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My new favourite fifty, a lucky find!
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PostPosted: Sun Jun 05, 2011 6:19 am    Post subject: My new favourite fifty, a lucky find! Reply with quote
Hi folks

I bought a 1970s Japanese manual M42 SLR because I have a yearning to shoot some 35mm flm again and have a fair number of M42 lenses.

When it arrived it was in superb condition and when I popped off the lens cap to see what lens was attached I was shocked to discover a mint German glass staring back at me, I ha only paid 99p with 4ukp shipping for the camera so i nearly jumped for joy to see I'd lucked into getting a very nice German lens for free with it.

I ran out and took some test shots with it mounted on my EOS 10D and I think this may be my new favourite fifty, supplanting my Petri CC 1.8/55 and Meyer Oreston 1.8/50...

I love the vivid colours and excellent contrast, it's also razor sharp and I'm very impresed by how much detail it captures, even on a 6mp camera, can't wait to try this lens with some 35mm film!

But what is it - Tessar? Planar? Pancolar? I'll let you guess, I'd like you to judge the IQ without any prejudice of opinion on the lens from prior experience...









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PostPosted: Sun Jun 05, 2011 8:01 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
At least it is a nice find. Congrats! And for so little money, THAT is a BARGAIN.
But which one? Not easy, no pictures WO so far. I have no idea.


PostPosted: Sun Jun 05, 2011 8:18 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
These are all wide open:







PostPosted: Sun Jun 05, 2011 8:35 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
OK Embarassed, have to scratch behind my ear somewhat and some comparising.


PostPosted: Sun Jun 05, 2011 9:47 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
it's Pancolar


PostPosted: Sun Jun 05, 2011 9:52 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
do you have a picture of the lens?


PostPosted: Sun Jun 05, 2011 10:58 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
This lens is the second from the left:



PostPosted: Sun Jun 05, 2011 1:03 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Pentacon Auto? Always a classic but not high value (except to the sensible photographer of course Smile)


PostPosted: Sun Jun 05, 2011 2:24 pm    Post subject: Some version of Rollei Planar? Reply with quote
My guess is a 50 f1.8 Rollei Planar probably under the name of Color-Ultron.

If so, the M42 versions of these go for a very high price.


PostPosted: Sun Jun 05, 2011 3:12 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
It looks like a good lens and it must be an excellent lens because, ho-flippin-ho, it's given you some clear blue sky in your images and everyone knows that Cumbria never has blue sky!

Your model, by the way, is a very patient chap.

Seriously, from these images it looks to be a little gem.


PostPosted: Mon Jun 06, 2011 6:11 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
Thanks for the comments guys, Graham got it right, Pentacon Auto 1.8/50.




In this pic, the lenses are, from left to right:

Meyer Oreston 1.8/50 M42
Pentacon Auto 1.8/50 Multi Coating M42
Prakticar Pentacon Auto 1.8/50 PB
Prakticar Pentacon Auto 1.8/50 PB

I've had the Oreston for a few weeks, very good lens, probably the best of my Meyer lenses, I've had a PB mount Prakticar Pentacon 1.8/50 for ages, I converted it to EOS mount, it's also good, maybe not quite as good as the Oreston in colours and contrast, but is as sharp.

Then I got this M42 Pentacon 1.8/50 unexpectedly attached to a SLR body and I figured it was just a relabelled Oreston, it is in mint condition, the Oreston is also in reat condition but shows more signs of use, this Pentacon looks new...

It was an unusually nice sunny day here so I had a walk round in the sun casually snapping some shots, the lens seemed good in use, so I was pleased to add another Meyer/Pentacon to my collection.

When I got home and looked at the images I went 'wow' because to my eyes they look better than the quality my Oreston or other Pentacon 1.8/50 can produce, I was surprised at this and I couldn't see much wrong with any of them apart from one that had a big flare across it, but even that is a pretty, colourful flare.



