ZENIT INDUSTAR 50-2 50mm F/3.5
At a glance: The Industar 50-2 50mm f/3.5 lens offers vintage charm with sharp, detailed images in a compact, lightweight design.
- Produces sharp, detailed photos with a classic vintage look.
- Compact and lightweight, ideal for travel.
- Affordable entry into manual focus lenses.
- Sturdy metal construction for durability.
- Somewhat challenging to focus.
- Versatile 50mm focal length suits various photography styles.
- Perfect for experimenting with retro and creative effects.
Pros & Cons of the Industar 50-2 f/3.5 50mm Lens
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| ➕ Compact and lightweight design | ❌ Slow maximum aperture (f/3.5) |
| ➕ Unique, vintage character in image quality | ❌ Manual focus only, not ideal for fast-paced photography |
| ➕ Affordable and widely available | ❌ Not the sharpest lens by modern standards |
| ➕ Excellent for experimenting with film | ❌ Build quality can vary between units |
| ➕ Classic Russian lens, adds to collection value | ❌ No modern coatings, prone to flare |
First Impressions
The moment I unboxed the Industar 50-2 f/3.5 50mm, I was struck by just how small and unassuming it is. It’s a true pancake lens—compact, lightweight, and easy to tuck into any camera bag. But don’t let its diminutive size fool you. This lens, a product of Soviet engineering from the 1950s to the 1970s, carries a rich history and a reputation for delivering unique image quality that belies its modest appearance.
The Industar 50-2 isn’t much larger than a camera body cap, which makes it incredibly portable. It’s almost amusing how something so small can pack such a punch in terms of performance. The all-metal construction feels sturdy in hand, a testament to the durability that Soviet lenses are known for. There’s a certain charm in its simplicity—no frills, just a solid piece of glass ready to create.
Specifications
| Specification | Details |
|---|---|
| Model | Industar 50-2 |
| Type | Prime |
| Focal length | 50mm |
| Focal format | Full-frame |
| Magnification | 0.08x |
| Max aperture | f/3.5 |
| Min aperture | f/16 |
| Aperture Blades | 7 |
| Angle of view | 45° |
| Optical formula | 4 Elements in 3 Groups |
| Minimum focal dist. | 0.65m (2.1ft) |
| Filter thread size | 35.5mm |
| Lens hood | Optional |
| Mount type | M42 (Universal Screw Mount) |
Features
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Focus ring | Manual |
| Autofocus | No |
| Image stabilization | No |
| Optical coating(s) | Yes - Single-coated |
| Front element rotation | Yes |
| Internal focusing | No |
| Lens extension while focusing | Yes |
| Focus hold/lock button | No |
| Physical aperture ring | Yes |
| De-clickable aperture | No |
| Architecture | SLR |
Image Quality
When it comes to image quality, the Industar 50-2 is a lens that delivers results that are both surprising and delightful. Wide open at f/3.5, the lens produces images with a vintage feel, characterized by its moderate sharpness and unique contrast. It’s not a lens that’s going to blow you away with modern-day sharpness, but that’s part of its charm. The images have a softness that adds a certain character, making it a great choice for portraits or any shot where you want to evoke a sense of nostalgia.
The color rendition is slightly muted, giving your photos a classic look that’s reminiscent of old film photography. Stopping down to f/5.6 or f/8 sharpens things up considerably, with decent detail and contrast across the frame. The lens’s single-coating does a decent job of controlling flare, though it’s not perfect—you might notice some ghosting in high-contrast situations. Overall, the Industar 50-2 offers a unique, charming image quality that’s hard to replicate with modern lenses.
Sharpness
Sharpness on the Industar 50-2 is a bit of a mixed bag, depending on how you use it. Wide open at f/3.5, the lens is a little soft, particularly towards the edges of the frame. But this softness can actually be beneficial for portraits, where a gentle rendering of skin tones is often preferred. Stopping down to around f/8 gives you a noticeable boost in sharpness, especially in the center, making it a more versatile lens for a variety of subjects.
The corners never quite reach the level of sharpness that modern lenses can offer, but for many photographers, this imperfection is part of what makes the Industar 50-2 so appealing. It’s a lens that doesn’t strive for clinical perfection but instead offers a more artistic rendering that’s perfect for creative projects.
