Suggestion on Primes over 40mm ?

DahakaNishoba · Joined: 07 May 2013 Posts: 27 Location: Rome ITALY

Hi everyone....
i'm a VERY HAPPY user of a NEX C3 (so aps-c format) and I'm trying to shoot as much as I can with it, paired with the really cheap 35mm 1.7 China CCTV lens

just fell in love with it, is small, fun to use and good IQ.

now, as it seems impossible to go for a wider alternative (i'd buy a sigma 19mm if needed) i'm looking for longer primes between 40 and 70mm, c mount (for the size)

but they seem to be quite expensive in comparison with normal mount ones.....especially if comparing IQ...

Seems really more cost efficient to adapt 40-50mm primes in M42 mounts or even my nikon one.....

apart from portability/weight....

any suggestion for a longer prime in the "not so expensive" range of CMounts??

the cheap 50mm C Mount CCTV Chinese is something to go after ??

Rolling Eyes

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

apart from c-mounts there are also lots of rangefinder lenses if you are not too picky about maximum aperature.
The c-mount tv lenses are not that good. I have one 50mm f2.8 cosmicar - well it is small but not as good as most SLR or rangefinder lenses.
Try something in M39: there are Jupiter-8 (f2) there and industar at f2.8.

cooltouch · Joined: 15 Jan 2009 Posts: 9096 Location: Houston, Texas

It used to be not that long ago that you could pick up clean Leitz 50mm f/3.5 collapsible Elmars for relatively cheap. Nowadays it's harder to find them at reasonable prices, but not impossible. The FED Industar copy might be worth considering. If it's a faithful copy of the Elmar then it's well worth considering. I've never used one, though, so I can't make any claims about its abilities.

The 50mm f/3.5 collapsible Elmar is one of the sharpest 50mm lenses that was ever made. Whether M39 or Leica M. I owned an M3 once and when I bought it, it came with a collapsible Elmar in M39 with a M adapter. That lens was just incredibly sharp. I'll pass along a true story about the collapsible Elmar:

I was at a camera show back during the early 90s and a good friend of mine who sold high-end collectible cameras and large format walked up to me. He had two 8x10 glossy black and white photo prints in his hands. He handed them to me and asked, "Can you tell which one was shot with a 4x5 and which was shot with a 35mm?" The photos were identical -- an old, white clapboard church with a tall steeple sitting amongst some tall trees.

Well, I looked back and forth between the two photos and one of the first things I noticed was that there was essentially no difference in sharpness between the two images. Both had a great amount of detail. Then I looked at the sky in both photos, and immediately spotted something in one that wasn't present in the other. I handed one of the photos back to my friend and said, "This one is the 35mm."

He nodded his head and asked, "How could you tell?"

"The grain," I said. "That one has visible grain. The other doesn't."

My friend then told me that the 35mm outfit was a Leica IIIg with a pre-war collapsible Elmar 50/3.5. He also told me what the 4x5 was, but I don't recall anymore. It was a decent outfit though.

True story, I swear! The only way I could tell the difference between the two photos wasn't a function of the lenses at all, but a function of the enlargement process which rendered the 35mm photo's grain more visible.

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

most of C mount lenses has sharp in center only. soft/blur/swirly at edges. it's only works for effect, fun or special purpose. Don't expect sharpnes in edges, unless you crop.
I agree with Stefan, go for Jupiter 50/2, its really nice and cheap now, maybe not in next year(s). or Michael's opinion.. take Elmar copy, industar 50/3,5.

fermy · Joined: 17 Feb 2012 Posts: 1974

DahakaNishoba · Joined: 07 May 2013 Posts: 27 Location: Rome ITALY

mmmmm the M39 solution seems a good compromise.....adapter seems to protrude half the way compared t M42 and that 50mm is SMALL

Surprised

cooltouch · Joined: 15 Jan 2009 Posts: 9096 Location: Houston, Texas

fermy · Joined: 17 Feb 2012 Posts: 1974

They might be amazing, but they are $$$. How much is 50/1.8 Serenar these days?

cooltouch · Joined: 15 Jan 2009 Posts: 9096 Location: Houston, Texas

glasslover · Expire: 2013-10-19

Hi!

Here are two suggestions that I think others haven't yet made:

1. This one is in your price and focal length range, but is not a C-mount lens: Topcon 58/1.8 (Topcon/Exakta mount) is terrific! And pretty small and light, too. You'd need an adapter, of course.

2. This one is just outside your focal length range, but I'd recommend you take a look at it anyway. Fujinon TV 75/1.8 C-mount. BIN prices on auction sites are crazy, but if you're patient you'll find one at auction for $75-$110. Very sharp, few flaws. Some artful glow wide open, super sharp by f2.3 or so.

Cheers!

iangreenhalgh1 · Expire: 2014-01-07

I have both the Topcor 1.8/58 and Fujinon-TV 1.8/75, both are truly superb, among my favourite lenses on the NEX.