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Zenitar 21/2.8

Carlos cruz

By Carlos cruz
in Leica M Lenses

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Carlos cruz

Carlos cruz

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I am on the look out for 21mm lens hesitating between super angulon and repackaged biogon g. There seems to be a new produce from behind the iron curtain. I definitely won’t be buying this one and don’t think anyone here will find it appropriate to buy anything from Russia. Just for the record. There’s a 21/2.8 zenitar lens. I just love the quote they have put in description of the lens “Technical characteristics and design of the lens are subject to change without notice” sounds like something that rhymes with old FSU gear quality. https://www.zenit.photo/en/catalog/zenitar-21mm-f-2-8-lens/

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Carlos cruz

Carlos cruz

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6 hours ago, lct said:

480g vs 270g? The Biogon 21/2.8 seems more tempting from this standpoint (280g). Any info about the design of the Zenit?

I like my lenses light and compact, I decided against elmarit pre asph it’s either contax g biogon or SA 3.4.

As to zenit design it looks like retrofocus lens. Maybe a copy of zeiss zm? Let’s just remember what producer says about the lens “Technical characteristics and design of the lens are subject to change without notice” 

Edit: PDF booklet about zenitar 21 gives all specifications for 85 lens, so no extra info on the lens, it’s all going as expected in russia;-]

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250swb

250swb

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I couldn't find a single photo showing the lens mount for the Zenitar 21mm but you want to check that it has either coding pits or a rebate machined into the face of the mount for coding the lens. If you look at the back end of a 21mm f/2,8 Biogon for example you'll see a concentric band cut into the flange and this is where you'd put your dabs of black paint (using a coding template). Voigtlander also have this shallow coding rebate machined into the flange (unsurprisingly because Cosina made the Zeiss lenses).

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lct

lct

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Yes most of my CV and ZM lenses have a recessed part in the flange for 6-bit coding, including the Biogon 21/4.5. Now i'm not sure that Zeiss inspired Zenit for the 21/2.8, given that the latter seems to have 6 elements in 4 groups vs 8 elements in 6 groups for the Biogon 21/4.5 and 9 elements in 7 groups for the Biogon 21/2.8.

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Carlos cruz

Carlos cruz

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2 hours ago, lct said:

Now i'm not sure that Zeiss inspired Zenit for the 21/2.8, given that the latter seems to have 6 elements in 4 groups vs 8 elements in 6 groups for the Biogon 21/4.5 and 9 elements in 7 groups for the Biogon 21/2.8.

You’re quoting data from PDF which apparently describes 85/1.5 lens, on their website they claim the lens is 10 element in 7 groups, 500g.

It definitely piqued my curiosity but I don’t think it’s ethical to buy anything from russia at the moment.

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kaisernchen

kaisernchen

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On 9/9/2023 at 1:19 AM, Carlos cruz said:

I am on the look out for 21mm lens hesitating between super angulon and repackaged biogon g. There seems to be a new produce from behind the iron curtain. I definitely won’t be buying this one and don’t think anyone here will find it appropriate to buy anything from Russia. Just for the record. There’s a 21/2.8 zenitar lens. I just love the quote they have put in description of the lens “Technical characteristics and design of the lens are subject to change without notice” sounds like something that rhymes with old FSU gear quality. https://www.zenit.photo/en/catalog/zenitar-21mm-f-2-8-lens/

A Russian photographer friend gifted this lens to me and I used it to take some pictures, mounted on M11, in the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, Abu Dhabi just a few weeks ago.  The lens built quality is not of Leica for obvious reasons, and probably a little less than my other Zeiss ZM or Voigtlander VM, but I would not comment it is poorly built.  I have no experience with the Chinese-made M mount lenses but I would assume the Zenitar 21/2.8 is probably of similar built quality.  Operation is smooth, iris control is stepless, like those cine lenses, and it can focus down to 50cm, although I have not tried any shot of such close focus yet.  

I have some other shots inside the church from my recent travel to northern Russia and the contrast in low light situations is quite good, no problem keeping fine detail even though the camera was set at ISO 1,600-3,200.  

My other M mount lenses including my aged old Elmarit-M 21/1.8 ASPH (not used for a long time) and Summilux-M 21/1.4 ASPH (brilliant lens) that I use a bit more often - it is hard for me to compare the Zenitar to the Leica as I did not shoot enough pictures to make a valid conclusion or I am that interesting to do much lens performance comparison - I would rather just go out and shoot real pictures.  

