Are you a photographer looking for a lens that can add a special touch to your photos? Do you want a compact and lightweight lens with a unique bokeh effect? Look no further than the Pentacon auto 50mm f/1.8 Multi Coating lens. In this comprehensive article, we’ll explore this lens in depth, uncovering its history, features, performance characteristics, and creative potential.

Historical Context

The Pentacon Auto 50mm f/1.8 Multi Coating lens emerged in the early 1980s from the renowned East German optics manufacturer, Pentacon. The name “Pentacon” is a portmanteau of “Pentaprism” and “Contax,” reflecting the company’s heritage in camera and lens production. Formed in 1964 through the merger of several Dresden-based optical companies, Pentacon represented the pinnacle of East German photographic technology.

This lens is not just a piece of glass; it’s a slice of photographic history. It bridges the gap between classic manual focus designs and more modern optical technologies, embodying the transition period in lens manufacturing. The lens’s introduction coincided with a time when multi-coating technology was becoming more widespread, offering improved flare resistance and contrast compared to earlier single-coated lenses.

To fully appreciate the Pentacon Auto 50mm f/1.8 Multi Coating lens, it’s crucial to understand the political and economic context in which it was produced.

East Germany, officially known as the German Democratic Republic (GDR), was under Soviet influence and had a centrally planned economy. The camera and lens industry, centered around Dresden, was a point of pride for the East German government and a significant source of foreign currency.

Pentacon, formed in 1964, was a result of the government’s efforts to consolidate and streamline the photographic industry. The company brought together several renowned Dresden-based manufacturers, including Zeiss Ikon and Ihagee (maker of the famous Exakta cameras).

The development of the multi-coated 50mm f/1.8 lens in the early 1980s represented East Germany’s attempt to keep pace with Western lens technology. Despite limited resources and restricted access to some Western technologies, East German engineers and optical designers managed to produce high-quality lenses that could compete on the international market.

However, the economic challenges faced by East Germany in the 1980s, which eventually led to the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989, also affected Pentacon. The company struggled to keep up with the rapid advancements in autofocus technology and electronic integration happening in the West. This context makes the quality and performance of lenses like the 50mm f/1.8 even more impressive, as they were produced under challenging economic circumstances.

Mount Compatibility and Adaptability

Originally designed for the M42 screw mount, the Pentacon 50mm f/1.8 was compatible with a wide range of film SLR cameras from various manufacturers. This universal mount contributed to its popularity and widespread use during its heyday.

In the digital era, this vintage gem has found new life thanks to the availability of adapters. Photographers can now mount this lens on a variety of modern digital cameras, particularly mirrorless systems. Popular adaptations include:

• M42 to Sony E-mount for Sony mirrorless cameras
• M42 to Fujifilm X-mount for Fujifilm’s APS-C mirrorless lineup
• M42 to Micro Four Thirds for Olympus and Panasonic mirrorless cameras
• M42 to Canon RF-mount for Canon’s latest mirrorless offerings

This adaptability has sparked renewed interest in the lens, allowing a new generation of photographers to experience its unique characteristics on cutting-edge digital bodies. When adapting this lens, it’s important to note that you’ll be operating in full manual mode – both focus and aperture control are handled on the lens itself, not through the camera body.

Optical Design and Construction

The Pentacon auto 50mm f/1.8 Multi Coating lens features an optical design consisting of 6 elements arranged in 5 groups. This relatively simple configuration contributes to its compact size and lightweight construction, tipping the scales at a mere 230 grams.

While specific details about the glass types used in the elements are not widely published, it’s known that the lens utilizes high-quality optical glass. The simplicity of the design harks back to a time when lens makers focused on achieving optimal performance with minimal complexity.

The multi-coating technology applied to the lens elements was considered advanced for its time. This coating serves several purposes:

1. Improved light transmission, allowing more light to reach the film or sensor
2. Reduced internal reflections, which helps control flare and ghosting
3. Enhanced contrast and color fidelity

The lens’s construction features a solid metal barrel, giving it a robust feel that’s often lacking in modern plastic lens constructions. The focus ring is well-damped, providing smooth and consistent resistance throughout its range, which is crucial for precise manual focusing.

Lens Coating Technology

A key feature of the Pentacon Auto 50mm f/1.8 lens is its multi-coating technology, which was relatively advanced for its time. To fully appreciate this, it’s important to understand the evolution of lens coatings:

Single Coating vs. Multi-Coating

Single coating, the predecessor to multi-coating, involves applying a single layer of anti-reflective material to the lens elements. This helps reduce reflections and increase light transmission, but its effectiveness is limited.

