For the provided Tair-11A 2,8 / 135 lens, many thanks to Igor Tihan.
Tair-11 A Is a fast prime telephoto lens with a focal length of 135mm and a maximum aperture of F2.8. Is considered one of the best Soviet portrait lenses. Nowadays, the cost of this lens just rolls over. In 2013, used the lens is offered at 200 cu
Overview of the Tair-11A lens
Tair-11A is very much appreciated by Western amateur and professional photographers. In my vote on best soviet portrait lens, Tair-11A takes only fifth place. The fifth position is most likely associated with the inaccessibility of the lens. 135mm focal length and aperture F / 2.8 allow very good control depth of field and easy to take pictures with a blurry background. Blurred background often very important in portrait photography, with blur Tair-11A copes with a bang.
An example of a photograph on Tair-11A. Bokeh taira
As a solid Soviet lens relies, the Tair-11A is made of metal and glass - nothing more, but this adds a huge weight of 600 grams to the lens. In 1958, at an exhibition in Brussels, Tair-11 was awarded the highest award - "Grand Prix". The lens was produced in different versions, there is old "white taira", new “black” with slightly different frame rims. My Tair-11A black color, made at the Krasnogorsk factory.
Tair-11A on the Nikon camera
Features and their application to obtain maximum image quality using Tair-11A:
- Aperture F / 2.8 and 135mm focal length - the strength of Tair-11A. For example, the whale lens that came with Nikon D80 - Nikon 18-135mm f / 3.5-5.6G IF-ED AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor had a 5.6mm F135, "Darker" Tair-11A at 2 steps (4 times). That is, for portraiture, this relative aperture is 4 times better. This is due to the fact that with a large aperture it is possible to select only a small area of a sharply depicted space. For a portrait, this feature is indispensable, as it allows you to select a person in the photo and remove the background and foreground, focusing on the person.
- The large focal length of the lens allows you to use Tair-11 as a telephoto and telephoto opens up completely different horizons of photography, than standard lenses. The peculiarity of Tair-11A is that when focusing within 1.5-1.2 meters, it greatly brings the image closer, thereby increasing the focal length. Read more about this effect. here.
Enlightenment of the front lens and the appearance of the aperture blades of the Tair-11A lens
- Round aperture - the number of aperture blades is 20 (twenty) pieces, which is a very good indicator for shooting with the correct circles in the blur zone. What diaphragm you can’t install - you get an even, round bokeh without any deviations. In general, there are quite a few lenses with a normal number of aperture blades, so often bokeh is obtained in the form of “nuts, bagels or Dali’s works”. The diaphragm is truly round, and the bokeh is creamy. A large number of aperture blades can also be found in Jupiter-37A, Helios-40-2, Helios-44, etc.
Photo at Tair-11A
- The quality of the pictures is just excellent, the lens is quite sharp, but at the same time it is soft for portraits, therefore it has the glory of a “female portrait”, for example, Jupiter-37A has the glory of a “male portrait”, since it is sharper. The lens bokeh is often compared to the most glorious lenses. Blur is rather unusual, soft, plastic - but as they say, the taste and color - all the markers are different. The lens is chromate, but this is nit-picking for experts, it is difficult for an average person to explain even what it is.
Dimensions at different focusing distances of the Tair-11A lens
- Weight - the weight is large and plays the role of a stabilizer of jitter. With such a large focal length excerpt must be at least 1 \ 135 seconds. Weight allows you to slightly reduce the "shake" due to its massiveness and inertia. How to photograph without grease and movement, you can read in the article how take off.
Tair-11-A sample photo
- Built-in hood - a huge advantage, considering that Tahir is afraid of backlight, although the hood does not really save, but it improves the final result in the picture. The elongated hood blends easily and retracts.
View of the Tair-11A lens
- Sizes - the lens is quite large if you unscrew the focus ring by 1.2 meters (and at the same time the lens itself lengthens - protrudes the trunk), then it does not fit in my wardrobe trunk.
Tair-11-A sample photo
- The advantage of the interchangeable shank is simply irreplaceable, which allows you to easily use the lens with different systems (mounts).
Tair-11A and native wardrobe trunk
- The lens is suitable for full-frame cameras. There will be a time when all photographers will switch to full-frame digital SLRs and there Tair-11 will be able to prove itself to its full potential. This allows you to use the lens without restrictions on full-frame cameras.
Dimensions of two lenses. Tair-11A and Jupiter-37A
- The lens focus ring rotates to 360 degrees, which makes focusing very soft and smooth.
Tair-11A 2.8 135 on the Nikon D700 camera
- The lens has a ring. aperture presets. The aperture has no fixed values and may be set to any intermediate value.
