Zenitar M 50/1.7

[ManualFocus-G]

This is an interesting one that you don't see too often! I think Poolhall has one though. Picked it up a while ago as part of a job lot and it strikes a remarkable resemblance to the Helios 44M-4:

Zenitar M 50/1.7



Helios 44M-4



Zenitar M 50/1.7



Helios 44M-4



Seems an OK lens, although I'm waiting for better conditions to test it in:

Wide open



Crop (notice the purple at the bottom)



f5.6



Crop



f2.8 I think!



Crop



Check out the weird bokeh!



Wide open bokeh test



So which is better? The Helios or the Zenitar? Well I accidently tested with the 44M rather than the 44M-4, but I'm sure it's not THAT different to the 44M-4.

The Bob - Zenitar @ f2.8



Crop



The Bob - Helios 44M @ f2.8



Crop



I reckon the Zenitar is a touch sharper.

[Poolhall]

Yep I got one so has themoleman, standard lens for the Zenit 19 and pretty good . Afaik the fastest production Russian slr lens, and it is basically identical externally to the Helios 44m . There is also a Zenitar M 1.8 which I don't have but I think is the same as a Helios 77M-4, and a Zenitar 1.9/50 in K mount which is also very good and not common.

[fatdeeman]

Looks like a decent lens to me, a little purple fringing but nothing I would lose sleep over, most of my lenses have it!

I have a few lenses with the ninja star bokeh, I quite like it but most people think I have no taste when it comes to such things!

It seems good to me, nice colour and contrast and the sharpness is decent too.

[rbelyell]

i like it; not much difft than helios. given the info provided from russo-philes on my own russian lens thread of today, which you might want to check out ('2 questions for russian lens experts'), it may be that both lenses were produced from the same factory, and might be the same lens!

[Mal1905]

I've been in a major row with a Russian seller since November about the non-delivery of one of these - no contact from him until about 35 minutes ago. With a tracking number and an apology to say he'd mislaid the lens and only posted it yesterday!!!

So Shrek, is it cool for me to PM you with a list of the other items I'm waiting for? If you have t he item, you can start a thread, I'll wait for notification of postage, and we'll all be happy!

Seriously though, can't wait until it's delivered and put up against the insignificant but mighty Helios-77M-4

[rbelyell]

hey mal, good luck w the lens, looking forward to seeing some pix w this lens. i do wonder, though, if its akin to helios...

[sichko]

[ManualFocus-G]

[rappelbums]

Hello Forum!

My first post here as a 'thank you all for your information shared' as well as my two cents on the lenses discussed here.

I also own a copy of the zenitar m 1.7/50. It is a great performer and one of my favorite lenses. Sharp already wide open, nice colors, easy to focus. Lots of glass. The 1.9/50 is also here but I was disappointed. To me not as sharp, more chroma, which is only slightly noticable in the 1.7 version.
The 2/58 lenses seem to share a very similar barrel. But they are Biotar type whereas the zenitar are Ultron type if I am right.

[themoleman342]

It is my favorite standard and always is on my camera, but I'm a sucker for Russian optics. I have both a domestic and export version, differing in their production by a year. Both render in the same way. The zenitar is an ultron formula but an early form of it. Here is one sample that I posted in the gallery section not to long ago. I thought I would rescan it with my newly acquired epson v700 to give you a taste of the lenses potential. It really shines, however, with color film. I can offer plenty more samples if people are interested.


~Marc

[martinsmith99]

Very moody portrait.

I'm resisting the urge to get one of these.

[Mal1905]