For the opportunity lens review Zenitar-M 1,7 / 50 Many thanks to Alexander Perever and Igor Tihan.
Review Zenitar-M
TTX Zenitar-M 1.7 / 50 (aka Zenitar-M 1.7 / 50)
MDF: 45sm
Optical design: 6 elements in 5 groups
Focal length: 50mm
Number of aperture blades: 6 pieces
Diaphragm: F1.7-F16.0
The weight: 280 g
Landing thread: M42
Front Filter Diameter: 52mm
This review presents exactly Zenitar-M with serial numbers 859616 and 850340. There is a modification of the lens MS Zenitar-M with multi-enlightenment and slightly smaller MDF, you can see the overview MS Zenitar-M 1,9 / 50... Zenitar-M 1.7 / 50 was used as a standard lens for Zenit-18 and Zenit-19 cameras. There is also a very interesting modification - Zenitar-ME1 50 mm f / 1.7 MS with just two aperture blades that form a square aperture and give a fun "grid" in the out of focus area at closed apertures.
View of the Zenatir-M lens 1,7 50 from different sides
Features of the lens Zenitar-M 50 1.7
1. Focusing ring moves smoothly, slightly tight. The minimum focusing distance is 45cm, infinity starts at 15 meters on the scale on the lens. The focusing ring itself rotates approximately 270 degrees. When focusing, the entire lens unit moves. When focusing, the “trunk” is lengthened by about a centimeter. The depth of field indicators are plotted for diaphragms 4, 8, 11, 16 and, most likely, for 2.8, but without a numerical designation. On the aperture scale, you can set the values 1.7, 2, 4, 8, 11, 16 and, most likely, F2.8, F5.6 without a digital designation.
Enlightenment of the front and rear lens of the Zenitar-M lens
2. The lens is excellent maximum aperture F1.7, which allows you to achieve a very small depth of field. Considering that on cameras with a 1.5x crop EGF will be 75mm, and for 1.6x EGF is 80mm, then the lens can be used as a good portrait lens. The number of aperture blades is only 6 pieces. If you need a portrait lens for a crop, also look towards the Helios-44 in the white version.
3. The lens is well assembled. The first copy that I visited was with the backlash of the focus ring. But my second lens was made very high quality.
Sample photos on Zenitar-M 1.7 50mm
4. The diameter of the front filter is 52mm, you can easily find a protective or specialized photo filter. When focusing, the front group of lenses does not rotate, which simplifies working with the lens.
Sample photos on Zenitar-M 1.7 50mm
5. The lens has a blinking (jumping) aperture. It’s very convenient that you can disable it with a special switch and you can set aperture values in manual mode. The lens has no aperture preset ring.
Sample photo on Zenitar-M F1.7 50mm
Sample photos on Zenitar-M
All photos are unprocessed. Unloading from RAW -> JPEG Q80%, resized to 1600 * 1200, data from EXIF. Everything is filmed on Nikon D200, Nikon D40, Canon 350D.
How to use with modern cameras?
Lenses with mounting thread M42 (M42 X 1 / 45.5), such as the lens from this review, are very easy to use on almost any modern digital camera (both SLR and mirrorless), for this it is enough to choose the right adapter (adapter). You do not need to carry out any additional steps to modify the lens.
The cheapest adapters can be found at Aliexpress.com... There are adapters (adapters) with a chip that provide more convenience during shooting, usually chips are used to confirm focus and / or metering exposure, and form the correct EXIF. The chip does not affect the image quality in any way.
For some SLR cameras (for example, with the Nikon F-mount), you need to use adapters with a corrective lens, which allows you to focus correctly at all focusing distances. For any mirrorless cameras, such a lens is not needed, and the adapter is a simple decorated hollow metal tube with an appropriate mount.
For SLR cameras
- Canon: For cameras Canon EOS with bayonet mount EF / EF-S need an M42-Canon EOS adapter, such an adapter with a chip can be found herewithout chip here.
- NIKON: For cameras Nikon DX / FXas well as for cameras Fujifilm и Kodak with a Nikon F mount, you need an M42-Nikon F adapter, you can buy such an adapter without a lens and a chip here, with a lens without a chip herewith chip without lens here, with lens and chip here. Why a lens? Why chip?
- PENTAX: For Pentax cameras with K mount, you need an M42-Pentax K adapter, you can buy such an adapter here.
- SONY/MINOLTA: For cameras with a Sony / Minolta A mount, you need the M42-Sony A adapter, you can find such an adapter without a chip at this linkwith a chip at this link.
