Industar 50-2

richard64 · 03-11-2009, 06:47 AM - **1 Like**

After looking at some photos on this forum and on others I thought I would give this lens a try. At £15 this is a cheap lens and mine is in good condition. The first thing I did was to sort out a hood. The I-50 has a 35mm filter thread and I have no suitable hoods. So I got a Gu pot (Gu are rather indulgent chocolate desserts). I chopped off the bottom, and then used a craft knife to pare it down until I could push it over the filter ring. Then I used some sandpaper to roughen the inside to a matt finish.

Here's the lens and hood, separately and then with the hood on the lens.

Yes it does look weird, but since the lens is not coated I wanted to reduce any flare. One issue with this lens is that the filter ring is also the aperture ring, but with my hood in place the "aperture ring" is much wider and easier to use. Unfortunately there are no clicks on the aperture ring and the lens is fully manual, so if you focus wide open you cannot accurately stop down to a particular value. Also, it is possible when you stop down to turn the focus ring too. So it can get a little fiddly to focus and get the best aperture.

Why use a 50mm f3.5? Well, I found that for landscape it was a bit ordinary, and similarly for closer focus images (65cm is the closest focus). I found that the lens handled greens very well, and blues were really quite vivid. The photos I had seen elsewhere were with extension tubes, and this is what I wanted to try. I tried 8, 10 and 22mm and decided that the images from last two were the best. The following were with the 22mm tube, no flash, handheld and at about f5.6-f8.

It is spring time, and the only insects about are flies sunning themselves.

This is a magnolia bud just opening. I also took some pictures at f3.5 where the DOF is very small, but interestingly, the hairs are still visible, so even wide open this is a sharp lens.

This is an interesting lens for macro work, and for the price it is worth giving it a try.

Richard

georgweb · 03-12-2009, 09:23 AM

Well done Richard,
I can imagine the chocolate thing to be delicious!
I have found a filmbox-bottom that I have cut out and fits as a lens cap (with some extra tape around the edge).

Industar 3.5/50 on K100D

Best, Georg (the other)
PS: Made me think of: Which is the best Tessar lens? New thread?

richard64 · 03-12-2009, 01:39 PM

Originally posted by georgweb

Industar 3.5/50 on K100D

Best, Georg (the other)
PS: Made me think of: Which is the best Tessar lens? New thread?

Georg, the colours on that shot are wonderful. I take back what I said about using the I-50-2 for landscape photos.

Richard

georgweb · 03-12-2009, 05:17 PM

Quote:

Georg, the colours on that shot are wonderful. I take back what I said about using the I-50-2 for landscape photos.

Richard,
don't take it back, it for sure is an ordinary lens resolutionwise. Which of course does not mean you can't have extraordinary fun with it :-) Here's some more through google translator.

The Voe does probably know best soon if his Asahi-version can best the Industar 50-2 or the Industar 61LZ not speaking of the Volna version - AFAIK all of these are Tessars (greek: four, four lens elements).

Georg (the other)

spystyle · 12-15-2009, 10:27 AM

I too own this lens

I paid about the same as the OP

Manual Focus Forum / Industar "50-2" a tiny 50mm f/3.5 - The Poor Man's Pancake Tessar

It's such a cute little baby lens

Those UK guys at that forum find them for $4 USD

Nice job making a hood

GerryL · 12-15-2009, 01:42 PM

Originally posted by spystyle

I too own this lens

I paid about the same as the OP

Manual Focus Forum / Industar "50-2" a tiny 50mm f/3.5 - The Poor Man's Pancake Tessar

It's such a cute little baby lens

Those UK guys at that forum find them for $4 USD

Nice job making a hood

Looks great!
What M42 to K mount did you use as this doesn't seem like the standard adapter?

spystyle · 12-15-2009, 03:50 PM

Truly, I bought a cheap "flanged" adapter off "ChinaBay"

With some of my M42 lenses there is small loss of infinity focus. On the manual focus forums the pros tell me that the correct adapter is not flanged (it looks super skinny).

Also I "electro-penciled" all of my adapters. I have so many adapters I was getting them confused so I labeled them with the dremel, but oops I labeled the wrong side and it looks like messy text. They are labeled though

Messily "electro-penciled" into that adapter are the words "M42 to Pentax"

Have fun!
Craig

Last edited by spystyle; 12-15-2009 at 04:30 PM.

SpottyMatic · 04-29-2010, 04:14 PM

Apologies for digging up an old thread but I have just acquired an Industar 50-2 and I'm sat here with my GU chocolate pot (empty, I might add) ready to make a nifty hood.

Richard - would you mind measuring the GU pot you cut down from front to back to make my cutting easier...

Looks like a great solution - thanks.

