[chucuyuco]

I have found this lens locally on craigslist and I had a question for you guys and gals. The lens comes with colored filters, those are a necessary part of the lens element correct? Should there also be a clear filter that is needed to take pictures with this lens when I don't want a colored filter (ie most of the time). The guy says he has colored filters but isn't sure about the clear, but says he has everything that came in the box from Russia.

Thanks

[bimjo]

Yes, a filter is required for the lens to work correctly. I put the clear filter on and then promptly lost the others. The clear filter should be attached to the back of the lens. If it isn't, I'd pass on it.

[chucuyuco]

Thanks bimjo. This is a dumb question, but how will I know if the clear filter is attached or if it is just the back of the lens element? If the filter isn't attached there is nothing just no glass on the back of the lens?

[elliott]

Thanks bimjo. This is a dumb question, but how will I know if the clear filter is attached or if it is just the back of the lens element? If the filter isn't attached there is nothing just no glass on the back of the lens?

The clear filter says M26,5x0,5 and C on the outside ring, it should be visible when looking at the mount of the lens. There is a lens element directly under it, so you would still see some glass back there without it.

[gedasst]

Don't wory about filters. All thous filters was made for 35mm film cameras.
I use Zenitar-16 on K100D and MZ-6 without any filters.
Important! Before use on DSLR with filter - you must be shure, to your lense with filter is not too long and not touch miror.

[elliott]

Don't wory about filters. All thous filters was made for 35mm film cameras.
I use Zenitar-16 on K100D and MZ-6 without any filters.
Important! Before use on DSLR with filter - you must be shure, to your lense with filter is not too long and not touch miror.

The colored ones are useless on digital, but you need the clear one, otherwise the Zenitar will not focus properly. The Zenitar filters are special, they are part of the lens.

[Yamakasi]

the clear filter should be attached to the back of the lens..ask the seller to check the back

[RioRico]

Ha! I've had my Zenitar 16/2.8 for 3 years now and I never noticed the filter before! I just tested it -- removed the filter, tried to focus, and found that its far-focus dropped from infinity to about 1m. Yes, the filter is necessary! For anything except closeups, anyway.

The clear filter says M26,5x0,5 and C on the outside ring, it should be visible when looking at the mount of the lens.

That's just what mine says.

The colored ones are useless on digital, but you need the clear one, otherwise the Zenitar will not focus properly. The Zenitar filters are special, they are part of the lens.

Yes, the colored filters are worthless for most digital photography, EXCEPT:

* a RED filter gives slightly greater dynamic range when shooting B&W
* a YELLOW filter does wild things to glaring colored neon lights at night

I may search for those filters, just so I will have them, just in case...

[chucuyuco]

Thanks everybody, I'm going to see it tomorrow. Interesting RioRico, does that mean you can take the filter off and take better fisheye type close ups?

[RioRico]

Interesting RioRico, does that mean you can take the filter off and take better fisheye type close ups?

That's exactly right. With the filter in place, its nominal close-focus distance (CFD) is about 30cm. With the filter removed, CFD is closer to 10cm from the front element. And like I said, far-focus drops to around 1m. I just now measured those distances.

Meanwhile, here is what NOT to do: do NOT put a deglassed TC behind the Zen to make it a macro lens, either with or without the filter. My 2x TC are about 25mm thick. With that much extension, the Zen's CFD drops to about zero; the front element must touch the subject to be in focus. You do NOT want the front to touch anything; the coatings are rather soft.

[chucuyuco]

Awesome, thanks RioRico, that should be fun to play with!

[RioRico]

Awesome, thanks RioRico, that should be fun to play with!

It will be today's LOTD (lens of the day). I did a few test shots and notice that fishiness doesn't increase. My DA10-17 @16-17mm is only slightly fishy; the Zen, with or without the filter, is very similar. Exploiting angles there takes some careful composition.

The main difference is that with the filter off I'm *forced* to shoot close, to look for subjects only in that 10cm-1m zone. It's like the discipline required when putting a wide-flange no-infinity-focus adapter on an M42 100-200-300mm lens -- the focus range is pulled in and I must 'see' only in the new narrower range. Good eye-brain exercise, eh? Yeah, exercise those brain muscles. Next, a few visual jumping-jacks...

[elliott]

That is very good to know, I was just wondering how I could focus closer with my Zenitar the other day. I had never removed the filter to test the results, mostly for fear of losing it.

[gedasst]

The colored ones are useless on digital, but you need the clear one, otherwise the Zenitar will not focus properly. The Zenitar filters are special, they are part of the lens.

You are 99% right ! Normaly you should use this filter.

Just - when You buy something from ex-Soviet Union, You could be never shure - what you will get
Krasnogorsky Zavod -- Ôîòîòåõíèêà -- Îáúåêòèâû -- Çåíèòàð 2,8/16
"B некоторых источниках указывалась оптическая формула без учета компенсатора: 10/6."
"In some documents we found optical formulas without compensator - 10lenses, 6groups".

Even Industar-61 with M39screw was made with diferent focus distance - from 51mm to 58mm.