| Author: | | New Member Registered: February, 2019 Posts: 15
4 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: March 8, 2023 | Recommended | Price: $120.00
| Rating: 8 |
| Pros: | Good and reliable 50mm lens | | Cons: | Hyperbolic online hype | | Sharpness: 8
Aberrations: 8
Bokeh: 7
Handling: 8
Value: 5
Camera Used: Film and full frame Digital
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Few people mention - or few people know - that the Pancolar comes in different dimensions, blade numbers, numerous coating colours, different front-end mechanics/design, and different glass tints (the yellow tinted "Thorium radioactive" glass also used by Pentax Takumar being a good example). Some have poorly aligned aperture blades - like the Pentacon 50mm F1.8 "copy" lens - that offer slightly deformed hexagon aperture shapes. Some front rings have different manufacturing details (read about the legal "Zeiss" labelling wrangling after WW2 and East/West partitioning on line). The numerous "Zebra" Pancolar designs also have varied manual/auto aperture switches or paddles associated with rear pin models.
Some say that the much better priced secondhand Pentacon 50mm F1.8 is a copy of this lens. This seems true in a way, but they give different results; the Pentacon having more dramatic background bokeh and swirl at F1.8 and F2.8. Pancolar Bokeh is good for a 50mm but I've seen such effects just as good, and certainly close to this, on other comparable lenses at a quarter of the price. It's nothing special with the Pancolar and it does not get better if you find solace with the extraordinary prices some people pay for this lens.
The Pancolar gives, like the Pentacon, gives lovely imaging and gorgeous colours. Sharpness can be good up to F5.6, but not as perfect as some people go on about. It's certainly better than a 50mm F2.8 Tessar and any 50mm Meyer Optik or 50mm Pentacon in this regard. Sharpness with both the Pancolar and Pentacon can be excellent at F5.6 to F11. But many other quality lenses are as good, including the Pentax A 50mm 1.8 and M 50mm 1.8 and they cost as low as a fifth of the price.As I take most of my images at f4 to f8 the Pancolar is the best at f4 but absolutely no different at f5.6 and f8.
I also infinity tested a Pancolar "Carl Zeiss Jena" (with the side-to-side switch and longer extending front section) against a Pancolar "Aus Jena" thorium yellow glass lens (with the flapper switch and shorter extending front section). Both were tested against my sharpest Helios 1976 44-2 58mm at f5.6 and f8 with all three on a Sony full frame. At 5.6 there were hardly any differences except a little more sharpness around the corners of the two Pancolars. The central 80% looked identical other than a little tinting from the thorium glass. At f8 the central area was only very slightly sharper around the periphery of the centre and the edges of both Pancolars. The 20% infinity centre was identical on all three lenses. To be honest, at 100% zoom there was not that much different. All were mint condition except some cleaning marks on the Helios and a slightly irregular iris on the "Carl Zeiss Jena" Pancolar. The crunch is that the Helios cost me 60% less than the "Aus Jena" Thorium Pancolar and 80% less than the other Pancolar.
Many folks also talk about focusing being lumpy or stiff. Many old Zeiss lenses are like this. It's not a fault of the lens or manufacturer; they are simply old. The same is true with the looseness or stiffness of the aperture ring. Get real, people - these are not new items! Even excellent lenses that are very old need some servicing.
The Pancolar costs so much that I think many people try to convince themselves it's somehow more special; like they are living in The Emperor's New Clothes fable. But it is a lovely lens, nonetheless.I suppose that the best thing about this Pancolar classic is that it does everything very well, and that's something that not all F1.8 50mm lenses can match. It's a bit like a F1.4 or F1.2 in an F1.8 body. In that comparative, the mad prices some people pay - and many folks ask for when selling - can be seen as being potentially sane.
| | | | | | | Senior Member Registered: January, 2011 Posts: 258
2 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: May 23, 2011 | Recommended | Price: $85.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | Light, bokeh, sharp enough wide open | | Cons: | MF, build quality not like west Germany zeiss, soft in corners to 4.0 | |
In short time it have become my favourite 50mm. I love it because of the bokeh and colors.
