Which Focotar lens?

[ericdan]

I understand there are several versions of focotar lenses. Which one is this?

 

[Hilo]

Of the 50mm (not the 5cm) Focotar there exist three versions and yours is the first. You can tell the version from its lens information and where it is written on the lens

- Focotar 50mm / info on the front ring / 5 elements / 1953 - 1970

- Focotar 50mm / info on the side of the barrel / 5 elements / larger front element (LFE) / made by Schneider / 1970 - 1974

- Focotar-2 50mm / info on the side of the barrel / 6 elements / 1974 - 1979

 

[ericdan]

Great. Thanks!
It’s a pretty good lens. Used it up to 11x14 for 35mm and it looks good.

 

[Hilo]

All these Focotar versions are good lenses. The first you must stop down twice, then it is sharp. The second supposedly has an excellent flatness of field. The third you can actually use wide open, or 1 stop closed. It has more contrast than the first, which for some images is great. I do 20x24 or smaller with them and like them all. All this stuff is pretty subjective as other parameters play as well.