Alpa Macro-Switar 50mm f1.8 by Kern. Made by Kern, a Swiss manufacturer specializing in cine lenses, this is one of the rare photographic lenses they produced. The lens features an apochromatic design with 5 groups and 7 elements and has distance markings in meters.
Its impressive image quality makes it highly versatile, whether for macro photography or snapshots. It is a true masterpiece, renowned for its performance, yet it retains a soft, captivating rendering that continues to attract admirers.
In the 1990s, Aoyama Retina House released an adapter that allowed the Macro-Switar to be used with Leica rangefinders, sparking a significant trend. Even today, the lens continues to prove its exceptional performance on Alpa and Leica cameras and has found a broader range of applications on mirrorless cameras as well.
The lens barrel shows some slight wear and minor paint loss, but there are no prominent scratches or dents. For a Macro-Switar, which often shows signs of heavy use, this one has a notably clean appearance. It underwent a complete overhaul in 2024, and the helicoid operates smoothly with ideal torque, extending all the way to close focus without any roughness.
There are a few very fine cleaning marks on the rear element, but these have virtually no impact on image quality. The rest of the glass is clear, with no haze or fogging, and there is no separation, an issue common with Switar lenses. This lens remains in remarkably good condition.
Enjoy its true-to-life color rendering and the beautifully soft, creamy bokeh it produces in close-up shots. Comes with original front and rear caps, as well as the original filter.
