For the opportunity review lens MS 3M-5CA many thanks to Alexander Panasyuk.
View of the lens MS ZM-5CA and filters from the kit
There are two lenses. MS 3M-5A and MS 3M-5CA. The second version of 3M-5CA is just an updated version of 3M-5A. 3M-5CA - two times lighter than his brother, and slightly smaller in size. On the one hand, less weight is good, but on the other hand, due to the light weight of the lens, the minimum excerptat which you can take off without grease pictures.
TTX 3M-5CA:
Focal length: 500mm
The weight: 620g
MDF: 4 meters
Diaphragm: F8.0 fixed
Front Filter Diameter: 72mm
Landing thread: M42
Manufacturer: LZOS (Lytkarino Optical Glass Plant, Lytkarino)
Also, you can find the name of the lenses: MC ZM-5A and MC ZM-5SA - these are the same MS 3M-5A and 3M-5CA.
View of the lens MS ZM-5CA and size comparison
The letters MC in the name of the lens indicate multilighting. The letters ЗМ stands for "mirror-meniscus". 3M-5CA Is not a classic lens lens. Have 3M-5CA special mirror-meniscus design, which includes the meniscus, mirrors and lenses. Menis and lenses have multi-lightening.
View of the MS ZM-5CA lens on a modern digital mirror camera
The main important information about MS 3M-5CA
1. The lens is super telephoto. 500 mm focal length give a very strong approximation. If used 3M-5CA on a camera with a cropped matrix (APS-C type), then the angle of view with this lens will be even narrower, and EGF will equal 750mm for Nikon with crop factor 1.5 and 800mm for Canon c crop factor 1.6. With such a large focal length it is easy to reach distant objects, or simply go unnoticed by shooting from far away.
2. The lens fits for full frame. They will be able to work with him Nikon D700, D800(to), D3(x, s), D4, Canon EOS 5D (Mark II, Mark III), 1Ds Mark II (Mark III), 1D Mark IV and 1D X. Typically long-throw full-frame lenses are quite expensive, MC 3M-5A and 3M-5CA can be found for less than $ 100. e.
3. The lens only one aperture value equal to F8.0. The aperture value cannot be changed. For example, aperture F8.0 lower per aperture with an aperture of F5.6 ordinary whale lens only 2 times.
Photo on MS ZM-5CA
4. The focus ring is very convenient, rotates almost 360 degrees. The aim is smooth. The minimum focusing distance is 4 meters. After 30 meters, infinity begins on the focus distance indicator.
5. The front cover does not snap into place, but is screwed in. Moreover, it takes a long time to screw the cover. The cover covers the front lens, which is actually a concave meniscus.
6. Together with the lens there are 4 light filters: UV-1x, N-4x, ZhZ-2x, O-2.8X (ultraviolet, neutral, green and orange).
Sample photo on MS ZM-5CA
How to use on modern digital SLR cameras?
Despite the fact that the lens has an ending in the name “A”, the lens does not have a replaceable shank. On my copy of the MC 3M-5CA, there is simply an M42 thread for attaching to the camera. The lens has an amazing ability to focus beyond infinity. I use the lens with the KP-42 \ N adapter without a lens, while the ability to focus on infinity is preserved.
Attention 1: MS 3M-5CA cannot be installed simply with an adapter KP-42 \ N on cameras junior line due to the fact that the lens abuts against a built-in flash. I could not attach the lens to Nikon D40, Nikon D5000. The lens sits on older cameras without problems. You can see the camera class in the section 'all nikon cameras'. As for Canon, I can't say.
Attention 2: in spite of the fact that the lens has M42 thread, on Nikon it will be possible to focus at infinity even with a KP-42 / N lensless adapter due to the fact that the focusing ring has a small "Running across" for infinity.
Attention 3: The lens is quite difficult to shoot. This is due to a large focal length of 500 mm, a small lens weight and a small aperture F8.0 Almost all Nikon cameras can confirm focusing on a green dot with apertures up to F5.6 (indicated in the camera specification). Therefore, confirmation by the green focus point will not always work. The green dot will only work well under normal lighting conditions. Who has a Live View is not a problem. Also, professional cameras such as Nikon D4 can be sharpened at F8.0 aperture by confirming with a green dot when using part of the focus points, as D4 supports focusing at F8.0
You can read how to install and use old lenses on modern Nikon digital SLR cameras in the section Soviet optics. For Canon in Old Canon Lenses.
