For the opportunity to review the Pancolar 1.8 / 50 ausJena lens, many thanks to Dyachuk Roman.
Review Pancolar 50mm 1.8 ausJena
The lens presented in this review is Pancolar 1.8 / 50 ausJena numbered 8551345. Coming out of the lens number, most likely the lens was released between 1967-1970. They say the Pancolar is not a real Cazl Zeiss, the reason for such thoughts is this lens, on which there is no inscription Cazl zeiss, but only ausJena. The prefix "aus" in German means "from". It turns out “Pancolar from Jena”. You will find interesting thoughts about the collapse of production in the blog Dmitry Evtifeev.
Pancolar 50mm 1.8 ausJena - view from different sides
I already have a review Carl Zeiss Jena MC Pancolar 1.8 / 50 DDR - this is a newer version of the lens, therefore, I will not re-paint about Pancolar. Basic information is in the overview Carl Zeiss Jena MC Pancolar 1.8 / 50 DDR, and here I will try to describe the differences between the old and the new version.
Pancolar 50mm 1.8 ausJena - view on Nikon D40
My Pancolar 1.8 / 50 ausJena, unlike the new version, does not have multi-enlightenment. At Pancolar 1.8 / 50 ausJena there is a simple enlightenment. Because of this, the lens gives a strong yellowness in the image, it seems that the lens is wearing a yellow filter, therefore, the color rendering of the lens is warm. On my digital SLR camera, automatic white balance copes well with yellowness and makes a very nice color rendition of the lens. To some extent, yellowness is only a plus.
Pancolar 1.8 50 ausJena. bokeh
But Pancolar 1.8 / 50 ausJena It does not have multi-enlightenment, but it normally tolerates backlight, can catch hares, but the hood helps to avoid unnecessary flare.
Sample photo on Pancolar 1.8 50 ausJena
Another major difference between the old version is the 8-blade aperture, which allows you to form a more even bokeh than the 6-blade in new versions of the lens. Diaphragm Pancolar 1.8 / 50 ausJena matte, has a nice ring of switching values. The values themselves on the ring: 1.8, 2.8, 4, 5.6, 8, 11, 16, 22 with one intermediate value between the designated.
Attention: old versions with a color like "zebra" are of several types: with a 6 or 8-blade diaphragm. I also used the version with a “zebra” with 6 aperture blades - optically and externally, the lens does not differ in any way from the one presented in this review.
Sample photo on Pancolar 1.8 50 ausJena
The lens barrel also differs from the new one. Pancolar 1.8 / 50 ausJena - classic "zebra". Zebra is most often used to mean old Cazl Zeiss lenses in which the focus ring and aperture ring have a black and white striped color that resembles a “zebra”. Older zebra lenses are legendary among photographers. And in fact, the lens is very old, but it gives out just gorgeous image quality.
Sample photo on Pancolar 1.8 50mm ausJena
On my Pancolar 1.8 / 50 ausJena there is a strange switch, its destination could not be determined. The lens does not have a jumping aperture, because the switch cannot be responsible for the aperture control mode.
Sample photo on a Pancolar F1.8 50mm ausJena
How to use on modern cameras
У Pancolar 1.8 / 50 ausJena There is a thread for attaching to the M42 camera. In order to install on a modern SLR camera, just find the right adapter. I used Pancolar 1.8 / 50 ausJena with a camera Nikon D200 and an adapter KP-42 / N with the loss of the ability to focus at infinity. About adapters and compatibility with Nikon cameras, I painted everything in an article about Soviet lenses, some of which, too, have an M42 mount. Canon needs the M42 / Canon EOS adapter, for more information see the article on old lenses at canon.
Sample photo on a Pancolar F1.8 50mm ausJena
Sample photos on Pancolar 1.8 / 50 ausJena
All photos were shot on Nikon D200without processing. The size 2048*1536impressed data from EXIF, RAW -> JPEG, auto BB,Q80%.
