Carl Zeiss Jena Pancolar 50mm f1.8 - Sample Photos
Carl Zeiss Jena Pancolar 50mm f1.8
Shooting with the Carl Zeiss Jena Pancolar 50mm f1.8 Zebra lens is like stepping back into a different era of photography, one where precision mechanics and beautiful rendering took center stage. Produced in East Germany between the mid-1960s and late 1970s, this lens was originally designed for the M42 mount and features a classic 6-element, 4-group optical design that delivers sharpness and surprisingly modern contrast when stopped down. I was genuinely surprised by how chrisp images shot with this lens look when stopped down to f5.6. There’s a nice subtle warmth to images shot with this lens which is nice. The zebra-style focusing ring not only looks stunning but also offers a buttery-smooth (At least in my case) focus throw that makes manual focusing feel incredibly tactile and rewarding. Using this lens forces me to slow down and really connect with the moment I'm capturing. So far I have to say I’m really enjoying this lens.
