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Best of manual 50mm f1.4
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PostPosted: Mon Oct 06, 2008 11:44 am    Post subject: Best of manual 50mm f1.4 Reply with quote
Hi all!Wink

I want to buy manual lens 50/1.4 for my Canon 20D.
I have sold my lovely SMC Takumar 50/1.4 because the lens was radioactive with 300 beta and 200 gamma....

Please tell me something about the best manual 50/1.4 lenses and prices

Nikkor 50/1.4 ais ? non ais?
Carl Zeiss Contax 50/1.4 ?
M42 Yashica DX ? DS ? 50/1.4
....

Thanks!

P.S. Sorry for my bad English Sad


PostPosted: Mon Oct 06, 2008 11:50 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
I think that Nikkors are probably the best 50mm lenses.
Of course Leica (Summicron) and Contax (Planar) are also excellent and so are the SMC Takumar 1.4/50 and the Pancolar 1.8/50.

With any of the above, you can't go wrong.

I have a Nikkor 1.4/50 for sale.


PostPosted: Mon Oct 06, 2008 12:16 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Orio wrote:
I think that Nikkors are probably the best 50mm lenses.
Of course Leica (Summicron) and Contax (Planar) are also excellent and so are the SMC Takumar 1.4/50 and the Pancolar 1.8/50.

With any of the above, you can't go wrong.

I have a Nikkor 1.4/50 for sale.


Best in sharpenes or 3D? Smile
I see on ebay ais & non ais versions... What's best?


PostPosted: Mon Oct 06, 2008 12:23 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
The best 1.4/50 I've used is the SMC Takumar, sorry. There was absolutely no reason to sell it because of radioactivity. You've been reading scare stories.


PostPosted: Mon Oct 06, 2008 12:56 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
I hope your buyer of the lens was told that the one your selling is great for night shots...as it glows in the dark Laughing
Those rads are at a completely harmless level btw


PostPosted: Mon Oct 06, 2008 1:12 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
These are 1.4/50mm lenses that I personally can recommend:

Takumar 1.4/50
Olympus Zuiko 1.4/50
Revuenon 1.4/55 (Tomioka)
Voigtländer Color-Ultron 1.4/55

And I have seen shots taken with...

Nikkor AI 1.4/50
Leica Summilux 1.4/50
Zeiss Planar 1.4/50

... that tell me that these lenses are absolutely fantastic!


PostPosted: Mon Oct 06, 2008 1:13 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Scary stories? I have Geiger counter Very Happy
For two my Takumars(with yellow glass)...

on rear lens:

SMC: 300 beta, 200 gamma
Super: 600 beta, 450 gamma

in air: 5 beta


PostPosted: Mon Oct 06, 2008 2:43 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
LucisPictor wrote:
These are 1.4/50mm lenses that I personally can recommend:.........Voigtländer Color-Ultron 1.4/55... that tell me that these lenses are absolutely fantastic!


I had a rolleiflex SL 35 E with the Rolleinar 55/1,4 lens (mamiya ones identical, the same lens, than the voigtlander Color Ultron for Voigtlander camera, identical to Rollei SL series).

My copy was not very contrast (more neutral), nice images but with noticiable barrel distortion. Question to expect in the 1,4 lenses, but very noticiable in my rolleinar 1,4.

Did I have a bad copy?

Rino.


PostPosted: Mon Oct 06, 2008 3:03 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
estudleon wrote:
LucisPictor wrote:
These are 1.4/50mm lenses that I personally can recommend:.........Voigtländer Color-Ultron 1.4/55... that tell me that these lenses are absolutely fantastic!


I had a rolleiflex SL 35 E with the Rolleinar 55/1,4 lens (mamiya ones identical, the same lens, than the voigtlander Color Ultron for Voigtlander camera, identical to Rollei SL series).

My copy was not very contrast (more neutral), nice images but with noticiable barrel distortion. Question to expect in the 1,4 lenses, but very noticiable in my rolleinar 1,4.

Did I have a bad copy?

Rino.

