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Primoplan 58mm f1.9
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PostPosted: Sun Feb 18, 2024 9:32 am    Post subject: Primoplan 58mm f1.9 Reply with quote
Yesterday I had been approached with the offer of the camera Praktica FX with the subject lens.






The price was not very exciting, but the condition of camera and lens was nearly perfect, so I decided to give it the try. After some bargaining of course.

Then, there is the first "dirty" test of the lens with the Sony a7s. (no sharpening, and the very little post processing of the files from RAW)

f/1.9 1/10 s; ISO 400



f/5.6 1/5 s; ISO 1250



PostPosted: Sun Feb 18, 2024 2:39 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
I like the 1.9 shot, do you have a specific adapter for Sony? I have same camera with trioplan waiting to adapt it one day, without screwing out the camera , as it's working properly
By the way, that combo looks so beautiful, just like new , congratulations for your deal


PostPosted: Sun Feb 18, 2024 2:49 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Certainly a nice an interesing piece of history! I've seen that one only once or twice here in Switzerland, and they went for (too) much of $$$. Would be interesting to see a side-by-side comparison with a well known 2/50mm (such as the Nikkor 2/50mm) and/or a Biotar 2/58 or even a Minolta MC 1.7/55mm.

I'm always curious to see how visible the claimed "special properties" of such expensive old lenses actually are.

In the case of the Trioplan 90mm it's quite obvious, and the Biotar 1.5/75 has distinctive properties as well (although I don't really like them - apart from the really clean and sharp b/w images you can get at f11!).

So what about the 58mm Primoplan?

S


PostPosted: Sun Feb 18, 2024 7:20 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
kiddo wrote:
do you have a specific adapter for Sony?


It is for the standard M42 settling. So I used the common cheap chinese adapter for М42 - NEX.





Last edited by LittleAlex on Sun Feb 18, 2024 7:58 pm; edited 1 time in total


PostPosted: Sun Feb 18, 2024 7:35 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
stevemark wrote:
I've seen that one only once or twice here in Switzerland, and they went for (too) much of $$$.



At the beginning seller did ask for it 15 000 UAH (which means something around $400):

https://violity.com/ua/114797219-praktica-fx-primoplan-1-9-58

But at the personal meeting, and after the very bloody bargaining he reduced the price to $150. I would prefer of course something around $100, but well... Beside lens the camera also is of the very nice condition. Even the shutter works well. However the slow speeds are two times slower they should originally be. So, it needs some lubrication and cleaning perhaps. For the practical use. If I would require any in the future.

What is more curious then, that the camera has the self-timer, which is not very common on that models.




stevemark wrote:
Would be interesting to see a side-by-side comparison with a well known 2/50mm (such as the Nikkor 2/50mm) and/or a Biotar 2/58 or even a Minolta MC 1.7/55mm.

I'm always curious to see how visible the claimed "special properties" of such expensive old lenses actually are.

In the case of the Trioplan 90mm it's quite obvious, and the Biotar 1.5/75 has distinctive properties as well (although I don't really like them - apart from the really clean and sharp b/w images you can get at f11!).

So what about the 58mm Primoplan?

S


It is mainly famous for its distinctive "bulb bokeh". However surprisingly it produced nice sharp image even at 1.9


PostPosted: Sun Feb 18, 2024 8:10 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
kiddo wrote:
trioplan waiting to adapt it one day,


I have in my storages the CZY M42 MC 50/2.8 Trioplan. It shown quite well with the crop matrix cameras as the portrait lens for the close distances. However, as the standard lens on FF it is very mediocre.

But well, even CZY M42 MC 50/2.8 Tessar isn't anything especial as the standard lens.


PostPosted: Sun Feb 18, 2024 8:33 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
LittleAlex wrote:

But at the personal meeting, and after the very bloody bargaining he reduced the price to $150.
What is more curious then, that the camera has the self-timer, which is not very common on that models.

That's a steal! Those I've seen in Switzerland, many xears ago, went for around CHF 350-500.--, as far as I remember.

LittleAlex wrote:

stevemark wrote:
Would be interesting to see a side-by-side comparison with a well known 2/50mm (such as the Nikkor 2/50mm) and/or a Biotar 2/58 or even a Minolta MC 1.7/55mm.

....
S


It is mainly famous for its distinctive "bulb bokeh". However surprisingly it produced nice sharp image even at 1.9


OK show us ... Wink preferably a side-by-side comparison with a well known normal lens at f1.9 (f2) ...

S


PostPosted: Sun Feb 18, 2024 9:40 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
stevemark wrote:


I'm always curious to see how visible the claimed "special properties" of such expensive old lenses actually are.

So what about the 58mm Primoplan?

S


Speaking from my (limited) experience, it's likely not up to many similar lenses in terms of sharpness, even performance!

I don't find the Primplan 58 mm f/1.9 particularly sharp wide open, at least my sample and at the distance I've been shooting at (which was mostly in the close-up range). There are a couple of things that I love about it, and while some may be replicated by other similar lenses, I can't think of a lens on top of my head, which combines those:

1.) I perceive its rendering as really smooth. Part of it may be caused by flaws of the lens. It shows quite a bit of glow and some CAs wide open and (as has been mentioned before) is VERY low contrast (see one of the samples below). All of that adds to the perception of smoothness, I'm sure, but even in less challenging situations, I feel like this lens renders in a way which makes me think of faster lenses.

2.) It has a beautiful round aperture, so it can easily be stopped down sightly and still keep up a lot of its beautiful smoothness, often to a surprising degree.

3.) I love its handling. It's a small and very lightweight lens (My Summicron DR 50/2 is almost thrice its weight!). I know many people prefer lenses with clicks, but I love clickless apertures.

