1.4 50mm lens for EOS 450D

iangreenhalgh1 · Expire: 2014-01-07

Hi folks

I just bought a 450D and have a hankering for a fast 50 for it. I have two superb 1.4/50s - Konica Hexanon and Miranda Auto, but neither can be adapted to an EOS.

So I'm just wondering of the 1.4/50s that will fit an EOS, what do folks recommend?

iangreenhalgh1 · Expire: 2014-01-07

Oh, forgot to say, wide open performance and bokeh are the priorities.

DigiChromeEd · Joined: 29 Dec 2009 Posts: 3460 Location: Northern Ireland

SMC Takumar 1.4/50 and Olympus OM 1.4/50.

poilu · Expire: 2019-08-29

congrats for your 450D !
many mf lens are compatible with the canon and most say they don't see differences between them
take also a canon 50:1.8, very sharp and auto focus when needed

iangreenhalgh1 · Expire: 2014-01-07

The Takumar is one I thought about, how successful is UV treatment of a yellowed one?

The OM 1.4/50 is one that I am strongly considering.

I definitely want a Canon AF 1.8/50, but having played with the MkII version a friend has (his third copy in 2 years) I want a MkI, I would be scared the MkII would break on me or shatter if I dropped it, the MkI is somewhat stronger built I read, and the metal mount appeals to me too.

For this same flimsy build quality, I'm scared off the 18-55 IS, which I read is good optically (I had two copies of the mkI and those sucked).

I would hate to be shooting a paid job and have a plastic lens break on me, those types of screw-ups can be costly.

I bought the old 1980s Canon EF 28-70 3.5-4.5 because it's got decent build quality, metal mount and on APS-C where the edges are not seen, photozone.de say it's very close to the L 28-70 2.8 in performance.

hoanpham · Expire: 2015-01-18

Mamiya sekor 55/1.4 m42

First thing when i got a cheap 400d is install a focus screen and get an m42 adapter.

When you bump into OM lenses, the 55/1.2 is superb too.

iangreenhalgh1 · Expire: 2014-01-07

I nearly bought the Mamiya the other day. Having owned an EOS digital before, the first thing I did was order a focus screen Wink

Got some EOS-M42 adapters here left over from my EOS days, I sold my others though, I had loads, C/Y, OM, QBM, PK etc.

LucisPictor · Expire: 2013-12-03

iangreenhalgh1 · Expire: 2014-01-07

Is the Mamiya the Tomioka and also seen as a Yashinon and others? (I know, that bloody 'everythings a Tomioka' debate again Wink

Aah, the Nikkor 1.4/50, there's loads of versions, I read the thread about them, Vilhelm gave lots of info, but can someone boil it down for me, are the various Nikkor 1.4/50s really significantly different in IQ or are they all good?

Aanything · Expire: 2014-05-30

EBC Fujinon 50/1.4 together with the others mentioned.

My favorite 50/1.4 (among the ones I tried) though, is minolta MC Rokkor PG, but I don't know if it's adaptable to Canon.
I always see beautiful pics from the "tomioka" 55/1.4's that comes under different brands, but I never owned one, so it's just to say.

Also, Takumar and Fujinon 55/1.8 are really great for their usual price, but not 1.4

fatdeeman · Joined: 13 Jun 2009 Posts: 780 Location: UK

It always amazes how fast some people manage to go through copies of the canon nifty fifty, I know it's cheap but I've had the same one for nearly 8 years and it's still going strong and I haven't treated it with special care. I wonder if some people are just heavy handed?

iangreenhalgh1 · Expire: 2014-01-07

Didn't know there was a Fujinon 1.4/50, I have the EBC DM X-Fujinon 1.6/50 and it's crap wide open, really bad CA and not sharp on my NEX, but nice on BW film. I had the non-EBC X-Fujinon 1.6/55 and that was better, had nice dimensionality and sharpness wide open.

The Rokkor 1.4/50 is one that I would like to own and it's common and cheap, but converting it would make it not cheap, sadly. The Canon FD 1.4/50 is common and cheap too but same issue, and the copy I had was crap wide open, maybe I had an unlucky lemon>

I definitely don't need any more 1.8/50s, I have several that can fit the EOS, including the Pancolar which I really like. I have three or four copies of the Petri CC Auto 1.8/55 too and I strongly suspect it's pretty much identical to the Fujinon and Takumar, excellent lens. I keep meaning to convert one of them to EOS, I converted the first copy I had but sadly sold it after I sold my old EOS 10D.