Bokeh
The bokeh produced by the Industar 50-2 is surprisingly pleasing, given its relatively slow maximum aperture of f/3.5. The 50mm focal length helps to create a shallow depth of field when shooting at close distances, and the seven-blade aperture produces out-of-focus highlights that are fairly rounded and smooth. The bokeh isn’t as creamy as what you’d get from a faster lens, but it has a distinct character that adds a touch of elegance to your images.
The background blur is gentle, with a subtle transition from in-focus to out-of-focus areas, making it a great choice for portraits or still life photography where you want the subject to stand out against a softly blurred background.
Build Quality
The build quality of the Industar 50-2 is exactly what you’d expect from a Soviet-era lens—solid, reliable, and built to last. The all-metal construction gives it a durability that’s hard to find in today’s lenses. The focus ring is smooth, though a bit on the stiff side, which can make fine adjustments a bit tricky. The aperture ring, located at the front of the lens, clicks solidly into place with each stop, though it’s not as smooth as more modern lenses.
One thing to note is that the lens lacks any sort of modern conveniences like weather sealing or a lens hood, so you’ll need to be careful when using it in adverse conditions. The lack of plastic components, however, gives it a reassuring weight and a feeling of longevity that’s often missing in today’s lenses.
Manual Focus Performance
Manual focusing with the Industar 50-2 can be a bit of a challenge, particularly if you’re not used to working with vintage lenses. The focus throw is quite long, which allows for precise adjustments, but the stiff focus ring can make it difficult to nail focus quickly, especially in fast-paced shooting situations. However, if you’re shooting portraits, landscapes, or still life, where you have the luxury of time, the manual focus experience can be quite rewarding.
The lens’s M42 mount makes it compatible with a wide range of cameras, both vintage and modern (with the appropriate adapter). This versatility, combined with its compact size, makes the Industar 50-2 a fun lens to experiment with, particularly if you’re looking to add a touch of vintage charm to your photography.
Feature Breakdown
The Industar 50-2 is as simple as they come, which is part of its charm. It’s a fully manual lens, with no autofocus, no image stabilization, and no electronic connections. But what it does offer is a straightforward, reliable design that’s easy to use and produces unique results. The single-coating on the optics helps to reduce flare, though it’s not as effective as modern multi-coatings. The lens’s small size and light weight make it an excellent choice for street photography or any situation where portability is key.
The lens’s M42 mount is another highlight, as it’s compatible with a wide range of cameras, from vintage SLRs to modern mirrorless systems with the right adapter. This versatility, combined with its excellent manual focus performance, makes the Industar 50-2 a favorite among photographers who enjoy working with vintage lenses.
Optical Construction
The optical design of the Industar 50-2 is based on the classic Tessar formula, with 4 elements in 3 groups. This simple yet effective design is known for its ability to produce sharp images with a pleasing out-of-focus background, making it a popular choice for portrait photographers. The lens’s simplicity is part of what makes it so enduring—there’s nothing extraneous here, just quality optics that have stood the test of time.
While the single-coating on the elements is not as advanced as modern multi-coatings, it still does a decent job of reducing reflections and improving contrast. The lens is also incredibly compact, thanks to its simple optical design, making it easy to carry around for day-to-day shooting.
What Could Be Better
As much as I appreciate the Industar 50-2, it’s not without its quirks. The single-coated optics mean that flare and ghosting can be an issue, particularly when shooting in bright, direct light. The lens also suffers from some chromatic aberration, especially in high-contrast scenes, which might require correction in post-processing.
The manual focus operation, while rewarding for those who enjoy it, can be a bit challenging due to the stiff focus ring. This, combined with the lens’s relatively slow maximum aperture of f/3.5, makes it less suitable for low-light situations or fast-moving subjects.
Lastly, the build quality, while solid, lacks modern conveniences like weather sealing or a lens hood, so you’ll need to be careful when using the lens in less-than-ideal conditions. However, with a little care, this lens can last you a lifetime.
Conclusion
The Industar 50-2 f/3.5 50mm is a lens that offers a unique combination of vintage character and optical performance at a price that’s hard to beat. Typically priced between $20 and $50 on the second-hand market, it’s an affordable way to add a bit of history and personality to your photography.
Whether you’re a seasoned photographer looking to experiment with vintage lenses or a newcomer curious about the charm of Soviet-era optics, the Industar 50-2 is a lens worth considering
Images of the INDUSTAR 50-2 F/3.5 50mm LENS
Images of the INDUSTAR 50-2 F/3.5 50mm LENS
