IRON GLASS
MIR-20M 20mm F3.5
This is the widest lens in this set, closely based on the Carl Zeiss Flektogon 20mm optical formula. The first thing you notice about it is the huge, curved front element which makes this lens look like fish-eye, but it’s not. Mir-20 is the widest Soviet rectilinear full-frame lens that you can buy. At F3.5 it’s one of the slower lenses in this set, but being ultra-wide, everything is pretty much in focus anyway, so you are not losing much “bokeh”. I generally use wider lenses at F4-F5.6 anyway, so for me, it’s not a problem. The minimum focusing distance is just 0.18m, which makes it one of the shortest focusing distance lenses in its class and is great for getting very close to your subject. If you want the maximum depth of field though, focusing to around 2m brings pretty much everything into focus!
The huge front element picks up the light from every direction, so this lens flares a lot and has quite a low contrast look, but it’s pretty sharp, especially in the middle of the frame. The edges though are quite soft even at F8, so it’s not going to be your high-performance lens. Saying that it’s definitely one of my favourite Soviet lenses and one of my most used lenses in this set!
MIR-1B 37mm F2.8
This lens very popular wide/mid-range lens, same as Mir-20 was also closely based on Zeiss Flektogon equivalent. It’s a favourite lens of many thanks to its incredible flares, if that is your thing. This lens also has one big downside: the closest focusing distance of just 0.70m making it somewhat unusable for capturing proper close-ups. If you want to learn a bit more about this lens, make sure to check out my review.
Helios 44 58mm F2
All-time favourite vintage lens: small, cheap, far from perfect, but incredible in so many ways. There are many versions of this lens with the 44-2 model being the most common. All versions though were based on the amazing Zeiss’s Biotar 58mm, which explains why Helios 58mm is so well regarded. It’s always the first lens I recommend to anyone wishing to try out vintage lenses. It pretty much has it all including the beautiful dreamy flares, very unique swirly bokeh and a great sharpness (providing you get lucky with your copy). Minimum focusing distance is 0.50m, so gets you pretty nice close-ups with this lens, making it very popular for mid/close portrait shots.
Jupiter-9 85mm F2
This lens competes the very popular Soviet Trio (37mm 58mm 85mmm). This one based on Zeiss Sonnar equivalent and shares most of the characteristics with the other 2 lenses it’s often used with. One of its coolest features is the 15 blade aperture, which keeps that bokeh nice and round at any F-stop. Even though at 0.8m its minimum focusing distance is not outstanding, it’s great for really tight “bohehlicios” shots. The only reason I don’t use it more is that I love my Helios 44 so much!
Tair-11A 135mm F2.8
This is the tightest lens in my set. Same as with Mir-10A I’m not sure if this lens has any direct relation to Zeiss lenses, but it’s a very impressive telephoto lens nevertheless, especially the updated A version, which had improved sharpness and better close focusing distance than the original Tair-11. The focus throw of approx. 300° is also particularly helpful with this lens helping you dial it in perfectly in a smooth and precise way. If you thought 15 aperture blades on Jupiter-9 was impressive, how about 20 on this beast? It’s safe to say, that bokeh is absolutely perfect. The “anamorfake” bokeh mod is also the most effective on this lens!
MIR-20M 20mm F3.5
This is the widest lens in this set, closely based on the Carl Zeiss Flektogon 20mm optical formula. The first thing you notice about it is the huge, curved front element which makes this lens look like fish-eye, but it’s not. Mir-20 is the widest Soviet rectilinear full-frame lens that you can buy. At F3.5 it’s one of the slower lenses in this set, but being ultra-wide, everything is pretty much in focus anyway, so you are not losing much “bokeh”. I generally use wider lenses at F4-F5.6 anyway, so for me, it’s not a problem. The minimum focusing distance is just 0.18m, which makes it one of the shortest focusing distance lenses in its class and is great for getting very close to your subject. If you want the maximum depth of field though, focusing to around 2m brings pretty much everything into focus!
The huge front element picks up the light from every direction, so this lens flares a lot and has quite a low contrast look, but it’s pretty sharp, especially in the middle of the frame. The edges though are quite soft even at F8, so it’s not going to be your high-performance lens. Saying that it’s definitely one of my favourite Soviet lenses and one of my most used lenses in this set!
MIR-1B 37mm F2.8
This lens very popular wide/mid-range lens, same as Mir-20 was also closely based on Zeiss Flektogon equivalent. It’s a favourite lens of many thanks to its incredible flares, if that is your thing. This lens also has one big downside: the closest focusing distance of just 0.70m making it somewhat unusable for capturing proper close-ups. If you want to learn a bit more about this lens, make sure to check out my review.
