Meopta Openar 40 mm 1:1.8 [C-mount]

I recently got an interesting C-mount Czech lens for Meopta Admira 16 A1/A2 electric 16 mm movie camera. Here you can take a look at more pictures of that camera and lenses: [link]

First of all and the most important fact: it covers Micro Four Thirds sensor. There is some vignetting, but I suppose it comes from lens itself rather than from size of the sensor. Image quality doesn't decrease significantly closer to edges. It's a very sharp lens. Although Meopta Admira was an amateur model, its quality was very high

Meopta Openar 40 mm @1.8

Openar is a small (C-mount, of course) lens, made entirely of metal and glass. Quite heavy for its size. My piece mounts in C-mount > M4/3 adapter upside down, but it's fully functional. Focusing ring was pretty hard to rotate at first, but after few uses it got much better. I simply love the way it looks! And all those engraved and enameled distance marks... beautiful!
Focusing ring is quite close to mount thread, but comparing it to Fujian lenses - there are no difficulties in focusing. It's easy and comfortable.

 Meopta Openar 40/1.8 compared to Fujian 35/1.7 and Fujian 25/1.4

And a happy family of Meopta Openar lenses:

A set of Meopta c-mount lenses:
Meopta Openar 20/1.8
Meopta Openar 40/1.8
Meopta Openar 80/2.8
Meopta Admira 16 A1 Electric film camera in the background.

Meopta Openar 40 mm allows you to focus from 80 cm/2,6 ft., but as I tested it I had an impression it could focus a bit closer. Quality at close-ups is outstanding.

Meopta Openar 40/1.8 - close-up (as close as possible).

At F1.8 it has a very thin focus depth. With M4/3 crop factor it should work great as portrait lens. Wide enough to capture close objects and with nice rear bokeh.

 Pictures taken the same place with different focus settings.

Unfortunately Meopta Openar works pretty bad, when directed into sun or light source. It looses contrast and a bit of sharpness. It could be a good idea to use it as for vintage portraits.

Lens directed towards very bright sky - loss of contrast and slight decrease in sharpness.

Rear bokeh is really nice. Nothing particularly sophisticated, but neat and good-looking :)

Bokeh @F1.8

Bokeh @F4.0 - aperture shape visible.

Finally - aperture is hexagonal. There are no mid-stops other than values mentioned below:

Meopta Openar 40 mm 1.8 @1.8

Meopta Openar 40 mm 1.8 @2.0

Meopta Openar 40 mm 1.8 @2.8

Meopta Openar 40 mm 1.8 @4.0

Meopta Openar 40 mm 1.8 @5.6

Meopta Openar 40 mm 1.8 @8.0

Meopta Openar 40 mm 1.8 @11.0

Meopta Openar 40 mm 1.8 @16.0

Meopta Openar 40 mm 1.8 @22.0