Photo at Tair-11A
I share my personal experience using:
If you can screw this lens onto a digital SLR camera, then most likely because crop factor matrices of budget and average camera prices, you will get another effective focal length. For Nikon it will be 135 * 1.5 = 202.5mm, for other systems this figure does not have a large deviation, but the essence remains the same. That is, cropping will occur as if you are using a 200mm telephoto on a 35mm film. And this, in turn, requires a lot of space in order to enter the desired into the frame. So for a portrait, you have to move a sufficient distance, and this will make you run a lot.
Example photo at Tahir 11 A
It so happened that I tested my newly made Tahir-11 when shooting a wedding, do not worry, no one was hurt, but the second photographer still asked: "And this is your one lens on the camera." Indeed, the lens on the camera looks strange, this is due to its pile of rings - for the diaphragm, for fixing the diaphragm, for focusing, the lens hood and the screwed interchangeable shank make the lens multisectional and strange. It seems that this is a designer that an experienced photographer must assemble in 45 seconds.
Photo at Tair-11A
Old age is not a joy, but nevertheless the lens (my copy) is in excellent condition and will remain so for many years to come, since the quality hangs under the sign of 'Made in USSR'. Two Tair-11A lenses passed through my hands, one of the 88th, and the second of the 90th release. The latter did not bear the inscription 'Made in USSR'.
Example photo at Tair-11 A
How to use with modern cameras?
'A' lenses with an interchangeable shank, such as the one in this review, are very easy to use on almost any modern digital camera (both DSLR and mirrorless), just select correct adapter. The replacement 'A' shank usually has an external M42 thread and an 'H' mount (similar to Nikon F). For use on modern cameras, the easiest way is to add the required adapter from M42 to the desired system or from Nikon F to the desired system to this shank.
Sample photo on Tair-11 A
If you are interested in this lens, or any other Soviet optics, you can purchase it by contacting the contacts from the manual optics section.
Sample Photos Tair-11A
All photos in the gallery below are shot on Nikon D700without processing. Reduced size to 3 MP and imprinted data from EXIF
Catalog modern brand lenses 'Zenitar' и 'Helios' can look at this link.
Comments on this post do not require registration. Anyone can leave a comment. Many different photographic equipment can be found on AliExpress.
Conclusion:
Tair-11A excellent portrait lens. Very interesting for its image, 20-blade aperture and a combination of aperture and focal length. You can still look at white version of Tair-11.
Material prepared Arkady Shapoval. Training/Consultations | Youtube | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Telegram
I will sell a new Tair 11A, not expensive
At what price?
Good day, if not difficult, please help with the choice.
There is a Nikon d610 and I want a portrait, there is a choice: Tahir or Nikkor E 135 / 2.8 (it is AI-S) discussed here.
Please consult.
Thank you in advance.
I'm going to use Tair-11A on Nikon d3100, tell me how the aperture is controlled by the lens?
only with your hands, with the ability to set a limiter, to the value of which you can quickly close the aperture - focused on fully open, closed, photographed
Aperture is controlled directly on the lens.
I became the owner of a full-frame camera - I fully confirm your words that this lens is incomparable in a full frame, I took several portraits of different people, the result surprised everyone)
Good afternoon, there is a new (in the factory packaging) Tair-11A in the factory box No. 882275 manufactured on 22.07.1988/42/1, to it (with a 1x3 thread) the K-3.1799 teleconverter (TU84-2-39) 1X multiplicity with MC enlightenment and extension rings for Zenith (thread XNUMXxXNUMX). There are all photos of all items.
We need a professional who can appreciate such a kit for themselves.
Can we write to your email? gorv692@gmail.com
Thank you!
Igor
Professionals - please tell me which adapter should be used for SOny A1 for Tair 6500A
Thank you!
M42-NEX
the contrast is worse than that of the 135 edge zonar and the center loses by sharpness up to 8 bokeh the same only circles in the diaphragm are more beautifully bought in Germany in 1980 a month ago
One drawback - does not shoot in RAW format
There is a pimpama, a smooth switch will lead to a fabulous appearance of RAW. (smoke instructions, gentlemen, photo owners! You will find out a lot of surprising and interesting things for yourself!)
neighing
I will get tair 11a at a reasonable price to write to an email
I will sell tair 11a the price is 5000 rub
Please send a photo to my email uzyum87@mail.ru, I will consider purchase options
It is now sold at a price almost like the native Nikkor AI 135 f2.8
Most people are crazy.
Even more expensive)))
And the most interesting thing is that they buy ...
Still, in a full frame, the T-11 really has some value - his picture is very and weighty, like any Tair. So maybe it's not for nothing that the people love him so much.