For what purposes is it suitable
Pancolar 1.8 / 50 ausJena will serve as an excellent portrait lens, especially on cropped cameras. On the crop EGF The lens will be 75mm for Nikon and 80mm for Canon. At full aperture, the lens blurs the background and foreground very nicely, which is important for a good portrait. And also, Pancolar 1.8 / 50 ausJena Is a fast prime lens that can help you deal with poor lighting without raising your ISO or slowing your shutter speed. All fifty dollars are very similar to each other, but Pankolar stands out for its design.
I could not detect significant vignetting or distortion on my cropped camera. HA very small. On the fully open aperture of F1.8, the images are quite sharp (even very sharp).
Example photo on a Pancolar F1.8 50mm ausJena
Personal experience
The lens is very easy to take. Pancolar 1.8 / 50 ausJena small, with a smooth focusing ring. The front element extends 1 cm when focusing, the lenses do not rotate. The ring itself rotates about 220 degrees. The kit comes with a wonderful hood, with which the lens looks very vintage. The hood is screwed into place of the light filter. Also, the kit comes with two light filters.
Example photo on a Pancolar F1.8 50mm ausJena
Catalog of modern Carl Zeiss lenses can look at this link.
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Conclusions
Pancolar 1.8 / 50 ausJena - an excellent fifty dollars. Gives good bokeh, nice color rendering. Bokeh is slightly curled around the edges of the frame. Sharp already from the maximum open aperture. Ergonomics on top. Cons of Pancolar 1.8 / 50 ausJena very little. I recommend to use on the crop as a good portrait.
Material prepared Arkady Shapoval. Training/Consultations | Youtube | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Telegram
I want to fix it. The lens did have a jumping diaphragm, and that lever was clearly associated with it, I just got it in this "modified" form :)
thanks. I wrote by what was available.
In general, the question is this: I can’t adjust the diaphragm, the version with the jump, and how much I don’t switch, nothing comes out and doesn’t change. That is, it is constantly open, what should I do ??
Arkady, great photo and article. Good examples of bokeh.
Thanks for the great reviews!
Tell a beginner what is better to take: Pancolar 1.8 / 50 ausJena, Pentacon 50 / 1.8 or SMC Takumar 50 / 1.8?
All three are good, I would take SMC Takumar 50 / 1.8 or Pankolar
A small correction for the Cazl Zeiss Pancolar with 6 and 8 diaphragm blades, Zebra type.
Yet they are different, I have two of these options.
The one with 6 petals Cazl Zeiss Jena DDR Pancolar 50 / 1.8 has a diaphragm drive switch (manual and auto), such a small leash on the side, lenses with a purple tint and a thinner tube leaves when focusing.
The model with 8 petals has the inscription Cazl Zeiss Jena Pancolar 50 / 1.8, glasses in them with a yellow sheen with Thorium coating Carl zeiss pancolar 50 1.8 lanthanum-thorium, they say that such specimens are rare! ???, it does not have a diaphragm mode switch, but only a manual "jump rope" and when focusing, a thicker tube comes out, like in the MC Volna 50 / 1.8 manufactured by LOMO. Both have a jump rope. There are also differences in disassembly.
Good evening, Arkady! I have just such a “Pancolar Zebra” (serial number 8896024), I would not say that it is so sharp, at first I was not very happy with it (comparing with Helios 81H) I even wanted to sell it, but after playing with it I changed my mind, bokeh not the same as that of the G-81N but also interesting in its own way.
As far as I know, it is the most radioactive of all ever released luminescent glass.
Maybe you are confused with Takumar. If not difficult, share a link to the information.
How can I put it on the D-90 without losing infinity. and is it worth buying Nikonovsky 1.4 ??
1. Grind to Nikon
2. Use an adapter with a ninja, in more detail in the Soviet lenses section.
I can’t know what photographic tasks you are following, therefore, I can’t know if you need fifty fifty dollars.
If you take Nikor 50mm 1.8 and Pancolar 1.8 / 50, which gives the best picture ?? And is it worth sharpening Pancolar 1.8 / 50, is it possible to grind it yourself?
50 1.8 old ai-s, or new 50 1.8D? Pankolar will be more interesting. Remaking yourself is a challenge.
