Elmar versus Industar 10 - 50/3.5

[goamules]

As posted elsewhere, I recently found my first Leica for a reasonable price. It had a very nice condition Elmar 50/3.5 from about 1947, coated. It's my first Leica glass, I've been concentrating on Canon. But I also have a little Russian knockoff of the Elmar, an Industar-10 by Fed. OK, I'm impressed. The Elmar has much better sharpness and color. Both pics right out of the camera, no PhotoShop. First the Industar:

Elmar, and larger sizes:

 

[DominikDUK]

The sharpness is the same but it looks like the industar picture was either slightly overexposed or a problem with flare. The later seems more likely is the industar coated or uncoated btw. did you use the industar on the leica?

Dominik

 

[gb hill]

Shine a light through the rear element. You may see some problems. I've seen similar comparisons & they are almost identical.

 

[goamules]

The Industar is coated. But I see it needs cleaning, just dust, no haze. I agree the Industar looks flared, I beg to differ that they are both just as sharp. I shot both from a tripod on a G-1 at 1/60. If you compare the larger shots, you will see more contrast, but also more sharpness from the Elmar. The colors are also more saturated. Check out the blue circle "no CFCs" logo on the Lemon Pledge can. I will clean the lens and redo.

Industar large
Elmar large

 

[paulfish4570]

elmar looks sharper to me.

 

[gb hill]

The Industar is coated. But I see it needs cleaning, just dust, no haze. I agree the Industar looks flared, I beg to differ that they are both just as sharp. I shot both from a tripod on a G-1 at 1/60. If you compare the larger shots, you will see more contrast, but also more sharpness from the Elmar. The colors are also more saturated. Check out the blue circle "no CFCs" logo on the Lemon Pledge can. I will clean the lens and redo.

Industar large
Elmar large

No doubt the elmar is a better lens but I've seen better results from other I-10's. Thats the problem with most soviet lenses, One isn't consistant from another but when you get a good working one it's a killer lens. Another thing you need to consider is the two lenses may not be of the same standard.

 

[lxmike]

FED 50mm 3.5 'elmar' clone: How sharp?

FED 50mm 3.5 'elmar' clone: How sharp?

Are the FED 50mm 3.5 'elmar' clones as sharp as they say, anyone have and/or use one of these

 

[DoxLeica]

I've had many examples of the lens over the years: many marked as FSU and some pretending to be Elmars. None of them produced results on par with a genuine Elmar that has more haze and fog than a fall morning. There may very well be sharp ones out there if one wants to search them out.

 

[xayraa33]

I have several Industar 22 lenses that are as sharp as my 50mm Elmar lens, one even tops it. The Fed ones, also known as the Industar 10 have been much less than spectacular in my sample range.

The problem with FSU lenses is you will have to go through many examples of the same type to find the keepers.

 

[lxmike]

I've had many examples of the lens over the years: many marked as FSU and some pretending to be Elmars. None of them produced results on par with a genuine Elmar that has more haze and fog than a fall morning. There may very well be sharp ones out there if one wants to search them out.

interesting, l will see how it compares with my 'typical' hazy elmar example, thanks for the reply by the way🙂

 

[Ko.Fe.]

FED 50 3.5 might come uncoated with f18, or as Industar-10 with f16 and coated. I never used uncoated one, only I-10, it was inferior to I-22 for sharpness and flare resistance. I ordered KOMZ version of I-22 to try on M-E and M3. The only benefit of FED 50 (I-10) it is fully collapsible to Bessa R. I-22 is longer and I-50 even more longer.

 

[lxmike]

I have several Industar 22 lenses that are as sharp as my 50mm Elmar lens, one even tops it. The Fed ones, also known as the Industar 10 have been much less than spectacular in my sample range.

The problem with FSU lenses is you will have to go through many examples of the same type to find the keepers.

than you for the reply, l wonder what the internal optical lay out difference is between the Elmar, the Industar 22 and Industar 10

 

[lxmike]

FED 50 3.5 might come uncoated with f18, or as Industar-10 with f16 and coated. I never used uncoated one, only I-10, it was inferior to I-22 for sharpness and flare resistance. I ordered KOMZ version of I-22 to try on M-E and M3. The only benefit of FED 50 (I-10) it is fully collapsible to Bessa R. I-22 is longer and I-50 even more longer.

thank you for your input, this gives me a further valuable insight regarding this lens, the example heading my way is a 10, f16 coated, at £25 I thought it was worth a shot🙂

 

[lxmike]

I have just picked up an Industar 10, it will be interesting to see how it does compared to my 50mm Elmar

 

[johannielscom]

The Russian lenses have a Tessar optical layout, four elements in three groups. The Elmar is five elements in three groups. Aperture in front of rearmost group in both lenses.

An Industar-22 can be as sharp as a clean Elmar and the design isn't what limits sharpness, it's quality control. As others have pointed out, there are bad Industars and good ones out there and it's a gamble what you will get, unless you can test before purchase.

 

[davidnewtonguitars]

I like mine.
I-22 on Zorki-1 1/40 @ f3.5 , focused on the blue vase.
Fuji 200

 

[Steve M.]

My Industar I 22 lenses were sharper than my Elmars. They also imaged pretty much like them, even though to my memory I think that the FSU lenses are actually Tessars? In any case you can't go wrong w/ either.

For that absolute Leica look though, go w/ the Elmar.

 

[lxmike]

The Russian lenses have a Tessar optical layout, four elements in three groups. The Elmar is five elements in three groups. Aperture in front of rearmost group in both lenses.

An Industar-22 can be as sharp as a clean Elmar and the design isn't what limits sharpness, it's quality control. As others have pointed out, there are bad Industars and good ones out there and it's a gamble what you will get, unless you can test before purchase.

very interesting, many thanks🙂

 

[lxmike]

I like mine.
I-22 on Zorki-1 1/40 @ f3.5 , focused on the blue vase.
Fuji 200

many thanks, very nice image indeed🙂

 

[lxmike]

My Industar I 22 lenses were sharper than my Elmars. They also imaged pretty much like them, even though to my memory I think that the FSU lenses are actually Tessars? In any case you can't go wrong w/ either.

For that absolute Leica look though, go w/ the Elmar.

Many thanks, luckily l already have an Elmar, but could not resist the Industar 10