LOMO T-22 4.5/75 Review

T-22 75/4,5 is a standard lens of the camera "Lubitel 166". This is medium format mirror twin-lens amateur camera with not replaceable lens. Produced from 1950 through 1990 on the factories GOMZ, LOOMP, LOMO for medium-format cameras "Lubitel" family: Lubitel (1950-1956), Lubitel-2 (1955-1979), Lubitel 166 (1976-1981), Lubitel 166V (1981-1990).

T-22 has a triplet optical design. Hence, the name of the lens is the first letter of the name of the design. Such short names are also labeled some Industar (I-51, I-37). As for the name “T-22”, here there is some confusion because there are three different lenses with the same name: T-22 6.3/75 from medium format camera "Komsomolets" and T-22 4.5/40 from small-format camera "Smena." This review is the version of the T-22 4.5/75 from the camera "Lubreflexitel 166V", released by the LOMO.

Mount T-22 4.5/75 on a digital camera

Since the lens is for medium format, it has a flange distance longer than small-format lenses and therefore can be set perfectly on any camera with infinity safe. Another nice feature is that the lens has a focusing unit by rotating the front element. This means that the mounting does not have to use the auxiliary helicoid. However, experience has shown that it is not very convenient such focusing. To focus it to infinity at close range, you need to make a few turns of the lens; it is slow, so uncomfortable. I mounted T-22 on a Nikon D3100 camera using a helicoid from Industar-50 and the small M42 extension ring. I attached the lens to the helicoid by electric tape; this design is viable only to make test shots. For continuous use, it is necessary to come up with a more reliable fixation.  

T-22 4.5/75 Handling and Mechanics

The lens has a small size and weight. Assembled in the barrel with three leaf central shutter. 

The front lens, as mentioned above, is moved, whereby focusing is performed. But there is a downside - no stopper. Therefore, when focusing at short distances, it can be unscrewed front lens element.

 The lens has a 10-blade iris diaphragm. Because T-22 4.5/75 issued for a long time and at different factories, there are different barrel designs. 

My copy has a filter thread of 40.5 mm. This allows mount the hood (I installed hood M58 through the appropriate step-up ring). But I met another design, where a filter thread absent.  

T-22 4.5/75 Sample Shootings

All examples are taken at wide-open on camera Nikon D3100. Exports from RAW without any post-processing.

T-22 4.5/75 Sharpness

The lens has a resolution of the center/edge of 22/9 lines/mm. Therefore a high resolution does not.

But that's the charm of it—sharpness enough for portraits and other artistic scenes.

T-22 4.5/75 Character and Bokeh

The lens has a character inherent in triplets.

A wide-open, moderately soft, and small aperture and has a wide depth of field makes it easy to catch the object in focus.

T-22 4.5/75 Contrast and Color Render

The lens has good contrast. Elements have a single-layer purple coating.

I blacked out the rear edge of the element because it has a considerable thickness and does not have blackening. You can do the same with the average element, but it is more difficult to reach. Remove the front element of the rim; I fail.

The lens afraid of backlit, but not fatally.

Color reproduction pleasant. In some scenes is shown with a special rendition of vintage charm.

Summary

T-22 4.5/75 is an interesting lens for art photography. It will be interesting to fans of vintage pictures and Lomography wishing to receive such photos on digital cameras.