So I posted the images without saying what the lens was to see if it was obviously a Pentaon to other people's eyes or if, like me, they would think it looked like something more expensive like a Planar or Pancolar from Zeiss...

As I've been collecting lenses I've built up a nice set of different 50s, the best ones that I use quite often are:

Petri CC Auto 1.8/55
Helios 44-2 2/58
Helios 44M-4 2/58
Meyer Oreston 1.8/50
Olympus Zuiko 1.8/50

I felt that would be sufficient until I could afford a Pancolar or Planar, thinking that either of those would be a little step up in IQ from what I already had.

However, now I have this new Pentacon 1.8/50 I'm not so sure I really need a Planar or Pancolar, my EOS is only 6mp APS-C and I can't see the need for better IQ than this Pentacon gave me the other day until I get a better camera with more resolution and that might not happen for a couple more years..

P.S. Anyone seen that smaller, all-plastic Prakticar Pentacon 1.8/50 before? Unlike the other 3 lenses it doesn't say 'made in GDR' anywhere on it, so I'm thinking it's a late model from the 80s and could be made in Japan...


PostPosted: Mon Jun 06, 2011 1:41 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
While you are accumulating a set of Fifty's, some you might consider are:

Yashica ML 50/1.4 and DX 50/1.7
SuperTakumar 50/1.4 and 55/1.8
Rikenon 50/2 and 55/1.8
CZJ Tessar 50/2.8 (alum)
Meyer Primotar-E 50/3.5
MacroTakumar 50/4 (1x)
Tomioka 55/1.4 and 1.8
Chinon 55/1.7

I got all of these (except the Tak 50's) very cheap. Your costs may vary.


PostPosted: Mon Jun 06, 2011 4:06 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
If you like the 50 mm lenses, there are a lot of them with good to very good IQ.

Some are very cheap and underrated, like the Rikenon 1,7 or 2/50 in M42 mount.

I should like to see a comparision between the SMC 1,8/55, the petri 1,8/55, the mamiya/sekor 1,8/55 and the EBC 1,8/55.

Rino.


PostPosted: Mon Jun 13, 2011 11:53 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
I dont know, im a bit uncertain of the lens. When I took the first look at the pics I thought they seemed soft, but perhaps thats just me.


PostPosted: Tue Jun 14, 2011 3:33 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
Which pics do you think look soft?


PostPosted: Tue Jun 14, 2011 6:01 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
iangreenhalgh1 wrote:
Which pics do you think look soft?
I don't think any of them are sharp. They have a kit lens look about them.

I was thinking Meyer/Pentacon, but 30mm rather than 50. The lack of contrast being the giveaway to the brand, but the reason I like them.


PostPosted: Wed Jun 15, 2011 4:08 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
I don't know what to say to that.

What does everyone else think? Sharp or soft?

If soft, care to show me something really sharp?


PostPosted: Wed Jun 15, 2011 6:27 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
iangreenhalgh1 wrote:
Thanks for the comments guys, Graham got it right, Pentacon Auto 1.8/50.


I've had the Oreston for a few weeks, very good lens, probably the best of my Meyer lenses, I've had a PB mount Prakticar Pentacon 1.8/50 for ages, I converted it to EOS mount, it's also good, maybe not quite as good as the Oreston in colours and contrast, but is as sharp.

Then I got this M42 Pentacon 1.8/50 unexpectedly attached to a SLR body and I figured it was just a relabelled Oreston, it is in mint condition, the Oreston is also in reat condition but shows more signs of use, this Pentacon looks new...

It was an unusually nice sunny day here so I had a walk round in the sun casually snapping some shots, the lens seemed good in use, so I was pleased to add another Meyer/Pentacon to my collection.

When I got home and looked at the images I went 'wow' because to my eyes they look better than the quality my Oreston or other Pentacon 1.8/50 can produce, I was surprised at this and I couldn't see much wrong with any of them apart from one that had a big flare across it, but even that is a pretty, colourful flare.


