| Author: | | New Member Registered: October, 2022 Posts: 1 | | Review Date: December 30, 2022 | Recommended | Price: $30.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | Sharp, high-quality lenses | | Cons: | heavy, the focus ring is difficult to turn, the build quality is not as good as the Pentax | | Sharpness: 10
Bokeh: 10
Handling: 2
Value: 7
Camera Used: K-1
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I came across this lens by accident. When I was still shooting with film in the mid-2000s, I went into a second-hand photo shop one day and asked for something good to screw into a USSR-made enlarger and was given this. I paid about 15 Latvian lats, at that time it was around 30 dollars. I had it sitting on the shelf for years. I took it out this year and realized I had the square aperture version, a pretty rare model. Currently the price on ebay for this version is around 600 USD What can I say, very sharp sharper than my FA 50 1.7, bokeh with an interesting pattern. Of course, the build quality is not comparable to Pentax or Takumar lenses, the aperture starts to jam at 5.6, sometimes it goes up to 8, but the lenses are well put together. I recommend if you find one in good condition. But not worth $600  | | | | | | | Pentaxian Registered: January, 2017 Posts: 462
2 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: December 26, 2021 | Recommended | Price: $50.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | sharp wide open, colors, bokeh | | Cons: | not that resistant to sun wide open | | Sharpness: 10
Aberrations: 9
Bokeh: 10
Handling: 9
Value: 8
Camera Used: Pentax K-1
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Great lens although I think I overpaid it considering that I have several 50mm already including FA 50 f1.4 and SMC K 50 f1.2. What can this lens do differently than the above mentioned 50s from Pentax? Well, it is sharp, very sharp wide open at f1.7 and it has great colors. Bokeh seems great too. Build quality is the same as Helios 44m-4 series although Zenitar has narrower focusing ring which is worse than Helios because rings are stiff in both cases. It's not a problem unless fingers are frozen or wet. I'd say build quality is very good and my sample is in mint condition. This lens is Russian version of pre-WW2 Ultron design. This lens is equally sharp across the frame, not like Helios which is sharp in the middle wide open, hence it's easier to frame your subject off-center. Lens has some problems when shooting towards the sun and in such cases it will lose contrast. It is something which can be a problem. But knowing your lens is a recipe for good results.
Bokeh comparison between Pentax M 50mm f1.7 and Zenitar:
Pentax
Zenitar
 | | | | | New Member Registered: March, 2014 Location: Bilbao - Basque Country Posts: 15
1 user found this helpful
| | Review Date: December 3, 2017 | Recommended | Price: $80.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | sharpness and bokeh | | Cons: | focus ring turning in the opposite direction | | Sharpness: 10
Aberrations: 7
Bokeh: 10
Handling: 7
Value: 9
Camera Used: Pentax k30
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My best 50mm lens, specially wide open.
Better than my SMC takumar 50 f1.4 and pentax A 50 f1.7.
Very sharp wide open with a nice bokeh.
 Sin título by Mikel García, en Flickr
| | | | | New Member Registered: February, 2016 Posts: 3 | | Review Date: February 20, 2017 | Recommended | Price: $75.00
| Rating: 9 |
| Pros: | Sharpness and contrast even wide open | | Cons: | Big and heavy, CA at open apertures, flare against the sun | | Sharpness: 10
Aberrations: 7
Bokeh: 8
Handling: 7
Value: 9
Camera Used: Canon 600d
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My best 50mm lens wide open (among Pentacon mc50 1.8, Rikenon p50 1.7, Rikenon 50 2, pentax M50 1.7, m50 1.4, Yashica ML 50 2, Rikenon Xr50 1.7, yashinon dx50 1.7, ds50 1.9, SMC Takumar 55 1.8, Helios 44-2, Chinon 55 1.7 MC), @1.7 is clearly superior to pentax m 50 1.7, second best. Corners are especially sharper.The pentax only catches up at f4.
My copy has slight field curvature at infinity to the left side of the image.
Colours are fairly saturated and realistic (less warm than pentax's)
The only 50mm lens which looks that sharp at any aperture is Ricoh Rikenon P 50/1.7, but not wide open, because there the ricoh is disappointing, only @ 2.8 and closer apertures.
This lens must be fantastic on extensión tubes for macro work.
I really like this glass, but beware of direct sunlight, it seems to have no coating whatsoever.
Get it, price is rising quickly. Even if it cost over 100euros, it is worth having.
| | | | | | | Forum Member Registered: February, 2012 Location: NJ, USA Posts: 77 | | | | | Senior Member Registered: December, 2013 Posts: 166 | | Review Date: October 27, 2015 | Recommended | Price: $15.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | Sharp, bokeh, a/m switch, cheap | | Cons: | none | | Sharpness: 9
Aberrations: 8
Bokeh: 10
Handling: 9
Value: 10
Camera Used: K-5 II
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Better than Pentax-A 50/1.7; my best 50mm lens. Great bokeh. Sharp even from f1.7.
