Home

Please support mflenses.com if you need any graphic related work order it from us, click on above banner to order!

SearchSearch MemberlistMemberlist RegisterRegister ProfileProfile Log in to check your private messagesLog in to check your private messages Log inLog in

50-60mm M42 Recommendation
View previous topic :: View next topic  


PostPosted: Sun May 26, 2019 12:36 pm    Post subject: 50-60mm M42 Recommendation Reply with quote

Hi All

I’m looking for a nifty fifty in M42 but I have a few requirements,it must be good wide open and across the frame, not bothered about it being fast. I only carry a few lenses, Tak 85mm and Samyang 21mm so want one to slot in the middle and budget around £150. I travel light so don’t want to carry loads of adapters for my Fuji, hence M42.

Right then over to you guys


PostPosted: Sun May 26, 2019 12:52 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

You can't go wrong with a Voigtländer color ultron 50mm 1.8.


PostPosted: Sun May 26, 2019 4:44 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

M42 Super-Multi-Coated or SMC TAKUMAR 50/1.4


PostPosted: Sun May 26, 2019 5:28 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Any 55/1,8 lens (Takumar, Mamiya, Ricoh, Cosinon, dtc)

Helios 44 with M39 to M42 adapter

My option?

Mamiya SX 55/1,8


PostPosted: Sun May 26, 2019 5:48 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Fuji ebc 50mm 1.4, ricoh rikenon 55mm, 1.4, CZJ pancolar 50mm 1.8 or f2, schneider xenon 50mm 1.9 etc etc etc


PostPosted: Sun May 26, 2019 6:30 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Actually 28mm -35mm is closer to the middle imho. Try the M42 S-M-C TAKUMARS. Smile


PostPosted: Sun May 26, 2019 6:41 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks for your recommendations guys, being an ex Pentax user I am leaning towards another Tak but I’m also up for trying something different, the Voightlander is under serious consideration.

I do have a 35mm Tak but I prefer a 55mm for portraits, hence 50-60mm tag.


PostPosted: Sun May 26, 2019 6:59 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I believe it's a lot easier to list bad or mediocre fifties than to do the same with good ones.
Pick whatever you like/suits your current system. Chances are it'll work just fine.


PostPosted: Mon May 27, 2019 10:37 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Would be interested to know what lens could compete with modern sony 55 1.8 WO....


PostPosted: Mon May 27, 2019 10:44 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

The only 50 I have that can compete with my S-M-C Takumar 50mm 1.4 is the KMZ Zenitar-m 50mm 1.7 Russian Ultron design. (Of course My SMC Pentax-A 50mm 1.4 can also compete, since it is the same lens design as the Takumar but with more modern SMC-coatings).


PostPosted: Mon May 27, 2019 10:47 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

kiddo wrote:
Would be interested to know what lens could compete with modern sony 55 1.8 WO....

I mean,vintage manual lens,of course


PostPosted: Mon May 27, 2019 11:27 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Zenitar - M 50mm f1.7.
Very sharp from widest aperture and with beautiful bokeh.
Tom
#1


#2


PostPosted: Mon May 27, 2019 12:00 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I have a Super Multicoated Takumar 50mm 1.4 and have found it to have a lot of glow wide open. It's a bit difficult to focus because of that. I wouldn't use it at 1.4 if I didn't want that specific effect.


PostPosted: Mon May 27, 2019 12:01 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

blotafton wrote:
I have a Super Multicoated Takumar 50mm 1.4 and have found it to have a lot of glow wide open. It's a bit difficult to focus because of that. I wouldn't use it at 1.4 if I didn't want that specific effect.


That is exactly why I like it for portraits.


PostPosted: Mon May 27, 2019 2:34 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

...

Last edited by Blazer0ne on Tue Feb 22, 2022 5:21 pm; edited 2 times in total


PostPosted: Mon May 27, 2019 5:51 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

For £150 you could get an old CZJ Biotar 58, which is an awesome lens, although I'm not sure about corner-to-corner sharpness wide open. It's hard to imagine anyone being disappointed with a properly-functioning Biotar.

The Auto Chinon 55 1.7 is cheap and a great performer.

The Auto Rikenon or Auto Sears 55 1.4 are more expensive, but excellent. They're Tomioka-made.

The Takumars people have suggested are certainly nice. I've got several of those and I like them all.

The old Auto Yashinon 5cm f/2 is another Tomioka lens and it lives up to it's high reputation. It's sharp wide open with beautiful, slightly-swirly bokeh. You might have to hunt to get one at a good price, but it can be done.

Does radioactivity matter to you?


PostPosted: Tue May 28, 2019 6:07 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

KEO wrote:
For £150 you could get an old CZJ Biotar 58, which is an awesome lens, although I'm not sure about corner-to-corner sharpness wide open. It's hard to imagine anyone being disappointed with a properly-functioning Biotar.

The Auto Chinon 55 1.7 is cheap and a great performer.

The Auto Rikenon or Auto Sears 55 1.4 are more expensive, but excellent. They're Tomioka-made.

The Takumars people have suggested are certainly nice. I've got several of those and I like them all.

The old Auto Yashinon 5cm f/2 is another Tomioka lens and it lives up to it's high reputation. It's sharp wide open with beautiful, slightly-swirly bokeh. You might have to hunt to get one at a good price, but it can be done.

Does radioactivity matter to you?


I’d forgot about the Chinon having had one in PK mount and loved it, food for thought.
Not sure about the Biotar, I’ll have to research that one. I do have a Helios 44-2 but it’s not great wo corner to corner but that could just be my copy.

And no not bothered about radioactivity.

Finally thank you for your recommendations.


PostPosted: Tue May 28, 2019 8:23 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

noddywithoutbigears wrote:
Not sure about the Biotar, I’ll have to research that one. I do have a Helios 44-2 but it’s not great wo corner to corner but that could just be my copy.


You're welcome.

The Helios-44 lenses are not the same as the Biotar, despite being "copies." I have two Helios-44s, an old silver one and a newer 44M-4, and while I like them (especially the old one), they're not in the same class with the Biotar. Apart from that, the images they produce have substantially different character from the Biotar.

There are a lot of good choices in the range of focal lengths you're looking at. Another really cheap, excellent performer is the Cosina 50mm Auto Cosinon f/1.8. It has swirly bokeh like a Helios-44-2 if you appreciate that sort of thing, but it's sharper.


PostPosted: Wed May 29, 2019 4:47 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Some people were saying ,the Nikkor 50 f2 was one of the sharpest out there,better then the 1.8 version. I've never made a test, so I cannot assure you,in fact ,for portraits I find most of my lenses good enough.


PostPosted: Wed May 29, 2019 9:14 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

kiddo wrote:
Some people were saying ,the Nikkor 50 f2 was one of the sharpest out there,better then the 1.8 version.

No, that's not true. But the 50mm 1:2 Nikkor has a nice rendering at f2 - a rather low contrast and not too much differences between center and corner. Distortion (about 2%) is quite bit more visible as well; the f1.8 has just about 0.1%!

Stephan