Meyer-Optik Görlitz Oreston 50mm f/1.8

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Meyer's 6-element/4-group fast fifty, renamed Pentacon auto 50/1.8 after the 1970 merger and then built in huge numbers, so the Pentacon is the budget way to the same optics. It focuses to 0.33 m, unusually close for a 1960s normal lens, and wide open it has lowered contrast and outlined highlights that give a mild Trioplan-like bubble effect. Six straight blades; stiff focus grease and slow aperture blades are typical age problems.

Key specs

Focal length

50 mm

Max aperture

f/1.8

Mount

M42 screw

Image circle

Full frame

Close focus

0.33 m

Filter thread

49 mm

Weight

219 g

Field of view by sensor

Full frame

39.6° horizontal · frames like 50 mm on full frame

Super 35

28° horizontal · frames like 72.3 mm on full frame

Micro Four Thirds

19.6° horizontal · frames like 104 mm on full frame

What it goes on

The Oreston is auto-aperture only with no A/M switch (just a DOF preview button), so it needs a flanged M42 adapter that holds the pin in — with a plain adapter the iris stays wide open. Glassless to EF and all mirrorless mounts. Later Pentacon-branded versions often add an A/M switch, which is simpler for video use.

• Canon EF camerasWith adapterALEXA 265, ALEXA 35, ALEXA Mini LF, Pocket Cinema Camera 6K G2 +14 more

  M42-EOS flanged ring. Cheap and common. Pick a flanged ring that presses the auto-aperture pin. On full-frame EF DSLRs a few lenses (Helios 44-2, some Takumars) can catch the mirror at infinity.

• Sony E camerasWith adapterRonin 4D-6K, Ronin 4D-8K, Alpha 1 II, Alpha 7 IV +13 more

  Novoflex · K&F Concept · Fotodiox. 27.5 mm of room — a plain mechanical adapter. Manual focus and iris.

• Canon RF camerasWith adapterEOS C400, EOS C50, EOS C70, EOS C80 +10 more

  Novoflex · K&F Concept · Fotodiox. 25.5 mm of room — a plain mechanical adapter. Manual focus and iris.

• L-Mount camerasWith adapterCinema Camera 6K, PYXIS 12K, PYXIS 6K, Ronin 4D-6K +6 more

  Novoflex · K&F Concept · Fotodiox. 25.5 mm of room — a plain mechanical adapter. Manual focus and iris.

• Micro Four Thirds camerasWith adapterMicro Studio Camera 4K G2, Pocket Cinema Camera 4K, Lumix BGH1, Lumix GH6 +1 more

  Novoflex · K&F Concept · Fotodiox. 26.2 mm of room — a plain mechanical adapter. Manual focus and iris.

• Nikon Z camerasWith adapterKOMODO-X 6K S35, V-RAPTOR [X] 8K VV, V-RAPTOR XE

  Novoflex · K&F Concept · Fotodiox. 29.5 mm of room — a plain mechanical adapter. Manual focus and iris.

• Leica M camerasWith adapter· by flange mathsALEXA 265, ALEXA 35, ALEXA Mini LF, Ronin 4D-6K +1 more

  17.7 mm of room for a plain ring. Check rear-element and mirror clearance before buying.

• LPL camerasWith adapter· by flange mathsALEXA 265, ALEXA 35, ALEXA Mini LF, URSA Cine 17K 65

  1.5 mm of room for a plain ring. Check rear-element and mirror clearance before buying.

See every camera this lens fits →

Sources: japb.net, pentaxforums.com, dutchthrift.com