The top nine classic lenses - How many of these do you own?

[guardian]

The topic here is NOT to debate which lenses should be in the top nine. Let's please save that discussion for another thread. OK?

Instead:

Here is a list of one person's top nine. It's not my personal list, I promise you. The question here is how many of the lenses on this guy's top nine list do you already own?? I'll go first:

I was surprised to own any at all of the lenses on this list. But as things turn out I already own three of the lenses on the list. In addition I own a version of the Zeiss lens, but not the precise version shown.

It's an arbitrary list. I'm betting there are participants here who own copies of ALL of those nine lenses. But the prize goes to the person who owns the most . . . and I'm confident that is not me.

Here is a link to the list:

https://contrastly.com/classic-lenses/

[wolfhansen]

I have three: Jupiter 12, CZJ Tessar & Sigma Mini-Wide 28mm

[marcusBMG]

A bit of an odd assortment, no real rationale. Top end-ish fast nifty-fifties then the inferior (to the MW-ii, and indeed many other 28's) sigma miniwide I, and the one I actually have, the viv T4 200mm, which is a good one actually I should post some pics.

[visualopsins]

Zero. Haven't owned a single one of those, as well.

For me would be interesting to see how each of our own personal lists of nine fit into each other's collections. Each of us has a personal list of must haves, right? I wonder how many other people own the lenses in my personal list of nine? And how many other people own the lenses in your list of nine? And how many of everybody else's lists are owned by other people? The lists of nine found in more collections would be significant, yes? Finding a list of nine lenses in many collections would nominate the list for being generally accepted as The List of MF Must-have Lenses...

[guardian]

[wolfhansen]

yep, start a new discussion

[Oldhand]

[planet.groove]

ok, interesting list, mine would be very different.
and it seems that my rokkor is missing a blade..... it has only 8.....

[visualopsins]

[guardian]

[Alun Thomas]

4 of 9 (sorta, kinda)

The sigma 28 I have.
The Vivitar 200 I have as a non-T4 Soligor badged 200/3.5
I have the Jupiter 12 in Contax mount, but don't shoot film so the edges are not what they could be.
I have a Werra camera with a CZ Tessar 50/2.8 on it, not removable.
I have seven and eight element takumar 50/1.4s, but not SMC and not the Pentax A version shown there.

One day I wouldn't mind a 58/1.2 but have no plans to get any other lens, or lens version, on the list

[Sciolist]

I have around 60 lenses I think. But none from the list. I'm kind of pleased in a way. There's thousands of lenses out there. Imagine if we all had the same nine.

[Lloydy]

Jupiter – 12 - A great lens, worthy of the 'classic' tag.
Carl Zeiss Jena Tessar 50mm 2.8 - Another great lens, and everyone must have at least one by now?
Sigma Mini-Wide 28mm - I've got three, and try as I might I can't get a decent picture from any of them, on APSC or Full Frame. Not on my list by any measure.
Vivitar Auto F3.5 200mm - What an oddball for a list like this, but it's on my list of favourites all day long.

[alex ph]

[Sciolist]

[SkedAddled]

I own none of "The Nine," and am very pleased with what I have.
In fact, I own nothing similar(or apparently so).

My signature offers some ideas; I've no desire to compete.

[cooltouch]

That is indeed a strange list. I own a couple -- I think.

I own an SMC Pentax 50mm f/1.4 M -- does the "M" qualify?

I also own two copies of the Vivitar 200mm f/3.5 -- one in Canon FD and one in Nikon F mount. Now, I honestly don't know what the author sees in this lens. It's massive and well built, but optically it's just okay, at best. My Canon nFD 200mm f/4 is vastly superior to it. And I'll wager so is the old pre-AI Nikon 200mm f/4. I've owned several copies of it in the past, but currently don't own one. And I would go so far as to say that any 200mm produced by Pentax or Minolta would be way better also.

[vivaldibow]

None for me. As a Vivitar collector, it is shameful for me not owning the 200mm/3.5. I guess that is a TX 200mm correct? From the font, it looks like a TX, not a T4.

[Alun Thomas]

[kypfer]

Well it surprised me, but I've actually got three of these lenses, a Jupiter 12 (but no digital body to fit!), two Tessars and several Tessar derivatives (Industar and the like), which are long-time favourites ... and the Vivitar 200mm in TX-mount, which I've yet to use "seriously".

I have other personal favourites, but, as commented, this is not the place for that discussion

[Sciolist]

[blotafton]

Lets see. I have a Rokkor 58mm 1.2 and Jupiter 12. The Contax mount Jupiter preformed so badly on Sony a7 that it has not been used since an initial test. Probably my worst 35mm for adaptation to Sony. But I blame a part of that on the sensor design.

If it counts I also have a silver Exakta Tessar 50mm 2.8. It doesn't get much use, I tend to pick a triplet instead.

Finally the Rokkor 58mm f/1.2 lives up to most of the hype. The only negative is that the bokeh gets cut off by the mount when used on a Minolta X-700 film camera.

[tomasg]

I have the Minolta Rokkor 58/1.2, a Tessar 50/2.8 and the J-12 35/2.8 which isn t all that bad for street photography. Never thought much about the Sigma until now, but there s one for sale locally for cheap...so maybe. The Leica Summicron 50/2 is almost always on this kind of lists, as is usually a Pentax 50 mm lens. Even thouhg i like swirly bokeh, the Petzval lenses seem odd to me, as does the Vivitar.

My personal list would be very different as well.

[jamaeolus]

I have the tessar, the rokkor and the pentax. I must concur it is a very odd list.

[Lightshow]

1.) Leica Summilux M 50mm f1.4
2.) Minolta MC Rokkor 58mm f1.2
3.) Leica Summicron-M 50mm f2.0
4.) Petzval 85mm f2.2
5.) SMC Pentax 50mm f1.4
6.) The Jupiter – 12
7.) Carl Zeiss Jena Tessar 50mm 2.8
8.) Sigma Mini-Wide 28mm
9.) Vivitar Auto F3.5 200mm

I wouldn't mind the Lux, but it's a bit pricey, I have been on the lookout for a Cron 50 to go with my 24/2.8 Elmarit Asph and 90 cron APO.

I have and love the Rokkor plus a number of other fast normals, it remains one of my favorites.

I don't have the Petzval, I've been tempted by it, but I ended up getting a Meopta Meostigmat 70/1.4, it has all the swirls I could ever want, it's the same formula as the CZJ 75/1.5 Biotar and Helios 40, only it's way smaller.

I do have the Pentax, in fact I have most versions of it, Super Takumar 8 element and 7 element, S-M-C Takumar, missing the SMC, SMC K, SMC M and, SMC A. I prefer the K and S-M-C.

I never bothered with the Jupiter 12 for some reason, mostly because I already had a great Canon S 35/2.8 that doesn't cause color shift/magenta corners on my NEX-7 & A7r.

Have that Tessar, it's not a great lens, it's very cheaply made.

I don't have the Mini-Wide, but I already have a few awesome 28's, Rokkor MC 28/2.5, X-Fujinon 28/1.9 and Topcor RE 28/2.8 that I think are as good or better.

Never came across the Vivitar, I already have a few lenses that out perform it, Topcor R 200/4 Preset, and Leica R 180/3.5.