03-11-2009, 06:47 AM - 1 Like	#1
richard64 Veteran Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: England Posts: 309	Industar 50-2 After looking at some photos on this forum and on others I thought I would give this lens a try. At £15 this is a cheap lens and mine is in good condition. The first thing I did was to sort out a hood. The I-50 has a 35mm filter thread and I have no suitable hoods. So I got a Gu pot (Gu are rather indulgent chocolate desserts). I chopped off the bottom, and then used a craft knife to pare it down until I could push it over the filter ring. Then I used some sandpaper to roughen the inside to a matt finish. Here's the lens and hood, separately and then with the hood on the lens. Yes it does look weird, but since the lens is not coated I wanted to reduce any flare. One issue with this lens is that the filter ring is also the aperture ring, but with my hood in place the "aperture ring" is much wider and easier to use. Unfortunately there are no clicks on the aperture ring and the lens is fully manual, so if you focus wide open you cannot accurately stop down to a particular value. Also, it is possible when you stop down to turn the focus ring too. So it can get a little fiddly to focus and get the best aperture. Why use a 50mm f3.5? Well, I found that for landscape it was a bit ordinary, and similarly for closer focus images (65cm is the closest focus). I found that the lens handled greens very well, and blues were really quite vivid. The photos I had seen elsewhere were with extension tubes, and this is what I wanted to try. I tried 8, 10 and 22mm and decided that the images from last two were the best. The following were with the 22mm tube, no flash, handheld and at about f5.6-f8. It is spring time, and the only insects about are flies sunning themselves. This is a magnolia bud just opening. I also took some pictures at f3.5 where the DOF is very small, but interestingly, the hairs are still visible, so even wide open this is a sharp lens. This is an interesting lens for macro work, and for the price it is worth giving it a try. Richard

12-15-2009, 10:27 AM	#5
spystyle Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Maine, USA Posts: 424	I too own this lens I paid about the same as the OP Manual Focus Forum / Industar "50-2" a tiny 50mm f/3.5 - The Poor Man's Pancake Tessar It's such a cute little baby lens Those UK guys at that forum find them for $4 USD Nice job making a hood Last edited by spystyle; 12-15-2009 at 10:38 AM.

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03-12-2009, 09:23 AM	#2
georgweb Veteran Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Berlin, Germany Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,386	Well done Richard, I can imagine the chocolate thing to be delicious! I have found a filmbox-bottom that I have cut out and fits as a lens cap (with some extra tape around the edge). Industar 3.5/50 on K100D Best, Georg (the other) PS: Made me think of: Which is the best Tessar lens? New thread?

03-12-2009, 01:39 PM	#3
richard64 Veteran Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: England Posts: 309 Original Poster	Originally posted by georgweb Industar 3.5/50 on K100D Best, Georg (the other) PS: Made me think of: Which is the best Tessar lens? New thread? Georg, the colours on that shot are wonderful. I take back what I said about using the I-50-2 for landscape photos. Richard

03-12-2009, 05:17 PM	#4
georgweb Veteran Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Berlin, Germany Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,386	Quote: Georg, the colours on that shot are wonderful. I take back what I said about using the I-50-2 for landscape photos. Richard, don't take it back, it for sure is an ordinary lens resolutionwise. Which of course does not mean you can't have extraordinary fun with it :-) Here's some more through google translator. The Voe does probably know best soon if his Asahi-version can best the Industar 50-2 or the Industar 61LZ not speaking of the Volna version - AFAIK all of these are Tessars (greek: four, four lens elements). Georg (the other)

12-15-2009, 01:42 PM	#6
GerryL Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: CA Posts: 2,731	Originally posted by spystyle I too own this lens I paid about the same as the OP Manual Focus Forum / Industar "50-2" a tiny 50mm f/3.5 - The Poor Man's Pancake Tessar It's such a cute little baby lens Those UK guys at that forum find them for $4 USD Nice job making a hood Looks great! What M42 to K mount did you use as this doesn't seem like the standard adapter?

12-15-2009, 03:50 PM	#7
spystyle Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Maine, USA Posts: 424	Truly, I bought a cheap "flanged" adapter off "ChinaBay" With some of my M42 lenses there is small loss of infinity focus. On the manual focus forums the pros tell me that the correct adapter is not flanged (it looks super skinny). Also I "electro-penciled" all of my adapters. I have so many adapters I was getting them confused so I labeled them with the dremel, but oops I labeled the wrong side and it looks like messy text. They are labeled though Messily "electro-penciled" into that adapter are the words "M42 to Pentax" Have fun! Craig Last edited by spystyle; 12-15-2009 at 04:30 PM.

04-29-2010, 04:14 PM	#8
SpottyMatic Inactive Account Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: UK Posts: 16	Apologies for digging up an old thread but I have just acquired an Industar 50-2 and I'm sat here with my GU chocolate pot (empty, I might add) ready to make a nifty hood. Richard - would you mind measuring the GU pot you cut down from front to back to make my cutting easier... Looks like a great solution - thanks.

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