Portrait on MS ZM-5CA
Image quality:
The MS 3M-5CA lens gives a slightly contrasty image (it’s not at all a problem to fix it during processing). The lens has two very interesting features in the construction of the image. The first is the lens is completely devoid of chromatic aberration. Usually, the highest quality telephoto lenses are lightweight. HA, MS 3M-5CA - does not have them at all. Lack of HA associated with the mirror-meniscus lens design. The lens has an unusual bokeh - all the luminous points in the out-of-focus area are transformed into donuts and rings - this is a feature of the mirror-meniscus lens. Many people do not like this type of bokeh, in any case, the picture looks unusual.
Bokeh on MS ZM-5SA
Sample photos on MS 3M-5CA. All photos are taken on Nikon D200without processing. Converting from RAW to JPEG with auto levels, reduced the size to 1600 * 1200 and added a watermark with parameters EXIF. I did add auto levels, since raw RAW has pretty little contrast.
Personal impressions:
Take off hand lens 3M-5CA on the camera Nikon D200 without grease I get on shutter speed not lower than 1/100 of a second. I advise you to shoot no lower than 1/500. How to avoid blurring, is written in the article as Take off with Hands. Due to the small aperture and the need for a short excerpts when shooting handheld, even on a sunny day you will have to raise ISO. On a cloudy day I had to shoot at ISO 1600 and shutter speed about 1/320.
Photo on the lens of the MS ZM-5CA
Why can I use such a lens?
With the lens, you can quietly shoot fearful animals, distant objects, etc. .. In fact, the lens is not so big, Tair-3 is much larger than the MC 3M-5CA. Fans of stealthy shooting, MS 3M-5CA will like it. On the camera, the lens looks pretty decent and impressive, it attracts a mirror, which is located in the middle of the front meniscus, which is rather strange for a conventional lens lens. MS 3M-5A and 3M-5CA have more brothers - these are 3M-4A, ZM-6A, with F6,3 and 500mm. ZM-6A is faster than 1.6 times (2/3 stops) for 3M-5A.
Photo on MS ZM-5CA
Catalog modern brand lenses 'Zenitar' и 'Helios' can look at this link.
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Conclusion:
The 3M-5CA is an excellent super telephoto lens. Picture 3M-5CA has a complete absence of chromatic aberration. Focusing is smooth. The lens has low contrast and shooting without a tripod is quite difficult. I recommend it to all fans of hunting photos.
Material prepared Arkady Shapoval.
I put the ZM-5SA on a Nikon D90 through a regular adapter. Close to the flash, even strikes it. There is no infinity ...
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Does everything work with the lens?
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I bought a used GX10 specifically for Soviet lenses. Now there are no problems with infinity and exposure lenses - through the adapter ring everything works without any rebounds
and experiments.
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Arkady, is there a tripod mount for this lens?
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It is possible to order on Tripod a tripod ring for Nikon 80-200 / 2,8
It competently sits on the lens in the area of the distance scale.
I also advise you to buy in the same place a deep lens hood for telephoto lenses on a 72 mm thread and an eyepiece with a magnification of 1,6 - it really helps to focus quickly.
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What is the eyepiece attachment called?
I can’t find it on Alika.
Maybe there is a photo?
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Probably, we are talking about Tourist-FL, but this is not certain.
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A tourist fl makes a telescope out of lenses, I know that. But I can’t understand how this attachment helps with focusing. Are you aiming faster somehow?
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We were talking about a magnifying glass attachment (eyepiece) that fits onto the camera display. Ersatz-EVI for DSLR users or owners of some NEX-5.
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Oh, no, I read it wrong. These types of magnifiers are placed on the screen for focusing. “camera viewfinder lcd” can be searched.
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The optically best solution is the Chinese eyepiece attachment Zoom View Finder 1,08 - 1,6 (a copy of the branded Tepra). But not cheap.
On Aliexpress about 2000 rubles (5 or 6 interchangeable adapters for different eyepieces).
