Russar (Russian 20mm Wide Angle) Remake v. 2014

The folks at Lomography have been doing some interesting things lately. For me, any company that keeps film photography alive is okay. But their latest antic is really pretty interesting.

Image Source: http://microsites.lomography.com/russar-lens/

 

Lomography is producing an updated version of the 1958 Russian "Russar" 20mm f5.6 lens with what seems the perfect combination of classic optical design and modern materials and manufacturing methods.

 

The new Russar+ will be made in Leica Thread Mount (LTM), also known as "L39," which is great for us Leica users. That makes it native on the Barnack cameras, and easily adaptable to Leica M cameras. It also makes a nice base for adapting to other mounts, like Micro 4/3.

 

It sounds like they really are making some upgrades to the lens. For example, while the original lens body was made of aluminum, the new one is brass. Reportedly, it's being manufactured by Zenit in Russia. I don't know Zenit's full history, but I know from classic camera shopping that they've been around a while.

 

Now, a maximum aperture of f5.6 is a little hard to live with, especially if you're shooting film. But, that's the classic design, and one of the tradeoffs of using them. I have a Cosina Voigtlander 12mm f5.6 lens that rarely sees use because of that small maximum aperture.

 

But, any way I look at it, this is a cool development. One of my highest-use lenses is the awesome Carl Zeiss C-Sonnar 50mm f1.5. If the Russar+ implements a classic design with modern improvements in even a slightly similar fashion, it will be worth having.

 

You can pre-order yours by (Clicking Here). The price is US$649, and they're scheduled for delivery in July 2014.

 

 

DMC-365.blogspot.com

 

How About Those Russian Leica Copy Cameras?

 

Image Source: http://rangefinderchronicles.blogspot.com/2013/04/a-day-at-races-with-fed-2.html

 

Most of us have heard the stories of how the Russians copied high end German cameras. Some of this went on before World War II, starting in the 1930s. After the war, some factory equipment, specifically from Contax, was moved to Russia, where production began again, albeit under different (lower) quality control standards. I have a Zorki 1, which is a very respectable copy of a 1932 Leica II rangefinder. It was produced starting in 1948. Zorki reportedly means "sharp-sighted" in Russian.

 

(Click Here) to read about Zorki cameras.

 

Russian copies of Leica were usually named either Zorki or Fed, depending on the factory where they were built. My Zorki 1 is a really neat camera. While it does look like an old Barnack Leica, it has a decidedly louder "clunk" when the shutter releases. That said, the Russian lens on it really performs quite well. I haven't had the Zorki out in years; I guess I prefer to shoot the genuine Leica product, since I'm lucky enough to have access.

 

In any case, the blog Rangefiinder Chronicles recently featured a post on using a Fed2 at the horse races in England.

 

(Click Here) to see the full series of really impressive black and white images from the Fed.

 

Maybe I'll drag my old Zorki out for a future "Skeletons From The Closet" exercise. I would be worried about it continuing to work for a full month, but after 65 years, it can probably make it.

 

If you're intrigued by Russian cameras, I say go for it. They're pretty cheap, and do a nice job if they're well-preserved.

 

DMC-365.blogspot.com

 

A Picture I Wouldn't Want to Be There to Take

 

Russian Meteor

Image Source: http://www.boston.com/news/world/europe/2013/02/15/injured-blasts-meteor-falls-russia/3AmzS7cxfntDkpWrCo8i7I/story.html?rss_id=Top+Stories

 

Apparently, an 11 ton meteorite has hit in the Ural Mountains of Russia. Some 500 people reported for medical treatment (30 some were hospitalized), and a zinc factory collapsed, either as the result of a direct hit, or a resulting shock wave.

 

(Click Here) to read the full story on Boston.com

 

Amazing. I suppose we're always in some infinitesimal risk of something like this happening. I've never heard of it happening in my lifetime (maybe it has?).

 

In any case, I hope I don't look out my windshield this morning on the way to work and see something like this.

 

DMC-365.blogspot.com

 

 

Legacy Normal Lens Makes Nice Portrait Lens on Micro 4/3

Image Source: http://www.mu-43.com/attachments/f57/13513-my-little-girl-forumrunner_20130113_171355.png

 

I love to see shots made with older lenses adapted to Micro 4/3 cameras. This one, by muzza on mu-43.com was made with a Panasonic Lumix GF3 and a Russian Helios 44, which is a 58mm f2 lens. On the smaller sensor of the Micro 4/3 Lumix, it makes a very nice, if slightly long focal length portrait lens, with a fast f2 aperture.

 

I very much like muzza's composition in this shot. The triangle of her left arm is an important element, and is just out of focus enough to be creamy in texture. The pen tip in her right hand is a nice focal point, in addition to her eye. The way her hair falls over her face also reinforces the feeling that she's intensely focused on her work.

 

With the great native Micro 4/3 portrait lenses out there now (for example the Olympus 75mm f1.8), it's easy to neglect those old classic lenses in your closet. Grab one and make a memory, like muzza has here!

 

DMC-365.blogspot.com