@1.8
@2.8
 | | | | | Junior Member Registered: January, 2016 Location: Warsaw Posts: 32
1 user found this helpful
| | Review Date: January 5, 2016 | Recommended | Price: None indicated
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | Sharpness, colors | | Cons: | Mechanic... | | Sharpness: 10
Aberrations: 10
Bokeh: 10
Handling: 10
Value: 10
Camera Used: K-3
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 I have a non-electric version. My copy is a lens which using a my grandpa, who are a photographer.
In my opinion this lenses have a typically a CZJ problem with oiled diaphragm, but cleaning is a easy.
Small problem with aberrations, but a sharpness and "Zeiss" colors rewards aberrations and other problems.
Edit. Now I have a second red MC electric like a new from box. This copy and problem with aberrations ? Good joke  Now I can correct rate.
| | | | | New Member Registered: March, 2013 Posts: 2
1 user found this helpful
| | Review Date: March 27, 2013 | Recommended | Price: $120.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | Centre sharpness, Bokeh, Great for portraits | | Cons: | Not the smoothest focussing | |
Pure and simple - this lens really is a keeper.
Of the many lenses I've owned this is the "go to" for portraits. As others have said, it's centre sharpness is impeccable, and gives a lovely effect on portraits as the edges drop off. Once stopped down from f/4.0 onwards, the edges improve drastically.
Though the optics are multi coated (even on the old zebra version I own), a hood will improve contrast and reduce flare when shooting outdoors.
The only minus regarding this lens is the focussing; don't expect takumar-esque smoothness. The lubricant they used wasn't the greatest, but so long as it's not stored for long periods of time without use it will remain perfectly functional. Despite this, it's a very slight trade off for the amazing strengths it has 
@ f/1.8
@f/1.8
@f/4
 | | | | | | | Pentaxian Registered: April, 2011 Location: Lost in translation ... Posts: 18,076
1 user found this helpful
| | Review Date: April 26, 2012 | Recommended | Price: None indicated
| Rating: 8 |
| Pros: | Sharp enough wide open, light, bokeh | | Cons: | Needs to be re-lubed, stop downs to get total sharpness | |
Bonjour,
I just snapped up an "aus JENA" version of this lens and it resembles the lens on the far right of the three lenses pictured above. (see more photos below)
From what I have read on the net, the "aus Jena" was an export version of this lens, thus the different labeling from "Carl Zeiss Jena", etc.
I purchased it with a broken "Praktica LTL 3" body at my local thrift store for very, very little ... thus I am not going the enter a purchase price in the database.
Overall, I am quite happy with the tests that I have done so far and I await to test further ... and I will post samples later.
Salut et bon courage, John le Frog
  
 | | | | | New Member Registered: August, 2017 Posts: 5 | | Review Date: August 27, 2017 | Recommended | Price: $40.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | Price/Performance | | Cons: | Build Quality | | Sharpness: 7
Aberrations: 7
Bokeh: 8
Handling: 6
Value: 5
Camera Used: K3II
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Its not easy to rate this lens. In comparison to modern lenses its performance is o.k. but not outstanding. With view to the price, it is! I own the zebra version. Its the older one. As i tried it at 1.8 I thought it was damaged or something. It was awefull soft. Not only at the edges. Nearly not useable. The focusing ring runs badly. But thats not the point.
Then i stopped down to 3.2 and 4.0... ta da...absolutely sharp with nice colors and contrast. Even for long distance shots. For this price and its age its a great result. Maybe the newer versions of that lens performs better wide open. Anyway for 40,-$ its a clear recommendation.  | | | | | New Member Registered: March, 2016 Posts: 1 | | Review Date: July 6, 2016 | Recommended | Price: $70.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | Sharp, Contrast, Best Colour and bokeh, Handling | | Cons: | | | Sharpness: 10
Aberrations: 10
Bokeh: 10
Handling: 10
Value: 10
Camera Used: NEX-5
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My version of this lens is like a new. Photos is amazing, at 1.8 sharp is good, colour and bokeh is best.