Bati nadybal in the box tair 11a black, there is a canon 550d. The question is, how to screw it there so that everything works as it should?
If the tail is threaded, buy an adapter from the M42 thread to Kenon. If KP-A / N is installed, (as in the review), an adapter from Nikon to Kenon or unscrew KP-A / N and use the above M42-Kenon. Exposure metering will work, infinity flooded. All this is in the review. Quote:
“How to use with modern cameras?
'A' lenses with an interchangeable shank, like the one in this review, are very easy to use on almost any modern digital camera (both DSLR and mirrorless), just choose the right adapter. Soviet replaceable shank 'A' similar to 'T2 Mount'. The cheapest adapters can be found aliexpress.
For use on modern Canon EOS DSLR cameras, you need the T2-Canon EOS adapter, you can buy such an adapter (interchangeable shank) here. Such an adapter can still be replaced with a set of shank KP-A42 + M42-Canon EOS.
For use on Nikon SLR cameras you need an adapter T2-Nikon F, you can buy such an adapter (replaceable shank, analogue of KP-A / N) here. "
that is, metering and infinity will work without programming the chip?
Will be. Infinity does not apply to the chip. This is a matter of working length of the camera.
No one noticed in Tahir such a strange thing as a strong drop in contrast on a diaphragm covered up to 8 or more?
Photographed on such apertures only at night to check whether there will be rays around the light sources, it was not necessary during the day :) Seriously, the loss of contrast may be due to the brilliance of the aperture blades, especially if they have a lot of oil.
Oil on the petals can be said and not, so that is hardly the reason. In general, usually in open contrast can be weak, but on the contrary. Once I had already encountered a similar one, Helios-44m-6 MS with a virgin-clear aperture and the rest of the inside lost contrast precisely with the aperture closed to 8 (or 5.6, I can’t remember), if there was a bright object (in my case it was a small white sunlit building on the lake, on the opposite side of which I was). But when I was shooting in Tahir, I took into account this experience and there were no bright objects nearby.
in my opinion, it’s generally bad with contrast, like all Soviet-Gdrovian optics
I sell Tair-11A. Almost without exploitation (or without exploitation at all), the state is new.
Just a perfect copy. Without a single scuff or scratch.
Native leather tube with embossed embossed letters "TAIR-11", three native light filters included.
8000 re.
Moscow, region, forwarding.
pikar999@mail.ru
Good afternoon!
I use Tair - I like everything, but my friends advise me to try Jupiter 37A (MC version). Please tell me if it makes sense to buy such a Jupiter (I'm not going to part with Tair). I read reviews of 37 Jupiters, but I did not solve the question for myself. I really look forward to hearing from those who used both Tair 11A and Jupiter 37A. Jupiter's price is small, but does it make sense?
There is no point, you can buy a non-MS version and it also works great. Jupiter is much lighter and more compact, generally more pleasant to use. Then you risk taking part with Tair if you use it on full frame))))
I didn’t use Tahir, but Jupiter is happy, even the non-MS version.
Thank you very much!
I will try Jupiter.
I photograph on a crop - an example of a photo from my Tair 11A (without processing):
https://ibb.co/gMz7U9
Thanks for the informative, useful and interesting site!
Good evening!
Thanks to Rodion and BB for advice on Jupiter 37A!
I took Jupiter 37A MC 85 years old - I can compare it with Tair 11A:
1) taking pictures is really more convenient and faster
2) I didn’t especially see the difference in picture quality (I probably wouldn’t have distinguished photos from these lenses from each other)
3) Tahir is lighter than Jupiter, but it was possible to compensate for the exposure
4) at first it was not easy to get into focus on Tair, but after getting used to it, everything succeeds (with Jupiter, there was no addiction - it was easier to focus initially).
Conclusion - I will walk with Jupiter more often, but I will definitely highlight the days of Tair.
I agree with the review of Arcadia for all 100.
If you choose between them, then both are very good, but given the price, I would probably choose Jupiter after all.
PS: photo from Jupiter (without processing) - https://ibb.co/fY2249
Thanks to everyone: the creators of the site, and the participants in the discussions of great reviews!
I read reviews about the Tair-11A lens and ventured to buy it. I did not regret it. It is very interesting to shoot on it. Difficult after autofocus, but fun! I am a simple amateur, not a pro. I really liked it. Thanks for all the comments. I think that with this lens you can do leisurely, thoughtful and very interesting photo shoots.
I had a Tair-11A - I shot it on film, back and forth, but after using it on digital - I sold it. nothing interesting. judging by my photos and the photos in this review - the contrast is very weak. chromatite. I had to wind up the color in the editor. heavy. bokeh is not impressive. sluggish Soviet optics of the 50-60s. for lovers of manual. but the colors are pale.
