KMZ Russar MP-2 20mm f/5.6 M39

KMZ Russar MP-2 20mm f/5.6 M39

The KMZ Russar MP-2 20mm f/5.6 M39 is a compact Soviet ultra-wide lens for Leica screw-mount rangefinder cameras. It is also written as Russar MR-2, Russar MP-2, Руссар МР-2 or simply 5.6/20. AllPhotoLenses lists the Russar MR-2 20mm f/5.6 as a 35mm rangefinder lens with M39 Leica screw mount, first produced in 1958, using a 6 elements in 4 groups optical design [1].

The lens is notable because it is not a typical retrofocus wide-angle design. Instead, it uses a compact symmetrical Russar optical scheme associated with Soviet optical designer Mikhail Rusinov. AllPhotoLenses notes that the original Russar MP-2 design was created by M. M. Rusinov in 1953 and that the lens was intended for panoramic, architectural and confined-space photography.

This entry covers the original Soviet Russar MP-2 / MR-2 20mm f/5.6 in Leica L39 / LTM / M39 screw mount. It should be kept separate from the modern Lomography / Zenit New Russar+ 20mm f/5.6, from Soviet aerial Russar lenses, and from other Soviet M39 lenses such as the Orion-15 28mm f/6. Seller wording may vary between MP-2 and MR-2, but both are commonly used for this 20mm f/5.6 lens.

Optical qualities

Rendering

The Russar MP-2 is valued for its very wide field of view, compact body and distinctive Soviet ultra-wide rendering. It has moderate speed at f/5.6, but the short 20mm focal length gives very large depth of field. Fotohandel Delfshaven describes an LTM example as uncoupled, while noting that hyperfocal focus is very easy with such a wide lens and that at f/5.6 sharp focus from around one meter to infinity is achievable in practical use [2].

Sharpness

No modern standardized bench test was used for this entry. The lens has a reputation as a capable ultra-wide when clean and correctly adjusted, but performance can vary strongly by copy. Age-related haze, coating marks, rear-element condition and focus calibration are especially important.

Contrast and color

The original Russar MP-2 is a coated Soviet lens, but contrast depends heavily on the exact copy. AllPhotoLenses identifies the lens as coated. Because the lens has strongly curved exposed glass and a very wide angle of view, flare control and internal cleanliness should be checked carefully.

Distortion and vignetting

The Russar design is historically interesting because it was intended to reduce some of the brightness falloff problems typical of wide-angle lenses. AllPhotoLenses describes the optical scheme as minimizing brightness decrease through aberrational vignetting. Practical vignetting and corner behavior can still vary between film, digital Leica M bodies and mirrorless cameras.

Bokeh and transitions

Bokeh is not a major feature of this lens. With a 20mm focal length and f/5.6 maximum aperture, the Russar MP-2 is mainly a depth-of-field, architecture, travel and environmental lens rather than a shallow-focus lens.

Handling

The lens is not rangefinder-coupled and is normally used by scale focus or hyperfocal focus. Fotohandel Delfshaven explicitly describes the lens as uncoupled, while Kamerastore also notes that it requires an external finder [3]. A 20mm external finder, often the Soviet VI-20 finder, is highly useful for accurate framing.

Digital use

The lens can be used on Leica M bodies with an L39-to-M adapter and on mirrorless cameras with suitable adapters. Because the rear element protrudes deeply into the camera body, compatibility should be checked carefully, especially on digital bodies or cameras with internal obstructions. Color shift, corner behavior and vignetting may be more visible on digital sensors than on film.

History

Development and Launch

The Russar MP-2 was introduced as a Soviet ultra-wide lens for M39 screw-mount rangefinder cameras. AllPhotoLenses lists first production in 1958 and attributes the optical scheme to M. M. Rusinov, with the original design dating to 1953. Lomography’s later New Russar+ article also describes the original Russar as a 1958 lens created by Rusinov, then chief optical engineer at Zenit [4].

Production Evolution

Public documentation is inconsistent on exact production dates and factory history. Kamerastore notes that multiple factories made Russar lenses, including FED and KMZ. Because of this, the exact factory marking, serial number and engraving should be recorded from the physical lens whenever possible. This database entry uses KMZ as the primary make for the classic Russar MP-2 family, but copy-level factory markings remain important.

Special Editions/Variants

No commemorative factory special edition is documented for the original Soviet Russar MP-2. Collector-relevant variants include MP-2 versus MR-2 naming, black finish examples, included VI-20 finder, original caps, case and later L39-to-M adapters. The modern New Russar+ is a separate later recreation and should not be merged with the original Soviet lens.

Collector Notes

Collectors should verify the Russar MP-2 / MR-2 engraving, 5.6/20 marking, Leica M39 screw mount, serial number, aperture movement, focus movement, rear-element clearance and included finder. Important condition checks include haze, fungus, cleaning marks, coating wear, separation, stiff focus, damaged filter threads and damaged rear element. Because the lens is uncoupled, missing rangefinder coupling is normal and should not be treated as a defect.

Special editions

No confirmed factory commemorative special edition is currently documented.

Known collector-relevant variants and related versions include:

• Russar MP-2 20mm f/5.6 M39, original Soviet Leica screw-mount version, this entry.
• Russar MR-2 20mm f/5.6, alternate transliteration/name for the same lens family.
• Руссар МР-2 5.6/20, Cyrillic-marked examples.
• Examples sold with VI-20 external 20mm finder, collector-relevant when complete.
• Examples sold with L39-to-M adapter, accessory only, not part of the lens model.
• FED-marked or KMZ-marked examples, record factory marking when visible.
• Lomography / Zenit New Russar+ 20mm f/5.6, modern recreation, separate entry if added.
• Orion-15 28mm f/6 M39, another Soviet ultra-wide LTM lens but separate optical design and focal length.