Industar 61 53mm

[rramesh]

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I just purchased on a whim this lens on eBay from a seller in Ukraine. Took 2 weeks to arrive and another week to get an adapter from China.

 

For something like $25 including shipment, I was pleasantly surprised to see how good it was on an M9. Yes, it's not Leica glass, but it does have it's own unique character.

 

I understand that I could have purchased one for even less, but I wanted one that was in pristine condition and that was CLAed and with a guarantee that it was in good working condition.

 

Hope to be able to post some pictures soon.

 

 

[Ko.Fe.]

Just 61? Zebra one? 61 L/D are much more common, while earlier Zebra version (I-61) of this lens is less common, but also available. It has ten aperture blades and less contrast.

61 L/D was reviewed on M9 by da Ken.

http://www.kenrockwell.com/tech/industar/55mm-f28.htm

 

The main thing is to have this FSU lens tested on M9 for focus accuracy. As any FSU lens it very often needs to be re-shimmed to be spot on.

 

Another good lens on M9 is Jupiter-12. I'm finding what black ones from last or so year of production seems to be OK "as is" on Leica without re-shimming. It is copy of Biogon 35 2.8. Minimal distortion and also sharp enough on M9.

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[rramesh]

The older 61 (zebra) came with 10 aperture blades for a brief period. All 61s use Lanthanum glass elements (Lanthanum is NOT radioactive). The older ones were marked 52mm and then 53mm. The newer ones are 55mm and marked L/D (rangefinder) to differentiate from L/Z (reflex).

 

On my copy no shimming was needed. Testing is critical as there is a cottage industry selling lenses on eBay from put together parts of various lenses. These lenses are the easier to service as the construction is quite basic.

[g2van]

I just received my L/D 55/2.8 today. Pleasant surprise - small, easy handling and nice rendering- sharp enough at f2.8. Great lens!

[Ko.Fe.]

I just received my L/D 55/2.8 today. Pleasant surprise - small, easy handling and nice rendering- sharp enough at f2.8. Great lens!

 

I wonder which camera you have. I'm waiting for FED-5B with this lens on it. Will try it for colors on M-E.

[g2van]

I wonder which camera you have. I'm waiting for FED-5B with this lens on it. Will try it for colors on M-E.

 

Just shot this on my M10 - SOOC jpg - shot wide open at minimum distance of 1m but had to crop slightly to comply with size restrictions

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[g2van]

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Another test shot. Agin wide open at min focus distance. This one post processed slightly - contrast, reduced highlights, vibrance, clarity. Also cropped.

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[Ko.Fe.]

Thank you for examples! Have you tried it at f8? I wonder if it is smearing corners on digital M. I had I-26-M and it was doing it on M-E.

[Ecar]

I have a few of these. Tried different versions, production years, etc. over the past decade or so.

Because of their availability and low price, they are great for quenching GAS attacks - temporarily at least...

The 55 L/D version is typically more consistent - and likely "better" according to current standards.

The zebra versions are a bit hit-or-miss in my experience.

I must say that Russian and Ukrainian sellers have generally upped their game in the last couple of years: lenses that have been cleaned and adjusted are now more common - the colored paint drops on the screws at the back of the mount are often a sign that the lens has been at least opened and looked at - compared to a few years ago when dirt, dry grease and poor calibration were the norm. The good news is that more seller competition and seemingly endless supply of old inventory mean that prices have remained stable despite such improvements.

[g2van]

Have you tried it at f8? I wonder if it is smearing corners on digital M. I had I-26-M and it was doing it on M-E.

 

Quick test at f8 - close and at infinity- no smearing.

[Ko.Fe.]

I have a few of these. Tried different versions, production years, etc. over the past decade or so.

Because of their availability and low price, they are great for quenching GAS attacks - temporarily at least...

The 55 L/D version is typically more consistent - and likely "better" according to current standards.

The zebra versions are a bit hit-or-miss in my experience.

I must say that Russian and Ukrainian sellers have generally upped their game in the last couple of years: lenses that have been cleaned and adjusted are now more common - the colored paint drops on the screws at the back of the mount are often a sign that the lens has been at least opened and looked at - compared to a few years ago when dirt, dry grease and poor calibration were the norm. The good news is that more seller competition and seemingly endless supply of old inventory mean that prices have remained stable despite such improvements.

