
The first thing that catches your eye, but rather in the hands - massiveness of MS Kaleinar-5N 2.8 / 10... The lens weighs over 300 grams with its small appearance. MC Kaleinar-5N 2.8 / 10 is made in the good old traditions - glass and metal. Actually, my copy is over 20 years old, but the quality remains at the same high level.
View of the aperture of the lens diaphragm MS Kaleinar-5N 2.8 100
Focusing:
The lens has only manual focus. The focus ring is rubberized. When focusing, the trunk of the lens lengthens by about 2 centimeters. The focus ring rotates 270 degrees, so the Kaleinar-5N 2.8 / 100 MC has very large stroke of the focus ring. When focusing, the front lens does not rotate. Focusing on the lens is nice enough. The minimum focusing distance is 80 centimeters.
Diaphragm
The lens aperture has only 6 blades - this is one of the strong disadvantages of this lens. The aperture blades are black, the light in the middle of the lens does not reflect back. F / 2.8 maximum allows easy control of DOF and taking photos with blurry background. The aperture can range from F / 2.8 to F / 22. Please note that when using the lens on Nikon cameras, automatic iris control is possible using the aperture ring on the lens, this is due to the fact that the lens is AI-S compatible lens for Nikon. If you use the lens on other cameras, then the usual manual iris control will be available.
I use or used this lens on cameras without any problems Nikon D90, Nikon D40, D80 и D700.
Sample photo on MS Kaleinar 5-n
When using the lens on cameras Nikon DX EGF lens will fit 150mm. On cropped cameras, the MC Kaleinar-5N 2.8 / 100 is a real telephoto lens. Due to the excellent ratio of focal length and aperture, the MC Kaleinar-5N 2.8/100 lens is perfect for portrait and creative shooting.
I have more here one shot at Kaleinar = 5N in the studio.
Attention!
This lens can work in full automatic aperture control mode through the camera and with confirmation of focus... How to do it - read in my article Dandelion Lushnikova.
Dimensions of two portrait lenses
Addition to the article:
Recently I got my hands on a Kaleinar-5H lens with an interesting name written through the letter 'C' - 'MC Cbut byjnar-5H 2.8 / 100 '. In the literature, there is an export version with a name through the letter 'K' - Kalejnar-5H (see here) Visually, it is no different from a lens with a name in Cyrillic and looks like this:
The lens has good image quality. First of all, I want to note the excellent sharpness over the entire field of the frame, good contrast, color reproduction. MS Kaleinar-5N 2.8 / 100 well tolerates backlight, has no distortion. The vignetting of the lens is minimal, especially when using the lens on cropped cameras.
view of the lens MS Kaleinar-5N 2.8 100 on the Nikon D80
Beginning photographers can feel the old days with the Kaleinar-5N 2.8 / 100 MC and appreciate the importance of each shot they receive, as well as increase their level of dexterity and knowledge of photographing methods and techniques. There is even a joke that a novice photographer usually buys the simplest camera Nikon D40 and one of the Helios-81N or Kaleinar-5N lenses.
Dimensions of two lenses
Catalog modern brand lenses 'Zenitar' и 'Helios' can look at this link.
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Conclusions:
MS Kaleinar-5n - a unique lens with fabulous sharpness. The lens is in the top five best portrait soviet lenses.
Material prepared Arkady Shapoval. Training/Consultations | Youtube | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Telegram
Hello! Thanks for the reviews! Absolutely now confused with the choice of camera! The main thing was confirmed that I am the happy owner of the Helios-81n and Kaleinar-5n optics which have always always pleased with high-quality photos! Tell me, please, which camera to buy for amateur family photography? Thank you in advance, with uv., Sergey
For the manual you need at least D200, D300 from Nikon, or any with Canon Live View.
do you approve of the Canon EOS 550D 18-55 DC + 75-300 DC KIT Black or stay on the carcass of the Canon EOS 550D?
and for what purpose?
But can a light filter be worn on it and what diameter, otherwise I didn’t see something in the description?
Yes, you can, standard 52mm.
Cool!
My test: https://picasaweb.google.com/115262918420027354916/K5NJU37A. Lenses - Kaleinar-5N and Jupiter-37A - at close range shooting are almost equal: in images of the same scale, the image quality is almost the same. The advantage of Kaleinar is a wider field of view. At infinity, Jupiter-37A is noticeably sharper. He has better fixed chromatic aberration. The tone of the image in Kaleinar is colder than in Jupiter.
Valentine, thanks.
Tell me, why are white petals worse than black ones? Is the color of the petals so important?
Usually, white petals are metallic and reflect light in the optical scheme, thereby lowering the contrast of the image and spoiling the photo.
Tell me please, maybe it’s possible to deal with this somehow.
Do not shoot against the sun and bright light sources. You can pass on the blackening of the petals.
Thank you very much for the answers! And I was already upset, today I bought it, still in the old plastic box. And I did not pay attention to the petals. And where can blackening be done in the photo workshops?
