MC Biometar 2,8 / 80 Carl Zeiss Jena DDR review

For the opportunity review of the lens MC Biometar 2,8 / 80 Carl Zeiss Jena DDR Many thanks to Andrey Kopyl.

MC Biometar 2,8 / 80 Carl Zeiss Jena DDR review

MC Biometar 2,8 / 80 Carl Zeiss Jena DDR review

There is already an overview of a similar lens on Radozhiv Carl Zeiss Jena Biometar 2.8 / 80 (Zebra variant), the main difference between the version from this review and Carl Zeiss Jena Biometar 2.8 / 80 consists in different enlightenment. Also MC The Biometar 2,8 / 80 has a classic black rim, unlike the earlier 'Zebra' class model. All designations, controls, MDF and diaphragm are the same on both versions.

Lens view MC Biometar 2,8 / 80 Carl Zeiss Jena DDR

Lens view MC Biometar 2,8 / 80 Carl Zeiss Jena DDR

In practice, both versions showed very similar results in image quality, the MC version is not much better than the non-MC version. By the way, there are even more interesting long-focus relatives of Biometars 2,8 / 80 - Carl Zeiss Jena DDR Biometar 2.8 / 120, and the Soviet analogue of Biometar - Vega-12B 90mm F2.8.

The view of the lens MC Biometar 2,8 / 80 Carl Zeiss Jena DDR from different angles

The view of the lens MC Biometar 2,8 / 80 Carl Zeiss Jena DDR from different angles

The MC Biometar 2,8 / 80 Carl Zeiss Jena DDR was used on Pentacon Six TL type cameras as a standard lens, since when using an 80mm lens in 6X6 medium format, a wider field of view is available than using the same lens on a 35mm film or full frame cameras. It is generally accepted that Biometar has an unusual unique pattern unique to it, which is influenced by spherical aberrations of the lens. Nowadays, the lens is often used in conjunction with shift and tilt-shift adapters.

Sample photo on MC Biometar 2,8 / 80 Carl Zeiss Jena DDR

Sample photo on MC Biometar 2,8 / 80 Carl Zeiss Jena DDR

Sample photos on MC Biometar 2,8 / 80 Carl Zeiss Jena DDR

All photos were shot on a MC Biometar 2,8 / 80 Carl Zeiss Jena DDR lens and camera Nikon D700 JPEG L, FINE, VI. Photos without processing, size reduced to 3 MP (2048 * 1536) and data from EXIF.

I used a lens with an adapter KP-6 \ N (aka Pentacon - Nikon), such an adapter can be found on the contacts from the manual optics section.

Personal experience

I love good medium format lenses, they are very easy to use on modern digital cameras due to their rather large flange distance, you can find recommendations for using such lenses in the 'Old optics on Nikon. How to use old lenses on modern Nikon cameras'and'Using Old Canon Lenses'. It is rumored that the Zebra version of the lens emits a radioactive background, the new black version is devoid of radioactivity, so I prefer the newer version to use.

Sample photo on MC Biometar 2,8 / 80 Carl Zeiss Jena DDR

Sample photo on MC Biometar 2,8 / 80 Carl Zeiss Jena DDR

Catalog of modern Carl Zeiss lenses can look at this link.

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Conclusions

The MC Biometar 2,8 / 80 Carl Zeiss Jena DDR is a good medium format lens. When used on a narrow format (35mm film, full frame and crop cameras) it can serve as a good portrait lens with good bokeh.

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

Add a comment: Vika

 

 

Comments: 32, on the topic: Review of MC Biometar 2,8 / 80 Carl Zeiss Jena DDR

  • Andrei

    Thanks for the review!
    Is it difficult to focus like a zebra or are they exactly the same?

    • Arkady Shapoval

      The same, difficult to work with him. Actually, therefore, the review is small, since in reality the lenses are very similar.

      • Andrei

        Well, this amount of information is enough, you can follow the link to read the previous article.
        Such lenses are bought a little, they would rather prefer to buy a lens with a similar focal length (Jupiter-9, Vega-12, Wave-3… ..). By the way, if you compare it with a wave, what do you think is more interesting?

        • Arkady Shapoval

          Wave-3 seemed to me a more interesting lens, but this is a purely personal preference.

          • Andrei

            And how did the Wave seem more interesting to you? It is interesting to know more. I was told that Carl Zeiss Jena is definitely better.

            • Rodion

              With a good build, the six-lens Wave should be better. But in fact, everything is as usual, because I suppose MS Biometar will be more interesting.

