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Meyer Oreston 1.8 / 50....Got some German glass . . .
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PostPosted: Mon Nov 19, 2007 12:46 am    Post subject: Meyer Oreston 1.8 / 50....Got some German glass . . . Reply with quote
Well I guess I'm impatient . . .

In my entry for my next lens I was trying for German glass and I noted a CZJ pancolor 1.8 / 50 - turned out that with shipping was going to be too rich Crying or Very sad.

So I took a shot at a lens I've seen spoken well of an Meyer Oreston 1.8 / 50 ,so . . .

Click here to see on Ebay
Got it approx $45 USD (including shipping!)
Confused Don't know if it was a good price, but works for me Smile
Can't wait to give it a good test.

Out of curiosity - is there a way of telling when the lens was made?


PostPosted: Mon Nov 19, 2007 12:52 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
Pancolar is better lens this is the result of my copy. I found excellent sharpness and less good color rendering a very good black and white lens Smile
Kidding you made a good deal I hope you will love it.

http://www.mflenses.com/gallery/v/german/meyer/meyer_oreston_50mm_f1_8/
http://www.mflenses.com/gallery/v/german/meyer/meyer_optik_oreston_50mm_f1_8/


PostPosted: Mon Nov 19, 2007 9:58 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
1) It has "electric" contacts this type of lenses provide aperture information on Praktica VLC, PLC bodies
2) Manual mode button it close aperture blades


PostPosted: Mon Nov 19, 2007 10:14 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
2) This is earlier solution similar construction like 4/20 Flektogon has need to push continuously to keep in manual mode I like this better, you able to focusing at open aperture and close blades just in the last minute before press exposure button.


PostPosted: Mon Nov 19, 2007 11:13 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
niblue wrote:
2) It's an auto aperture lens (i.e. no pre-set ring) however it has a little button (just behind the aperture ring) to stop down the lens - possibly for DOF preview?


TTL metering hadn't been invented when this "automatic" lens was designed, so there was no real need to hold the aperture closed, except for DOF preview. It was called automatic in those days because the camera pressed the actuator pin to close the aperture automatically when the shutter was fired. On early Prakticas and Zenits the aperture was closed by direct linkage with the shutter button and you could check the DOF by pressing the button halfway down. Lenses designed for these cameras have neither an A-M switch nor a DOF button (e.g. Meyer Domiplan and Helios 44M-4). This was later changed because it was possible to release pressure on the button too early and open the aperture before the shutter had closed. To use these lenses on a modern camera you either need to modify the lens (for instance jam the pin) or, better, use an adapter with a flange that keeps the pin pressed in.


PostPosted: Mon Nov 19, 2007 11:23 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
niblue wrote:
Peter,

Thanks for that - I'll probably just do the same as Attila suggested and just press the button on the lens when metering and when shooting.


On my EOS I use a flanged adapter with these lenses. The flange keeps the rear pin pushed down and the blades close and open as you rotate the ring like in "manual" mode.
Don't know if flanged adapters are available for your Pentax though.

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PostPosted: Mon Nov 19, 2007 12:40 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
It's quit easy to modify the lens to push the pin by itself, it's a reversable mod : remove the mount as to access the push pin, put around it a small electric cable insulator as to add more thinkness to the pin and remount all. The cable insulator have to be the lengh o,n the pin minus the mount's pin hole, as to put the pin the right lengh.

Now your lens is as non automatic one.


PostPosted: Mon Nov 19, 2007 2:30 pm    Post subject: Re: Got some German glass . . . Reply with quote
j.lukow wrote:

Out of curiosity - is there a way of telling when the lens was made?


Late 60s, maybe?

http://www.praktica-collector.de/Oreston_1.8_50.htm


PostPosted: Mon Nov 19, 2007 3:04 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Some information about the Meyer-Optik Gorlitz Oreston 1.8/50 http://www.praktica-users.com/lens/mlenses/morp1.8_50.html and the later PB bayonet version http://www.praktica-users.com/lens/blenses/pp1.8_50.html
As staded in the link provided by Riku the lens was produced between 1960 and 1990 (with different names and coatings).
I've got a Pentacon Auto MC 1.8/50 and from f:4 its relatively sharp and very good at f:5.6-f:8 taking in consideration its price.


PostPosted: Mon Nov 19, 2007 3:09 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
The Oreston 1.8/50 is the predecessor of the Pentacon 1.8/50 which I have and I completely agree on the quality of colour rendering of the lens that niblue has stated.

The bokeh is also smooth as in Meyer tradition.

Sharpness is average, stopped down it will be sharp but then nearly all 50mm lenses are sharp when stopped down.


PostPosted: Mon Nov 19, 2007 3:10 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Can't be bad lens if it stays in production for three decades Razz


PostPosted: Mon Nov 19, 2007 3:14 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Riku wrote:
Can't be bad lens if it stays in production for three decades Razz


It is fairly good. This lens has an undeserved bad reputation.
On the other hand, it is not a Pancolar or Planar, either.
It's a good cheap standard lens that will take your pictures home nicely.


PostPosted: Mon Nov 19, 2007 3:27 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Another shots from vilva's site Smile

http://galactinus.net/vilva/retro/eos350d_pentacon50.html
http://galactinus.net/vilva/retro/eos350d_oreston.html


PostPosted: Mon Nov 19, 2007 3:34 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
niblue wrote:

From the limited testing done so far I'd have said the Helios 44-2 is considerably sharper wide open, however it only focuses to 0.5m where the Oreston goes to 0.33m. The 50mm F2.8 Tessar focuses to about the same distance but it's a fair bit slower - it'll be interesting to see how the Oreston at F2.8 compares to it as the Tessar is pretty sharp wide open.


