Review: MC Kaleinar 5N 100mm f2.8 Lens

MC Kaleinar 5N 100mm f2.8

At a glance: Well recognized for its excellent sharpness, superb tonal contrast, and haunting bokeh, this lens delivers beautifully unique images with a quality well suited for portraiture and wedding photography.

• Excellent sharpness, colors and contrast
• Virtually no barrel distortion
• Low chromatic aberration
• Relatively fast and bright f/2.8 maximum aperture allows for shallow depth of field and for good results in low-light photography
• Quite sharp at center wide open at f/2.8
• Excellent image compression for a superb bokeh effect
• Ideal for weddings, portraits, and other close up work

Search for it on eBay!

First Impressions

The first time I held the MC Kaleinar 5N 100mm f/2.8 in my hands, I was immediately struck by its solid, no-nonsense design. This lens hails from the late Soviet era, and it shows in its robust, all-metal construction. There’s a certain charm in the way it feels—a combination of heft and precision that reminds you this was built to last. It’s not flashy, but that’s part of its appeal. The simple, utilitarian design speaks to an era when lenses were made for function first, yet the Kaleinar 5N manages to blend that with a touch of elegance.

Despite being a product of a different time, it’s remarkably compact for a 100mm lens, making it a practical choice for photographers who appreciate portability without sacrificing quality. The smooth, well-damped focus ring is a joy to use, and the physical aperture ring clicks into place with a satisfying precision. It’s clear that this lens was designed with the serious photographer in mind—someone who values manual control and the tactile experience of creating an image.

Specifications

Features

Image Quality

The MC Kaleinar 5N 100mm f/2.8 is a lens that’s known for its beautiful rendering, particularly when it comes to portraits. The 100mm focal length is perfect for this kind of work, offering just the right amount of compression to flatter your subjects while maintaining a comfortable working distance. Wide open at f/2.8, the lens produces a lovely soft glow that gives portraits a timeless, almost dreamlike quality.

The lens has good sharpness in the center, even at f/2.8, though the corners can be a bit soft until you stop down. Once you hit f/5.6 or f/8, sharpness improves across the frame, making this lens versatile enough for landscape work as well. The color rendition is pleasingly neutral, with a slight warmth that adds character without requiring much correction in post. The multi-coating does a decent job at controlling flare and ghosting, although shooting directly into the light can still cause some issues.

Sharpness

Sharpness is one of the strong suits of the MC Kaleinar 5N. While it may not match the clinical sharpness of modern lenses, it holds its own, especially in the center. Wide open at f/2.8, the center is sharp enough for most portrait work, with a gentle fall-off towards the edges that can actually be beneficial in drawing attention to your subject. Stopping down to f/4 or f/5.6 improves edge-to-edge sharpness significantly, making it a good option for more detailed work like macro or close-up shots.

Bokeh

If you’re a fan of creamy, smooth bokeh, the MC Kaleinar 5N won’t disappoint. The combination of the 100mm focal length and the f/2.8 aperture produces a shallow depth of field that melts backgrounds into a soft, pleasing blur. The bokeh is gentle and unobtrusive, with rounded highlights that contribute to the lens’s classic portrait appeal. It’s the kind of bokeh that adds an extra dimension to your images, helping to isolate your subject in a way that feels natural and organic.

Build Quality

The build quality of the MC Kaleinar 5N is exactly what you’d expect from a Soviet-era lens—solid, heavy, and built to last. The all-metal construction gives it a reassuring weight in the hand, while the focus and aperture rings operate with a smoothness that belies the lens’s age. This is a lens that feels like it could take a beating and still deliver great results, which is exactly what you want if you’re planning to take it out into the field.

However, like many lenses from this era, it lacks modern conveniences like weather sealing or a built-in lens hood, so you’ll need to be careful in adverse conditions. The lack of plastic components is refreshing, especially when compared to many of today’s lenses, which often feel flimsy by comparison.

Manual Focus Performance

Manual focusing with the MC Kaleinar 5N is a pleasure. The long focus throw allows for precise adjustments, which is crucial when working with the narrow depth of field at f/2.8. The focus ring is well-damped and smooth, making it easy to nail focus even in challenging lighting conditions. This is a lens that encourages you to take your time, to think about your shot, and to enjoy the process of creating an image.

While it may not be ideal for fast-paced action photography, it’s perfect for portraits, still life, and any other situation where you can afford to slow down and compose carefully.

Feature Breakdown

The MC Kaleinar 5N is a simple lens, but that’s part of its charm. It’s fully manual, with no autofocus, no image stabilization, and no fancy electronics. But what it does offer is a solid, reliable design that’s easy to use and produces great results. The multi-coating on the optics helps to reduce flare and improve contrast, while the 6-blade aperture produces pleasingly rounded bokeh.

The lens is also adaptable to a variety of camera systems, thanks to its Nikon F mount. With the right adapter, you can use it on almost any modern digital camera, making it a versatile addition to your kit.

Optical Construction

The optical design of the MC Kaleinar 5N is relatively straightforward, with 5 elements in 4 groups. This simplicity helps to keep the lens compact and lightweight, while still delivering excellent image quality. The multi-coating on the elements helps to reduce reflections and improve contrast, though it’s not as effective as the multi-coatings found on modern lenses. Still, the optical performance is more than adequate for most shooting situations, particularly when you’re looking for that classic, slightly vintage look.

What Could Be Better

While the MC Kaleinar 5N has a lot going for it, there are a few areas where it shows its age. The single-coated optics mean that flare and ghosting can be an issue, particularly when shooting into the light. The lens also suffers from some chromatic aberration, especially in high-contrast scenes, which might require some correction in post-processing.

The lack of modern conveniences like autofocus or image stabilization might be a downside for some, but for those who enjoy the manual focus experience, it’s more of a feature than a flaw. However, the biggest downside is probably the lack of weather sealing. This lens was built for a different era, and while it’s durable, it’s not designed to withstand the rigors of outdoor photography in all conditions.

Conclusion

The MC Kaleinar 5N 100mm f/2.8 is a lens that offers a lot of character for a modest price. If you’re looking for a vintage lens that delivers a unique rendering and is built to last, this is an option worth considering. Priced typically between $80 and $150 on the second-hand market, it’s an affordable way to explore the world of manual focus photography without breaking the bank.

This lens isn’t perfect, but its imperfections are part of what makes it so endearing. Whether you’re shooting portraits, street scenes, or landscapes, the MC Kaleinar 5N 100mm f/2.8 can add a distinctive touch to your photos. It’s a lens that invites you to slow down, focus on composition, and enjoy the process of creating an image.

Kaleinar 5N 100mm f2.8 Sample Images

Images of Kaleinar 5N 100mm f2.8

Equipment

The sample images in this post were captured using a Sony A7r, Mark III

The product images of this lens (below) were captured using a Samsung Galaxy Note 9

Image quality: Excellent
Bokeh: Superb
Build quality: Superb
Micro contrast: Very good
Ergonomics: Fair
Center sharpness (wide open): Excellent
Edge sharpness (wide open): Excellent

If you’ve used this lens or have any thoughts, feel free to share in the comments below. Happy shooting!