I think the main reason people get this lens is for the fascinating bubble bokeh and mind you the aperture is always like that but it's a great lens which I like to put together with the Carl Zeiss Jena 50/2.8 as they both have similar characteristics except the sharpness wide open. Only difference is the Pentacon has a cool colour tone while the other is warm. Keep up the good work !
Nice review. I've got three of these and I think that the older ones make better images but the newer ones are more solidly built. The stop down button on my electric is dreadful but, out of my three, it is the lens I use the most. I like the background blur but I would avoid using it in anything like a woodland setting as it can become a bit messy.
I have a 29mm Pentacon lens which looks to have had minimal use, and the aperture ring feels a bit sloppy on mine too. It works fine, there's a definite click but it's not as sure a feeling as on my Pentax or Fujinon lenses, so I suspect it is just a fairly loose tolerance to them.
I don't know any lens that give better value than this one. Colors are nice too. A good idea can be to buy a Praktica in good condition with this one on it. I haven't had any problems with the apperture ring on my Pentacon lenses. One should expect that there might be issues with old gear, regardless of brand and country.
My later Pentacon MC copy is very tight and well finished. It still focuses very close. Feels very similar to 80s Cosina SLR lenses. I can speak to it's use on digital. Saturation and contrast is very good, much better than Helios lenses. Not razor sharp like Pentax Takumars of it's era. But it's a classic spherical look with good center/on-axis sharpness and a nice fall-off. Bokeh is nice to my eye with it's very apparent onion ring highlights. Only other GDR equipment I have used is Pentacon Six stuff. The bodies always had issues though aesthetically I thought it was very classy. I think the GDR optics are better than the Ukraine stuff. But the Soviets built things much more rugged and serviceable. It's the AK47 philosophy I guess. Pentax craftsmanship trumps it all though. But remember, Pentax is literally the post-war names and patent cancellations of Pentacon and Contax combined! Japan's post-war reconstruction was a confluence of new market demand (America), huge investment, and heavy industrial retooling (Japan basically ceased making weapons).
I have an Helios M44-2 that I picked up in some flea market in Havana, I paid less than 10 USD and after a quick adaptation Im shutting with it on a Nikon D700. Just for the fun… it produce crazy weird bokeh
No ! They did not ! When you have no precise informations, please don't speculate with false informations. This lens was made in Görlitz/Germany by VEB Pentacon.
I think the main reason people get this lens is for the fascinating bubble bokeh and mind you the aperture is always like that but it's a great lens which I like to put together with the Carl Zeiss Jena 50/2.8 as they both have similar characteristics except the sharpness wide open.
Only difference is the Pentacon has a cool colour tone while the other is warm.
Keep up the good work !
That's good to know, thanks!
Nice useful review, I always enjoy your style of reviews. Cheers!
I've got a few of these, one feels de-clicked and a bit loose, the others are still fine and work as designed.
mine is stuck. apparently it's not difficult to take apart. nice job for a winter evening.
Great video! I really love this lens. Oh and also your pronunciation of Görlitz was perfect :)
Thanks, that's good to know!
Nice review. I've got three of these and I think that the older ones make better images but the newer ones are more solidly built. The stop down button on my electric is dreadful but, out of my three, it is the lens I use the most.
I like the background blur but I would avoid using it in anything like a woodland setting as it can become a bit messy.
I have a 29mm Pentacon lens which looks to have had minimal use, and the aperture ring feels a bit sloppy on mine too. It works fine, there's a definite click but it's not as sure a feeling as on my Pentax or Fujinon lenses, so I suspect it is just a fairly loose tolerance to them.
Useful and informative review .👍
I don't know any lens that give better value than this one. Colors are nice too. A good idea can be to buy a Praktica in good condition with this one on it. I haven't had any problems with the apperture ring on my Pentacon lenses. One should expect that there might be issues with old gear, regardless of brand and country.
My later Pentacon MC copy is very tight and well finished. It still focuses very close. Feels very similar to 80s Cosina SLR lenses.
I can speak to it's use on digital. Saturation and contrast is very good, much better than Helios lenses. Not razor sharp like Pentax Takumars of it's era. But it's a classic spherical look with good center/on-axis sharpness and a nice fall-off. Bokeh is nice to my eye with it's very apparent onion ring highlights.
Only other GDR equipment I have used is Pentacon Six stuff. The bodies always had issues though aesthetically I thought it was very classy. I think the GDR optics are better than the Ukraine stuff. But the Soviets built things much more rugged and serviceable. It's the AK47 philosophy I guess.
Pentax craftsmanship trumps it all though. But remember, Pentax is literally the post-war names and patent cancellations of Pentacon and Contax combined! Japan's post-war reconstruction was a confluence of new market demand (America), huge investment, and heavy industrial retooling (Japan basically ceased making weapons).
I have an Helios M44-2 that I picked up in some flea market in Havana, I paid less than 10 USD and after a quick adaptation Im shutting with it on a Nikon D700. Just for the fun… it produce crazy weird bokeh
Nice review, keep it up 😀👍
Best value M42 20mm (say 19-21)?
No idea. Not sure if there is such a beast.
@@BriansPhotoShow The CZJ 20mm Flektogons are pretty pricey just wondering if you’ve come across any standout values at that focal length in M42.
The Japanese made these too...
No ! They did not !
When you have no precise informations, please don't speculate with false informations.
This lens was made in Görlitz/Germany by VEB Pentacon.