Soviet wide-angle lens with 28mm focal length, known for characteristic vignetting and a distinct vintage look.
Technical Details
The Mir-10A weighs 420 grams with a length of 52mm and a filter diameter of 67mm. The minimum focusing distance is 0.2 meters, and the aperture range is from f/4.0 to f/16 in half-stop increments. The lens uses 6 elements with multi-layer coating to combat reflections and flare. The depth of field scale is readable from 0.5 meters to infinity at f/8. Production variants differ mainly in surface coating and minor optical improvements in later series.
History & Development
LOMO developed the Mir-10A in 1976 as an evolution of the Mir-10, to meet the growing demand for extreme wide-angle lenses in Soviet filmmaking. The first series production began in 1978 in Leningrad. In 1982, the lens received improved multi-layer coating, which reduced flare by 15%. Production ended in 1991 with the collapse of the Soviet Union, with an estimated 12,000 units manufactured.
Practical Use in Film
Soviet cinematographers favored the Mir-10A for interior shots on cramped sets and dramatic establishing shots. Alexei Balabanov used the lens in 1997 for characteristic wide-angle shots in "Brat," which enhanced the claustrophobic urban character. The strong barrel distortion at wide apertures is often used creatively for subjective shots or unsteady handheld sequences. At f/8, the lens achieves optimal sharpness but exhibits typical vignetting in the image corners.
Comparison & Alternatives
The Mir-10A competes with contemporary Zeiss Distagon 18mm f/4 and Canon FD 20mm f/2.8, but offers comparable optical performance at a significantly lower cost. Modern alternatives like the Sigma 20mm f/1.4 Art surpass the Mir-10A in resolution and speed, but do not achieve its characteristic bokeh. The M42 mount allows for easy adaptation to digital cameras, with the crop factor changing the focal length to a 30mm equivalent. Collectors value early production series with zebra-striped focus rings as particularly desirable.