 

Actually, paint over the screw was original fixation method on the date of manufacturing. If you see lens like this it means (most likely) what lens has old grease and it is deteriorated to the gunk. At least it is my experience with buying and adopting FSU lenses for M mount. My latest I-26M was like this. Red paint on screws, gunk on threads.

 

Most what FSU sellers do these days is polishing aluminium lens exterior, which is due to increased over time oxidation. Then lens sold as serviced or even old stock at premium price. It is very difficult to find clean and untouched FSU lens now comparing to how it was five years ago.  I also stopped buying from Russian ebay sellers years ago. I switched to Ukrainians. They seems to be honest in description, less expensive and shipping is faster to where I'm. 

[Ecar]

Actually, paint over the screw was original fixation method on the date of manufacturing. If you see lens like this it means (most likely) what lens has old grease and it is deteriorated to the gunk. At least it is my experience with buying and adopting FSU lenses for M mount. My latest I-26M was like this. Red paint on screws, gunk on threads.

 

You are right, I should have added "fresh" paint. Most of the copies I received in the last couple of years or so from eBay sellers that I believe to be "good" (FWIW) were marked as CLA'd and were indeed clean, smooth, well damped and properly adjusted. Although, to be fair, they may have used whale grease on the helicoid and I will only know in a few years... The paint on the screws was also shiny new - mostly red or green - suggesting that the lenses had indeed been opened and cleaned recently.

 

Most what FSU sellers do these days is polishing aluminium lens exterior, which is due to increased over time oxidation. Then lens sold as serviced or even old stock at premium price.

True. Some Asian sellers do exactly the same on vintage Canon, Nikon - or even Leica lenses...

 

It is very difficult to find clean and untouched FSU lens now comparing to how it was five years ago.  I also stopped buying from Russian ebay sellers years ago. I switched to Ukrainians. They seems to be honest in description, less expensive and shipping is faster to where I'm. 

I was never lucky enough to find a clean and untouched FSU lens. Dirty and untouched, yes. But having them CLA'd was several times the cost of the lens. I did a couple myself, as some (including the I-61) are not that hard to dismantle and reassemble but it's not something that I enjoy. I have had both good and bad experiences with either Russians or Ukrainian sellers, but I agree that Ukrainians tend to be more honest in their descriptions.

[Ko.Fe.]

I started with Industar-61 L/D as first separately purchased RF lens, then I returned to film RF in 2012. Five years later now and I have tried and serviced several Jupiter-12, Jupiter-8, Industar-50,22,10, Industar-26M and one clean Jupiter-3 which I'm keeping with the Russian Biogon (earlier Jupiter-12 in LTM). 

 

Where are two problems with FSU LTM lenses for me to service. One is in soft aluminium and too small screws. Another is manufacturing and tolerance made for very thick layers of grease. Industars seems to have extra tolerance and after cleaning and re-lubing with modern grease, they are silk smooth to focus, but some play in the body parts appears. 

 

I was never impressed by FSU RF lenses on digital M, since I was able to try them on M-E and M8, except Jupiter-12 sharpens and colors (but it flares a lot and ugly). Yet, this thread sounds promising for 61 L/D. I'm waiting for delivery of another one. FSU lenses is the circle you step in once and it is hard to leave.  

[Ecar]

I was never impressed by FSU RF lenses on digital M, since I was able to try them on M-E and M8, except Jupiter-12 sharpens and colors (but it flares a lot and ugly). Yet, this thread sounds promising for 61 L/D. I'm waiting for delivery of another one. FSU lenses is the circle you step in once and it is hard to leave.  

 

I use them mostly on digital these days. Some are really good, some are terrible. It's the luck of the draw.

For example, I have had countless J-3s and have kept only two - and they behave as if they were totally different lenses. One of them is from 1960 and is actually amazingly good, easily on par with with my Zeiss Sonnars - it came perfectly cleaned and adjusted straight from Russia or Ukraine, can't remember now. The other one is from 1971 and shows crazy bokeh, which is why I kept it, but needed a trip to Brian Sweeney to become kind of usable in terms of focusing. 

I was never impressed by the more recent black versions, but maybe I should have another go.

My latest attempts at FSU lenses were in Contax mount: J-8M (excellent) and Helios-103 (meh). I use them with Amedeo adapters.

It's a fun quest, and rather inexpensive in Leica terms.

[rramesh]

The Industar 61 is an absolutely fantastic lens. Here are some samples mated to my M9-P. These are JPGs converted from DNG files with no PP.

 

 

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Edited August 27, 2017 by rramesh