| | | | | Junior Member Registered: August, 2014 Posts: 43 | | Review Date: November 7, 2014 | Recommended | Price: $109.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | Sharp portrait | | Cons: | coma abberation in wide field astrophotography | | Sharpness: 10
Aberrations: 8
Bokeh: 9
Handling: 10
Value: 10
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 PTK52580.jpg by stanzhou2013, on Flickr
 PTK52582.jpg by stanzhou2013, on Flickr
| | | | | Veteran Member Registered: July, 2014 Location: Paris Posts: 1,939 | | Review Date: November 2, 2014 | Recommended | Price: None indicated
| Rating: N/A |
| Pros: | great all around lens | | Cons: | hard to find | |
nice lens, I tried once and hunting on ebay for this legendary lens
| | | | | New Member Registered: November, 2013 Posts: 14 | | Review Date: September 2, 2014 | Recommended | Price: $45.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | stopped down at f4-5,6 very sharp | | Cons: | only wide open a few weak | | Sharpness: 10
Aberrations: 10
Bokeh: 9
Handling: 9
Value: 10
Camera Used: spotmatic,k-x,k-5,k200,k1oo,ist ds,sfx etc.
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there are two types on the market, an older 6/4 and a newer 6/5 construction. the striped look has the better construction, but is wide open a few weak. the newer construction has higher contrast, but very few CA's in the corners wide open.
Both are phantastic lenses, similar to Pentax 1,7/50 and 1,8/55. Pentax's SMC coating is still better for contrast rendition and not so weak wide open,naturally.
But for portrait or nature shooting this lens is very precious and useful.
| | | | | New Member Registered: October, 2012 Location: Pamulang, Tangerang Posts: 1 | | Review Date: June 1, 2013 | Recommended | Price: $150.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | Excellent center performer at wide open, handling | | Cons: | Weak aperture detent, sluggish focus thread | |
My copy is red MC version, compare to white MC and older pancolar aus jena/zebra version, red & magenta color repro seem to be better at same color setting. Like other primes, center area is excellent even in wide open at normal portrait range, border are good enough, well CA controlled, full frame-able (tested on 5DII) and good IQ on it. And good close-up performer too. I just tested on K-5 IIs and found everything is nice, a must have if you're a collector/manual shooter. I don't recommend for daily use since it's aperture and focus thread are easily stuck/bit loosen, most CZJ need to lubricated. Other than, it's one of the best MF prime. Sample taken at f2.
 | | | | | New Member Registered: July, 2012 Location: Prague Posts: 7 | | Review Date: February 12, 2013 | Recommended | Price: None indicated
| Rating: N/A |
| Pros: | Great, no, just fascinate quality of picture! | | Cons: | Just one... it is becoming dark in viewfinder, when you change apperture to f2,8, f4, f8... especially in bad light conditions. Beacause it's manual lens. | |
I'm fond of this lens and I don't have any words to describe my position It is really superior. I have two Zeiss Pancolar lenses, but I haven't been using enough the second yet.
To speak about technical parametres is big stuff! It's quite enough for all.
One my Pancolar has great easy focusing with big light viewfinder K-5, the second one do it harder. And it's very cheap. I've already had Pentax SMC A50/1.7, but ot had back or front focusing.
 | | | | | New Member Registered: September, 2012 Location: Belo Horizonte Posts: 17 | | Review Date: October 19, 2012 | Recommended | Price: $100.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | Very Sharp, Good contrast, Great colors, the name says everything is a zeiss | | Cons: | Nooooooo | |
one of the best lenses that already used, very sharp even open, optimal quality construction, very light, very good bokeh, an awesome piece of vidro.e still has a minimum focus of 35cm. I recommend below photo taken with her.
https://fbcdn-sphotos-e-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn1/155545_375857609154971_530066034_n.jpg | | | | | New Member Registered: March, 2012 Posts: 22 | | Review Date: July 26, 2012 | Recommended | Price: $109.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | Rendition, Close-up ability, Bokeh, Sharpness | | Cons: | Non | |
Great lens, I'm really impressed!! Recently I got Electric version in excellent condition (one in the middle) M42 mount. I love the colours rendition, it has kind of Baroque quality. I had in my early days Nikkor ais 50mm f1.2 witch is an outstanding lens but I like this one more.
First time when I saw the photo's from this lens, I knew it , that's the one I want! If you can find a good copy of this lens go for it!
Highly recommended!! I'm using the lens on Pentax K5 with Katz Eye and Optibrite. I haven't noticed any distortion and there is a little bit green fringing.
At f1.8 not so sharp, f2.8 sharp and above it's razor sharp.
I rate it 9.5, if the build quality was same as the Pentax K lens, it would be a perfect lens.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/66317109@N06/sets/72157630990211244/ | | |