Which version of the EF 1.8/50 do you have Dave? The MkIIs my friend had were incredibly flimsy, one developed so much play in the barrel that it wobbled about when it AFed, another the lugs sheared off the mount and the third is going wobbly too.

ManualFocus-G · Expire: 2014-11-24

Well, I've seen someone drop a Canon EF 50/1.4 with a metal mount and that smashed to pieces as well. I think the key is not to drop your lenses Wink

The Takumar and Planar are both sharpish wide open, the 55/1.4 Super Reflecta and Yashica 55/1.4 both had lots of coma wide open, giving a soft look. The Yashica ML was quite soft wide open too. I have an old Nikkor 50/1.4 (pre-ai) which is pretty decent.

iangreenhalgh1 · Expire: 2014-01-07

I've discounted the Planar, horrible bokeh, and out of my budget.

I'm just used to lenses like the Helios 44-2, Biotar 2.58 and Pancolar that are all metal and built to last, so the plastic EF 1.8/50 just doesn't appeal, it's so flimsy.

ManualFocus-G · Expire: 2014-11-24

iangreenhalgh1 · Expire: 2014-01-07

Yeah, the Planar bokeh is harsh and nervous to my eyes, very different to the Helios/Biotar.

I'd like the 8-element Takumar if I can find one at a good price.

std · Joined: 09 Feb 2010 Posts: 1826 Location: Bulgaria

Hi Ian,
I guess the Minolta will not be expensive to convert. If you are interested i can ask.

BTW have you tough of changing your focusing screen?
I have won one 20D 2 days ago on ebay and I'm looking into possibilities.

DanielT74 · Joined: 01 Apr 2011 Posts: 204

Old Pentax K 50/1.2 or if that's too expensive 50/1.7?

The f/1.2 is a lovely lens that draws very nicely wide open (though not super-sharp) and mostly has lovely bokeh (better than the Super-Tak). The 50/1.7 is just a great lens (but it can't do f/1.2).

pdccameras · Expire: 2014-08-11

Ian,

I'll jump on the Takumar bandwagon. I have to admit, though, I have never been able to ascertain a real difference between the 7 and 8 element models. I've had very yellow copies clean up efficiently under a good UV lamp. Color balance is the first step in my PP workflow, so a little yellow in the glass doesn't really bother me anyway.

The Nikon 50mm f/1.4 Nikkor-S pre-ai has always been good to me, and it is pretty reasonably priced.

Here is a great review of this lens - against a bunch of other Nikon 50s and a Zeiss ZF, with sharpness, bokeh, etc. described:

http://www.kenrockwell.com/nikon/50-comparison/index.htm

Best of luck,

Paul

estudleon · Joined: 15 May 2008 Posts: 3754 Location: Argentina

+1. Minolta mc pg.

+1 summilux last version

LucisPictor · Expire: 2013-12-03

kuuan · Expire: 2014-12-26

Pancolart · Expire: 2013-11-18

Rolleinar QBM 1.4/55mm is very good lens.

Ymmot · Joined: 24 Sep 2011 Posts: 168

Though I don't have much experience with fast lenses (and use my lenses stopped down most of the time),

I can say that the Zuiko 50mm 1.4 is nice, 8 blade aperture, though mine had some (oily/condensation, not mold, I think) internal haze.
I love it after cleaning it (most of it cleaned out), though I recall hearing someone other about it as well, so better check them if you buy them.

(Haze was on the inside of the front group, last element before the aperture on mine...
Mine was quite easy to disassemble up to the point of taking the front group apart, they used rings without notches, so you need a friction tool to open them/put them back together)

iangreenhalgh1 · Expire: 2014-01-07

This is all good, very helpful info guys, thanks.

A Takumar would be simplest, but I am intrigued by a Rokkor, not least because of the three other Rokkors I have, all three are wonderful lenses (MD 2/45, Rokkor-PF 1.7/50, W-Rokkor-Sg 3.5/3 Cool