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Tomioka 55mm 1.4 good price?
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PostPosted: Fri Mar 27, 2009 10:26 am    Post subject: Tomioka 55mm 1.4 good price? Reply with quote
I've got Canon 50 mm 1.8 and Jupiter9 85mm f2, do you think that Tomioka 55mm 1.4 could be useful for me? How much a good price for this lens? I've got a canon 40D, is it good on it? Grat quality?
Thanks a lot.


PostPosted: Fri Mar 27, 2009 4:12 pm    Post subject: Re: Tomioka 55mm 1.4 good price? Reply with quote
danistuta wrote:
I've got Canon 50 mm 1.8 and Jupiter9 85mm f2, do you think that Tomioka 55mm 1.4 could be useful for me? How much a good price for this lens? I've got a canon 40D, is it good on it? Grat quality?
Thanks a lot.


It is a sharp and well built lens. I prefer the Sears branded version for it's barrel design and fucus ring grip.

One thing that you must be cautious about is using this lens stopped down.
The rear element is flat and can produce some reflections that result in aperture shaped ghosts on your images.
Most people do not buy this lens to use it stopped down (me included).
It is nice wide open glowing and dreamy for portraits. Quite sharp by f2.8 to f5.6 . At F8 you can start to see the reflections I spoke of if the light is intense.

Also look for a SMC Takumar 1.4/50 and multi-coated for better contrast (if this is what you seek). An all around better performer from Japan. Albeit more expensive.
The Super Tak single coated version will usually cost less. There is much debate as to the improvement of the SMC.
For my choice I would say absolutely the SMC is an improvement.


PostPosted: Fri Mar 27, 2009 6:09 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
I agree with the Sears brand suggestion if you are in the US.

These and the identical Ricoh brand can often be found very cheap with the TLS camera. Sometimes you can also find a very cheap Mamiya 500TL/1000TL with the 1.4, and it seems to be the same lens also.

I have the SMC and Super Takumar and the Sears 1.4's, and I can't see a real difference. But then I'm not very picky.


PostPosted: Fri Mar 27, 2009 6:22 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
I got an almost-mint Sears version with a very nice TLS for just under $40 shipped. I absolutely love it. If it was automatic like a Pentax A lens it would never leave the camera.


PostPosted: Sat Mar 28, 2009 5:35 am    Post subject: Re: Tomioka 55mm 1.4 good price? Reply with quote
danistuta wrote:
I've got Canon 50 mm 1.8 and Jupiter9 85mm f2, do you think that Tomioka 55mm 1.4 could be useful for me? How much a good price for this lens? I've got a canon 40D, is it good on it? Grat quality?
Thanks a lot.


Hi,

I was owner of "Cosinon" version.
On APS-c frame (EOS 350D) it was very nice lens, but I've sold it.
The reason was: I wanted faster lens, not just shallower DOF.
And in term of light transmission my 55/1.4 set to f1.4 was as fast as my Helios 58/2 at f2.
Maybe on full-frame dSLR it would be better (Helios shall be darker due to vignetting),
but I did not test it.
Going back to lens quality - very good sharpness from f2.8 up. Nice calm bokeh. My version was built in "Takumar" style, very nice, durable construction.
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