Classic vintage lenses
Carl Zeiss Jena Pancolar 50mm f/1.8
An East German lens for Praktica cameras. Sharp with lovely colours, and much cheaper than its Western rivals.
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What the image looks like
Good sharpness from f/2.8 and warm colours. The 'zebra' versions (striped barrel) are older, the black ones newer.
Aperture on an adapter
A/M switch: on an adapter set it to M. The 'electric' versions have extra contacts for Prakticas; they don't get in the way on an adapter.
What to check before you buy
- Some older copies yellow (thorium glass), like the Takumar.
- Fungus and haze.
- Oil on the aperture blades.
- Condition of the rubber on the focus ring (black versions).
It focuses quite close for a 50mm, so it works well for details.
Which adapter?
Pick your camera in the checker: it works out the adapter thickness and framing, and suggests menu settings.
Photo coming soon
Photo coming soon