You might want to check this: http://forum.mflenses.com/a-day-in-the-life-of-a-voigtlaender-marburg-impressions-t4903,highlight,voigtl%E4nder+ultron.html


PostPosted: Mon Oct 06, 2008 3:39 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Many 50mm lenses use radioactive glass elements, but only Takumars and a few others are known to be radioactive because the radioactivity has visible impact - yelowed glass. There i a lot of people, who are scared of Takumars, but I have never seen any single person, who would sell his Industars, Tomiokas, Pancolars, Yashinons or other lenses just because of thorium or lanthanum. E.g. Pancolar 55/1.4 is several times more radioactive, than SMC Takumar and nobody cares Very Happy


PostPosted: Mon Oct 06, 2008 4:04 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
I see on ebay Nikkor-S, Nikkor, Nikkor ais, Nikkor non ais .....
Who is best???

I have adapter Nikon-F -> Canon EOS Rolling Eyes


PostPosted: Mon Oct 06, 2008 4:28 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
There no "best" in 50s.. just keep collecting...

Oly 50mm f1.4



M42 mount Super Takumar 50mm f1.4



Rollei Mount: Rolleinar-MC 55mm f1.4



M42 mount: Sears 55mm f1.4



PostPosted: Mon Oct 06, 2008 4:44 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
bramms wrote:
I see on ebay Nikkor-S, Nikkor, Nikkor ais, Nikkor non ais .....
Who is best???

I have adapter Nikon-F -> Canon EOS Rolling Eyes


It is hard to say which of these lense is the "best" one.
Some say that the later lenses (AI-S) offer a better coating etc. but other like the character of the pre-AI lenses.
I have got a Nikkor-S.C 1.2/55 (pre-AI) and I just love it!

In other words: unless you get a lemon (e.g. a copy that someone unqualified did a surgery on), you will really like a Nikkor 1.4/50!


PostPosted: Mon Oct 06, 2008 5:04 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
bramms wrote:
I see on ebay Nikkor-S, Nikkor, Nikkor ais, Nikkor non ais .....
Who is best???

I have adapter Nikon-F -> Canon EOS Rolling Eyes


Nikkor-S is a pre-AI lens. This affects which Nikon cameras it can be mounted on but should not affect its use on EOS with an adapter. The contrast on this uncoated lens will be lower and it is more susceptible to flare.

Nikkor-S.C is the multicoated version. It has excellent contrast. Its slightly soft wide open but rapidly improves. I have, like and use this lens. The S and S.C are solidly and carefully made, heavy.



These lenses were replaced by the AI and then the AIS versions. There is no practical difference between them, when using an EOS adapter, except that the AIS may have a sort (fast, less precise) focus throw. These are still pretty well made, although cost cutting is starting to affect them in small ways.



There is also a Nikon (not Nikkor) "E" series 50mm which is small, super light, cheaply made and with lower contrast and bad flare performance (must be used with a hood).



For lots of information, start here
http://www.mir.com.my/rb/photography/companies/nikon/nikkoresources/50mmnikkor/index2.htm

and continue on to the other parts of that series. Tells you all about lots of Nikkor 50mm lenses.


PostPosted: Mon Oct 06, 2008 5:11 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
LucisPictor wrote:
These are 1.4/50mm lenses that I personally can recommend:

Takumar 1.4/50
Olympus Zuiko 1.4/50
Revuenon 1.4/55 (Tomioka)
Voigtländer Color-Ultron 1.4/55


Interesting, same set as mine.... Instead of Revuenon, mine is Sears branded.. and your Voigtländer Color-Ultron is Rolleinar branded Iin my pack)...

(although Sears, Revuenon, Tomioka, Rolleinar and Voigtländer Color-Ultron are same lenses.. just different branded and mounts..)


PostPosted: Mon Oct 06, 2008 5:51 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
I had a bit of a 50 1.4 fetish for a while I found the Contax took some beating

original




original



the yashica ML 50 1.4 held its own it this highly unscientific test, it was possibly a smidge sharper at 1.4 but the colours are cooler, certainly worth it if money comes into it.