Yes, in any normal workshop.
Hello, I have NIKON 5100,35-1.8,18-55 and Helios 44m. Recently I tried NIKKOR 85mm in the store, I liked it, but the price is not small. You would be advised to buy Kaylenar (although you can’t name it cheap). Or look something else with similar parameters?
For what purpose? You ask for an autofocus lens or a manual one. And Kaleinar is good too, but you need to work with them differently.
Goals, portraits. Probably better to say so, can kaylenar replace 85ku?
Yes, it can easily replace. Both lenses are good. 85t aperture.
Thank you!
Good afternoon, Arkady!
Allow me to express my gratitude to you for your reviews. Previously, when choosing photographic equipment, doubts tormented me, but after your articles they were scattered and now I'm sure that my choice is 100% complete.
I would like to ask your advice: I love the Nikon D5100 manual optical camera, thanks to your reviews, I will buy Helios 81N, I want to purchase a telephoto portrait inclined to Kaleinar 5N. Is there any analogue to the Carl Zeiss or Nikon manual optics?
There are many similar lenses, for example Nikon 100mm F / 2.8 Series E, Nikon 105 F2.5, sonnar 135mm, etc. There is a pretty good domestic Jupiter-37A, which I personally still use.
And which option is the most budgetary?
The most budgetary Jupiter-11 is mirrored under M39, it is very similar to Jupiter-37A.
Here is an interesting comparison of lenses
http://evtifeev.com/5644-carl-zeiss-sonnar-13528-37-13535.html
Thank you.
Please tell me about the petals of the Kaleinar 5H diaphragm, which ones are better with black or light
With black. Blackened petals do not give light reflections in the lens circuit and the lens is more resistant to backlight.
Thanks for the review, but I have a Pentax, and I don't know how to fit this lens ...
Nikon-Pentax adapter
Hello! I have a question about Kaleinar. Several lenses came from my father, among them Kaleinar 5N. But the fact is that my father filmed on the Zenith E and the shank of my Kaleinar with M42 thread!?!?. Is it possible to find a shank for it under the “N” mount? Will it work on focusing as needed? Is he lost for my D200? And yet, with your permission, in the comments this topic was raised, but the question remained. Blurred second rear lens. I disassembled, cleaned, everything was unchanged. Will such a defect greatly affect the quality of the image and is it worth it, in this regard, to strain to find the right shank? Can sell to Canon members :) Thank you very much!
I have never heard of Kaleinar under M42, look, maybe there is just an N-M42 adapter. If it is re-sharpened to M42, then only an adapter with a lens will help achieve focusing on infinity. For D200 is not lost.
A defect from turbidity depends on their strength, often it affects the contrast, but for a figure this is not critical.
Kaleinar 5N was produced in a complete set with interchangeable shanks on Nikon and on M42. (This kit was standard for each lens sold separately (without a camera)) Unscrew the screws on the back and change the shank, put the lens on the system that you have. (Because in the USSR they did things for people.)
Arkady! Thanks for the quick response! Yes, it may have been re-sharpened: (Sorry! As I understand it, the ideal option is to remove the shank from the unusable lens and put it on this ... .. I don't want an adapter with a lens. Thank you very much !!!
Very interesting site, maybe you need it http://fotking.net/equipment/lens
Arkady, hello! For the soul there is Jupiter 37 and Kaleinar. Recommend a budget AF every day for the D50.
What focal length are you interested in?
On sprinkled Canone, the more beloved 50-200.
We are talking about the Nikon D50 or Canon 50D. For the first https://radojuva.com.ua/2012/01/obzor-nikon-af-nikkor-85-mm-f-1-8d/ for the second https://radojuva.com.ua/2012/10/obzor-canon-ef-85-mm-1-8-usm/
We are talking about Nikon D50. I have long wanted to try Nikon. On occasion, turned up in very good condition.
Arkady, what lens would you choose for a portrait in conjunction with nikon d90: Kaleinar-5n, Volga-3 or Vega-12, or there is also a manual from nikon 105mm f2.5 (according to the latest price dynamics for used lenses, it’s not too expensive Kaleinar) or biometar 80mm f2.8. Interested in the artistry of the lens so that you can focus on infinity and, of course, the convenience of its use.
The Volga-3 lens does not exist. I would take Nikkor 105 2.5
I have such a question, why are the photos in the review not made on a kaleinar, but on Nikkor 35 1.8 G?
http://regex.info/exif.cgi?b=3&referer=http%3A%2F%2Fradojuva.com.ua%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2011%2F02%2Fkaleynar-100-by-radojuva-3.jpg&url=http%3A%2F%2Fradojuva.com.ua%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2011%2F02%2Fkaleynar-100-by-radojuva-3.jpg
I can’t say why such an EXIF turned out. Suspicious photos on the confusion of lenses removed from the review.
Hello Arkady. Tell me, from Nikon autofocus optics, which lens is equal in quality to a kaleinar?
There are quite a lot of them. Quality is assessed by different criteria, which one is most important to you?