Thread: Russian lenses?

Anyone have any experience with any of the cheap Russian lenses (Peleng, Zenitar)? I've searched around and found some info, but I always like to check with the collective here too.
Basically from what I read, quality control is inconsistent, if you get a good one, they're not bad, but if you get a bad one, its the suck.

I'm looking at maybe getting a Russian fish eye, for the limited use I'd give a fish eye, I can't justify buying a Japanese one.

Thanks!

Originally Posted by dumpy

Basically from what I read, quality control is inconsistent, if you get a good one, they're not bad, but if you get a bad one, its the suck.

That's about what I've heard, with more reports of 'teh suck' than 'not bad'. As always YMMV.

Dude.

The Holga is actually an incredibly shitty camera. The reason why people love them is that he shitty images can accidentally turn out pretty cool looking.

I would expect the same from the lenses. Yes, the coatings probably suck, the focus is off, and the AF is slow (or non-existent) but it's all about the steeze, yo.

^^Um Holga is not a Russian camera (Chinese IIRC) or affiliated with the companies I mentioned^^ think you meant Lomo, which AFAIK also not affiliated with either of the companies I'm looking at, but does also come from that little corner of the world known as the former Soviet Block.

According to this site the Russians (and Ukranians) are more than capable of making decent lenses. Not sure if this transfers over to the post-Soviet world, where they no longer have as captive of an audience and need to compete somehow with Japan and Germany. They certainly aren't going to do it on brand recognition...

Anywho, not sure about the coatings or the focus (probably the suck), but as far as AF goes I'm looking at MF anyways. AF=more money that I'm willing to spend on a fish as they are pretty expensive to begin with.

Search for images made by Peleng fisheyes. Then hang your head in shame for considering the piece of shit.

For that matter most uses of fisheyes and WAs is pretty shitty as well

You're right, Holgas are produced in China. However what I was going for is what's called [ame]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lomography[/ame] which includes the LOMO, Diana, and yes Holga cameras as tools of the "art," along with any other shoddy/iffy camera gear. A buddy of mine uses old Nikon lenses he finds at thrift shops and in yard sales... the more out-of-whack, fungus-ridden, and/or hazed the better.

Originally Posted by Tippster

You're right, Holgas are produced in China. However what I was going for is what's called http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lomography which includes the LOMO, Diana, and yes Holga cameras as tools of the "art," along with any other shoddy/iffy camera gear. A buddy of mine uses old Nikon lenses he finds at thrift shops and in yard sales... the more out-of-whack, fungus-ridden, and/or hazed the better.

I'm actually thinking of using this lens as sort of a half assed version of what you just described.

Fungus, hazed=not a chance

Massive chromatic abberation=no

I mean it's a fisheye, barrel distortion is the name of the game. If that distortion is a bit wonky and inconsistent from edge to edge, so be it, I'm looking to go cheap. What I don't want is a lens that I can't accurately focus or that has the issues listed above.


is your friend's stuff up online anywhere? I'd love to see what he is pulling off with that gear, I bet it's some interesting stuff.

Here's a Zenitar group I found

http://www.flickr.com/groups/zenitar/pool/

and some general Russian lens photos

http://www.flickr.com/groups/russianlens/pool/

Originally Posted by dumpy

I'm actually thinking of using this lens as sort of a half assed version of what you just described.

Fungus, hazed=not a chance

Massive chromatic abberation=no

I mean it's a fisheye, barrel distortion is the name of the game. If that distortion is a bit wonky and inconsistent from edge to edge, so be it, I'm looking to go cheap. What I don't want is a lens that I can't accurately focus or that has the issues listed above.


is your friend's stuff up online anywhere? I'd love to see what he is pulling off with that gear, I bet it's some interesting stuff.

Not that I know of - I should e-mail him and find out.

Edit: he said he posts in this group sometimes: http://www.flickr.com/groups/lightleaksandcrappylenses/

... he would not tell me his username....

The Soviets took over some of the Zeiss facilities near the end of the Second World War. Possibly some other German optics facilities as well. They've used those acquisitions to develop a nice lens industry.

I believe that IOR (Valdada) in Romania has it's roots in the pre-war German optics industry.

So, what am I saying? There may very well be some Ruskie crap out there, but they have a decent to very good stuff as well.

Zeiss was originally located in what became East Germany in Jena.

Here is a pretty cool short history of what happened to Zeiss after WWII: http://photography-on-the.net/forum/...ad.php?t=70506

Originally Posted by Hugh Conway

For that matter most uses of fisheyes and WAs is pretty shitty as well

Originally Posted by truth

hey you dig the fisheye/strobe/smallDOF/etc gimmicks that depend on equipment. yet another reason sports photography sucks ass.

^^So modifying light to suit your creative vision (ie using strobes) and properly controlling your camera to produce the image you are looking for (ie small dof) are gimmicks?^^

You a member of the F64 club??

Trust me, I hate gimmicks for gimmicks sake as much as anybody, but there are a myriad of tools available to the photographer. Whats wrong with using a few of them to achieve the image you are looking for.

Yeah fish eyes are often used to cover up an otherwise bad image, I'll give you that, but that doesn't mean you can't make a good image with one.

Originally Posted by Hugh Conway

hey you dig the fisheye/strobe/smallDOF/etc gimmicks that depend on equipment. yet another reason sports photography sucks ass.

Keep going...it's almost entertaining now.

Originally Posted by truth

.it's almost entertaining now.

more than can be said for the action sports industry.

I said "most". You aping the faggots in absolutism now too?

Just save and buy something decent , its not worth hoping you might find a good one , though there are some out there, your better off getting what you know will be good

hi. i owned one of the zenitar fisheyes around 8 years ago. did a couple few page spreads with one. for $130 or whatever they cost now, they are great. if you are trying to be art wolfe they might not be your best bet, but if you are attempting to capture good times with your friends I'd reccomend one.