Overview of the MS Zenitar 16 / 2.8 Fisheye Lens

Lens MS Zenitar 16 / 2.8 "Fisheye" also has a name MC Zenitar 2.8 / 16 Fish-Eye. My instance is modified for Nikon mount and is called Zenitar-n... Most likely this name is due to the fact that the "H" mount is the same as the "F" mount (Nikon). The "H" type bayonet was used by cameras Kiev-17, 18, 19, etc. The lens is currently produced for Canon (with an adapter ring), Nikon (with a native mount), Sony (with an adapter ring) and Pentax (with native bayonet). Be careful that when choosing on your system you take exactly the right lens or lens + adapter.

View Zenitar-N 16 / 2.8

View Zenitar-N 16 / 2.8

As the name implies, this is a lens of class "Fish eye". In everyday life, just fishy (from the English fish - fish, eye - eye), or more seriously: a short-focus ultra-wide-angle lens. Zenitar-N refers to diagonal fisheye lenses, which means that it will give a large 180-degree angle of view only along the diagonal of the frame and only on the full frame.

Sample photo on Zenitar-N 16 / 2.8

Sample photo on Zenitar-N 16 / 2.8

First impression: The lens is quite small, very well assembled. The caption draws attention Made in Russia, since the lens is still produced in Russia at the Krasnogorsk plant (Zenith). There is a characteristic emblem of this plant on the lens. Further, an unusual front cap and an amazing curved front lens attracts you.

Sample photo on Zenitar-N 16 / 2.8

Sample photo on Zenitar-N 16 / 2.8

Important points in MC Zenitar 16 / 2.8:
1. 16mm wide angle. On film cameras under 35mm film, the lens will give a viewing angle of 180 degrees diagonally. But on the cropped matrix, for example on my Nikon D200and D40, the viewing angle will be equivalent to 24mm in full frame. And 24mm is already an ordinary wide-angle lens. For example, if you have a lens of type 18-55 or any other, starting with 18mm, then in comparison with the Zenitar-N it will give a slightly narrower angle (the field of view is slightly wider). The only major difference is the characteristic distortion of perspective that Zenitar gives.
2. Perspective Distortion. The lens has a strong barrel distortion, which in this case is not a problem, but a chip. The picture takes an unusual look, the lines around the edge of the frame bend very much, opening up a flight for the photographer for compositions and interesting ideas. I know for myself that I really wanted to play with such a lens before, but when it falls into your hands, coming up with a good composition with barrel-shaped distortion is not so simple.
3. Big aperture. F / 2.8 already decent aperture. Moreover, the lens is quite sharp already with a fully open aperture.
4. The lens is very compact, lightweight and durable. In the best traditions of Soviet optics - glass and iron.
5. The lens is manual, which means that no matter what cool Nikon camera you would hook Zenitar-N, it will not have auto focus. You have to focus manually, it’s not at all difficult using a wide-angle lens. On Nikon cameras, a green dot in the lower left corner of the viewfinder will serve as confirmation of a successful focus.

Photo by Zenitar-N 16 2.8

Photo by Zenitar-N 16 2.8

6. The lens does not have communication chips with the camera, and therefore exposure metering will only work on older Nikon cameras, such as Nikon D200, D300(s) D7000, D2 (x, h, s) and all full-frames. And this means that on cameras by type Nikon D40, D90 etc. You can only take pictures in M ​​mode (manual camera control mode). This is not always convenient. In more detail about any measurements and compatibility read in my article Soviet optics.
7. The lens is present jumping diaphragm. This means that you can focus on focus with the aperture fully open, and take a picture at the value that is set on the aperture control ring. It is very convenient and allows you to control the diaphragm. If it’s not clear about the jumping aperture, then I’ll briefly say that everything will work just like with the Nikon’s native lens.
8. The lens does not support the use of protective and gradient filters. There is simply nowhere to screw protective filter, and even the front lens has a bulge.

