The Industar 61 L/D (Russian: Индустар-61 Л/Д ) is one of the finest pieces of glass of the Soviet era. The lens and its variations are a Carl Zeiss Jena Tessar design.Originally, Industar 61 was the kit lens that equipped FED and Zorki rangefinder cameras that were considered to be the Soviet Leicas. The lens was first produced in 1971 at the FED factory that is located in the city of Kharkov or Kharkiv Oblast, Ukraine. Some copies were also manufactured to LZOS factory. My copy is from 1990 (serial number 9039986). Its glass has Lanthanum, a rare earth element that in theory makes lenses sharper with better contrast and controls chromatic aberration. Industar 61 is indeed sharp for its age and there is even a version (Industar L/Z) that can be used for macro, if you combine it with macro rings. It is also a lightweight and compact metal construction made with aluminum so it is easy to fit in your camera bag.
Industar 61 Specs
- Mount: Leica M39 screw mount for rangefinders and M42 for SLR versions
- Focal Length: 50mm, 52mm, 53mm, 55mm depending on the production run
- Minimum Focusing Distance: 1 meter
- Number of Aperture Blades: 6
- Aperture Range: F2.8 - F16
- Depth of Field Scale: F/ 2.8, 4, 5.6, 8, 11, 16 (full stop clicks)
- Filter thread: Takes 40,5mm x 0,5mm filters
- Optical Formula: 4 elements in 3 groups
Operation - Handling
The Industar 61 has two rings. The aperture ring at the front allows you to select the aperture value that you want to use. It could be smoother though and a bit more thick. It is also clicked and it makes a little noise when you turn it. That means it is intended mainly for stills and not for video shooting. The focus ring is at the rear of the barrel. In my case it is smooth and accurate. Some others claim that it feels a bit loose but they can still focus with precision.
Image Quality - Character
Industar 61 is a sharp lens for its age, especially in the center of the image even at wide open. Of course when i say sharp i mean "vintage" sharp. The sweet spot of the lens seems to be at 5.8 where it becomes sharper, more contrasty and lens vignetting disappears. Chromatic aberration is also minimal.
At 2.8 its not the fastest lens but it is still fast enough in low light shooting situations. Despite its one meter minimum focusing distance the bokeh is pleasant and not distracting. The main subject is separated and isolated as it should. But do not expect to view the famous swirly bokeh of Helios 40 or 44-2. Industar 61 has its own unique personality.
Color rendering is really nice and it produces colors on the warm side. Personally i like it more than the Jupiter 8. All that means that the Industar 61 can be used for portraits too.
Like most Soviet and vintage lenses it is sensitive to light, so the use of a lens hood is advised, at least sometimes. It is not that sensitive though like some other soviet lenses. For example, the Industar 26. The lens is prone to flares too but personally i like them and i use them to my advantage. Not just for stills but for videos too. You may produce that jaw dropping, award winning stylistic image if you experiment a bit with flares and the Industar 61.
Video - Cinematography
Despite its clicked aperture ring, the Industar 61 is an excellent choice for cinematography. And actually it is used by many content creators for its vintage feeling and its image quality. Keep in mind though that vintage means manual focus and luck of image stabilization, unless your camera has IBIS.
Industar 61 L/D sample photo - Sunset
Is it radioactive?
The lens has lanthanum in the glass. It is slightly radioactive but the amount is so small that you do not have to worry about it.
Industar 61 sample photo - Night shot
Industar 61 - Bottom line
Overall the Industar 61 is not just a fun lens to adapt it onto your mirrorless camera but an excelent premium lens with a character that can produce stunning images with a vintage feeling. The lens is also great for video. Some minor imperfections can be corrected with Lightroom or you can use then to your advantage. For the price it is one of the best lens deals out there. Add this lens to your collection and you will not regret it.
You might be also interested to read about the Helios 44-2 or the Jupiter 8 lens.
- You can buy the Industar 61 from eBay: http://ebay.us/6FeVkh
- Or you can search here: http://ebay.us/HdCjEP
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