Thread: Vega-11U lens on Sony NEX 5

Hi guys!

Let me introduce you a Vega-11U lens. It's lens from photo enlarger made in USSR. Lens can be separeted from other parts and then can be used throught m39-NEX adapter. Lens don't have a focus ring, because focusing were made throught photo enlarger. It's not a big problem, you need to focus by your hands. But with it, lens weight is only 0,09kg and size is just 39mm. It's really tiny!



I get my lens from ebay for 29$ + you need a adapter (10$) + i get steel macrorings (17$). With this price i got sharp macro ring, damn! really sharp macro ring. It's 50mm (54mm if really) with f2.8-11 aperture. With macrorings you can get 1:1 macro and this is crazy :-)



Lens test with coin. I used Sony NEX-5R with Vega-11U and standart flash.

Then i tested bokeh. My lens had broken aperture ring (broke after first day of use) on f5.6, but lens had 11 iris, so bokeh can be good enough.



Lens have unreal resolution 70/40 (lp/mm). For exemple, good modern lenses had some like 40/20. So picture is really sharp and have good local contrast.



I'm impressed with picture quality on my Nex-5R and hope to see this lens someday on Nex-7 with his tons of pixels.
I got lens from ebay and recommend to try it for yourself. It can be interesting and very cheap.

Also, i found review on english here and uploading my photos to flickr.

Very interesting lens and a great macro performer!

Thank you for sharing, Streltcov

Interesting. I always though you needed a bellows to use an enlarger lens. Learn something new every day.

Ya, looks like a nice set up.

That's not day-to-day lens. It's to easy to focus right, or may be it's just inusual for me for the first day. But it's cheap lens to test macro. I think everyone can buy it to test macro style of shooting before get expensive lens.

Found on russian site couple of photos (in the end of the page, if you will check it):



End the crooooop issss:

pomegranate test

There are M42 helicoids available in Ebay. That way you can build even focusing to that lens. I have a Meopta Meogon in 50mm and Vivitar LU 90 mm. 50mm is bit short outside but ok inside for macro work.

Originally Posted by xXx1

There are M42 helicoids available in Ebay. That way you can build even focusing to that lens. I have a Meopta Meogon in 50mm and Vivitar LU 90 mm. 50mm is bit short outside but ok inside for macro work.

Vega-11U is m39. It's still possible to make it focusing?

It's looks like that?

Originally Posted by Streltcov

Vega-11U is m39. It's still possible to make it focusing?

It's looks like that?

Yes. You put M39 to M42 adapter to Vega and attach that to M42 helicoid and attach that to Nex M42 adapter.

I have to get one of these Vega 11:s for summer, it works ok and I think that with a helicoid it would suit my needs very well.

Unfortunately there is quite lot to be purchased before summer and this isn't a top priority for me.