            • Alexey

              I saw the comment and decided to answer, too. These two lenses differ in bokeh patterns. A wave, if you remake it (I have it in a smaller case and with a 9-blade diaphragm) or find a successful specimen, is not inferior to a biometrics not in sharpness, not in contrast, it does not hold back light badly. But I repeat in the state in which I bought the wave it was horror, the sharpness is not very good and the glare in the center of the frame, but after the alteration, the wave lost all these problems.

              • mAlex

                What is the point of the change?

  • Cyprus

    Colorful)

  • Stepan NEPAN

    And I didn’t like both lenses - not sharp at all, some drunken clown. They are not at all like Zeiss ones. Worse than any of the high-aperture Soviet ones. And with MC Kaleinar 5N - the sky and ... not the earth - the mine.

  • Dmitriy

    Did anyone shoot this glass on crop 1.5, what is the opinion?

  • Dmitriy

    Hire, give pamper.
    The lens that fell into the hands is not very well redone:
    the diaphragm is manually covered with a lever, the infinity is already overshot for 7 mm to the stop.
    Therefore, sharpening is even more interesting :)

    The picture on my copy is hazy (as if the front lens has fogged up), but the drawing is really attractive. You have to hold the diaphragm with your finger, which is very inconvenient, probably the most inconvenient. The rest is a matter of creativity :)

  • Dmitriy

    addition to the post
    11.12.2014 in 14: 51

    if interested, post photos taken on this instance:
    https://plus.google.com/photos/112300949702469840421/albums/6091574881431160641?authkey=CInLm5KM9t3woAE

  • Maksim

    Dmitry, you probably threw the back or middle lens after cleaning, there you can easily confuse the lenses with the sides, take the optical circuit and check the position of the lenses.

  • Alexander

    Good afternoon!
    The father-in-law has such a lens + CZ 180 / 2.8. I have micro 4/3 (crop 2), an adapter for Pentacon 6 costs around 750-800 UAH.
    Does it make sense to buy specifically for these lenses in terms of photo quality? or you can not bother and stop at the Soviet versions under the M42 and M39?
    Thank you!

    • Jury

      you need not bother and stop on any other options except medium-format glasses on micro 4/3 :) Put Jupiter 37A, for starters. On a double crop 270mm EGF, for the same 800 UAH you can find

    • Lynx

      IMHO, for mikra - does not. The usual good Soviet or Zeiss poltinics + adapter will give a very tasty 100 mm ERF for portraits, and crop-2 will ensure the use of the sharpest part of the image.

  • Agasyan

    Hello, I really like all your reviews. Thanks for the great work. Tell me, they sell this copy at a price of 4000 rubles, according to the seller, the lens is in excellent condition. Do you think the price is normal?

    • Arkady Shapoval

      I think the price is normal.

      • Agasyan

        Thank you

  • Stanislas

    good evening . I'm a teapot in photography, but I really want to try out the lenses. I have read a lot and still don’t understand exactly which lens adapters are needed. I have a Canon 600 d, what adapters are needed for MC Biometar 2,8 / 80 Carl Zeiss Jena DDR, Vega 12b 2,8 / 90, Mir-1 2.8 / 37 automatic. To the world, I understand there is no adapter at all, homemade products are made from a case, but I don't have it either))) Thanks in advance! ))

    • B. R. P.

      For the first two: Pentacon B (B) - Canon EF, forget about the World Automat.

      • Stanislas

        thanks)))

  • Lyudmila

    Zeiss has its own unique charm. In terms of the beauty of the picture, no other optics can surpass it.

    • B. R. P.

      :) Is that Leica.

      • Rodion

        Is that "glavuchtekhprom plant No. 6 77 / 4.5"
        Well, or at least T-3 80 / 2.8)

  • Vika

    Good day! Thanks for the review)
    Please tell me as a specialist, I am a beginner in this business, they offer a Flektogon 4/20 wide-angle lens Carl Zeiss Jena DDR for 7500 UAH. Is the price adequate? Thanks for your reply in advance)

  • Vika

    Thank you for your answer) What then can be an adequate price?

    • Oleg

      This is the GDR optics - this is not quite a real Zeiss, it is initially weaker. I wouldn't buy the old shirik for modern multipixel cameras at all, their time is gone. You will most likely indulge in it and put it aside. I don’t even know what his price is, it’s more for collectors.

      • mAlex

        Our joy, have you read the history of Zeiss?

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