Photo on Zenitar-N fish eye 16mm F2.8

Photo on Zenitar-N fish eye 16mm F2.8

9. The lens has a tricky mechanism for using photo filters, they cannot be mounted in front of the front lens, but they are attached to the rear of the lens. 3 light filters included. The only thing is that you have to remove the lens from the camera before installing or replacing the filter. This is a rather rare phenomenon, although this has its advantages, the size of the filters is very small, and accordingly it makes their manufacture cheaper. When no color light filters are on the lens, a compensating transparent filter should be on the lens. True, getting additional filters for the Zenithar-N thread will be quite problematic.
10. The lens has a wonderful depth of field and aperture control scale. Moreover, the depth of field of the lens is simply gorgeous, already with a completely open aperture, the depth of field is very large.
11. The lens Suitable for Nikon full-frame cameras. True, people who have Nikon D700 or D3(x, s), most likely they can afford to use their native autofocus lenses.
12. When focusing, the front lens unit extends slightly forward, about half a centimeter.

Photo by Zenitar-N 16 2.8

Photo by Zenitar-N 16 2.8

Personal impressions: focusing on the lens is pretty simple, basically my lens is in focus position at infinity. You need to twist the focuser only if the focusing object is closer than 1.5 meters. And the depth of field of the lens is simply gorgeous. The only thing I expected from him was to see a wider angle on the crop, but 16mm is 16mm. I shot them chess tournament indoors, at hand was the universal Tamron 17-50 2.8, both lenses gave almost the same wide viewing angle at the short end, the only thing was that the fisheye sometimes got an interesting picture.

Photo by Zenitar N 16 2.8

Photo by Zenitar N 16 2.8

Attention: This is not an old lens, it is still available today and is popular with photographers and videographers. I have often seen Zenitar 2,8 / 16 on modern cameras, and my colleague shoots video on them Canon 60D. If you need more information on various kinds of compatibility and subtle issues, there is a site on which many issues related to Zenitar-N http://www.mc-zenitar.ru. Please note that on a cropped camera, the lens will not give super wide angle and super distortion, for this you need to use special fisheye for cropped cameras, or fisheye with an even smaller focal length.

Photo by Zenitar N 16 2.8

Photo by Zenitar N 16 2.8

About the picture: everything is simple - the picture is interesting, there is sharpness even at 2.8, if you close it to 5.6, then the sharpness becomes just fabulous. HA persist at almost all diaphragms. The distortion is the strongest - that's why he is a fish. The contrast is excellent. The lens tolerates back and side light well and catches hares a little. Corner sharpness practically does not fall on my cropped matrix. Vignetting is also not noticeable. But in order to fully reveal the potential of Zenitar-N, it must be used on a full frame, for the Nikon system these are film cameras or full-frame Nikon D700, D3(x, s).

Photo on Zenitar N 16 2.8 and a cropped camera

Photo on Zenitar N 16 2.8 and a cropped camera

Sample photos on Zenitar-N: (RAW -> JPEG, 1600 * 1200 + watermark without processing)

UPDATED

Examples of photos on MC ZENITAR-N 2,8 / 16 FISH-EYE and camera Nikon D600 a photographer shared with readers of Radozhiva Alexander Plekhanov.

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.


Conclusions: A very interesting Soviet manual lens. Perfect for people who need a wide angle, as well as for photo experiments with an interesting "curved" picture, which gives a fisheye. Personally, I will add that you really have to learn how to use the lens before making masterpieces.

Material prepared Arkady Shapoval. Training/Consultations | Youtube | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Telegram

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Comments: 223, on the topic: Review of the lens MS Zenitar 16 / 2.8 "Fisheye"

  • Vadim

    slipped in my humble ingenious head a little thought about buying this lens, but stopped the fact of a weak distortion and the price of 220 green presidents

  • Vadim

    Oh! your reviews, Arkady, as always at the highest level - just about the main thing)

  • Dmitriy

    You just need to compare it was to add from NIKON ________________ !!!

  • Eugene

    yes, a review and comparison with sigma 10-20 would also be interesting.

  • Vitali

    Arkady, tell me, please!
    Why, when installed on the D3000, does the device show that the lens is not connected?

    • Arkady Shapoval

      Because the lens does not have processor contacts. The lens can only work in M ​​mode. About this is written in the article, in more detail in the Soviet optics section on Nikon. On more advanced cameras, the camera will perfectly understand what is dressed on it and will work in the machine.

