A suddenly found gem - Industar 61 L/Z

 Industar 61 L/Z 50mm F2.8

In my recent acquisition of few old school camera gears from a Minolta collector based out of Kolkata, I came across this lens and promptly included into my list of purchase.

The Industar 61 L/D is possibly the most highly regarded lens for Ukrainian Leica copies apart from the 35mm Jupiter-12. In an L/D or L/Z version of this lens, the L indicates that the lens has Lanthanum, and D indicates M39 mount while Z indicates M42 mount. Lanthanum glass isn't radioactive -- at least not at any significant level. The claims that radioactive lenses are lenses made with Lanthanum glass that had trace amounts of Thorium are just wrong. It's Thorium glass that is radioactive, and those glasses use lots of Thorium, typically 10% Thorium by weight. Some of the most well-known Thorium glass lenses are the Kodak Aero-Ektars, early collapsible Summicrons, Pentax 50/1.4 (M42), and early Canon FD 35/2.0.

Most examples are multi-coated and are marked as such with MC. Some Industar 61 L/Z bears the logo of LZOS (Lytkarino Optical Glass Factory), probably having been made by that company.

The focal length of the Industar 61 is 50 mm. This is a fast lens considering the max aperture of f/2.8. The build quality is excellent and the handling very good with a smooth focus ring. It is very easy to manual focus with this lens. When used for macro, the manual focus is easy with the focus ring. But the best way to focus is to move your neck forward and backward to micro adjust the focus (instead of using the focus ring). This is the classical way to focus with macro lenses (even with auto-focus lenses, you will get a more accurate focus by performing a good manual focus).


I am listing five uniqueness of the Industar 61 L/Z:


1. It has a step-less aperture mechanism, very convenient to use with my Sony A7R.

2. The front element is placed deep inside the body, which makes it like the lens has a built in lens hood.

3. Unique starry-hex aperture at F5.6 which produces a very unique bokeh.

4. The aperture control ring is placed at front, just behind the filter ring.

5. A very long-throw focus helicoids and extremely precise manual focusing, so far one of the best I have experienced.

My Industar 61 L/Z has a Minolta MD mount, which I find rather unique. I have never heard of any Industar 61 L/Z being produced in any other mount than M42. The quality and finish of the mount tells that it is factory produced and not an aftermarket fitment or conversion. That makes my Industar 61 L/Z truly very rare and unique. I am posting a shot taken by me immediately after I got the lens with me. More images will follow.

Sony A7R with Industar 61 L/Z @ F2.8

Sony A7R with Industar 61 L/Z @ F2.8

Sony A7R with Industar 61 L/Z @ F2.8