New D
Then Pankolar will be much more interesting.
Thank you
I have such a Yellow Pankolar at work in the editorial office, lanthanum, it is very phonoradiated, but fucking sharp, three times more than the usual blue. But nobody takes pictures of them, they are afraid.
Nikon D5000
What do you recommend as a budget portrait painter Pankolar or Helios 81n?
For normal work with Pankolar, you will need either a lens or alteration, Helios-81n will become like a native, I recommend it.
thank you
and given that there is an adapter with a lens
which of these two instances is sharper?
Helios is sharper, if Pankolar is with a lens, then even more so.
Arkady, can you advise what to choose? I choose between Helios-77 and Pankolar, I plan to shoot for myself, there are no particularly specific tasks: family, friends, outings.
Thank you for your blog! It helps to gain knowledge and experience of many keen photos, including me :)
here's another question ...
I had MC Helios 44m-4 KMZ and so the drawing is beautiful but the pictures are soapy (open) ...
was also MC Helios 44m-7, it was not much better in terms of sharpness ...
I tried to unscrew the lens from the adapter, there were no special changes ...
how about G - 81n is there any sense in trying?
See examples of photos in the Helios-81H review.
Pankolar with a serial starting with 84 # is lanthanum, it has a very yellow glass in the light, differs both in the number of lenses and the number of petals and in weight, much more weighty, such a gnome. Really strong fonit from the side of the rear lens, in theory it should light up the film.
Thanks for the review. Today I bought this lens. Wandered around a bit and took off.
Fine glass, honestly!
http://www.flickr.com/search/?q=Pancolar&w=54154889%40N05&s=rec&m=tags
Great shots! Thanks! I see that the matter is not so much in the lens as in the author :) I also have pankolar, though not a zebra, but an MS. Recently sawn under Nikon. I almost did not use it yet. I have a problem getting into focus. Maybe it's in the camera?
Loved the work.
About "In fact, Pankolar was not made by Zeiss, but by someone else at the Zeiss factories in Jena." - nonsense and nonsense. The inscription “aus Jena” instead of “Carl Zeiss Jena” was made for some time on the lenses exported to capital countries. The reason is purely vexatious and bourgeois: “crooks and thieves” from Oberkochen were suing for the exclusive right to the “Carl Zeiss” brand for a long time (although at first they did not have any rights at all and were modestly called “Opton”), For some time, scandals Carl Zeiss Jena was prohibited from using her “native” trademark. The decorative ring with “aus Jena” simply screwed over the original - see picture. http://img-fotki.yandex.ru/get/6612/42019826.16/0_9cb2c_6e764ecb_XL.jpg
Thanks for the addition.
Tell me what’s the matter, this lens when shooting outdoors under even lighting gives some kind of blueness (soap or what)? I use with an adapter on the Nikon F mount.
What is special about zebra lenses?
Good day! And where can I find and purchase such a Pancolar?
Good afternoon!
Refinements that may be helpful.
Your text.
There is a strange switch on my Pancolar 1.8 / 50 ausJena, it was not possible to determine its purpose. The lens does not have a jumping aperture, because the switch cannot be responsible for the aperture control mode.
Reply.
I hold the same lens in my hands. It has a diaphragm jumper. You can see from the photo on the back of the body there is a hole for the diaphragm pusher. It can be seen on yours someone blocked this pusher for installation on a digital. A strange switch is responsible for covering the aperture manually to the set value. If you pull it towards you, the diaphragm closes, when you release it, it opens.
Thanks for the work you are doing !!!
Good afternoon, I have such an objective, but there are not 6 lenses in it, but 7 judging by the reflections, the glass is very yellow, I read that it is from a rare series, I found a link here, which can be dangerous: http://camerapedia.wikia.com/wiki/Radioactive_lenses
I try not to remove them once again, but I really like the bokeh and the sharpness is killer, thank you for the review !!!
Is it worth taking for a full frame? if not this one which one can be taken from the zeyats ???
auto-revuenon 135 / 2.8