Multi-coating, as used in this Pentacon lens, involves applying multiple layers of coating materials. Each layer is designed to work with different wavelengths of light, resulting in several benefits:

1. Improved Light Transmission: More light reaches the film or sensor, which is especially beneficial in low-light conditions.
2. Reduced Flare and Ghosting: By minimizing internal reflections, multi-coating significantly reduces unwanted artifacts in images.
3. Enhanced Contrast: With less stray light bouncing around inside the lens, images have better overall contrast.
4. Better Color Fidelity: By reducing unwanted reflections, multi-coating helps maintain more accurate color reproduction.

The multi-coating on the Pentacon 50mm f/1.8 contributes significantly to its image quality, allowing it to produce contrasty, color-accurate images even in challenging lighting conditions. However, it’s worth noting that coating technology has advanced considerably since this lens was produced, and modern lenses often have even more sophisticated coating systems.

Aperture Mechanism and Bokeh Characteristics

One of the defining features of the Pentacon 50mm f/1.8 is its aperture mechanism. The lens boasts a 6-blade aperture design, which creates a hexagonal aperture shape when stopped down. This design choice has a significant impact on the lens’s rendering of out-of-focus areas, contributing to its characteristic bokeh.

The term “bokeh” refers to the aesthetic quality of the out-of-focus areas in an image. The Pentacon 50mm f/1.8 is renowned for producing a unique “swirly” bokeh effect, particularly when shot wide open. This swirly bokeh is characterized by a circular motion in the out-of-focus areas, creating a dreamy, almost ethereal effect.

The hexagonal aperture shape, visible when the lens is stopped down, can create interesting geometric highlights in out-of-focus points of light. This effect can be particularly striking in night photography or when capturing scenes with small, bright light sources.

Image Quality and Performance

Sharpness and Softness: A Double-Edged Sword

The Pentacon 50mm f/1.8 exhibits an interesting sharpness profile that varies significantly across its aperture range. At its widest aperture of f/1.8, the lens displays a characteristic softness, particularly towards the edges of the frame. While this might be considered a drawback in some situations, it can also be leveraged creatively.

When can the softness at f/1.8 be a problem?

1. In situations requiring critical sharpness across the entire frame, such as landscape photography or architectural shots.
2. When shooting in low light conditions where you need both a wide aperture and maximum detail.
3. For product photography or other commercial work where edge-to-edge sharpness is expected.

When can the softness at f/1.8 be used as an advantage?

1. In portrait photography, where the softness can create a flattering, dreamy effect that smooths skin texture.
2. For creating atmospheric, moody images where the overall feel is more important than pin-sharp details.
3. In fine art photography, where the soft rendering can contribute to a painterly aesthetic.
4. For vintage-style or period-piece photography, where the softer look aligns with the aesthetic of older photographic processes.

As you stop down the aperture, the lens’s sharpness improves dramatically. By f/4, the center sharpness is excellent, with corners catching up significantly. Optimal sharpness across the frame is typically achieved around f/8 to f/11, making these apertures ideal for scenes requiring maximum detail.

Color Rendition and Contrast

The multi-coating on the Pentacon 50mm f/1.8 contributes to good color reproduction and contrast. Many users note a slightly warm color cast, which can be particularly pleasing for portrait photography. This warmth can add a subtle glow to skin tones and can help create a nostalgic feel in images.

The lens maintains good contrast in various lighting conditions, though it may struggle somewhat in high-contrast scenarios due to its vintage design. In backlit situations or when shooting into bright light sources, you may notice a slight decrease in contrast, but this can often be corrected in post-processing or used creatively for a more vintage look.

Flare and Ghosting

While the multi-coating helps control flare to some extent, the Pentacon 50mm f/1.8 can still produce noticeable flare and ghosting when shooting into bright light sources. This characteristic can be both a challenge and a creative opportunity:

Challenges:

1. Reduced contrast in backlit scenes
2. Unpredictable ghost images or artifacts in the frame

Creative opportunities:

1. Using flare to create a warm, nostalgic atmosphere
2. Incorporating ghosting effects for a dreamy, ethereal look
3. Experimenting with partial obstruction of the front element to create interesting flare patterns

To minimize unwanted flare, using a lens hood is recommended. While the original hood may be hard to find, generic 49mm screw-in or rubber collapsible hoods can be effective alternatives.