PostPosted: Mon Oct 06, 2008 5:57 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Ballu wrote:
LucisPictor wrote:
These are 1.4/50mm lenses that I personally can recommend:

Takumar 1.4/50
Olympus Zuiko 1.4/50
Revuenon 1.4/55 (Tomioka)
Voigtländer Color-Ultron 1.4/55


Interesting, same set as mine.... Instead of Revuenon, mine is Sears branded.. and your Voigtländer Color-Ultron is Rolleinar branded Iin my pack)...

(although Sears, Revuenon, Tomioka, Rolleinar and Voigtländer Color-Ultron are same lenses.. just different branded and mounts..)


Good taste, Ballu! Wink


PostPosted: Mon Oct 06, 2008 5:58 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
I like the Nikkor AI 1.4, but the barrel distortion is a bit off-putting. The Arsat 1.4 is a very good lens too...


PostPosted: Mon Oct 06, 2008 6:04 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
LucisPictor wrote:
estudleon wrote:
LucisPictor wrote:
These are 1.4/50mm lenses that I personally can recommend:.........Voigtländer Color-Ultron 1.4/55... that tell me that these lenses are absolutely fantastic!


I had a rolleiflex SL 35 E with the Rolleinar 55/1,4 lens (mamiya ones identical, the same lens, than the voigtlander Color Ultron for Voigtlander camera, identical to Rollei SL series).

My copy was not very contrast (more neutral), nice images but with noticiable barrel distortion. Question to expect in the 1,4 lenses, but very noticiable in my rolleinar 1,4.

Did I have a bad copy?

Rino.

You might want to check this: http://forum.mflenses.com/a-day-in-the-life-of-a-voigtlaender-marburg-impressions-t4903,highlight,voigtl%E4nder+ultron.html


What a nice samples!! I didn't see them (I came in after this and didn't see al the previous posts).

I don't see the distortion that I remember had my rolleinar. The same contrast -low to normal-. Without hesitate, my copy was in the bad side or I remember it increasing the distortion.

Good for you. Rino.


PostPosted: Tue Oct 07, 2008 8:56 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
ChrisLilley,
Thanks a lot!!! Smile

thinking about some of
Nikkor 50/1.4 vs Contax Carl Zeiss 50/1.4 vs other (Zuiko 50/1.4, Yashica 50/1.4)

On aperture 2.8-8 all lenses is extremly sharp, but on 1.4 not ever...


PostPosted: Tue Oct 07, 2008 9:27 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
estudleon wrote:
The same contrast -low to normal-...

Really? Do you think this is a low contrast lens?
I mean, the contrast this lens produced on such an overcast day is rather nice, isn't it?


PostPosted: Tue Oct 07, 2008 10:18 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
on film, rendition of 50mm is different; the bokeh is much smooth and resolution higher.
If digital continue to improve, difference will be more visible between lens
Anyway, however you analyze it, it always end with a Zeiss


PostPosted: Tue Oct 07, 2008 2:02 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
LucisPictor wrote:
estudleon wrote:
The same contrast -low to normal-...

Really? Do you think this is a low contrast lens?
I mean, the contrast this lens produced on such an overcast day is rather nice, isn't it?


Not low, I said low to normal (in a place equidistant, or so). I precise:

Not low contrast, is normal ones. But in case of skin, something in the scale of blues and greens seem to me to be normal minus contrast. But it's only my taste and subjetive appreciation.

May be this character is part of the faults of my copy, the same mode that it had a strong barrel distortion.

Rino.


PostPosted: Tue Oct 07, 2008 2:03 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
poilu wrote:
on film, rendition of 50mm is different; the bokeh is much smooth and resolution higher.
If digital continue to improve, difference will be more visible between lens
Anyway, however you analyze it, it always end with a Zeiss


I know that my option is a rangefinder, but LEICA M. Sorry Zeiss. Very Happy

Rino.


PostPosted: Tue Oct 07, 2008 2:15 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
I forgot:

For use in low light places, the F/1,4 or 2 definition may be omitided.

If I choose a lens 1,4 because I want to use this DOF in good light situation, I need high definition and contrast

In the compromise that is a lens design, the definition and contrast at 1,4 are sacrificed to benefit F/4 to 11.

So I ask At 1,4 which is the best?

Rino.
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