Author Topic: Industar 69 f/2.8 28mm Pancake Lens Samples ***** (Read 12381 times)

mikewinter · « **on:** March 18, 2010, 11:45:46 AM »

I've been reading this forum for awhile and finally got around to contributing. I grabbed one of the cute Russian Industar-69 pancake lenses off of e-bay. This is from an old soviet era half-frame "chaika" camera. As both the chaika and the e-pl1 are half frame cameras, the lens compliments the camera quite well.

The lens uses a M39 mount, however the focus distance is not standard M39. The lens needs to be modified to focus to infinity on a standard M39 adapter. I followed the instructions http://hamishgill.blogspot.com/2008/11/modify-industar-69-for-use-on-epson-r.html.

The lens is a little soft at f/2.8 however is is nice and sharp once you decrease the aperture a little. The 28mm focal length is almost "normal" on micro four thirds, so this guy is fun to carry around. Overall this is my favorite out of my soviet lens collection.

The camera with the lens on:

A few snapshots:

je245 · « **Reply #1 on:** March 18, 2010, 05:41:20 PM »

Nice images! Looks good on your E-PL1. Thanks for posting!

gareth · « **Reply #2 on:** March 18, 2010, 06:47:41 PM »

Thanks Mike. The subjects in the images look sharp and crisp. Are they all shot with apertures other than f/2.8? Your LTM-to-m4/3 mount looks non-instrusive so that the industrar looks nice on your E-PL1. I wonder if a helicoid can help using the lens without much modifications as in the case of using an enlarging head in m4/3 PEN.

cosinaphile · « **Reply #3 on:** March 18, 2010, 11:26:09 PM »

the images look good, i didnt know of this lens of of Russian half frame

Ive got a couple of Russian lenses and i love em

really flat and compact

DjordjeJ · « **Reply #4 on:** March 19, 2010, 05:44:56 AM »

I tried this lens on E-P1, but since it didnt focus to infinitzy. I might buy it, and try modifying it. Samples looks nice.

adash · « **Reply #5 on:** March 19, 2010, 06:46:27 AM »

Now even E-PL1 looks nice. The lens fits the body very well.
Nice shots too!

mikewinter · « **Reply #6 on:** March 19, 2010, 03:28:38 PM »

Thanks,

I just realized that all the pictures are closeups at f/3.5 and above. I'll take some shots focused at infinity this weekend along with some wider apertures so you can get a better idea of performance.

Since the camera doesn't record aperture, I'll have to take notes!

gareth · « **Reply #7 on:** March 19, 2010, 04:23:31 PM »

@mike

I used MF lenses quite often. I developed a habit to use voice memo in E-P2 to record the aperture and the make of lens I was using for the picture I took. I suppose E-PL1 has this function as well? When I archive my photos, I can then add the aperture in a memo field of meta-data.

mikewinter · « **Reply #8 on:** March 21, 2010, 03:41:41 PM »

Gareth, good idea with the voice memo. Thanks to your post I now know about that feature! I'll be sure to use it in the future (I might look strange though).

Here are two pictures focused at infinity at f/2.8 and f/4 taken at the Makapu'u lookout on oahu. Keep in mind I may have missed infinity focus when I modified the lens. I wanted the lens to stop at infinity, so when reassembling it it had the two pins meet at the correct spot. I'll check this today.

BTW gareth, what is a helicoid?

Cheers,
--Mike

f/3.5

f/4

gareth · « **Reply #9 on:** March 21, 2010, 08:26:17 PM »

Hi Mike,

You can regard an helicoid as a focusing tube so that the base of lens can have variable distance to the sensor. It can also act as a Macro extension tube with variable length to vary the magnification factor.

I mentioned it because I have a Rodenstock 50/2.8 enlarging head of LTM mount. It cannot be used on a usual LTM-to-m4/3 adapter to achieve meaningful focus range. Finally, I acquired a short helicoid providing variable 11-17mm length (not focal length) to make it work with my E-P2. It can now focus from ~ 0.5m to infinity. I wonder if it can work for your Industar as well.

I can post some picture of the helicoid I am using and some samples from the Rodenstock enlarging head when I have time to do so.
(Quite hectic schedule this week ... )

Gareth

cosinaphile · « **Reply #10 on:** March 21, 2010, 08:50:01 PM »

a helicoid is a sprial plane, in photography it means the threaded ring that moves the lens elements back and forth closer or further away from the film\sensor plane for focusing

cosinaphile · « **Reply #11 on:** March 21, 2010, 08:50:58 PM »

i want this lens!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

gareth · « **Reply #12 on:** March 21, 2010, 08:53:42 PM »

same here cosinaphile.

je245 · « **Reply #13 on:** March 21, 2010, 09:22:00 PM »

I've been waiting for my I-69. It was shipped to my brother in Toronto and will take some time before it reaches Manila with other goodies

shtang8 · « **Reply #14 on:** March 25, 2010, 10:27:02 AM »

Gareth, You seemed to own a lot of lenses by now. It's good that you can give us all those evaluations. Like Mike, I am so glad you told us that recording function. I would never remember the apertures by the time I got home and view the shots from Bridge.

gareth · « **Reply #15 on:** March 25, 2010, 01:45:47 PM »

You're welcome, Stephen.

je245 · « **Reply #16 on:** May 22, 2010, 02:55:24 AM »

I finally received my I-69:

This was how I modified the lens - http://blog.monouri.net/archives/51602456.html

Industar 69 f/2.8 28mm Pancake Lens Samples *****