Bought it in pair with Zenit 19 for US$ 45 and Zenit camera was sold for US$ 30. | | | | | New Member Registered: February, 2013 Posts: 8
2 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: January 4, 2014 | Recommended | Price: $65.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | Very sharp, inexpensive, solid metal | | Cons: | None for a manual focus lens | | Sharpness: 10
Aberrations: 8
Bokeh: 8
Handling: 9
Value: 10
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I had to pay a little bit more than originally planned but found out that the money was well spent. This lens is a gem. Solid metal build with a m42 mount. It 's a manual focus lens, of course but the adapters are available in plenty.
I found the bokeh quite good with little chromatic aberration like the most of the older lenses of film era. I tested it against two of my best manual focus "Nifty-fifty" lenses—Canon FDn 50/1.4 and Pentax-M 50/1.4. Zenitar-M is equal in sharpness, aberration and bokeh (I like Pentax-M 50/1.4 pleasantly smoothest @ f/2, though).
A bit too narrow for a walk-around lens but great for smaller targets. It seems to render everything a little cool but it can easily be corrected in PP. Overall a real and under rated gem. If you find one in good condition—don't snooze but get it!
Here's my resolution chart test of center sharpness with large apertures:
http://i1141.photobucket.com/albums/n600/EPL108/Legacy%2050-55mm%20Primes%20...pseaea92d9.jpg
Some bokeh tests here:
http://i1141.photobucket.com/albums/n600/EPL108/Legacy%20lens%20tests/Zenita...2582d8e1-1.jpg
Couple of samples that are converted from RAW with default settings. Some NR applied without sharpening and then down-sized to 1020 pix:
 
 | | | | | New Member Registered: December, 2012 Posts: 14
1 user found this helpful
| | Review Date: July 7, 2013 | Recommended | Price: $50.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | Extra creamy bokeh!! great sharpness | | Cons: | mechanical construction, some aberrations | | Sharpness: 9
Aberrations: 7
Bokeh: 10
Handling: 7
Value: 9
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Application Domain:
Zenitar M for me is a rare hidden gem. The results on portraits ca be simply superb IMO, even in low light conditions. Together with my SMC takumar 50 mm f1,4, and supertakumar 105mm f2.8, my lens portrait favourites. Mounted on my K7, M42 adapter, Av mode, +0.3ev and ready to focus.
Can also give good results on night street photography, thanks to his 1,7 full aperture and sharpness even at full aperture. On landscapes, the great color rendition and sharpness can be usefull.
See some images on soviet lens forums!
Characteristics:
Best characteristic is the creamy creamy bokeh. Combine this with with f1,7, shallow DOF on full aperture, high sharpness on in focus areas, great colors and it can give you great portrait results. The colors do have a certain cold touch, you can easily adjust in PP if needed.
Sharpness is amongst the highest in all my collection of soviet and takumar lenses.
On the other side, the aberrations. When shooting againt direct lights, produces strange effects on shiny things and light reflections. But sometimes you can have beautiful results from the effect, at night has some strange effects on little artificial lights.
Handling:
One of my copies has the focusing ring that gets a bit loose after one day of handling. Nothing critical, you screw a bit the tiny screws on the side, and ready again. The handling of focusing and aperture ring are good, 80´s soviet era all metal construction...but no comparison with the suede touch of the takumars.
Availability:
Seen not very often in fleabay, with few bidders, ridicously high prices sometimes.
It is my only doubled lens. My first copy, purchased on fleabay, was winned in an strange way. I did not know anything about the lens, and I put a low bid on it. Only another bidder, few bid loops and I finally losed the auction. But the seller contact me later to offer me item, as the winner has finally rejected it because already had a copy. (the seller throw a self-bid to raise benefit??). Strange thing, but 33 eur, without shipping cost seem OK to me, and the rare gem fall into my hands, with an extra gift of an M42-canon adapter. My only lens purchased in Spain, and one of my greatest bargains. It has cyrilic letters on it.
My 2nd copy arrived from US fleabay, with carefully CLA applied, occidental letters on it, extense description, carefully packaged. About 2 times the prices of the first, but I wanted a back-up for one of my fav lenses.
Conclusion:
Go for it while available!
 | | | | | New Member Registered: June, 2011 Location: Kaliningrad region Posts: 7
2 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: April 2, 2013 | Recommended | Price: None indicated
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | | | Cons: | | | Sharpness: 10
Aberrations: 7
Bokeh: 10
Handling: 8
Value: 9
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Pentax K-r
 | | | | | Senior Member Registered: January, 2011 Posts: 258
2 users found this helpful
| | Review Date: January 10, 2012 | Recommended | Price: $50.00
| Rating: 10 |
| Pros: | Sharp, good contrast and color, GREAT bokeh | | Cons: | Russian made | | Sharpness: 10
Aberrations: 9
Bokeh: 10
Handling: 8
Value: 10
Camera Used: Pentax K200D, K30, Nex F3, 5r
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Very nice lens!
I'll let the photos speak instead of me.
some portraits
PS here some new shots
EDIT
Here I will add a link to a set with my Zenitar shots.
KMZ Zenitar 50 1.7
And a comparison between FA 50 1.4, A 50 1.2 and Zenitar 50 1.7 made with K30
test
Is the Zenitar sharper? Oh yeah! It is sharper than both pentax lenses, the bokeh is unique and that's why the A 50 1.2 is sold now and the zenitar is in the bag .
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;)
;)
