Bronica 40mm MC and PE Lenses any idea of the difference

[adrian_wilson6]

Hi,

 

Could anyone please tell me of the differences between the Bronica 40mm f4 MC

and PE lenses. Also anyone any idea of the angle of coverage with this lens.

 

Many Thanks.

 

Kind Regards,

 

Adrian.

[james_king11]

I only have pe lenses so I can't compare however the specifications for the 40mm pe are:

 

9 elements in 8 groups angle of view 82.1 degrees (about 24-25mm in 135 terms my 24mm zuiko f2 stays angle of view of 84 degrees but the aspect ratio are different between 135 and 645). Appatures f4 to f22 in half stops minimum focus 0.35m filter 62mm size 50.5 by 82mm weight 510g

 

I know the Mc does not have half stop indents and if used with a ae3 meterred prism in auto or manual the lens only tells the prims its appature in full stops. Pe series tell the ae3 the appature in half stops.

[Uncle Goose]

PE lenses have a different (and better, so they tell) lenscoating than a MC lens. I have used both and can't see anything different. The other difference is the fact that you indeed have no halfstops on a MC lens.

[adrian_wilson6]

Thank you for the speedy replies Gentlemen, I have just purchased a 40mm MC and was dithering as to whether or not I liked it, it seemed to be soft at the side of my 75mm PE. Externally it is superb, but has signs of having been taken apart possibly for cleaning and signs of Fungus removal. ( Noticeable in how it eats into the lens coating ). A second look later I tried to convince myself that possibly I was being a little too picky. I will sleep on it tonight ( Not literally ) and take a last look, problem is I did not exactly pay a fortune for it ( ? 113.00 approx $ 226.00 ) some on eBay are double that price with very little to commend them.

The only thing I would query is the angle of view, I would have put it down as about 65 /70 degrees, but it seems in keeping with the 75mm and 150mm I have.

Once again thank you for your replies.

 

Kind Regards,

 

Adrian.

[moseley]

Hi Adrian,

Firstly the PE lenses are possibly around 10 years younger than the MC(dependent on how early or late your particular lens is from.) The coating is also better on the PE, aside from that there really is not much difference the MC should be fine. I would equate the 40mm to approx 24mm in 35mm speak. Hope that helps.

[SCL]

Most people couldn't tell the difference in resultant photos. I sold my 40 two years ago to a local photographer who is absolutely in love with it and periodically sends me copies of his favorite shots with it. My notes are in storage, but I recall a website which gives all the details for each lens...just found it: www.butkus.org in the back of the second part of the user manual for Bronica ETRSi cameras. The angle of view is for the Zenzanon E 40/f4 is 82 degrees 30 minutes and the 35mm equivalent focal length is 25mm.

[mervyn_wilmington]

Stewart Bell of the AP tested three PE series lenses in 1992, including the 40mm.

 

He said "The new PE series...are a marked improvement over the previous (and still fine) E series, both in optical performance and in mechanical design". I understand that the MC and E series were essentially the same.

 

From contributions I have read on this issue from time to time, my impression is that at the shorter focal lengths the improvement of the PE series is rather greater than at the longer focal lengths. For example, there is little to choose between the 150MC and the 150PE.

 

Regards,

 

Mervyn

[adrian_wilson6]

Hi,

 

 

Thanks again for the replies, I have resolved my problem by sending the lens back, Images of the optics say it all, I was not going to get anywhere with that lens. It seems strange but I had a Fuji GX617 with an angle of view of 90 degrees, and it literally was 90 degrees, Bronica quote 84 degrees but it still seems like 70 at the very best. Could it be possibly be that the Bronica lens had been dismantled and re assembled incorrectly and in doing so has altered the focal length and the angle of view.

 

 

Back to searching again.

 

Cheers.

 

Kind Regards,

 

Adrian.

[jtyr]

As outlined in my ETR lens spread sheet:

 

http://www.sover.net/~jtyr/bronica-ETR-lens-1-1-2.xls

 

There were actually three quite different versions of the the 40mm:

 

40mm E (MC) (Silver Front) 7 groups / 9 elements

 

40mm E (MC) 10 groups / 8 elements

 

40mm PE 8 groups / 9 elements

 

This is usually true of most lenses ever made for the system-- each had two or three different optical designs. The ever popular myth is that the PE line just added modern coatings. In truth PE meant new optical designs and coatings.

 

I've use my PE 40 alot and have been generally quite happy with it. Here's a sample:

 

http://www.photo.net/photo/5408117

[bryn_evans]

This is one of those debates that will rage on for eternity. Ive got a selection of both MC and PE lenses and to be honest apart from the half stops on the PE apertures the difference is hardly worth bothering about in terms of quality.

[jtyr]

<p>Some the links to my ETR/MC/E/PE lens list have gone dead.<br /> <br /> So here is a new permanent home:<br /> <br /> <a href="http://bronica.net/ETR/bronica-ETR-lens-1-1-2.xls">http://bronica.net/ETR/bronica-ETR-lens-1-1-2.xls</a> <br /> <br /> or here is a really quick bad web version:<br /> <br /> <a href="http://bronica.net/ETR/bronica-ETR-lens-1-1-2.htm">http://bronica.net/ETR/bronica-ETR-lens-1-1-2.htm</a> <br /> <br /> I also have a few other pdf manuals here:<br /> <br /> <a href="http://bronica.net/ETR/">http://bronica.net/ETR/</a></p>