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I have a ZM-5A (it has been working since the 83rd year; first at the Zenith, now at the Canon). There are two mounts to the tripod, approximately at the cross section of the lens de-weighting, at 90 degrees to each other. The trick is that when you attach this lens (M42 thread) through the M42-CanonEOS adapter rings of almost all manufacturers, standard mounts to the lens turn out to be at a random angle relative to the camera axis. Taking into account the huge reserve of the lens in focusing “beyond infinity”, I laid the place where the M42 adapter ring and the lens junction with a ring of thin wire in insulation, which gave (due to puncturing the insulation) a fairly reliable positioning of the lens mount relative to the camera.
By the way, the filter thread diameter for the ZM-5A is not 72mm, as indicated in the review, but 77mm in 0,75 increments.
A separate “bonus” of this lens is the presence of a non-removable hood in the form of a sliding ring
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Good day. This lens was lying on my mezzanine for about 20 years, I did not even know that it was, I thought, an air sight (its dimensions, mirror and military grandfather).
I hooked it through an EF-M42 adapter to a Kenon 80D camera. Everything works fine, metering, focusing. Mounted the lens itself on a tripod, fortunately, it has four mounting points. A very interesting experience. Pleased with a fixed hood.
By the way, filters from it are suitable for 17-55 and other lenses with a 77 mm thread.
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Please tell me who came across, on pentax k20d this lens becomes ZM-5CA?
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Tell me, did anyone install on Pentax k-5?
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Installed on Sony a7rii, everything works
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Today, I bought it. I tried it on nikon D700 and on fudzhik soak! What to say HA is absent from the word at all. Low contrast is true! I am very pleased, the focusing is smooth, the sharpness is quite good, I thought it would be worse. For that kind of money, it's a godsend. F8 but what to do - this is the constructive. At 1 / 250c, I shot without blurring with a read, finally shine, focusing is smooth! For photo hunting - the very thing, and the size and weight, you can always take with you and not strain! Super!
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Long focus, but without autofocus ... Masochism.
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In mirrored lenses, there is no af.
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It happens.
Minolta and later Sony had AF 500mm / 8
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Domestic did not have it yet)
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Example from the field
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In my arsenal there are MS ZM-5SA, ZM-6A and MTO-1000. Two DSLRs Nikon D3200 and Canon EOS2000D. So MC ZM-5SA sat down better on Canon, since on Nikon it rests against the flash. But the ZM-6A does not sit well on my Canon, but it fits perfectly on Nikon. MTO sits perfectly on one and the other carcass. The focus on infinity is everywhere. For Nikon adapter without lens, for Canon with focus confirmation chip. I took adapters on Aliexpress.
In general, I am very pleased with the lenses!
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Tell me which is better:
this 3M 5SA or ZRT-460 as a telephoto lens?
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Hi all! I don't know if anyone will be reading this thread in 2023 :)
But I ran into the following problem. There is 5CA in the zero state, but with a nice number 844000. And the bottom line is that on my Sony A77 this glass simply does not have a sharpness zone. Has anyone else experienced this and knows how to fix it?
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Well, as usual - disassemble, loosen the fastening of the meniscus in front and the main mirror (if the design allows). The field corrector can also be loosened by tightening, but it is not so important there.
It is better to blacken all interlens offal with a matte finish, then the contrast will be better.
Next, do not forget that in the cold, the lens needs about 20-30 minutes to thermally stabilize.
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Thank you very much, I will try. I managed to forget about this method, about twenty years ago I already returned the sharpness of mto1000 so) I hope it helps. The lens is good, I would use it for walks
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You can see an example of how EVIL transforms after blackening here in my review of MS ZM-7K. Significantly.
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Why won't this thread be read in 2021? I'm reading it with pleasure in 2025, because I just bought a 3M for the A6400 ))))
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I decided to purchase this lens at my own risk. I was worried that it wouldn't fit on my D3200.
So here it is. With a “thin” adapter M42/N, which without a lens, does not stand up and rests against the beak of the flash. If you try to screw it in, it stands up with a slight distortion, rubbing the flash. There is almost infinity (taking into account the gap).
With the macro-ring, the thinnest one naturally stands up, but there is no longer infinity.
But with the “thick” adapter M42/N, which is with the lens, it fits right next to it and lightly touches the flash. With such an adapter there is a decent range beyond infinity.