But I can say this: (1) is it a useful lens - absolutely (2) Does it justify the money? - I got mine as a gift so it is free to me, but if I have to pay for it - I may consider it at its listing price but may opt for a good condition used Zeiss 21/2.8 ZM if there is one.  I am not sure if Zeiss is better, I assumed so, and believe in the long term that Zeiss would hold up better.  But if no such used Zeiss option, the Zenitar seemed reasonably priced. I can consider it a budget-cost 21mm for my M system if I do not already own my 21mm Leica. (3) my own experience with the lens so far - actually better than I expected!  I have little experience with lenses from Russia, and I thought it may be somewhat less optical quality but I was pleasantly surprised that it is actually quite useful.  (4) no 6-bit coding on the lens, I manually set the lens as an Elmarit-M 21/2.8 ASPH, and seemed to work quite well.  I would not hesitate to use it as my only 21mm for my M system. 

 

Best, K

 

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kaisernchen

kaisernchen

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Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here…

Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members!

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kaisernchen

kaisernchen

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Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here…

Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members!

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Carlos cruz

Carlos cruz

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On 9/22/2023 at 8:28 AM, kaisernchen said:

 I would not hesitate to use it as my only 21mm for my M system. 

Thank you for sharing photos and a write up. Serial number on your lens looks very low. I definitely would be against buying this lens on ethical grounds, company producing it is a subordinate of rostec group company belonging to russian ministry of defence, buying from them is giving money to feed the aggressor.

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Yigal

Yigal

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In your last 5 posts you mentioned 4 times that it would be unethical to buy from them due to current conflict. It feels like that is the only reason you came here for. Just saying, the conversation has nothing to do with the actual lens you referred to...

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Anbaric

Anbaric

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1 hour ago, Yigal said:

In your last 5 posts you mentioned 4 times that it would be unethical to buy from them due to current conflict. It feels like that is the only reason you came here for. Just saying, the conversation has nothing to do with the actual lens you referred to...

It's pretty relevant if anyone in the West wants to buy one new. Rostec is under sanctions in the US, Canada, UK, EU, Switzerland, Australia, and New Zealand. Anyone from one of these countries (or any others with similar sanctions) attempting to deal with Zenit or their agents could find themselves subject to criminal prosecution.

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lct

lct

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29 minutes ago, Anbaric said:

Anyone from one of these countries (or any others with similar sanctions) attempting to deal with Zenit or their agents could find themselves subject to criminal prosecution.

I'm not aware of prosecutions against consumers but having some Russian and Ukrainian people around me i try to stay neutral in this matter.

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Yigal

Yigal

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1 hour ago, Anbaric said:

It's pretty relevant if anyone in the West wants to buy one new. Rostec is under sanctions in the US, Canada, UK, EU, Switzerland, Australia, and New Zealand. Anyone from one of these countries (or any others with similar sanctions) attempting to deal with Zenit or their agents could find themselves subject to criminal prosecution.

Thanks for the clarification. It just didn't seem that the guy was truly interested in the feedback from the actual owner who graciously provided the pictures and their experiences.

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Carlos cruz

Carlos cruz

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3 hours ago, Yigal said:

In your last 5 posts you mentioned 4 times that it would be unethical to buy from them due to current conflict. It feels like that is the only reason you came here for. Just saying, nothing to do with the actual lens you referred to...

I posted info about this lens originally and I believe one should use every possible opportunity to mention who will eventually profit from sales. If you put yourself on the other side of this conflict I’ll be more than happy to be on your ignore list. 

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kaisernchen

kaisernchen

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Abandoned boat, Uchma, Myshkin, Yaroslavl Oblast, Russia - shot with M11 + Zenitar 21/2.8 

It is a lens manufactured in Russia, so the lens says, but probably uses glass blocks from Hoya, I wondered if that mattered.   Most countries, particularly Western countries have started wars against others in history, particularly the colonial era, and some are still waging wars in one way or another, and if hatred is to apply the same way then there is no end.  One may also argue that Russian energy, oil, or natural gas, have been imported by countries and some went into industries for products with probably a very long list.  

War is not popular for common people everywhere in the world, no matter the political system or ideology.  Bad domestic and international policies have killed far more people than any real wars combined in recent history, most people, regardless of which side, are innocent. 

 

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