"Standard" Lenses - 40mm - 60mm - Must Haves

ForenSeil · Joined: 15 Apr 2011 Posts: 2726 Location: Kiel, Germany.

But imho a real must-have for every MF-lens-friend is the Helios 44-2 58/2. Not for best sharpness, not for best colors, not for smooth bokeh but for it's character and price

All little comparision between some cheap 50mm lenses I made a while ago
http://forum.mflenses.com/a-little-comparision-between-some-cheap-50mm-lenses-t45319,highlight,%2Bcomparision.html

woodrim · Joined: 14 Jan 2010 Posts: 4060 Location: Charleston

I think Attila was right that you'll get as many answers as there are lenses. Folks here can only comment on what they have and what tickles their fancy. It's not my favorite focal length with a 1.5 crop factor, but I do use them on occasion. Like others, I can only comment on those I have and realize that my favorites are not based on lab tests or other lens against lens pixel peeping comparisons, but what looks and feels good to me. I'll give my short list and subjective assessment.

Minolta Rokkor-X MD 45mm f/2 Seems a very good lens and I should probably use it more. The reason I don't is because I tend to pick up my Topcor 35/2.8 or Lydith.

Konica Hexanon 50mm f/1.4 I've only used it once. When I look back at the images, I see that they're plenty sharp, so I have to say it's a good lens, but nothing clicked with me when I saw the images. The feel of the lens impressed me as cheaper build - it just didn't feel good.

Minolta MC Rokkor PG 50mm f/1.4 This is my oldest lens, having come on my first Minolta SRT-102 circa 1973. Of course I have a sentimental attachment with this lens, but it also feels very good to me and the images have a warmth to them along with excellent sharpness. This along with the Topcor is my most used in the focal range.

Minolta MC Rokkor-X PF 50mm f/1.7 Aother I've had a long time - this one came with my second Minolta camera in 1976. It's a good lens, but I rarely use it because I have the f/1.4.

Carl Zeiss Planar *T 50mm f/1.7 Seems a very good lens. I can't really explain why I don't use it more.

Schneider - Kreuznach Edixa - Xenar 50mm f/2.8 Also seems a good lens, but doesn't offer anything special over the others and it's quite slow.

Mamiya Sekor 55mm f/1.4 One of the Tomioka builds, a very good lens with cool colors. Just don't use it a lot.

Panagor 55mm Macro f/3 A great macro that is good at distance to, but not great. Special purpose lens used on occasion.

Topcon 58mm f/1.8 RE Auto-Topcor Oh my, an excellent lens. I can think of nothing bad to say. Build is excellent as is IQ. Gets equal use with my Rokkor. Wish I could afford the f/1.4 version. Honestly, I think it is a tad better lens than my beloved Rokkor.

Helios 58mm f/2 Everything everyone else says; good lens at incredibly low price. I have it because it's good and cheap, but I'll always pick up the Topcor 58mm first. Well, unless I think a need for the pre-set.

Oldhand · Posted: Tue Sep 03, 2013 12:44 am Post subject:

uddhava · Expire: 2021-06-21

Rick1779 · Expire: 2014-06-06

The cheapy: Helios 44, pretty fast, sharp, nice bokeh and I said it's cheap?

The expensive: Leitz Summicron-R 50/2, both versione are impressive, some say 1st version is better, some say the 2nd is the masterpiece...

gaeger · Expire: 2021-03-09

Lots of great 50s listed here. I would add the Nikkor 50mm f1.2 and f1.4 lenses, along with the Micro Nikkor 55mm f2.8, which is sharper than either of those in addition to its macro capability.

hinnerker · Expire: 2015-08-09

ZoneV · Expire: 2011-12-02

extra|ordinary · Joined: 06 Apr 2012 Posts: 11

My absolute favorite standard lens is the C/Y mount Carl Zeiss Tessar 45mm f/2.8 Pancake. I love absolutely everything about this lens. It's sharp and it renders beautifully. Icing on the cake? It's about as compact as they come!

asterinex · Joined: 04 Nov 2012 Posts: 311

Oldhand · Posted: Mon Sep 09, 2013 10:44 pm Post subject:

Thanks everyone for your responses.
Yes, there are hundreds of lenses in this category.
The purpose in proposing the question was to find out which lens(es) endeared themselves to image makers and for what reasons.
It was not necessarily a what is the sharpest lens question.
The feedback has been revealing
Much appreciated
OH

DR.JUAN · Joined: 08 Feb 2013 Posts: 661

Add the Kern macro switar 50/1,9.

No matter if it's not cheap, who can hold it, DO!!

