Vintage Soviet Lens: Industar 50-2 50mm f/3.5 "Pancake" - Classic Soviet Tessar Design - M42 Mount

The smallest Soviet prime lens: affordable vintage style for any camera bag!

Up for sale is a classic example from the history of Soviet photography: the Industar 50-2 50mm f/3.5 lens.

Often called the "pancake" due to its incredibly compact size and flat profile, this lens is known for its robust construction and unique optical characteristics, thanks to the Tessar (Eagle) optical formula (4 elements in 3 groups).

This is the ideal affordable manual prime lens for photographers looking to experiment with the charming vintage aesthetic and unique imperfections of Soviet optics without breaking the bank.

Key Features and Artistic Qualities:

Incredibly compact "pancake" size: This is one of the smallest vintage prime lenses available. Ideal for mirrorless cameras (Sony E, Fuji X, Micro 4/3), it offers high portability and discreetness.

Classic Tessar Optical Formula: Based on the renowned "Eagle Eye" design, the Industar 50-2 delivers a classic vintage look with good center sharpness, especially when stopped down slightly.

Enchanting Optical Artifacts: This lens is known for producing pleasing flares and strong vignetting (especially on full-frame sensors), adding an artistic touch and producing a superb, natural-looking crop.

M42 Mount: Universal and easily adaptable to virtually any modern DSLR or mirrorless camera (Sony E, Fuji X, Canon EF/RF, Nikon Z, M4/3) with readily available and affordable adapters.

Ideal Manual Focus Lens for Beginners: Its low cost and reliable mechanics make it ideal for those just getting started with vintage photography using manual focus.

Specifications:

Focal Length: 50mm

Maximum Aperture: f/3.5 (standard aperture for Tessar-type lenses)

Minimum Aperture: f/16

Mount: M42 threaded

Optical Design: 4 elements in 3 groups (Tessar-type lenses)

Number of Aperture Blades: 7

Filter Thread Size: 35.5mm (Note: Filter sizes are often unique, so this information is important)

Minimum Focusing Distance: Approximately 0.65 meters

Weight: Very light, approximately 75g

Made in: USSR (Soviet Union) - usually manufactured by KMZ Condition:

Smooth focus ring

Aperture functions properly

Clean glass (no mold, no clouding)

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The lens is in excellent condition and fully functional.