Prakticar Pentacon 50mm f1.8 Praktica B

[Attila]

One of the most inexpensive 50mm lens, I got one perhaps as gift or for peanuts years ago , was it still untested until today. I have to say an excellent lens good as than most well known respected lenses. What is your experience ?

[iangreenhalgh1]

I have had four copies of this lens, I sent one to a friend in the US.

My experience has always been highly positive, as good as my M42 copy and my M42 Meyer Oreston 1.8/50, only difference between them I can find is a slight colour tone difference due to different coatings.

It is a wonderfully simple lens to take apart and fix, build quality is a bit cheap and placticky but that's just nit-picking.

I am not sure which shots I have were taken with it and which with my M42 version. I do have shots I know are from it but they were with my crappy 10D so not fair to show them.

It has a vintage look with fantastic colours and bokeh, contrast is a little lower than some 50s but only by a fraction, I will never part with my copies, I even converted one of my PB mount ones to EOS, which was a simple job.

[koji]

Comparing to Pancolar 50/1.8, its WO is a bit softer. However after closing down to F5.6
you cannot tell the difference between these two lenses, Pancolar 50.1.8 and Pentacon 50/1.8,
which of course the both are PB mount ones I am talking about.

[Attila]

http://forum.mflenses.com/pentacon-prakticar-50mm-f1-8-pb-sony-nex-3-t45502.html

[Attila]

[SXR_Mark]

I have a mint (i.e. almost unused) copy and, yes, it is a very nice lens. It is only the plasticky feel that discourages me from using it.

At f1.8, it shows the "glow" or haloing that is typical of every lens of this nature I have tried on a digital camera. Below is a crop of my standard test chart taken (in the summer) with my Oly E3 using my home made PB to 4/3 adapter. The test chart is 2.1 m from the camera.



The very nice thing about the Pentacon is that there is an intermediate stop between f1.8 and f2.8 (which may or may not be a real f2 stop) and the haloing goes completely at this position - see below. This is distinct advantage over lenses like the Zuiko 50mm f1.8 which has the same glow at f1.8 but has a next stop at f2.8 (though I guess one can always try balancing the aperture ring between stops). The sharpness is also very good, though it does improve a bit more at f2.8, at which point I would describe it as razor sharp. There is no colour fringing.



The lens can produce some interesting bokeh with a hint of swirliness. Colour and contrast are all very good.

Taken at "f2" (Oly E3)


Taken at f2.8 (Oly E3)

[Oldhand]

There are two versions of this Prakticar lens.
The first, German, has a mfd of around 0.3m and is of metal construction.
The second, Romanian, has more plastic and a mfd of around 0.45m.
These shots are from the German copy.
Softish at f1.8 but very sharp after that.
Click image for enlarged version
Tom


#1


#2


#3

[Oldhand]

Some shots taken today.
Again - click on the image for a larger and sharper picture
T


#1


#2


#3

[Gott23]

Also don't forget the final final version of it..

The Carl Zeiss Jena P 50mm f/1.8

Saturation is OTT to say the least..

Unprocessed at f/1.8

[Oldhand]

[papasito]

I have compared un film day the pentacon MC 50/1,8 last version in M42 with the Pancolar MC 50/1,8 un M42 too.

The pancolar was sharper and contrastier at all apertures.

How does the PB version of the pancolar 50/1,8 compare with the pancolar 50/1 8 M42 And with the pancolar 50/1,8 un M42?

[alex ph]

Impressed with #3 from your first set, Tom. The transport platforms pop out from the screen. I did not expect such a 3D effect from this Pentacon.

And your latest #1 is especially well composed, both geometrically and as for the colour balance. Did you simply get it with a negative exposure compensation or you "developped" it digitally a bit more?

[Oldhand]

Papasito, I cannot directly compare with the 1.8 Pancolar as I do not own one.
My son has this lens though and my impression is that his is sharper wide open than the Pentacon.