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Sample photos (2)

Model history (2)

Specification

Source of data

• Manufacturer's technical data.

From the FotoKurier magazine (No. 6, 2002)

A number of Era lens models were produced in the USSR for microfilming devices. Era lenses are built using the optical formula of an asymmetric semi-glued anastigmat with 6 lenses in 5 groups. These lenses are characterized by excellent sharpness, contrast, and virtually zero vignetting. To use this optical formula on 35mm SLR cameras, the working distance was extended. The high-speed standard lens created at the Krasnogorsk plant was called the Era-6 50/1.5. It was produced as an interchangeable lens for cameras with an M42x1 mount in two modifications: Era-6M and Era-6A, the latter has an interchangeable mount.

The lens is similar in external design to the mass-produced Helios 44M-4/5/6/7 models. The front edge of the barrel protrudes above the edges of the front element by approximately 5mm. The front element is strongly convex compared to Zenitar, Pancolar (produced in the GDR) and other standard lenses with speeds of F/1.7-2, but does not protrude beyond the barrel and is structurally well protected.

There are no inscriptions on the barrel about the presence of multi-layer coating. The examined copy of "Era" No. 800074, judging by its resistance to flare in difficult lighting conditions, is indeed not MC. For the 80s of the twentieth century, the absence of a multi-layer coating on optics of this class seems nonsense.

The minimum focusing distance indicated on the barrel is 0.5m. The rotation angle of the focus ring from infinity to 0.5m is about 150 degrees. This is neither much nor little: convenient for precise focusing on close objects and not too much for quick refocusing from a close-up to infinity (no need to take your fingers off the focus ring). In general, it is made ergonomically.

According to the technical specifications of the manufacturer, the Era-6 has a resolving power with a fully open aperture (in pairs of lines, center/edge) of no less than 45/22 mm^-1.

R. Ilyinsky and A. Sheklein, referring to the leading designer of photo optics D. S. Volosov, provide a table in their article. It states that satisfactory image quality is provided by optics with a resolving power of 30-45 lines/mm^-1 in the center and 20 lines/mm^-1 at the edge of the frame, with a resolving power of more than 50 lines/mm^-1 in the center and more than 35 mm^-1 at the edge of the frame, the image quality is assessed as "excellent". According to the cited table by D. S. Volosov, the "Era-6" undoubtedly belongs to the category of lenses providing very good image quality.

However, according to the encyclopedic reference book "Photography" (p. 114, Minsk, 1992), "Era-6" has a resolving power of 40/18 mm^-1.

According to the factory data sheet, two lenses had a similar resolution among domestic high-speed lenses produced for retail trade: MC Volna-4N 50/1.4 (produced at the Arsenal plant - now produced under the name ARSAT 50/1.4) and the extremely rare MC Volna-8N 50/1.2 (currently no longer produced). The resolving power of the latter, according to the specifications, was 40/25 mm^-1.

General characteristics of the lens: Despite all the shortcomings (the impossibility of high-quality shooting with the sun included in the frame or at an angle to the light of less than 45 degrees, noticeable barrel distortion even when shooting from 5m), the lens can be assessed as very good, even though it is of little use for macro photography and technical work. Its undoubted advantages are high resolution, high plasticity of the created image, with a very decent level of contrast, and a very decent pattern in out-of-focus areas.

Overall, the lens produces a highly artistic image with a smooth transition to the front and back blur zones, separates midtones and shadow details well with normal image contrast. The sharpness properties are such that starting from the aperture value of 2.8 it provides high image quality in enlargement from color negatives, even taken under unfavorable lighting conditions, up to a size of 50 x 75cm. The optimal aperture is unknown, but it should be 8.

The "Era-6M" was produced at the Krasnogorsk plant in the second half of the 70s - 80s. V. Feday ("Photography", 1992) indicates that "Era-6" "was produced in small quantities", "but did not go into serial production", although "it was distinguished by high optical characteristics". The production of "Era" was limited to only a few small batches of a hundred pieces. Presumably, the total number of Era-6 lenses manufactured at KMZ was several hundred pieces. Their production was stopped, most likely, due to unprofitability. The cost of manufacturing such an optical formula was no less than several hundred rubles. At the same time, the selling price set "from above" by the Committee on Prices was about 150 rubles, or so.

A similar fate befell the Almaz cameras. The wholesale price of the Almaz-103 was set at 230 rubles, the "planned cost" at 224 rubles. The actual cost of the camera in 1984 was 669 rubles. From January 1, 1989, LOMO, where Almaz was manufactured, switched to self-financing, and the history of the Soviet professional camera ended.

The production of pilot batches of the Era-6 lens did not mark the beginning of the production of modern high-speed optics for SLR cameras in Russia. This did not happen in the 80s or 90s. Small batches of MC Zenitar 50/1.4 and 85/1.4 flashed like a phantom in the early 90s on the shelves of the "Jupiter" store and sank into history. The Era-6 was their predecessor, the "Era" that became a legend, but did not become an era. Too bad...

From the editor

According to rough estimates, no more than 300 units were produced by the Krasnogorsk Mechanical Plant (USSR) from 1977 to 1980.

Other standard prime lenses in the Zenit M42 system

Lenses with similar focal length