Kern Aarau Switar 1,8/50 AR

[StillSanj]

Today I received my latest purchase-an Alpa Alnea mod.5 with a Kern Aarau Switar 1,8/50 AR lens.
It was an eBay find for $350 dollars-not a bad deal I think.
Upon receiving the lens, I am very satisfied with its condition, with the glass being immaculate.
The only problem is, it gathered some condensation during shipping. It was cold here, and I left it inside the box for a few hours before I opened it. But alas, it was too late.
The camera also looks to be in very nice shape, pretty clean and the shutter works.
I have acquired the same lens before, in very rough shape, and never done anything with it.

In the second picture, you can see the condensation on the edge- it looks fresh to me.
I only have a canon 70D, but I was able to take a couple pictures by simply holding the lens mounted to the camera with the mirror up.
I wanted to just get an idea of the rendering, and I think I like what I saw.




All of those were shot wide open with no PP.

Now here is my questions:
A)is this lens at all adaptable to my Canon EOS? I imagine not with infinity, but is there a glass less adapted out there that could get me close to infinity? Would make for a good macro/isolated subject lens IMO.
B) in regards to condensation, will that go away but be a possible fungus hazard? Does anyone know someone who works on these Alpa lenses that can help me out?
C) the lens without the aperture rig has more blades. What are other differences, and is there and differences in the optics? Also, any difference between regular switar 1.8/50 and the Aarau version? I also just noticed that the new one with the aperture rig is preset...pleasant surprise.
D)Lastly, what is the value of the given lenses in your opinion, and if the camera? I am thinking about selling that to make some of the money back.

As always, any information or insight or criticism or funny remarks are welcome.

[scsambrook]

If you'd like to know more about the company and its products, take a look at http://www.kern-aarau.ch/kern/rundgang/optik-und-ihre-produkte.html - there's a section on the Alpa lenses. It's in German, but Google Translation will turn it into reasonably understandable English.

[sch8mid]

Thanks Stephen

Aarau Switzerland (Kern-factory) Place , where my family comes from

[koji]

This lens was produced 5,785 from 1958 to 1966, 4 group 6 element double gauss optical lens. It is almost APO-chromatic lens,
you can see IR(infra red) mark within DoF of F1.8 on your lens. But 3D-pop is better than Macro-Switar 50mmF/1.9 definitely, but
my Switar 50/1.8 is a bit hazy/cloudy and its coarting is almost gone.

Enjoy after the lens has been fixed if possible. Here is my samples:

@f1.8


@f2.8


@f5.6


@f2.8 near shot ~1.5m


@f2.8 slightly long shot, you see some flare/haziness against bright area


@f1.8 vignettes


my other samples are here: http://www.pbase.com/kkawakami/other_kern_switar_50mm_f18

[StillSanj]

Thank you koji! Great info and samples.
It is quite a shame in regard to the moisture, as the glass is otherwise minty.
It would be nice to not have to open her up. The blades work perfectly, and there's hardly any debris or dust-not worth cleaning.
In short- it is otherwise perfect.
Also a shame that I cannot use the lens :/
I keep putting off buying a mirrorless, and just sold off a prominent Nokton. Maybe I should have hung onto that too and just pulled the trigger on a Sony.

[scsambrook]

Time to stop procrastinating and buy that mirrorless camera As for the Switar, if the moisture's still there it's telling you that the lens really needs to be opened up and the issue dealt with. It really is too good a lens to leave as a paperweight. Good luck with it !

[paulhofseth]

MSW does not really qualify as double Gauss, is apparently corrected for three colours and seems to have 7 elements.

p.

[koji]

As you know Macro-Switar 50/1.8 has 5g/7e optical design, and also Macro-Switar 50/1.9 has 5g/8e design.
However plain Switar 50/1.8 has 4g/6e double gauss design, sure for that I disassembled my plain Switar 50/1.8.

also this plain Switar 50/1.8 is not APO lens, see IR mark (at the red arrow):


Please do not confuse that these two Switar 50/1.8s are different lenses, one Macro the other plain.

[calvin83]

The IR mark has nothing to do with APO correction. All the Switar 50/1.8 share the same(or very similar) optical design.


Taken for the Alpa booklet from http://www.butkus.org/

[kds315*]

Well, actually it does: an APO or apochromatic corrected lens has no focus shift, so the visible and IR focus point are identical!

[calvin83]

[kds315*]

[calvin83]

[kds315*]

Or an UV Nikkor 105mm, Apo EL Nikkor 105mm, Printing Nikkor 95mm/105mm, Zeiss UV Sonnar 105mm ... all TRUE Apochromats!!

[calvin83]

[kds315*]

[kds315*]

Forgot the Pentax Ultra Achromatic Takumar 85mm

[jamaeolus]

Re; moisture, I recommend getting a bunch of silica gel packets and sealing the lens (zip lock bag?) with them in a warm place (heatiing pad?) for several days/ weeks and just see where you are at. I'm not sure how hard those are to open but unless you are a skilled tinkerer its easy to damage these old lenses and ruin their collector value (trust me, I know from personal experience!) Not sure what those are worth but if really expensive send it in for CLA by professional. I live in western Oregon where winters are cool and very wet so to prevent fungus I seal my lenses in tea tins or zip locks with those silica gel packets.

[kds315*]

[uhoh7]

[kds315*]

The only true one I know of is the Apo Macro Elmarit 100mm

[uhoh7]

[kds315*]

[iangreenhalgh1]

Leica are like Sigma - they use the term 'Apo' a bit loosely.

I have quite a few true apochromatic lenses, they are mostly process lenses that originally cost multiple thousands of dollars. One in particular I like is the Rodenstock Magnagon 5.6/75 which is a rebadged fixed iris version of the APO-Rodagon-D; another is a Wollensak Apochromatic Raptar f11 540mm, a bit slow but sharper than a very sharp thing.

[jamaeolus]