Industar 26M with strange issue... 🤯

MNS

Established
Local time
6:55 AM
Joined
Oct 18, 2019
Messages
62
While looking through my late fathers photographic odds and ends I found a Industar 26M 52mm f/2.8 lens.

20250601_084952.jpg

Using a LTM adapter on my M-P 240 I tested it and was surprised at some of the results.

Knowing this lens like many Soviet lenses flare in bright conditions, so I fitted a Soviet plastic lens hood. These shots of the shed were taken with sun behind me, so you would think with a hood this wouldn't happen. Stopped down this issue gets worse, I've never seen anything like it before!

Industar 26M - f2.8.JPGIndustar 26M - f11.JPGIndustar 26M - f22.JPG

Images above f/2.8 - f/11 - f/22 ...Into the direction of the sun, I would expect flare, not from behind.

L1001143.JPG L1001149.JPG

Indoors or away from sunlight this lens is perfectly OK to use. Lens elements look OK for a Russian lens and it's age.

20250601_085059.jpg

In all the years I've used cameras, including ones from the former Soviet Union, I don't think I have ever seen anything quite like it. My Jupiter 8 or Jupiter 3+ 50mm lenses have never flared like this before.

I can't work this out, is this a digital thing or flaw in the glass?
 
I'm no expert on lenses but I had the same experience with mine and favoured the I-61 instead. This is what the Industar-26 looks like:

Industar-26.png
 
  • Like
Reactions: MNS
Never had that trouble with mine.

Are there any bright spots inside the barrel of the lens or on the aperture blades? That might give a clue.

Otherwise, send a message to Sonnar Brian. He's The lens guru there.
 
Are there any bright spots inside the barrel of the lens or on the aperture blades? That might give a clue.

Can't see any. Slight amount of haze looking through the lens but no more than my Jupiter 8M.

Maybe a CLA would help at some point.
 
While looking through my late fathers photographic odds and ends I found a Industar 26M 52mm f/2.8 lens.

View attachment 4867171

Using a LTM adapter on my M-P 240 I tested it and was surprised at some of the results.

Knowing this lens like many Soviet lenses flare in bright conditions, so I fitted a Soviet plastic lens hood. These shots of the shed were taken with sun behind me, so you would think with a hood this wouldn't happen. Stopped down this issue gets worse, I've never seen anything like it before!

View attachment 4867172View attachment 4867173View attachment 4867174

Images above f/2.8 - f/11 - f/22 ...Into the direction of the sun, I would expect flare, not from behind.

View attachment 4867175 View attachment 4867179

Indoors or away from sunlight this lens is perfectly OK to use. Lens elements look OK for a Russian lens and it's age.

View attachment 4867180

In all the years I've used cameras, including ones from the former Soviet Union, I don't think I have ever seen anything quite like it. My Jupiter 8 or Jupiter 3+ 50mm lenses have never flared like this before.

I can't work this out, is this a digital thing or flaw in the glass?
I had this problem with the Helios-103, the aperture blades were shiny, stopping down caused reflections that "lit up" the optics. I used a Black Marker to get rid of the problem. You lens looks like it has some haze. Post a picture of the Blades when the lens is stopped down to F16- would help.

 
I had this problem with the Helios-103, the aperture blades were shiny, stopping down caused reflections that "lit up" the optics. I used a Black Marker to get rid of the problem. Post a picture of the Blades when the lens is stopped down to F16- would help.

This might be the answer then, wear on the blades? Certainly from front (left image) you can see a fair amount of wear on them.

I'll have to bare it mind when using this lens, although I will say I do tend to shoot wide open most of the time.

You lens looks like it has some haze.

Yes, there is a small amount of dust and haze. Don't think I'll attempt disassembly myself, I'd have to send it off to be serviced at some point.

20250601_121005.jpg 20250601_121649.jpg

Think using the lens on my Zorki 4K with Fomapan 100 film, lens hood and wide open, I shouldn't have too many problems.
 
That is likely the problem. This is not a difficult lens to work on, but you do need an optical spanner- about $25 or so off Ebay.
 
  • Like
Reactions: MNS
Do you know where I can find a workshop manual for this lens or an online disassembly video?
 
Last edited:


Youtube for now...

I need to post the instructions in my forum.
To solve your problem, the haze is most likely on the surfaces on each side of the aperture.
Once you have a Spanner, this is a 2-minute operation. The I-26m does not have a rear baffle, like the I-61L/D has. SO- even with the barrel in the focus mount, easy to take it out. The rear element is in the fixture, so does not come out as a loose piece of glass. Did this as I was posting.
RIMG0560.JPG

Random Ebay Auction
 
These things are just manifestations of Ghosts, Ghoulies or Aliens. If you don't want them just hit them with a hammer.
 
Edited: (saw Brian’s post above) I also saw something very similar with my Jupiter 9 when using a Contax to LTM adapter. It went away when I got an Amadeo adapter that has circumferential ridges to handle stray light.
 
Last edited:
Back
Top Bottom