[M42] Industar-61 L/Z MC 50mm F2.8 Review – Star Bokeh Russian Vintage Lens

Hiron
Hello, my name is hiron. I am a vintage lens addict. (Twitter / Youtube)

This time I will review Industar-61 L / Z MC 50mm F2.8.

This lens is popular because it allows you to create Star Bokeh photos.

Especially in Japan, this lens was very popular in 2017, and its price was also rising. So, I purchased it through ebay with Helios 44-2 to get it cheaply.

Check if the Industar-61 L / Z MC 50mm F2.8 has a star-shaped aperture and buy it!

Industar-61 L / Z MC 50mm F2.8 is a Russian-made vintage lens.

Its lens configuration is a Tesser type, and it has a good reputation for images taken with the lens.

If you expect a Star Bokeh to Industar-61 L / Z MC 50mm F2.8, make sure that the lens has a star-shaped aperture before buying.

Some lens versions do not have a star-shaped aperture.

I checked and found that the lens name with “-MC” is a version with a star-shaped aperture.

This should be a reference when you buy this lens. Or, before you purchase the lens, ask the seller “Does the lens have a star-shaped aperture?”

The photo above shows the lens aperture set to F5.6.

As an aside, there is an M39 mount lens for the same lens named “Industar-61”. The lens I am introducing now is an M42 screw mount lens.

Select a mount adapter (to use Industar-61 L/Z MC 50mm F2.8 with a digital camera)

Industar-61 L/Z MC 50mm F2.8 is M42 mount lens. A mount adapter is required to use the vintage lens with current digital cameras.

If you want to use Industar-61 L/Z MC 50mm F2.8 with PENTAX digital SLR, you need a mount adapter called M42-PK. It is a thin adapter.

If you use this lens with a SONY mirrorless camera, you will need a mount adapter called M42-NEX.

Use a mount adapter suitable for your digital camera.

Photo sample by Industar-61 L/Z MC 50mm F2.8

Here are some sample photos taken with the Industar-61 L/Z MC 50mm F2.8.

with Industar-61 L/Z MC 50mm F2.8 attached to SONY NEX-5R

If you want to shoot Star Bokeh with Industar-61 L / Z MC 50mm F2.8, the place with night illumination is the best place to shoot. I took a picture at night in Tokyo Shibuya.

The camera body is SONY NEX-5R. This camera is so compact that it is suitable for casual street photography.

Shibuya location

 

with Industar-61 L/Z MC 50mm F2.8 attached to Nikon D750

The goodness of the Industar-61 L / Z MC 50mm F2.8 is not just for shooting to create Star Bokeh.

The lens structure is a Tesser type and produces a very sharp image. Also, the shortest shooting distance of this lens is 30cm, so you can take macro shots with this lens.

The photo examples were taken by a friend. The place is a traditional Japanese garden, Kyu-Shiba-Rikyu Garden.

Kyu-Shiba-Rikyu Garden Location

 

Industar-61 L/Z MC 50mm F2.8 Review Summary

This lens was an interesting vintage lens that could be used to create Star Bokeh. I can say that this lens is active during the Christmas illumination period.

The lens has a Tesser-type lens configuration and macro shooting capability. I think it is one of the all-purpose lenses.

Thank you for reading to the end.

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