testing my lenses - part 95 - Meyer Goerlitz Domiplan 50mm

WolverineX

Meyer Goerlitz Domiplan 50mm/2.8

ManualFocus-G · Expire: 2014-11-24

Your Domiplan has pop! Nice results in good light Smile

WolverineX · Posted: Sun Apr 29, 2012 7:41 pm Post subject:

yes, but i don't like the ergonomics of this lens, akward to use, at least for me

ForenSeil · Joined: 15 Apr 2011 Posts: 2726 Location: Kiel, Germany.

Nice samples!
I like the Domiplan rendering (at least more than the Tessar 50/2.8 rendering).
How is the corner perfomance?

WolverineX · Posted: Sun Apr 29, 2012 7:47 pm Post subject:

Neil Purling · Joined: 12 Oct 2009 Posts: 37

I am not entirely sure why the Domiplan was regarded as being such a lemon by the photographic press.
Is it optical snobbery, because of it's Socialist origin or is there reason for the poor reputation?

The ergonomics of the lens don't make life easy for the camera user. The focus ring is far too thin & should have been of a different texture to make it obvious by touch which ring was which.
I wonder if the Domiplan was a conversion of a 50mm manual diaphragm lens or a preset type? I just wondered why the aperture ring wound be in front of the focus ring.
I suspect that if the lens does have poor performance then it would show as corners that don't sharpen up till f8 or low contrast.
I haven't seen for myself yet. I dug it out of the back of my camera cupboard only recently & have to develope the rolls I have shot so far.
I have not seen anybody's work that shows the edge performance from a negative scan or a full-frame CCD sensor.

luisalegria · Expire: 2018-01-18

Its a triplet.

It would be the successor to the Ludwig Meritar that was commonly seen on 1950's SLR's.

I never tried it but I would guess it has the limitations of any standard triplet, mainly being poor corners on the intended format.
This is probably much less visible on a crop format.

Farside · Expire: 2013-12-27

iangreenhalgh1 · Expire: 2014-01-07

It's quite simple, some domiplans are good, some are garbage, copy variation is high with this lens.

The biggest problem with it is the truly awful build quality, it can just fall apart, two of mine did, others have had the same experience.

The earlier Trioplan is more highly regarded, it wasn't made so cheaply and is actually a pretty nice lens.

Neither the Trioplan nor the Meritar are as good as the Tessar though, and need to be stopped down to give their best.

WolverineX · Posted: Thu Sep 05, 2013 10:25 pm Post subject:

new samples using E-M5

fermy · Joined: 17 Feb 2012 Posts: 2877

Lol, even the dreaded domiplan sings in your hands.

tao · Expire: 2015-03-12

I know I have a domiplan with sands in the helicoid for several years now. I better have it cleaned if I can find where it is. I have never want to touch it until I see your photos here. Thank you.

DR.JUAN · Joined: 08 Feb 2013 Posts: 661

With pp is almost impossible to present no good pics taken with triplets at f/11or f/16.

The tessar design rendering at f/16 should be better than the rendering of the planar at the same aperture.

My experience with the domiplan is : take a tessar.

Anyway, very nice pics.

Laurentiu Cristofor · Joined: 23 Oct 2010 Posts: 524 Location: WA, USA

Very nice images. My copy was awful. Even at f/8 it did not look as sharp as your samples.

However, it was better than I expected on film.

Maybe I'll give it another try one of these days, on the E-M5. I only used it on SLRs before.

woodrim · Joined: 14 Jan 2010 Posts: 4060 Location: Charleston

Domagoj: Is it that your copy is unusually good? Your pictures have a 3-D pop more often seen from FF, not 4/3. I've noticed more than a few times that your M5 is producing wonderful images. Do you have Primagon? I wonder how it would do with the M5.

Rick1779 · Expire: 2014-06-06

Really nice samples!

WolverineX · Posted: Wed Oct 02, 2013 8:20 am Post subject:

woodrim · Joined: 14 Jan 2010 Posts: 4060 Location: Charleston

I meant to ask also, what apertures did you use?

WolverineX · Posted: Wed Oct 02, 2013 1:56 pm Post subject:

DR.JUAN · Joined: 08 Feb 2013 Posts: 661

Imho, almost all schames in no MC lenses have the better rendering from f/113 and especially at f/11 and f/16. Not matter if it's a triplet, a tessar, hibrid planar/ sonnar, sonnar, etc.

With the MC the rendering turns better af eides apertures, in that way the planar design becomes better from f/4 to f/8.

I hve seen few lenses that were outside of those principles.

woodrim · Joined: 14 Jan 2010 Posts: 4060 Location: Charleston

Well, I have done it. I have purchased this much maligned lens. While I do feel challenged to try, I don't expect to match these results.

mo · Expire: 2016-07-30

I look forward to seeing what you can do with it,there are a few different versions of this lens. Some versions are reported to be better than others.

woodrim · Joined: 14 Jan 2010 Posts: 4060 Location: Charleston

mo · Expire: 2016-07-30

I will try and find the info,I am hoping I have it book marked...I came across it while looking for something else.

Here are the versions down the bottom end of the page...many thanks to the Author of this website for wonderful information.
http://www.dresdner-kameras.de/objektive/objektive.html

I must confess, I think I remember from a previous discussion with a friend about the possible quality variations of the Domiplans.That the early ones were possibly better...speculation on my part,unless I find some more info buried in my collection of bits and pieces. Embarassed

woodrim · Joined: 14 Jan 2010 Posts: 4060 Location: Charleston

Thank you for that, Mo. Although the pictures didn't include the M42 Zebra that I have, based on the serial numbers, I'll guess mine is late '60s and the same as the last two Exakta models. I have noticed while looking elsewhere that the front on some do not include the serial numbers as does mine and the ones pictured at the link you provided.