Distortion and Vignetting

The Pentacon 50mm f/1.8 exhibits minimal distortion, which is typical for standard 50mm lenses. There’s a very slight barrel distortion, but it’s generally not noticeable in real-world shooting scenarios unless photographing subjects with straight lines near the edges of the frame. This low distortion makes the lens suitable for architectural photography when stopped down for optimal sharpness.

Vignetting, or darkening of the corners, is noticeable when shooting wide open at f/1.8, especially on full-frame cameras. The vignetting gradually reduces as you stop down, becoming minimal by f/4 to f/5.6. Some photographers appreciate this characteristic for the way it naturally draws attention to the center of the image. In portrait photography, for instance, the vignetting can help isolate the subject and add a subtle, classic look to the image.

Handling and Ergonomics

The Pentacon auto 50mm f/1.8 Multi Coating lens offers a tactile, engaging shooting experience that many modern autofocus lenses lack. Its all-metal construction provides a solid, weighty feel in hand, inspiring confidence in its durability.

The focus ring is a standout feature, with a smooth, well-damped action that allows for precise control. The focus throw – the amount of rotation from minimum focus distance to infinity – is approximately 270 degrees. This longer throw is particularly appreciated by videographers who require smooth, controlled focus pulls.

The aperture ring clicks at half-stop intervals, allowing for precise exposure control. This tactile feedback is especially useful when shooting without looking at the lens, as you can count the clicks to know exactly how much you’ve adjusted the aperture.

While the manual focus and aperture control may seem cumbersome to those accustomed to modern autofocus lenses, many photographers find that it slows down their shooting process in a positive way, encouraging more thoughtful composition and exposure decisions.

Close Focus Capabilities

The minimum focusing distance of the Pentacon 50mm f/1.8 is approximately 35cm (13.8 inches), providing a maximum magnification ratio of about 1:7. While not a macro lens, this close focusing capability allows for interesting close-up shots, particularly when taking advantage of the lens’s unique bokeh characteristics.

This close focus ability, combined with the wide f/1.8 aperture, allows for creative shots with a very shallow depth of field. It’s particularly effective for:

1. Detail shots in wedding photography (rings, flowers, etc.)
2. Food photography, especially when aiming for a moody, atmospheric look
3. Abstract photography, using the swirly bokeh to create interesting backgrounds for close-up subjects

Field of View and Crop Factor Considerations

On a full-frame camera, this 50mm lens provides a standard field of view, close to that of human vision. This makes it versatile for a wide range of photography, from street scenes to environmental portraits.

On APS-C sensors, it becomes equivalent to approximately 75mm (depending on the exact crop factor). This mild telephoto effect makes it an excellent choice for portraits, as it provides flattering perspective compression without requiring too much distance from the subject.

On Micro Four Thirds systems, with their 2x crop factor, the lens provides a 100mm equivalent field of view. This longer telephoto perspective is suitable for tighter portraits, some sports photography, and isolating details in landscapes.

Creative Uses of the Pentacon 50mm f/1.8

The unique characteristics of this lens open up a world of creative possibilities:

1. Dreamy Portraits: Shoot wide open at f/1.8 to create ethereal, soft-focus portraits with swirly bokeh backgrounds.
2. Vintage-Style Street Photography: The lens’s slightly warm rendering and classic 50mm focal length are perfect for capturing street scenes with a timeless quality.
3. Atmospheric Still Life: Use the lens’s softness at wide apertures and close focusing capabilities to create moody still life images with a painterly quality.
4. Double Exposure Effects: Experiment with in-camera double exposures (if your camera supports this) to create surreal images that take advantage of the lens’s unique bokeh.
5. Freelensing: For the adventurous, try freelensing (holding the lens slightly away from the camera mount) to create tilt-shift-like effects with selective focus.
6. Depth Map Photography: Use the lens’s smooth focus throw to create a series of images focused at different distances, which can be combined in post-processing to create depth maps or focus-stacked images.
7. Cinematography: The long focus throw and clickless aperture (on some versions) make this lens suitable for video work, especially when going for a vintage or dream-like aesthetic.
8. Light Painting: The manual aperture control allows for easy long-exposure shots, perfect for light painting photography.
9. Bokeh Panoramas: Create ultra-shallow depth of field panoramas by shooting multiple overlapping images at f/1.8 and stitching them together in post-processing.
10. Flare Effects: Intentionally shoot into light sources to create artistic flare effects, using the lens’s flare characteristics creatively.