  • Michael

    As a representative of Krasnogorsk and, more recently, the owner of this lens, I express my gratitude to you for the review. Your review and an irresistible desire to fasten the native Krasnogorsk optics to your nikon led to the purchase.

    • Arkady Shapoval

      And thank you. Our optics, even in the west, are much appreciated.

    • anonym

      Why save on the petals?

      • Rodion

        Obviously, bokeh is not important for this lens, and the mechanics are the simpler, the fewer the petals.

  • Stepan

    Yesterday, in the photo store I tried to put Zenitar with a mount, on Nikon -d3100 .. Oblom. I did not fit. Just stupidly did not want to come up. It's a pity. There are several Soviet fast fixes at home, I wanted to take a carcass and all things. What does anyone know on this topic? Maybe something to grind on the lens?

    • Arkady Shapoval

      Are you sure it was Zenitar-N? and not with another mount?

  • Alexey

    I ordered this lens with a Nikon bayonet mount in the online store of the Krasnogorsk plant. I will note two circumstances. First, the lens does not snap into place, apparently the lock does not coincide with the recess in the lens, although it sits tightly (I checked it with d50 and d3100). And second, when you set it to infinity, the green confirmation point is lit only when you focus on objects no further than three meters, then it disappears, although the sharpness remains normal at any distance.

    • Alexander

      My Nikon D3300 also doesn't snap the lens. :(

  • Alexey

    I wrote, and your hands were combed - unscrewed three screws on the back of the lens, took it off, took the file and sawed just a little bit, a fraction of a millimeter, the recess for the retainer, and everything began to snap into place. The lens is great, but the damned legacy of socialism (in terms of tolerances) still affects (made in February 2012).

    • Arkady Shapoval

      I, too, often have to work as a "file" so that everything falls into place.

      • Andrei

        Thanks for the advice, I bought a new Zenitar, I thought it was such a chip that it does not fix, not the same. And really, literally 6-7 passes with a file and everything fell into place.

  • Dmitriy

    I have a nikon d300s and a tamron 10-24mm, do not tell me the zenithar on my device will give a picture wider than the tamron or not?

    • Arkady Shapoval

      No, Zenitar will not give a wider picture than your Tamron.

  • Sasha

    I think to put on the D700, does it make sense to put? or take that thread more expensive?

    • Arkady Shapoval

      You decide, without the tasks I can’t tell you anything.

  • Eugene

    And tell me please ... in comparison with Tokin 11-16mm ... 16mm on the crop on Tokin and 16mm on the Zenitar on the Full-frame - will there be the same information in the focal frame? I hope I asked the question clearly :)
    I just don’t really understand the specifics of a fishay ... that is, 16mm in width and 16mm on a fishay are completely different things? Or is it still somehow different?

    • Arkady Shapoval

      Tokina 11-16 is not intended for a full frame, but if installed, the viewing angles will be the same. Fisheye does not correct distortion.

  • Anton

    Help please
    “Zenitar N 16mm” and “Zenitar M 16mm” is the only difference in the bayonet? or in quality too?
    it’s just as I know that the type H mount is older, and the older glass was made more solidly than the new one. or is it all a myth?
    how not to miscalculate and choose high-quality glass?

    • Arkady Shapoval

      Yes, the difference in the mount. There are old lenses with N mount and there are new lenses. Quality depends on which instance comes directly to you. In different lenses in different ways.
      There are a lot of choice factors, the main criterion is understanding what you are giving money for and the quality that you expect from the lens.

  • Clea Helena

    I’ll ask a stupid question - why are two diaphragm scales next to each other?

    • Arkady Shapoval

      For older cameras that have AI-S lenses

      • anonym

        wrong, this is an infrared film recount

        • B. R. P.

          Wrong. The infrared shift mark is a red R.

  • Ivan

    Hello! A lens with a large viewing angle, with a minimum focusing distance, is required.
    The task is to capture as many details as possible near the photographer and also for small rooms. Please tell me which lens is more realistic to choose?