If the color had to be wound, then either the case is in the camera, or you like it brighter. Last summer I bought this glass, I thought that the pictures would be pale and low contrast, but no, everything is fine, the color is wonderful and the contrast is enough, in most cases you don’t even need to edit anything. But here we must show that I am not a fan of vyrviglazny processing, and my camera (Nikon d200) is quite colorful.
Absolutely agree. In the sun, it is very colorful. It fades in the shadow, you have to catch up with the contrast. Yes, he does not make the sky disgustingly blue, and he does not make Asians out of a pale-faced skinhead, as does the rest of the USSR optics.
Good afternoon, tell me tair11a on Fuji x-m1: which adapter is suitable? m42-fx or fx-t2?
It depends on which tail he has.
t2 is too big, you can fix it, but it is better to do it through the m42 thread.
And yet, I used t2-nikon, so I had to deepen it still by 07mm.
So it’s not quite an analogue of kn-a / n, it turns out.
Thanks! Very interesting article
I will sell Tair-11 a condition of new
Case cover filters included
7500
advert812@yandex.ru
and what does the name TAIR mean ???
In the course of work on the project in 1943, D. Volosov received the optical scheme of the Tair high-aperture telesystem. (This mysterious word is just the name of the star Altair (Arabic) without the article "al") This name continues the Soviet tradition of giving lenses "cosmic" names, starting with the pre-war "Sirius" and "Saturn"). - with Zenith Camera. They also write that this may be the name in honor of Lake Tair, but the space version seems to me more likely. Helios, Jupiter, Uranus, Vega - there too. Peleng, Zenit, Industar - these are technical topics.
Kaleinar is the name of the optical scheme as I recall. Well, the World and the MTO are somewhat apart, which is either Maksutova or the Meniscus Tele Lens.
The wave also turns out to be special.
Well, maybe it's a radio wave :)
There is also the Zodiac and Orion, by the way, from space.
:)
I have been using this lens for three years. At FF Canon makes little impression, i.e. good-quality Soviet optics, everything is OK, but without any "zest". Now I want to try on Sigma SD1M (I'm waiting for a suitable sunny day), as practice shows, on this camera with Soviet optics, you can expect anything. For example, helios-44-2, which was just good on the Canon 5DMII FF, on the Sigma SD1M just made an impression “Ah!” (although the taste and color ...), while other lenses are better not to put on this camera, the tin is terrible.
Great lens. If you slightly cover the diaphragm - very sharp, the picture is really nice. To shoot nature, landscapes, animals ... But in my opinion, for portraits, a picture from Jupiter 37A is a little more interesting. I shot them in conjunction with Canon
[quote] it is enough to choose the right adapter. Soviet replaceable shank 'A' similar to 'T2 Mount' [/ quote]
I can't understand where this myth came from.
Type “A” shank is not the same as “T2 Mount”. And it is impossible to put the T2 adapter on a lens with an “A” shank. It just won't fit in there. “T2 Mount” consists of two rings, one of which (inner) is screwed onto the shank of a “T2 Mount” lens. The adapter itself is already installed on it, which is LIKE (but not similar - it has different mounting dimensions) to the adapter of type “A”.
To attach the T2 Mount adapter to an A-shank lens, a new inner ring must be sharpened, as the adapter will not work without this ring. At the same time, you will need to calculate the thickness of the new ring to select the focal length of the lens.
In general, it is easier to make a new adapter type “A”, or put the adapter from M42 on the desired mount.
It is quite possible to put the T2-Mount on a lens with an interchangeable tail without turning a new inner ring, for this it is enough to select 3 screws of the required length and with the required thread pitch. I was lucky, and such cogs were found in a jar, where I poured "unnecessary" parts while working as a system administrator. 2 of them spun completely, the third is about half, because it was noticeably longer. At the same time, the centering was not violated (at least, it was not noticeable either at the junction of the parts, or in the photographs), and the flange was in place. But I was really lucky, if I didn't have this jar, I would have found such screws, they are definitely not sold in fastening shops.
In two minutes I refuted your statement about the myth about the shank - on the “MC Jupiter-37AM” the “Samyang T-Mount for Pentax” shank stood like a glove. Both shanks have 3 screws. The Samyang threaded ring is removed, a lens is inserted in its place (assembled for an exact fit with a very small gap). As it was.
One more photo.
And another photo.
I hope it will be useful for amateur photographers. Thanks for attention.
Here is the same adapter for Tair-11A.
No gaps or extended screws. Everything is regular.