HU: Russar MR2 20/5.6 in !!!KIEV mount!!!

[darkkavenger]

http://cgi.ebay.com/Lens-Russar-MP-...7QQihZ016QQcategoryZ30063QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

No connection with the seller... too expensive for me, but someone might be interested. It seems rare indeed.


Cheers,
Max

 

[rolleistef]

argh that's an expensive soviet lens... I'd never heard of it before! And in internal bayonet... I guess who'll buy and put this lens on a shelf...

 

[taffer]

Actually, seems like the innards of a LTM version of the lens without the barrel and somewhat 'adapted' to fit the Kiev...

In fact I think this same seller has had them at least for a couple years. They certainly don't seem to sell like hot cakes 🙂

 

[VinceC]

I've seen those every now and then. It seems to be an adaption. If the adaption is done right, the lens is fix-focus at infinity, with depth of field covering a whole bunch. However, because it mounts onto the internal bayonet, you should be able to get some remarkable close-focus ability. You'd have to work up some tables or do some trial and error test shots, but it should be able to focus almost macro-close.

 

[darkkavenger]

Unfortunately, I cannot afford such a lens, but I am rather faithful to the kiev/contax RF system so maybe in some years.. who knows!

 

[Didier]

http://cgi.ebay.com/Lens-Russar-MP-...7QQihZ016QQcategoryZ30063QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
No connection with the seller... too expensive for me, but someone might be interested. It seems rare indeed.

I assume it's been modified for Kiev mount after it left the factory, as I've never heard of an official production of such a version. The russar is anyway expensive, together with a viewfinder it costs easily as much as a new 15mm Heliar. I have dealed with that seller in the past. She has very rare items from time to time.

Didier

 

[Didier]

I asked about it in the RFLIST, and some member's opinions may be interesting for you, too:

Kevin (Kalsbeek?) at the Kievaholics site says "There were supposedly also Orion-15 28mm F6 and Russar 20mm F5.6 lenses produced in the Kiev/Contax rangefinder mount, but these lenses are extremely rare in this mount." (I see that Suvorov has one in LTM on the 'Bay -- item #150079291009 -- for a mere $600.) There's a thread on the Russian-camera-user group at "beststuff.com" about a lens that apparently was auctioned as being Kiev mount but wasn't. Hard to tell what it was, but the buyer mentions that it fits in the mount but won't click into place. Rafcamera.com had a couple of Russar "optical blocks" -- no focusing or diaphragm, just the lens. Explanation? "Such block were installed in missile shafts, and there was not necessary to change aperture." Wow!​

and another found the back part is too long for fitting a regular RF camera:

...a Russian 20mm lens that looks like it would bottom out at the back of any camera I currently own. The Kobalux and Voigtländer 21mm lenses are just too good.​

...I can agree the CV21mm makes it hard to go for a Russar, whether LTM or Nikon/Contax mount...

Didier

 

[VinceC]

I own an Orion-15 28/6 in Contax/Kiev mount, and I don't think of it as being wildly rare. It's scale focus, from 1971, chrome barrel. It's definitely an original mount. It's very small and lightweight.