Help me choose from 6 ~50mm lenses

liviutza · Joined: 17 Nov 2012 Posts: 11

Hi all,
I just realized a few days ago I have no less than 6 MF lenses.. And no, I basically almost never use some of them (reasons unknown). So I thought I'd try a shootout and go sell 4 of them. I also have a Canon 50mm 1.4 (not in this test) so I'd still have 3 lenses in the range.
Without much talk, please let me know what lenses you would keep / sell from the below frames? It was not a scientific test and sharpness is not the most important thing for me. Lenses are in the same order (I'd try and balance wide open vs. closed down performance), and I believe there was some sun in the 1st comparison, last shot.

Wide open frames:

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Closed down examples (not necessarily the same aperture but the best shot at F5 - F8 depending on lens)

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Thank you all,
Liviu
PS - of course I will disclose lenses after a couple of days Smile

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Ultrapix · Joined: 06 Jan 2012 Posts: 570 Location: Italy

number 6 is my picking Smile

Rick1779 · Expire: 2014-06-06

same here

liviutza · Joined: 17 Nov 2012 Posts: 11

Thank you for your similar opinions Smile

. I can see arguments favoring it, still waiting for more...

soikka · Joined: 11 Jun 2008 Posts: 534 Location: Finland

6 is the best, 1 second IMHO.

Oldhand · Posted: Fri Aug 30, 2013 8:02 am Post subject:

I'm with the others on number 6.
Number 5 looks to be the worst for sharpness in both frames but has a lovely bokeh. If these were mine, number 5 would be the first to go.
OH

SonicScot · Posted: Fri Aug 30, 2013 8:30 am Post subject:

I like 2 and 4, also the bokeh of 5. You said sharpness wasn't key so I ignored that aspect.

liviutza · Joined: 17 Nov 2012 Posts: 11

Thank you all - SonicScot, thank you for keeping that in mind - indeed, the no. 5 has some swirly bokeh that the others simply do not, sharpness aside. And I believe no. 6 is the sharpest wide open, but not the nices background rendition IMHO. If I could combine the 6th sharpness with the 5th swirls, I'd be in a world of joy Smile

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Oldhand · Posted: Fri Aug 30, 2013 8:45 am Post subject:

hoanpham · Expire: 2015-01-18

#5, first to go, swirly bokeh.
#6 looks best
#4 and #3 second

twinquartz · Expire: 2013-10-29

#4 and #6.

liviutza · Joined: 17 Nov 2012 Posts: 11

I suppose it's 'keep', right? Smile

visualopsins · Expire: 2025-04-11

hoanpham · Expire: 2015-01-18

liviutza · Joined: 17 Nov 2012 Posts: 11

Well, I really... can't, I suppose. I do have a real space issue. 6 50mm lenses, 5 135mm and so on and so forth - I probably have now 25 to 30 lenses spread across 3 systems (Pentax K, micro 4/3, Canon EOS) and I believe sometimes this is really getting in front of my picture-taking.
Anyways, I suppose no. 6 is a keeper, so this is the first one that definitely does not get sold / passed on. Looking for more ideas Smile

hoanpham · Expire: 2015-01-18

Well, the canon 50/1.4 usm is a very good lens, but the build is not durable.

David · Expire: 2013-01-25

6, 4, 2, 5, 3, 1

liviutza · Joined: 17 Nov 2012 Posts: 11

Thank you - that's quite concise and another vote for no. 6 that's very likely to remain the leader. And I tend to agree with you about no 1...

!Karen · Joined: 20 Jul 2013 Posts: 836 Location: Belgium Baby

I would keep 6, followed by 4

memento · Joined: 05 Nov 2012 Posts: 79

I like 6 most even BECAUSE of the bokeh. But I am not so much a fan of swirly bokeh, anyway.

Thomas

hifisapi · Joined: 25 Sep 2012 Posts: 941 Location: USA

#4 hands down, its otherwise equal to #6 but #6 is lacking in color saturation.

pdccameras · Expire: 2014-08-11

Hi!

I like the rendering of #4 the best. I like the color of #4. I feel that #6 may be perceived to be a bit sharper based on its higher contrast, but I also think that some of that extra contrast may have been due more to momentarily contrastier lighting, or a difference in f-stop than due to the lens. I also like the bokeh in #5. I would keep #4 as a fast full frame normal and #5 as a nice, fast 75mm portrait lens for crop-body format.

liviutza · Joined: 17 Nov 2012 Posts: 11

So, in shooting order (I did it alphabetically), lenses are:
1 - Carl Zeiss Jena Biotar 58mm f2 - the big loser IMHO, as it's a historical lens in itself and precursor to the all-praised (and I see why) Helios 44.Great build and quality feel, 12 blades in aperture, apparently still lags behind more modern competitors
2 - Helios 44-K 4 (K mount), one of the more modern variants. Again a bit of a loser, but newer Helios lenses are not as well regarder as older ones. I would recommend preset anyday as long as it's a good copy
3 - Porst MC 55mm 1.2 - A good lens in itself; I believe it's normal for it to have lower contrast and details wide open, but it can melt background like any other I have; I will keep this one if only because I've ruined its aperture mechanism (it works, but not normal) and I'd lose a lot of money; plus, it's the only F1.2 lens I have Smile

4 - Ricoh P 50mm 1.7; I was surprised to see this lens in the leading packl; but I tend to agree it's a keeper. It's the smallest of the bunch and very lightweight, as well as working great on my Pentax K-30. I suppose this means the Helios will have to go. together with the Biotar
5 - S"uper Auto" - no kidding, that's the single name-like on the lens. Swirly, but that's about it, I believe it may be a Chinon.
6 - Takumar SMC 50mm 1.4 (M42 mount). Basically this confirms that Pentax has built some really great glass in the 70's, and this is not even their best 50mm. However, performance at 1.4 is astounding for its age and I will compare it to my Canon 1.4 when I get the chance.

First conclusions are that the Biotar, Helios and Super Auto will have to go. I'd keep the Ricoh for its mount compatibility and the Takumar for... the images. If I get a decent price for the Porst I'd probably pass it, as it's a specialty lens that rarely gets out of the house.
Any other ideas? Thank to all those who have answered as well to the entire MFlenses community!