Helios 44 58mm F2
All-time favourite vintage lens: small, cheap, far from perfect, but incredible in so many ways. There are many versions of this lens with the 44-2 model being the most common. All versions though were based on the amazing Zeiss’s Biotar 58mm, which explains why Helios 58mm is so well regarded. It’s always the first lens I recommend to anyone wishing to try out vintage lenses. It pretty much has it all including the beautiful dreamy flares, very unique swirly bokeh and a great sharpness (providing you get lucky with your copy). Minimum focusing distance is 0.50m, so gets you pretty nice close-ups with this lens, making it very popular for mid/close portrait shots.
Jupiter-9 85mm F2
This lens competes the very popular Soviet Trio (37mm 58mm 85mmm). This one based on Zeiss Sonnar equivalent and shares most of the characteristics with the other 2 lenses it’s often used with. One of its coolest features is the 15 blade aperture, which keeps that bokeh nice and round at any F-stop. Even though at 0.8m its minimum focusing distance is not outstanding, it’s great for really tight “bohehlicios” shots. The only reason I don’t use it more is that I love my Helios 44 so much!
Tair-11A 135mm F2.8
This is the tightest lens in my set. Same as with Mir-10A I’m not sure if this lens has any direct relation to Zeiss lenses, but it’s a very impressive telephoto lens nevertheless, especially the updated A version, which had improved sharpness and better close focusing distance than the original Tair-11. The focus throw of approx. 300° is also particularly helpful with this lens helping you dial it in perfectly in a smooth and precise way. If you thought 15 aperture blades on Jupiter-9 was impressive, how about 20 on this beast? It’s safe to say, that bokeh is absolutely perfect. The “anamorfake” bokeh mod is also the most effective on this lens!
MIR-20M 20mm F3.5
This is the widest lens in this set, closely based on the Carl Zeiss Flektogon 20mm optical formula. The first thing you notice about it is the huge, curved front element which makes this lens look like fish-eye, but it’s not. Mir-20 is the widest Soviet rectilinear full-frame lens that you can buy. At F3.5 it’s one of the slower lenses in this set, but being ultra-wide, everything is pretty much in focus anyway, so you are not losing much “bokeh”. I generally use wider lenses at F4-F5.6 anyway, so for me, it’s not a problem. The minimum focusing distance is just 0.18m, which makes it one of the shortest focusing distance lenses in its class and is great for getting very close to your subject. If you want the maximum depth of field though, focusing to around 2m brings pretty much everything into focus!
The huge front element picks up the light from every direction, so this lens flares a lot and has quite a low contrast look, but it’s pretty sharp, especially in the middle of the frame. The edges though are quite soft even at F8, so it’s not going to be your high-performance lens. Saying that it’s definitely one of my favourite Soviet lenses and one of my most used lenses in this set!
MIR-1B 37mm F2.8
This lens very popular wide/mid-range lens, same as Mir-20 was also closely based on Zeiss Flektogon equivalent. It’s a favourite lens of many thanks to its incredible flares, if that is your thing. This lens also has one big downside: the closest focusing distance of just 0.70m making it somewhat unusable for capturing proper close-ups. If you want to learn a bit more about this lens, make sure to check out my review.
Helios 44 58mm F2
All-time favourite vintage lens: small, cheap, far from perfect, but incredible in so many ways. There are many versions of this lens with the 44-2 model being the most common. All versions though were based on the amazing Zeiss’s Biotar 58mm, which explains why Helios 58mm is so well regarded. It’s always the first lens I recommend to anyone wishing to try out vintage lenses. It pretty much has it all including the beautiful dreamy flares, very unique swirly bokeh and a great sharpness (providing you get lucky with your copy). Minimum focusing distance is 0.50m, so gets you pretty nice close-ups with this lens, making it very popular for mid/close portrait shots.
Jupiter-9 85mm F2
This lens competes the very popular Soviet Trio (37mm 58mm 85mmm). This one based on Zeiss Sonnar equivalent and shares most of the characteristics with the other 2 lenses it’s often used with. One of its coolest features is the 15 blade aperture, which keeps that bokeh nice and round at any F-stop. Even though at 0.8m its minimum focusing distance is not outstanding, it’s great for really tight “bohehlicios” shots. The only reason I don’t use it more is that I love my Helios 44 so much!
Tair-11A 135mm F2.8
This is the tightest lens in my set. Same as with Mir-10A I’m not sure if this lens has any direct relation to Zeiss lenses, but it’s a very impressive telephoto lens nevertheless, especially the updated A version, which had improved sharpness and better close focusing distance than the original Tair-11. The focus throw of approx. 300° is also particularly helpful with this lens helping you dial it in perfectly in a smooth and precise way. If you thought 15 aperture blades on Jupiter-9 was impressive, how about 20 on this beast? It’s safe to say, that bokeh is absolutely perfect. The “anamorfake” bokeh mod is also the most effective on this lens!