Rollei HFT 1.8 50mm Planar vs Carl Zeiss T* 1.8 50mm Planar

DSG · Joined: 04 Mar 2007 Posts: 544 Location: London, UK.

I bought a Singapore-made Rollei 50mm f1.8 Planar HFT for about £20 from a Camera shop. At the time I was primarily concerned with finding a sharper 50mm lens, as I already owned several. In a direct head to head comparison between the Pentacon 50mm f1.8, Minolta Rokkor 58mm f1.4 and the Rollei I could detect no difference whatsover in sharpness...So I took the Rollei back and got my money back. The Pentacon remains one of the best lenses one can buy for the money...I paid just £3 for mine, including the postage!
Only my CZ 50mm f1.7 Planar T* and Canon FL 55mm f1.2 are noticably sharper. Wink

iangreenhalgh1 · Expire: 2014-01-07

Hmm, I have several copies of the Pentacon and a Meyer Oreston 1.8/50 too, and I too consider it a wonderful lens, it's why I never bought a Pancolar - I think the Pentacon/Meyer is just as good and I love the colours and bokeh it has so much.

Not really sure why I bought this Planar. I will use it and if it doesn't offer me anything my other 50s already offer I can always sell it, sure to be some buyers.

I am actually more excited to test my Miranda 1.4/50 I just acquired for 18ukp and my Miranda 1.9/50 I got for a fiver, I need to clean the blades on the 1.9, aperture is slower than slow but otherwise it's near-mint.

Now I have a lot of 50s it's time to rationalise methinks and sell on the ones I don't need.

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

I had several copies of the pentacon MC and the Pancolar (red, white MC, short or large barrel, warm or cold reflections, etc) and I can say that the Pancolar has more resolution power and more contrast than the pentacon MC.

But the Pentacon has a nice IQ, very sweet lens. And is very easy to dessamble and fix almost anythin that should go wrong inside.

Now I'm folling in love with my rokkor PF 1,7/50. But not matter which lens be my first option, the pentacon is my second lens (like a wife? Noooooooo. Laughing

)

Rino

iangreenhalgh1 · Expire: 2014-01-07

Doesn't surprise me the Pancolar has more resolution and contrast, the weakness of the Pentacon is it's contrast, a little on the low side, proabably due to coating. However, I find this is very easily fixed and it performs great on digital, on film, I would like more contrast so I bet the Pancolar is the clear winner on film. There is just something about the look of the images from the Pentacon I like, for want of a better word I would call it 'vintage'. I find my Pentacon versions are warmer than my Meyer Oreston.

Other lens I really love is my Petri 1.8/55, it renders a lot like a Pancolar and is razor sharp, even wide open.

IAZA · Joined: 16 Apr 2010 Posts: 2587 Location: Indonesia

I had Pancolar MC is better than Pentacon for overall performance.
I compared planar 50/1,8 & zenitar 50/1,7... here

adapter Rollei-EOS on market usually won't reach infinity. the lens need adjustment. unscrew the screws, and focus until get infinity.

hugomf · Joined: 31 Oct 2014 Posts: 2

My Rollei 50 1.8 is an absolute beast of a lens. At 1.8 the lens is acceptably sharp, but once you stop down to just f2 the lens becomes so sharp, the amount of detail this lens resolves is fantastic, and @ 2.8 i'd say the difference isn't very noticeable but becomes even sharper. So this is a f2/2.8 lens, at least i use it on those apertures the most. There is come purple fringing at f2, but nothing major, just a tiny bit when there is very high contrast edges, this is the same as the Zeiss 50 1.7.

I'd say both lenses have the same IQ, the build quality of the Rollei is all metal and overall sturdier. The Zeiss is sharp wide open, but it performs the best also at f2.8. Zeiss has smoother focus ring, both C/Y and QBM mounts are very easy to adapt to digital, there are plenty of cheap adapters around. Both deliver high contrast, flare resistance, and beautiful colors.

This Rollei is a gem! Almost everytime the Rollei's fall behind compared to their Zeiss counterparts, but this 50mm is not the case, it's just as good as the Zeiss 50mm 1.7. But the difference is that it's cheaper. So it's your call, bear in mind that you are fundamentally paying more for having "Zeiss" written on the front ring.

Vykingboy · Joined: 02 Jul 2018 Posts: 1 Location: Mississippi

I just wanted to thank all of you for the wisdom you have shared, very sorry to revive an old thread, but this is where it made the most sense- as my first legacy lens was the 1972 Version of the Carl Zeiss Planar 50mm 1.8, and a Singapore â€œMade By Rollei Planar, two Tele-Tessars, and a Schneider Kreuznach Xenon 50mm 1.8 much more alligned to the optical design of the Planar scheme. Along with several Rolleinar SLR Lenses made by Mamiya(Primes) and Tokina(Zooms).

Shot on a SL35M(Lol, I know itâ€™s hated with passion- but mine has been a workhorse), and a NEX 5N(with various adaptors/ext tubes/B+W Color Filters).

Of Coarse the German (Made and Designed) Glass is closest to my heart. But I so love all things Rollei! Next, I will follow the advice of advisors who had no idea how much theyâ€™ve impacted my life over the last year- as I have just joined, and the main reason I did- and to post was to give great gratitude and endless respect in no particular order to Iangreenhalgh, Orio, Estudleon, and Attila. Thanks to the many more who added my understanding of optical schemes, and navigating the Carl Zeiss Sonnar, Planar, Distagon, (Tele) & Tessar and Carl Zeiss Jena Tessar, Pancolar, and Flektagon. The Pancolar and Flektagon I am yet to try/own.

You have guided me through the discovery of these wonderful Rollei Zeiss Lenses, that have brought me joy and pleasure untold. Their ability to shine is untold far beyond my amatuer skill or scant talent will ever mature from them.

Thanks so much for your guidance, opinions, wisdom, sharing of your work, and support you so willingly offer of your time and experience with these heirlooms that I canâ€™t wait to see the next generation pick up with the same awe, passion, and curiousity as you guys have nurtured in me.

We really donâ€™t know the impact of our daily interactions, and I can just pray the good you send out multiplies back to you guys. Thanks. A. Million. -From a struggling-wannabee-amatuer-photography student.

vanylapep · Joined: 03 Jan 2014 Posts: 312

I did some research and found out that the Rollei branded made in Germany are Zeiss and the better to get. That's what I got.