Here are some sample shots. The first two are SOOC JPEGs, just slightly cropped, the other ones received some processing:


I feel like that's not overly but decently sharp and the rendering just perfect for me.


This is an example of the VERY low contrast and sharpness wide open in challenging situations. I still feel like I would easily prefer that and balance some of the flaws in post, than have a sharper lens with less pleasing rendering. But I guess in situations like this your mileage may vary with this lens. It would certainly be a little bit better with a hood... don't think I've used one here.

Rain: embrace with grace by simple.joy, on Flickr

Light … outside and inside by simple.joy, on Flickr

Small budget Christmas tree by simple.joy, on Flickr

Gotta hand it to the rain: it feels amazing! by simple.joy, on Flickr


PostPosted: Sun Feb 18, 2024 11:27 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
stevemark wrote:
LittleAlex wrote:

It is mainly famous for its distinctive "bulb bokeh". However surprisingly it produced nice sharp image even at 1.9


OK show us ... Wink preferably a side-by-side comparison with a well known normal lens at f1.9 (f2) ...

S


Unfortunately, I don't have any of the lenses you've mentioned. I have a Nikkor 50 mm f/1.4 (but that wouldn't be a reasonable comparison, due to the different bokeh shape) and a Konica 57 mm f/1.4... same thing. So I've compared it to the Mamiya Sekor SX 55 mm f/1.8 instead. Here are the images:


Mamiya Sekor SX 55 mm f/1.8 (wide open at f/1.8 )


Meyer Optik Primoplan 58 mm f/1.9 (wide open at f/1.9)


Crop of center:


As you can see (and for me expected, as I've mentioned) the Mamiya lens is clearly superior in terms of contrast and image quality across the frame - no challenge, even though it is at f/1.8 and the Primoplan at f/1.9. It shows slightly more CAs than the Meyer lens though and the bokeh highlights are less rounded.

I personally clearly prefer the image of the Primoplan though. Perhaps it could be different with one of the lenses you've mentioned, who knows... But for me, this reaffirms my notion, that some of the flaws of the Primoplan, have a significant positive impact on my perception of it. It's not one of the lenses which will take the sharpest images (at least wide open and speaking for my sample, I don't have a second one to compare it), but some of the best looking one for my taste.


PostPosted: Mon Feb 19, 2024 7:45 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

primoplan wide open
sharpness and bokeh


PostPosted: Mon Feb 19, 2024 8:27 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
f/1.9 1/80 s; ISO 1250



PostPosted: Mon Feb 19, 2024 8:35 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Sony a7s F/1.9 1/1000 s; ISO 1000



PostPosted: Mon Feb 19, 2024 8:40 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
planet.groove wrote:

primoplan wide open
sharpness and bokeh


Thank you! Bokeh looks beautiful. Sharpness at least okay, but it's very hard to tell at this size. What's your impression of the Primoplan's "special properties"?


PostPosted: Mon Feb 19, 2024 8:42 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Sony a7s F/1.9 1/30 s; ISO 320



PostPosted: Mon Feb 19, 2024 8:43 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
LittleAlex wrote:
Sony a7s F/1.9 1/1000 s; ISO 1000



Thanks - great shots! Again... looks plenty sharp to me, but (I would suspect) only in the center. Would you agree?


PostPosted: Mon Feb 19, 2024 8:50 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Sony a7s F/1.9 1/500 s; ISO 200




PostPosted: Mon Feb 19, 2024 8:50 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
simple.joy wrote:
but (I would suspect) only in the center. Would you agree?


Yes, I will. Gladly.


PostPosted: Mon Feb 19, 2024 9:00 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Sony a7s 1/250 s; ISO 400



PostPosted: Mon Feb 19, 2024 9:09 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Sony a7s 1/125 с; ISO 1250



PostPosted: Mon Feb 19, 2024 10:13 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Sony a7s 1/5000 s; ISO 1000




PostPosted: Mon Feb 19, 2024 11:22 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Considering that camera and lens retailed for the equivalent of about $1750 in today's dollars, and that is one of the rarest lenses sold with it, it's pretty comical to see the fretting over the price of such a nice specimen.


PostPosted: Tue Feb 20, 2024 1:42 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
BrianSVP wrote:
it's pretty comical to see the fretting over the price of such a nice specimen.


No, it was not comical at the any way. It was really skillful, and very professional bargain hunting. When the process itself is much, much more involving, and delightful then even the final achievement.


PostPosted: Fri Feb 23, 2024 10:15 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
Any more opinions on the matter? I've just compared it to the Meyer Domiron 50 mm f/2 and while they do look similar overall, there seem to be a couple of differences:

1.) the Primoplan has less pronounced edges in the OOF highlights
2.) the Primoplan is slightly less sharp
3.) the Primoplan seems to have more field curvature
4.) the Primoplan has quite a bit more glow

Meyer Primoplan 57 mm f/1.9


Meyer Domiron 50 mm f/2


Once again, most of those things must be categorized as flaws. But in my personal opinion the resulting images do look better in certain situations, particularly when it's not sharpness and detail you're after, but a soft look, like in portraits or something where the transitions are more important, like for certain types of still life or food photography.

If you want stronger subject separation, a lens like the Domiron (or other newer designs from Japan) seem to be significantly better suited.

Here are two more shots with the Primoplan:

Catch light by simple.joy, on Flickr

Out of shape on my guitar... by simple.joy, on Flickr


PostPosted: Tue Feb 27, 2024 8:01 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
Sony a7s F/1.9 1/80 s; ISO 320



PostPosted: Tue Feb 27, 2024 8:04 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
Sony a7s F/1.9 1/125 с; ISO 1000

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