Technical Specifications

To provide a more complete picture of the Pentacon Auto 50mm f/1.8 Multi Coating lens, here are its key technical specifications:

• Focal Length: 50mm
• Maximum Aperture: f/1.8
• Minimum Aperture: f/22
• Lens Mount: M42 screw mount
• Lens Construction: 6 elements in 5 groups
• Angle of View: 46° (on full-frame)
• Minimum Focus Distance: 35cm (13.8 inches)
• Filter Size: 49mm
• Dimensions (Diameter x Length): Approximately 65mm x 44mm
• Weight: Approximately 230 grams

Adapting to Digital: Challenges and Considerations

While the Pentacon 50mm f/1.8 was designed for film cameras, it has found new life in the digital age. However, using this vintage lens on modern digital cameras comes with both rewards and challenges:

1. Manual Focus: The lack of autofocus can be challenging, especially on DSLRs with standard focusing screens. However, many mirrorless cameras offer focus peaking, which highlights in-focus areas, making manual focusing easier and more accurate.
2. Exposure Metering: Most digital cameras can meter correctly with this lens in aperture priority or manual mode. However, you may need to enable a camera setting like “Release without lens” or “”Use without lens” to allow the camera to function without electronic lens communication.
3. EXIF Data: The camera won’t record lens-specific EXIF data, so you’ll need to manually note the lens and settings used if this information is important to you.
4. Crop Factor Considerations: On cameras with sensors smaller than full-frame, the effective focal length will change. On APS-C sensors, the 50mm lens behaves more like a short telephoto (around 75mm equivalent).
5. Adapters: The quality of the adapter used can affect infinity focus and overall image quality. It’s worth investing in a good quality adapter.
6. Lens Corrections: Unlike with modern lenses, your camera won’t have a built-in profile for automatic corrections of distortion, vignetting, or chromatic aberration for this lens.

Despite these challenges, many photographers find that the unique image qualities and the engaging manual experience of using the Pentacon 50mm f/1.8 more than make up for the minor inconveniences.

Videography Applications

While primarily designed for still photography, the Pentacon 50mm f/1.8 has found a place in videography, particularly among filmmakers looking for a vintage aesthetic. Here are some considerations for using this lens in video work:

Strengths:

1. Manual Focus: The smooth focus ring allows for precise, cinematic focus pulls.
2. Aesthetic: The lens’s unique rendering, including its bokeh and slight softness wide open, can contribute to a film-like look.
3. Size and Weight: Its compact size makes it suitable for use on gimbals or other stabilization systems.
4. Cost-Effective: It provides a professional-looking image at a fraction of the cost of modern cine lenses.

Limitations:

1. Manual Everything: Lacking electronic communication with the camera, all adjustments must be made manually.
2. No Image Stabilization: This can be an issue for handheld shooting, though many modern cameras have in-body stabilization that can help.
3. Breathing: Like many stills lenses, it may exhibit noticeable focus breathing (a slight change in focal length when focusing), which can be distracting in video.
4. Clicked Aperture: The clicked aperture ring can make smooth aperture changes during a shot difficult, though some videographers modify the lens to de-click the aperture.

Despite these limitations, many videographers appreciate the Pentacon 50mm f/1.8 for its unique character and the organic, analog feel it brings to digital video.

Maintenance and Care

Proper care and maintenance can significantly extend the life of your Pentacon 50mm f/1.8 lens and ensure it continues to perform at its best. Here are some tips:

1. Cleaning:
   • Use a soft brush or blower to remove dust from the lens surface.
   • For stubborn marks, use a microfiber cloth or lens tissue with a small amount of lens cleaning solution.
   • Never use strong solvents or household cleaning products.
2. Storage:
   • Store the lens in a cool, dry place to prevent fungus growth.
   • Use silica gel packets in your storage area to control humidity.
   • Always attach both front and rear caps when the lens is not in use.
3. Lubrication:
   • The focus and aperture rings may become stiff over time. If this occurs, it’s best to have the lens serviced by a professional.
   • Do not attempt to lubricate the lens yourself, as this can lead to oil on the optical elements.
4. Fungus Prevention:
   • Regularly expose the lens to sunlight (with caps off) for short periods. UV light can help prevent fungus growth.
   • If you live in a humid climate, consider storing the lens with desiccants.
5. Mount Care:
   • Keep the M42 mount clean and free from dust or debris.
   • Be careful not to cross-thread the lens when mounting it to a camera or adapter.
6. Regular Check-ups:
   • Periodically check the lens for any signs of separation between elements, which can appear as a cloudy or bubbly effect.
   • If you notice any unusual changes in image quality, have the lens inspected by a professional.

Remember, while these vintage lenses are generally robust, they are also decades old. Gentle handling and proper care will ensure your Pentacon 50mm f/1.8 continues to produce beautiful images for years to come.