    • Arkady Shapoval

      For which camera, system, format?

      • Ivan

        Canon EOS 600D Camera

        • Arkady Shapoval

          Sigma AF 8-16mm F4.5-5.6 DC HSM gives your camera a maximum viewing angle, MDF is not the smallest, but sufficient for a number of tasks.

  • Ivan

    Maybe there is some option among Soviet optics?

    • Arkady Shapoval

      When there were times of film, no one even thought of releasing lenses under a cropped matrix (such as in your camera), therefore, simply there can be no good widths for crop. If you chase only around the corner, then the 8mm Bearing can show a good result.

  • Ivan

    Nice lens, but never met him.
    The world or Helios can give about the same picture but only with less distortion and which ones? It's just that they are more common in my city.

    • Arkady Shapoval

      You asked about the maximum viewing angle. Where did you see the wide-angle Helios? The wide angle of the MIR lenses was designed for cameras under 35mm film, and not under the Canon 1.6x crop, because, I repeat, that the super-widths from Soviet optics can be counted on the fingers of one hand :)

  • Ivan

    Now everything is clear, thanks!)

  • willow

    Hello !!!! I wanted to ask if the Zenitar-N lens will fit on the Nikon D3100 and what angle of view will it be ???? otherwise I'm confused ... ..): I read people's thoughts, I didn't understand if it would fit or not ... .. I rarely find myself here to write a reply to the mail….

    • Arkady Shapoval

      Suitable, everything is written in the review.

  • Nastya

    Arkady! First of all, many thanks for your articles and reviews, perhaps the best photo site, thank you. And for your patience - I read the comments, and was amazed at you)
    But this is lyrics.
    I plan to use this lens on the nikon d3100 and F75. I understand that on the film it will give a wider angle than on the crop, right?
    And what exactly will the drawing on the film look like? It’s just interesting, did anyone combine the film imported camera and this lens, as the results? Your opinion?)
    Again - did I understand correctly that the lens will fit normally on these two cameras? I understand that both have the same F mount, I'm just afraid I might have to file it?
    Afraid after reading the comment from “Alexey April 4th, 2012 at 7:07 pm”
    Thank you.

    • Arkady Shapoval

      Yes, the lens mounts without problems. On a film camera, the viewing angle will be large, and the curvature will be stronger. Now they are being released specifically in view of the fact that they will be used on Nikon cameras, and not on the old Kiev-19.

      • Nastya

        Thanks. I apologize for the question not to the cashier, do you know anything about Opteka HD² 0.20X 52mm fisheye optics? They offer to buy it yet, but I can not find a single review or review in Russian (

        • Arkady Shapoval

          Most likely this is not a lens, but a wide-angle fisheye nozzle for an 18-55 whale lens under a 52mm filter.

          • Nastya

            Thank you, I will know) then I take the Zenit fish)

  • Oleg

    By the way, can you tell us more about the 8 mm Bearing. Especially in the crop?

  • Vladimir

    Arkady, please tell me, I want to try the MS Zenitar 16 / 2.8 Fisheye on my Canon EOS 500D, how useful is this lens to such a camera? It really hurts like him reviews)))
    Thank you!

    • Arkady Shapoval

      For what purpose is it appropriate? There is simply a wide-angle lens in a strong distortion. Everything is written in the review.

  • Elizabeth

    Good afternoon!

    I don’t know what I would do without you! Your articles and reviews are very helpful in deciding whether or not to take a lens. I wish you successful creative experiments! Keep it up! :)

    For a long time with you
    Elizabeth.

  • Anatoly

    Arkady, hello. You write:
    “When none of the color filters is on the lens, there must be a transparent compensating filter on the lens. However, getting additional filters for Zenitar-N thread will be quite problematic. ”
    It turns out that this lens is not equipped with a compensating transparent filter, you can’t get it anywhere and you can’t remove it without this filter. Or I did not understand correctly.

    • Arkady Shapoval

      Comes complete.

  • Anatoly

    PS. If the lens has a default compensation filter and is removed only when a color filter is installed, then there are no questions.
    Sincerely.

    • Arkady Shapoval

      That's exactly it.

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