- OLYMPUS/PANASONIC/LEICA: For cameras with a 4/3 bayonet mount (not to be confused with Micro 4/3!) You need an M42-4 / 3 adapter, you can buy such an adapter here.
For mirrorless cameras
- SONY: For cameras with 'E'/'FE' mount series SonyNEX и Sony Alpha you need an adapter M42-Sony E (aka M42-Sony Nex), you can find it at this link. An autofocus adapter is also available for these cameras. Techart PRO Leica M - Sony E Autofocus Adapterwhich can be found at this link.
- OLYMPUS / PANASONIC / KODAK / XIAOMI: For cameras with a bayonet mount Micro 4/3 (Micro 4:3) you need an adapter M42-Micro 4/3, you can find it at this link.
- CANON M: For cameras with Canon EF-M mount need adapter M42-Canon M, it can be found at this link.
- CANON R and RF-S: For cameras with Canon RF mount need adapter M42-Canon R, it can be found at this link.
- Nikon 1: For cameras Nikon 1 Series need adapter M42-Nikon 1, you can find it at this link.
- Nikon Z: For cameras Nikon Z series (FX/DX) need an adapter M42-Nikon Z, it can be found at this link.
- FUJIFILM X: For cameras with mount X need an M42-Fuji X adapter, you can find it at this link.
- FUJIFILM GFX: For medium format cameras G-mount need M42-Fuji GFX adapter, you can find it at this link.
- SAMSUNG: For cameras with NX mount, you need an M42-Samsung NX adapter, you can find it at this link. There are no adapters for the NX mini camera yet.
- PENTAX: For Q-mount cameras, you need an M42-Pentax Q adapter, you can find it at this link.
- SIGMA / PANASONIC / LEICA: For cameras with L mount you need an M42-Leica L adapter, you can find it at this link.
- LEICA: For cameras with a bayonet mount Leica M need adapter M42-L / M, you can find it at this link.
If you have any questions on compatibility and adapters - ask in the comments (comments do not require any registration at all).
Portrait on Zenitar-M 1.7 50
Image Quality at Zenitar-M
Zeninar-M lens which gives sharpness already with the maximum open aperture F1.7... Moreover, the sharpness is not conditional, but quite normal. Sharpness at closing the aperture only increases and is present throughout the entire field of the frame (taking into account the effect of diffraction). Lens distortion on the cropped matrix is minimal. The lens produces good, smooth and soft bokeh at full aperture. The image is contrasting. Color reproduction is normal. A little afraid of counter light, in general, tolerates side light normally. There is nothing more to say - just a high-quality fifty kopeck piece.
Zenitar-M on a modern camera
Personal impressions
I liked Zenitar-M 1.7 50. The owner of the Zenithar, who has the ability to focus on infinity, claims that F1.7 can even take a landscape. Of the Soviet fifty kopecks, I usually recommend Helios-81n, Helios-77m-4, now I will recommend Zenitar-M 50 1.7. I advise you to look in the section to vote for the best Soviet fifty dollarswhere Zenitar-M takes the honorable 3rd place.
Sample photo on Zenitar-M F1.7 50mm
You can judge the sharpness yourself:
Zenith-M lens sharpness
Backlight, the lens is still afraid. Example photo with hard backlight below.
Example photo with hard backlight below
But the blurring of the background on a fully open aperture is simply gorgeous.
Background blur on Zenitar-M
Color rendition on the example of a photograph with flowers.
Color rendering Zenitar-M
Zenitar-M has a shallow depth of field at F1.7
Background on the Zenith-M went into kissel
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.
Hack and predictor Aviator
Zenitar-M 50 1.7 is an excellent fast prime lens. It has good sharpness at all apertures and nice open bokeh. I recommend.
Material prepared Arkady Shapoval. Training/Consultations | Youtube | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Telegram
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I shot everything on a Canon 5D classic
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I bought myself such a lens on the D700, installed an adapter with a lens, the photo shows a faint spot in the center, which changes its size depending on the aperture, a small spot on a closed spot, a large spot on an open one. What can it be and where does it come from?
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I come to the conclusion that these apertureless blades of the diaphragm give such a glare, it’s a pity, I liked the lens as a whole, only this fifth periodically spoils everything
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Just put it on the ff bzk and everything will be fine, but nikon is not about manual glasses with a working distance of 45.5
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Yes, ff bzk is our fsio. It even removes stains.
