I’m looking forward to some info on this lens history. First of all the exact market introduction date…
When you read Zenitar M, it is the screw mount version of this older revision of this lens. The one often sold as “Canon EF” includes an M42/EF bayonet adapter in the box. The N means Nikon and K means it has Pentax K bayonet.
I’m supposing mid-1980 was the date this lens started to appear on the market but it’s a guess. It’s a cheap but good diagonal fisheye you started to find on the roadside improvised shop when the East Block opened to Europe. Here you can find various versions, different writings on the barrel, in Russian or in English, old and new front caps.
A good sample of this lens is a pleasure to use and a significantly sharp fisheye lens, don’t expect top performance at f2.8, or incredible resistance to flare, but a very good honest lens.
Many lenses after 1991 have to be adjusted, recalibrated, etc. to reach their top intended performance. Quality control was dropped till the most modern version.
A recent M42 set has a textile bag and a plastic blister to keep the paper-wrapped filters, a proper spring-loaded cap, shaped on the metal hood. A transparent filter is part of the optical design, don’t buy this lens without its transparent filter attached to the back.
Filters are rear screw-in, M26,5х0,5, usually delivered with the lens there is a clear filter, screwed on, a yellow-green, a light yellow and a red one
This is the older version of the lens, please note the lens case with filter holder and the big clumsy slip-on cap. Note the latest version has “made in Russia” engraved on the hood.
A glimpse look at the newest version of this lens.
