Are Carl Zeiss Jena lenses better than Ukrainian lenses?
Depends on who you ask… but many people will tell you that, yes, they are better. The two sets that get compared the most are the CZJ Flektogon 50mm F4 versus the Mir-26 45mm F3.5 and the CZJ Sonnar 180mm F2.8 versus the Kaleinar 150mm F2.8. Flektogon versus Mir: Most people will probably tell you that the Flektogon is better. Still, there are those who prefer the Mir, claiming that the Flektogon is overrated. The Flektogon is generally believed to be sharper. But, while the Mir is often cast as the dog of the Kiev lens line, it will still produce “decent” results, especially when stopped down to F8 or F11. On Rick Denney’s site, you will find a nice comparison between the Flektogon and the Mir. Basically, he found that while the Flektogon has much higher center resolution, the Mir gives a more even performance across the whole negative. An old Mir will go for about $100 on eBay. An old “zebra” model Flektogon will fetch about $150. A brand new, but not multicoated Mir will sell for