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So here the stain is clearly from the additional lens on the adapter. So yes, the FF BZ will get rid of spots, as well as the Canon CZK, in view of the fact that there the working distance allows you to install M42 optics without any additional lenses.
In general, you should study the issue before trying to be clever.
In principle, FF is not necessary, both crop and micro are possible, only on FF the lens will open completely.
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So smart as you, I can’t learn how much you don’t study the issue. Such characters fascinate me. From the height of their professionalism, they teach strangers on the Internet, while not knowing the rules of etiquette and simple folk wisdom, for example, “a fool loves to teach, and a smart one learns.” You do not know how familiar this issue is to me, maybe you have something to learn. And in any case, no one can dictate to anyone what to write in comments on the Internet. I believe that if there is no mood and you want to pour out your bile on someone, then a reasonable person will refrain, or at least try to choose expressions.
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... most likely the problem is in the adapter with the lens, or rather its quality... it’s easy to check by installing a simple m42-nikon adapter... it’s clear that focusing will be up to 3-4m
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SONY a550
I like this. The pictures are somehow interesting. Although, I'm at the user level only. I dug up an object in the attic)
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SONY a550
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I don’t know what the topic was, but do you think about Zenitar and radioactivity? On your dumka ob'єktiv shkіdliviy chi nі?
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Nobody used ThO2 in the lenses of this Zenitar. Too luxurious for the USSR. Asahi da Zeiss allowed themselves such a thing.
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Dyakuyu, have been reassured. And then I'm already thinking pozbuvatisya my love.
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Cool glass
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once I had such a thing
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The people, I need advice about this glass. Bought, listed for installation on the 600D, but the joy did not last long. Beautiful drawing, interesting “airy” bokeh - all this lasted a couple of days, and the shutter waved the handle (err2). It will sound strange, but there was a first fiver to replace it (EOS 5D Mark l, aka Classic). Having installed the Zenithar there, all I saw was a terrible soapy picture. Is it generally suitable for a full-frame carcass, or look for something better?
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It was released for Zenith, and this is a full-frame carcass) Look for problems in the camera or in a specific lens / adapter.
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The D600 is still cropped and it takes away the central part of the lens. At an open aperture, as a rule, only the center is sharp. So it turns out that if you set it to full frame, you get a sluggish picture. On film it is, after all, tolerable, but a full 24MP matrix claims to be something of better quality.
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Has anyone used this lens for IR photography? If possible, a few words on this topic.
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What range do you want to shoot?
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The camera, unfortunately, is not modified to shoot in the infrared spectrum, but the range is 760.
Thank you for responding.
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Lenses usually correct up to 650 nm, the extra 100 nm in red do not make the weather. So feel free to use it. Transmission in this range is usually good enough for glass.
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If possible, one more question: compared to the Zenitar 50 / 1,7, is the Nikon 50 mm 1.8D AF lens for IR shooting? I mean sharpness, and hence the detail. Or is the difference only in the price of 5-6 thousand rubles for a used one? Thank you.
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Apparently, this means the use of an IR filter from 760 to the sensitivity limit of the matrix (about 1000 nm). With sharpness, it will most likely be good, but there will be glare and re-reflections, because. illumination will not work. There may be a slightly darker spot (hotspot) in the center of the frame. If the camera is not modified, then the main problem is the need for long exposures.
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Glare example. The camera has been modified.
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Tell me, in your example, was there a hood on the lens. And if the camera were tilted down a little so that the sun would not shine so much, would these glare be avoided? Or would that not solve the problem?
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There was clearly no hood.
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Yes, there was no hood. Glare appears if the sun is almost in the frame, otherwise they are not a problem, but rather an artistic feature. And in general, there is no need to look for some special lens.
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Ah, well then, yes. Everything is written correctly. Of course, it is best to take optics from night vision devices such as 50 / 1.5 TVNO-2B or 50 / 1.2 TVNE-4B lenses. An excellent option (but only for IR, without a visible area) is Helios-50 100 / 1.5 from TKN-1S. All these lenses are coated and corrected for the IR region.
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If possible, one more question: compared to the Zenitar 50 / 1,7, is the Nikon 50 mm 1.8D AF lens for IR shooting? I mean sharpness, and hence the detail. Or is the difference only in the price of 5-6 thousand rubles for a used one? Thank you.
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Lenses are about the same level in terms of optical quality. I highly doubt there will be any significant difference.
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good lens, I inherited it from my grandmother
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