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Carl Zeiss Jena Pancolar 50mm f1.8 MC Bokeh
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PostPosted: Fri Jul 19, 2013 3:24 pm    Post subject: Carl Zeiss Jena Pancolar 50mm f1.8 MC Bokeh Reply with quote
First off, this lens is really sharp. I tested it on a Sigma SD1 Merrill and I was quite astound how well it holds up. I was originally planning to sell this lens, but as the focusing ring is a bit stiff (not extremely though), I decided to keep it.

So in regards to bokeh, I am not quite too sure about it. The main reason is that you can quite clearly see the 6 aperture blades in some pictures. Not so much in the first one shown here, but definitely in the second one (which I find a bit distracting):




What are your thoughts on the bokeh?
By the way, take a look at the full size version of the second picture and see how well the butterfly comes out.


PostPosted: Fri Jul 19, 2013 6:28 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Looks amazing !


PostPosted: Fri Jul 19, 2013 6:43 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Beauty colors, sharp lens, but I see no blades at all,

Cheers,

Renato


PostPosted: Fri Jul 19, 2013 6:55 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Buy a Leica must be better Smile kidding it this is not enough what is good enough ? Enjoy your great lens.


PostPosted: Fri Jul 19, 2013 6:59 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
I know that the pancolar is a bit in the warm tonality.

And has a very, very bit less sharpness than others 50 mm lens (like the S-M-C- takumar 50/1,4, Rokkor MC PG 50/1,4, Planar 1,4/50 from Contarex to Contax, etc.)

But the bokeh.......excelent!!!!!


PostPosted: Fri Jul 19, 2013 7:38 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Depends on what kind of photography you do most. I agree for close ups like that it might become a little annoying.


PostPosted: Sat Jul 20, 2013 6:26 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
Attila wrote:
Buy a Leica must be better Smile kidding it this is not enough what is good enough ? Enjoy your great lens.

Smile It is a very nice lens, no doubt about it. And to be fair, the bokeh "rings" not being circular is happening only in a few situations. But here is where I feel older preset lenses with their huge amount of aperture blades shine (which give you that perfect circular bokeh rings). It seems that with the event of lenses that stop down automatically the amount of aperture blades was reduced quite a bit. Certainly, there are some "automatic" lenses that have in example 9 rounded aperture blades, which improves bokeh performance.


PostPosted: Sat Jul 20, 2013 12:43 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
diddy wrote:
Quote:
I was originally planning to sell this lens, but as the focusing ring is a bit stiff (not extremely though), I decided to keep it.



I had the same thoughts, then i used this tutorial with great success....
If yours is a later model it's an easy job to clean it, lube it and make it as new....

I used the above tutorial on my 135 MC, then, since my Pancolar is of the same design, decided to try it...
Works fine, my Pancolar is exactly the same build...


PostPosted: Sat Jul 20, 2013 1:25 pm    Post subject: Pancolar Bokeh Reply with quote
What I see is some marvellous shots- sharpness, tones and colours. The bokeh is fine really. Unless you are using a flat field (Macro) lens, the bokeh shall show the aperture shapes - 6-8 whatever. And that itself is part of the charm. I personally love the polygonal OOF highlights- all my pix as a kid that my Dad and uncle shot- had them Smile

Enjoy it. I enjoy mine.

regards,


PostPosted: Sat Jul 20, 2013 2:45 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
@Mir: Thanks a lot for the link! I might try it one day if I am very patient. In the past these attempts have not been very successful ... since then I try to just have the lenses serviced by a professional.


PostPosted: Sat Aug 17, 2013 12:40 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
it looks stellar to me. i honestly stared at it for several minutes but do not understand what deficiency you see. i hope you can get past it it though and enjoy a lovely lens.
tony


PostPosted: Sat Aug 17, 2013 3:17 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Thanks a lot for your feedback Tony! The only minor negative remark I have about this lens is that octagonal shape of the aperture/diaphragm that you see a bit in the second picture in the out of focus area. The sharpness of this lens is certainly on a very high level.


PostPosted: Sat Aug 17, 2013 4:18 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
I had a similar experience last week. I was going to sell my Pancolar 1.8/50 because I have so many good 50s, so I made a couple of test shots. Then I decided it was far too good to part with, a keeper for sure. The Summicron-R 2/50 I tried wasn't better at all, just more expensive.



PostPosted: Sat Aug 17, 2013 5:13 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
I love this lens, under almost every aspect.
Wanting to be picky, I find bokeh to be its weaker point - for my taste - in some situations, and not for the blades but for the bokeh quality itself.
Also, I have this impression - the bokeh being "ok" or "good", but not "perfect" - with most double gauss derived lenses I own (but it may also be suggestion, since it's not easy to be scientific about something as subjective as bokeh rendering), while I found the few sonnar types I have had much more close to perfect (for me).

Anyway a terrific lens, and most of all, it can still be had relatively cheap.


PostPosted: Sat Aug 17, 2013 6:24 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
I agree, Sonnar types have more pleasing bokeh than double gauss types.
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