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Good all the time of day!
I will also tell you about my small but fresh experience with these glasses. Purely personal impressions, maybe it will help other doubters.
Got my hands on the ЗМ-5СА a week ago, good used condition. Had a chance to compare with ЗМ-6А (both МС, with coating, М42), but only indoors. Played with it for a long time, comparing. Both shooting handheld and putting the camera on the table. It seemed that 5 is easier to focus than 6. I was very tempted by the aperture of 6.3 versus 8, but in the end I decided that the best lens is the one you have with you, rather than the most beautiful one lying at home. And the weight played its role: ЗМ-5СА is comparable in size to a folded 55-300 and hangs quietly in the bayonet, is easy to hold and control. With ЗМ-6А it is much less convenient to focus - heavy, large diameter, and carrying around is also not so much fun. Tested to the best of my ability, both have even donuts, dots are dots, did not notice any CA. The mirrors seem not to be pinched. I was quite satisfied with the sharpness, I aimed using the native matte screen. The K5 camera is here and further.
Now about the corrector. My copy, as I said, was pretty used, and the rear lenses were in my fingers, so the path after the purchase was predetermined. I unscrewed the ring, shook out 2 lenses. The biconcave one stood in front, with the more curved side (smaller radius of curvature) forward, while the rear, flat-convex, with the convex side turned towards the camera. And at the same time, as it turned out, it is just a little bit short of infinity. The k&f adapter is inserted flush with the bayonet, does not protrude.
Since I took it apart anyway, I decided to test the effect of rearranging the lenses:
1. Took out both - the lens began to focus from about 1.5-2m, the focal length was clearly reduced. I didn't take 500 mm for that, let's play on)
2. Took out a plano-convex, biconcave with the more curved side forward. There is infinity, sharp, focal length 500, but the wildest chromaticism everywhere, except for the very center.
3. Turned it over with the bent side facing the camera - it’s comparable, as if the XA were smaller, but overall it’s the same.
4. The curved side is forward, the second lens is also forward with the convex side – it physically does not fit, the back ring does not twist.
5. The rear lens is convex backwards (as I bought it) – there is no infinity, at the edges there is like motion blur towards the center, there is no CA.
6. The curved side is backwards, the convex side is also backwards – there is also no infinity, wild motion blur from the edges, no CA. The picture is like from lensbaby single optics: so poor quality that it even becomes beautiful. I would like to take portraits with such blurring of the edges).
7. I turned it over with the convex side forward - the picture is clear across the entire field, no CA. I left it like that, I decided to deal with infinity by turning the ring with the distance scale.
I repeat, who and how twisted the lens before me is unknown. The rear bolts are carefully painted over with a marker. Judging by the splines, they may have been unscrewed, but on Soviet equipment they may have been broken from the factory. The front ring was clearly not unscrewed, the grooves for the key are filled with some kind of varnish, clearly not fresh. Nothing is loose inside, the donuts in defocus are even, the dots are too. The mirrors look clean, dust specks are single. It works - do not touch, so I was careful not to disassemble the lens, because I am unlikely to do better, but dust will definitely get in. Of course, I only wiped the corrector lenses, and the front one too.
So, we unscrew the focus until we get access to 3 small screws on the ring with the distance scale. I loosened them (the main thing is not to lose them! They are very small, if they fall on the floor - that's it, you won't find them), aimed at the stand a couple of hundred meters away, where it was previously impossible. Then, without touching the focus, I turned the distance ring so that the mark on the body pointed to infinity. Then I turned it for another hour or so (I overtraveled) and screwed the screws back. Profit. There is infinity, the MDF is about 4 meters, as stated. The distances on the scale visually match, I did not check with a tape measure and did not align to the millimeter. I'm waiting for the Moon for experiments)
The express test showed quite decent sharpness and contrast, on the Internet and much more blurry pictures with ZLO. I am satisfied. There is nothing special to post, all the pictures are technical for now, I did not walk the glass.
A good way to get a technically sharp photo came to mind: take a picture of something with a flash. Its short pulse freezes all movement and completely removes the shake, so that the only reason for blurriness is defocus. Example - a photo with a fifty-dollar coin, distance 7m Cropping and auto levels.
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