Is there a bargain basement f/1.4 or f/1.2

Alternate Internet ID · Joined: 30 Mar 2011 Posts: 253 Location: UK

Is there such a thing as a cheap f/1.4 or f/1.2 suitable for use on a Canon EOS?

The expensive option is an AF Sigma 30mm or 50mm f/1.4

I'll be using it for a particular shot on a video which is more forgiving than stills, so sharpness isn't as much of an issue.

Thanks.

greg · Expire: 2012-12-03

A Sears branded 50mm f1.4 manual everything with an M42 to EOS adapter might work.

Spotmatic · Joined: 18 Aug 2008 Posts: 4045 Location: Netherlands

If f/1.2 is necessary then the Porst Color Reflex MC Auto 55mm f/1.2 is a good option. It's not the best f/1.2 lens though.

Alternate Internet ID · Joined: 30 Mar 2011 Posts: 253 Location: UK

Sounds good but Sears are a bit thin on the ground on this side of the pond!

jjphoto · Joined: 17 Mar 2009 Posts: 414

The Olympus 50/1.4, preferably a multicoated lens rather than the silver nose, is dirt cheap yet an extremely good lens.

JJ

peterqd · Expire: 2014-01-04

There's the 50/1.4 Chinon too, early ones in M42, later in PK mount. Fairly good quality, made by Tomioka we think.

ManualFocus-G · Expire: 2014-11-24

Any of the older Nikon 50/1.4 models will be fine Smile

ChromaticAberration · Joined: 23 Dec 2010 Posts: 819 Location: Portugal

Not having a price range for your concept of a "bargain" makes things difficult but it is possible to get f/1.4 bellow the £30 mark, I know that out of my own experience.

xjjohnno · Expire: 2011-11-18

Yashica/Yashinon 50mm f1.4 might be worth a look. On the Pentax DSLRs they do snag the mirror at infinity though. No experience with other combinations.

Alternate Internet ID · Joined: 30 Mar 2011 Posts: 253 Location: UK

ManualFocus-G · Expire: 2014-11-24

I'm afraid the best time for bargains was about three years ago. You'd be buying a very fast lens, so anything under £100.00 has got to be good value. As it is, I picked up a Nikkor 50/1.4 here for a fiver and have purchased several other fast lenses in the £30.00 range. You just need to be patient and ignore the silly buy it now prices. Check bodies as well, as they sometimes come with a hidden lens included Smile

Alternate Internet ID · Joined: 30 Mar 2011 Posts: 253 Location: UK

I kind of guessed I missed the boat.
Thanks for the advice and I'll keep looking.

Alternate Internet ID · Joined: 30 Mar 2011 Posts: 253 Location: UK

There's a Minolta Rokkor 58mm 1.4 adapted to EOS EF or a Contax/Yashica fit f1.4 50mm with adapter for around £50 plus postage.

A bit steep or reasonably priced?

luisalegria · Expire: 2018-01-18

Reasonably priced in Europe I think. US ebay can be cheaper but the postage will make up the difference.

The cheapest you can do I think is to find a body with a lens, like Manualfocus-g says.

Often the sellers don't specify the lens and you can get the whole kit for less than the lens alone.

Ricoh (commonly branded as Sears in the US), Mamiya, Chinon, Yashica, Porst, Revue all had the same or very similar 1.4/55 lens in M42 mount.

Minolfan · Joined: 30 Dec 2008 Posts: 3439 Location: Netherlands

ChromaticAberration · Joined: 23 Dec 2010 Posts: 819 Location: Portugal

Just a few days ago I almost had a Super-Takumar 1.4 for £15 plus shipping!!! Unfortunately (and this has happened to me before with a CZJ 135 S, zebra version) the 'Buy Now' was snatched by another buyer, a buyer that, whe he was told that the item was already taken and a refund would be given to him, promplty explained the seller that the price he was going for was way too low. Oh well!

Look for cameras instead of lenses. There are a couple of 1.4 Chinons up for grabs as we speak, they shouldn't be any worse than any other 1.4 I guess, one example you can check out:

Chinon body with lens (try offering him between £25 and £30 for the lens alone and let him keep the body)

That is something I do all the time, I just ignore the auction and try to get in touch with the seller as soon as possible. That is how I got my 135 Pentacon for £10.

My 1.4 Yashinon was bought with a body, I actually won the auction for like £30 and I requested the seller a discount for him to keep the body and lower shipping costs but this is a bit risky since most sellers want to get rid of the bodies but also make a profit on shipping.

Talking of Chinon's you can also convince this guy to sell you the body which has a Chinon attached. He is asking a ridiculous high price for low end stuff so he clearly does not know the item's value. I have tried this and he refused my offer but just because it was low (£15).

Got get them and good luck.

Alternate Internet ID · Joined: 30 Mar 2011 Posts: 253 Location: UK

Thanks for the pointers!
I actually got a Mir 1B on a Zenit for £4.99 plus postage this way so you may call me a numpty for not having thought of it before!

muddus · Joined: 27 May 2011 Posts: 233 Location: Suomi

Is it the OM 50 / 1.4 really is that accurate open.

WONDERFUL photos by Rudi Knust

jun · Joined: 25 Jan 2011 Posts: 54 Location: Philippines

i once got a f1.2 from a seller that was disposing of old slr cameras. he was selling the slr on as-is basis. no description of the lens. the image was a bit crappy but i did make out the term f1.2. not sure if it was f1:2. seller was not responding to my emails but the bin price was only $50 so i had a go at it. it turned out to be a canon 58 1.2!

a little lighter fluid cleaned the lens.