Kern Switar and Macro-Switar lenses, 50mm.

[scsambrook]

Anybody got any recent experience of these? Had my memory jogged by something I read recently which has made me curious about whether they were as good as their reputation was, back in the 1960s. I had a "normal" Switar on an Alpa 6 which I only owned for a short while, and I stupidly never gave it a real trial (see my Alpa post in Film SLR section).

I think they may be tricky to adapt to DSLR because of their relatively short register.

[kds315*]

Excellent lenses, they used Zeiss glass from what I remember but due to teh very short register only useful on 4/3 or mft cameras.

[patrickh]

Still pretty expensive


patrickh

[exaklaus]

Ending in 2 hours...
Klaus

http://cgi.ebay.de/Filmkamera-Bolex-H16-Reflex-mit-3-Obj-und-2-Suchern_W0QQitemZ130355216465QQcmdZViewItemQQptZPhotographica_Film?hash=item1e59c6c051

[koji]

I have the both Kern SWITAR 50/1.8 and Kern Macro-SWITAR 50/1.9.
These are recent shots with Pana's GF1 in RAW, developed by Capture One.

These were shot at @f5.6 or 8 to make DoF deep.

100% crop



The following two were shot @f2.8, cannot show 100% crop (too sharp for women )



To adapt this lens (Alpa ones) for SLR is near impossible, but relatively easier to adapt to L and M mount RF cameras with a special adapter.
You can see it in the middle row of this page > http://www.pbase.com/kkawakami/other_macro_switar_50mm_f19

[kds315*]

[koji]

Thanks Klaus.

Back to the original post, this lens is still a quite good lens today. The price
of this lens has been skyrocketed unfortunately, but it is worthwhile to get
macro one if under $800 (great bargain if less than $600).

It is a rare APO normal lens with macro capability, which is now regained
by MFT camera's live view.

[scsambrook]

Koji - thanks for the images! Very interesting indeed and most impressive.

But why is my post now in cine lenses? I was asking about 35mm lenses, not movie ones -

[Rolf]

[kds315*]

Well, we're setting up a new sub-forum and were moving things around, sorry for the inconvenience. Only the ones who don't do anything make no mistakes - and that's the biggest one! (old german saying)

[scsambrook]