Optical Imperfections and Character

The Pentacon 50mm f/1.8, like many vintage lenses, has certain optical imperfections that contribute to its unique character. Understanding these can help photographers leverage them creatively:

1. Spherical Aberration: This lens exhibits some spherical aberration, especially when shot wide open. This contributes to the soft, dreamy look at f/1.8, which can be particularly flattering for portraits.
2. Chromatic Aberration: You may notice some color fringing in high-contrast areas, particularly at wider apertures. This can sometimes add a vintage charm to images but can also be corrected in post-processing if desired.
3. Coma: At wide apertures, points of light near the edges of the frame may appear distorted, taking on a comet-like shape. This can be used creatively in night photography.
4. Field Curvature: The plane of focus isn’t perfectly flat, which can result in softness at the edges when the center is in focus, especially at wider apertures. This can be used to naturally draw attention to the center of the frame.
5. Vignetting: The noticeable vignetting at wide apertures, while technically an imperfection, often adds a pleasing, natural-looking frame to images.

These “imperfections” are a big part of what gives images shot with the Pentacon 50mm f/1.8 their distinctive look. Many photographers specifically seek out this lens for these characteristics, which can be difficult to replicate convincingly with modern, more clinically perfect lenses.

Digital Corrections

While many photographers appreciate the Pentacon 50mm f/1.8 for its unique rendering, including its optical imperfections, others may wish to correct some of these characteristics. Modern digital tools offer several options:

1. Lens Profiles: While there may not be a built-in profile for this lens in most software, some third-party plugins or user-created profiles may be available.
2. Manual Corrections:
   • Vignetting: Can be easily corrected using the vignette correction tool in most editing software.
   • Chromatic Aberration: Many software packages have tools to reduce or eliminate color fringing.
   • Distortion: Although minimal with this lens, any distortion can be corrected manually in software like Adobe Lightroom or Capture One.
3. Sharpening: For images shot at wider apertures, selective sharpening can be applied to enhance detail where desired.
4. Contrast Adjustment: The global or local contrast can be adjusted to taste, especially for images shot in challenging lighting conditions.
5. Color Correction: The lens’s color rendering can be adjusted in post-processing to match modern standards if desired.

It’s worth noting that many photographers choose to embrace the lens’s characteristics rather than correct them, as these traits contribute to the unique aesthetic that makes the Pentacon 50mm f/1.8 special. The decision to apply digital corrections often depends on the specific image and the photographer’s creative vision.

Price, Availability, and Collectibility

As a vintage lens, the Pentacon Auto 50mm f/1.8 Multi Coating is primarily available on the used market. Prices typically range from $50 to $150 USD, depending on condition and seller. This relatively affordable price point makes it an attractive option for photographers looking to experiment with vintage glass without a significant investment.

The lens can be found on various online marketplaces specializing in used camera gear, as well as in local camera shops that deal in vintage equipment. When purchasing, it’s important to check for any fungus, haze, or separation in the elements, as these issues can affect image quality.

In terms of collectibility, the Pentacon 50mm f/1.8 has gained a following among vintage lens enthusiasts. While not as rare as some other vintage lenses, its unique rendering and historical significance make it a desirable piece for collectors. There are some variations in production over the years, with slight differences in coatings and cosmetic details, which can affect collectibility and price.

For those interested in lens history, owning and using a Pentacon 50mm f/1.8 provides a tangible connection to a significant period in photographic technology – the transition from purely manual designs to more modern, multi-coated optics.

Conclusion

The Pentacon auto 50mm f/1.8 Multi Coating lens is more than just a photographic tool – it’s a gateway to a unique visual aesthetic and a hands-on, engaging shooting experience. Its combination of vintage charm, optical quirks, and surprising versatility make it a valuable addition to any photographer’s kit.

While it may not match the technical perfection of modern lenses, its character and rendering offer something that many contemporary optics lack – a distinct personality that can help define your photographic style. Whether you’re a portrait photographer looking for dreamy, soft-focus effects, a street photographer aiming for a classic look, or an experimental artist pushing the boundaries of your craft, the Pentacon 50mm f/1.8 has something to offer.

In an age of clinical sharpness and technical perfection, this lens reminds us that sometimes, it’s the imperfections and unique characteristics that make our images truly memorable. By embracing its strengths and quirks alike, photographers can use the Pentacon 50mm f/1.8 to create images that stand out in today’s digital world – images with soul, character, and a timeless quality that harkens back to the golden age of film photography.