I am not 100% sure but I think that the Oreston is a double Gauss scheme (i.e. a Biometar/Planar scheme). The Helios is a Biotar scheme while the Tessar is, well, a Tessar scheme, and the oldest of the bunch.

So we are really talking of different optical schemes and different approaches to the standard lens solution.

The limitation of the Tessar scheme is in the difficulty of making it fast, but quality-wise, it is very effective.

I am not sure of the optical scheme of the Biotar but aside from being obviously newer and faster than the Tessar, it is also generally sharper, but at the expense of a rather harsh bokeh which is the weak spot of this lens.

Double-Gausses have now mostly everywhere replaced the Sonnars in the production of standard and short tele lenses and they are probably the most used lens scheme today. Many of the most beautiful lenses we use, from the super fast Planars 1.4/85, 2/100, 2/135 to the Nikkor-Q 1.8/85 and Nikkor AI 2.5/105 are double Gauss schemes.
Given the high variation in quality from different realizations of the double gauss (compared for instance with the relative consistent quality and prices of Tessar lenses) I have to desume that the build quality and quality of glass materials and components are decisive factors in how a double gauss lens actually performs.
.


PostPosted: Mon Nov 19, 2007 3:40 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
niblue wrote:

The Pentacon shots looks a bit soft however the Oreston ones look better, although there isn't information on apertures etc.


This is reasonably expectable, because the Pentacon version was made in the worst period for DDR economy, and it was much more mass-produced than the Oreston, so the quality control might surely have been weaker.

I personally have noticed a rather consistent pattern in the older versions of the Jena and Pentacon/Meyer lenses being actually better performers than the most recent versions. Mind, when a recent version is good, it's definitely better, due to multi coating, but the copy variation factor in the most recent lenses is bigger.

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PostPosted: Mon Nov 19, 2007 3:48 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Orio wrote:
I am not 100% sure but I think that the Oreston is a double Gauss scheme ...

It is a double Gauss scheme.

Orio wrote:
...Given the high variation in quality from different realizations of the double gauss (compared for instance with the relative consistent quality and prices of Tessar lenses) I have to desume that the build quality and quality of glass materials and components are decisive factors in how a double gauss lens actually performs.


Excellent explanations, Orio.


PostPosted: Mon Nov 19, 2007 3:48 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Orio wrote:
Riku wrote:
Can't be bad lens if it stays in production for three decades Razz


It is fairly good. This lens has an undeserved bad reputation.
On the other hand, it is not a Pancolar or Planar, either.
It's a good cheap standard lens that will take your pictures home nicely.


I've understood that in the 60s and 70s quality of film wasn't generally very good, so there was really no reason to make super sharp lenses for consumers...


PostPosted: Mon Nov 19, 2007 3:58 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Wikipedia says that Meyer Optik lenses were rebranded as Pentacon when the companies merged in 1968. Maybe the old stock of Meyer-branded lenses lasted until 1970, but this lens must have been manufactured in Görlitz prior to the merger.


PostPosted: Tue Nov 20, 2007 2:33 am    Post subject: Got some German glass . . . Reply with quote
Very Happy WOW!!!!!
I knew this community is knowlegable and the posts so far have proven that!

Since I'm the odd man out waiting for my lens to hit Canada Customs and then reach my door - I have a question in advance.

If I need to use a filter with this lens is it 49 mm or another size.

Thanks in advance.


PostPosted: Tue Nov 20, 2007 11:34 am    Post subject: Re: Got some German glass . . . Reply with quote
j.lukow wrote:
Very Happy WOW!!!!!
I knew this community is knowlegable and the posts so far have proven that!

Since I'm the odd man out waiting for my lens to hit Canada Customs and then reach my door - I have a question in advance.

If I need to use a filter with this lens is it 49 mm or another size.

Thanks in advance.


According to Kadlubek's lens catalogue, it has a 49mm filter thread.


PostPosted: Tue Nov 20, 2007 11:49 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
Yes, its 49mm filter thread present on the Meyer/Pentacon 1.8/50 and like on the Helios 44-2 2/58 (NOT the Helios 44M/K... 2/58 which has 52mm) and like many other lenses (CZJ Flektogon 2.4/35, smc Pentax 1.7/50, 2.0/50, Chinon 1.7/50, Chinon 2.8/28, Meyer Primagon 4.5/35, CZJ Tessar 2.8/50...only some I own/owned).


PostPosted: Tue Nov 20, 2007 2:05 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
I actually love the wide open bokeh in the first picture (f/1.Cool
It's the closest thing to a Helios-40 bokeh that I have seen coming from a non-Helios-40 lens.


PostPosted: Tue Nov 20, 2007 3:47 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Good shots Steve! I like the third one. It should get sharper when stopping down more.


PostPosted: Tue Nov 20, 2007 4:01 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
LucisPictor wrote:
Orio wrote:
I am not 100% sure but I think that the Oreston is a double Gauss scheme ...

It is a double Gauss scheme.


Lens schematic is here :

http://www.praktica-users.com/lens/mlenses/morp1.8_50.html


PostPosted: Tue Nov 20, 2007 4:34 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Flor27 wrote:

Lens schematic is here :
http://www.praktica-users.com/lens/mlenses/morp1.8_50.html


Unmistakeably double Gauss.

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