Very good IQ, excelent colors, no distortion at all.

In my experience, I think that it's apochromatic lens. Almost negligible CA, minimal. My telyt 180/3,4 reminds me the macro switar's CA treatment.

fermy · Joined: 17 Feb 2012 Posts: 1974

It's hard to find a bad 50mm lens, but my favorites are Canon FD 50/1.4 and Leitz Summar 50/2. The first is a very reliable and easy to live with lens: fast, good contrast, good sharpness, good coating, good flare resistance, inexpensive, no weaknesses. When I want to be sure that there will be no nasty surprises from the lens, I pick up this one, it delivers. Summar is completely different, you have to be careful how you shoot with it, but then it gives a very special vintage look that is difficult to get otherwise.

james · Expire: 2011-12-28

Personally, I love the Nikkor 50/1.2 AIS. It's got a lovely dual character; dreamy lower contrast but high resolution from ƒ/1.2-2 and thereafter, until ƒ/5.6, just wonderful sharpness and contrast. And you can still buy it new.

Mir · Expire: 2017-09-30

good thing they're so many !

I love my M42 Carl Zeiss Jena Tessar 4,5/40 T with 10 blades and a MFD of 40cm.
Slow, but in good light it's wonderful....

A "must have" 40mm lens imho...

Farside · Expire: 2013-12-27

As for 'must-haves' I can only go by what I've got in the drawer, having accquired some of them by accident as camera caps and some as part of a bundle. Several have come my way as specific purchases, but there are a couple that stand out.

If I lost them all, these are the ones I would go out and buy, for sure...

1. The Helios 44K-4 in Pentax K mount
It does things rather well, perhaps not stellar, but reliably and has a certain character of its own.

2. Voigtlander Color-Skopar-X 50/2.8
The fairly basic standard lens on the Voigtlander Bessamatic of the 1950s and '60s.
Really good colour rendition, with a touch of saturation, but not overly so. In size, it's bordering on pancake, so it quite unobtrusive yet very very competent.

3. Rolleinar-MC 55/1.4 The Rollei mount means I can only use it on my Canon, but in front of that, it absolutely shines. Colour rendition, sharpness, overall IQ is very acceptable.

All of these are used with deep hoods, which definitely helps any lens.

koji · Expire: 2012-12-27

iangreenhalgh1 · Expire: 2014-01-07

My favourites:

Zenitar M2S 2/50
Jupiter-8 2/50
Helios 44-2 2/58 (rare 00 serial)
Helios-103 1.8/50
Industar-50 3.5/50 collapsible
CZJ Sonnar 1.5/50
CZJ Tessar 2.8/50
CZJ Pancolar 1.8/50
Meyer Trioplan 2.9/50
Meyer Primotar 3.5/50
Topcon RE Auto Topcor 1.8/58
Minolta Rokkor-PF 1.7/50
Minolta AF 1.7/50
Konica Hexanon EE 1.7/50
Konica Hexanon 1.4/50
Konica Hexanon 1.4/57
Micro-Nikkor 3.5/55

I have had some bad 50s, but maybe they were bad copies, so I won't list them.

DR.JUAN · Joined: 08 Feb 2013 Posts: 661

Orio · Expire: 2012-12-04

Must have? The one that you can afford.
Fact is, you need only one standard lens, in proper working condition.
And that must be one that you can afford: there is no use in needing a Leica or Zeiss or Nikkor if you can not buy it.
Once you have one, then you may wish to try others, but that's no more "must have", it's a "would like to have".
And being in the wishes field (and not anymore in the basic needs field), I would say that a good option for a second
standard lens is one that uses a different optical scheme than the other one you have.
For example, if your first standard lens is a double Gauss type lens, I would get a Tessar-type lens, because it will
render the image differently.
And once you have saved more money, you can decide to upgrade one of your existing lenses by purchasing one that
performs better. And here start the problems, because it's not really easy to say that for sure about a standard lens.
Standard lenses have this characteristic, that they are pretty much standard, like their name. That is, they are a lot
similar to each other. You don't really have much room to invent anything fancy with a standard lens, as you can do,
for instance, with a wide angle lens. For this reason, most standard lenses available do perform very similarly to each other.

iangreenhalgh1 · Expire: 2014-01-07

Orio · Expire: 2012-12-04

iangreenhalgh1 · Expire: 2014-01-07

So we're in full agreement then! )

BTW, isn't the Biometar a simplified double Gauss?

calvin83 · Joined: 12 Apr 2009 Posts: 7555 Location: Hong Kong

calvin83 · Joined: 12 Apr 2009 Posts: 7555 Location: Hong Kong