As I've been collecting lenses I've built up a nice set of different 50s, the best ones that I use quite often are:

Petri CC Auto 1.8/55
Helios 44-2 2/58
Helios 44M-4 2/58
Meyer Oreston 1.8/50
Olympus Zuiko 1.8/50

I felt that would be sufficient until I could afford a Pancolar or Planar, thinking that either of those would be a little step up in IQ from what I already had.

However, now I have this new Pentacon 1.8/50 I'm not so sure I really need a Planar or Pancolar, my EOS is only 6mp APS-C and I can't see the need for better IQ than this Pentacon gave me the other day until I get a better camera with more resolution and that might not happen for a couple more years..

P.S. Anyone seen that smaller, all-plastic Prakticar Pentacon 1.8/50 before? Unlike the other 3 lenses it doesn't say 'made in GDR' anywhere on it, so I'm thinking it's a late model from the 80s and could be made in Japan...


There are those that say the Meyer Oreston and the Pentacon are optically identical. I have both and I know that they perform differently optically and they are not the same mechanically either. The Pentacon has better performance across the frame, the Oreston is best in the centre of frame and gets noticably worse towards the edges.
The Oreston has better contrast but the Pentacon gives more natural colours.
The Oreston has better build quality.
The Pentacon suffers from a magenta centre cast when taking shots of a bright subject, particularly when close up and using flash...The Oreston does'nt.


PostPosted: Wed Jun 15, 2011 6:47 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
iangreenhalgh1 wrote:
I don't know what to say to that.

What does everyone else think? Sharp or soft?

If soft, care to show me something really sharp?


Now you are also interested in film cameras....treat yourself to a basic camera like Konica Autoreflex TC with HEXANON AR 50mm f1.7 lens and use that for comparisons, while it may or may not be the sharpest lens in the world, it's still a very high standard.
Also I'm not saying your pictures are unsharp but generally with so many different computer screens by members, you have to sharpen your shots (definitely have to put back on film what you lose in cheap scanning as 35mm film has about 21mp of info)...and I would say many of the top photography posters can sharpen (and de-noise) just to the point where it doesn't show/ruin the presented shot.


PostPosted: Wed Jun 15, 2011 2:25 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
I've got an OM10 with Zuiko 1.8/50 and a Pentax MG with a M 2/50.

Maybe these factors come into play a little:

The images were taken on a 6MP EOS 10D

No sharpening or other PP was applied at all, that is how they came out of the camera apart from some resizing.


PostPosted: Wed Jun 15, 2011 3:49 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
iangreenhalgh1 wrote:
I've got an OM10 with Zuiko 1.8/50 and a Pentax MG with a M 2/50.

Maybe these factors come into play a little:

The images were taken on a 6MP EOS 10D

No sharpening or other PP was applied at all, that is how they came out of the camera apart from some resizing.


Well I'm only a film user and the supermarket scans are about 2.2mp and they look good on a computer screen after a small bit of sharpening in Photoshop (above what the supermarket does), and still look good after reducing for posting.
...and you wanted an example of a shot that looks sharp, well this Centon 50mm @ f8 looks sharp on my monitor, just a supermarket scan 2.4mp and a bit more sharpening by me...btw I'm not saying "go and buy the Centon as it's the greatest" but it's quite good at f8, on a sunny day, and on the right subject.



PostPosted: Wed Jun 15, 2011 4:56 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
iangreenhalgh1 wrote:
I've got an OM10 with Zuiko 1.8/50 and a Pentax MG with a M 2/50.

Maybe these factors come into play a little:

The images were taken on a 6MP EOS 10D

No sharpening or other PP was applied at all, that is how they came out of the camera apart from some resizing.


I have a 10D also. What do you have your camera set at? Sharpness settings run from -2 -1 0 +1 +2.


PostPosted: Wed Jun 15, 2011 11:34 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
walter g wrote:
iangreenhalgh1 wrote:
I've got an OM10 with Zuiko 1.8/50 and a Pentax MG with a M 2/50.

Maybe these factors come into play a little:

The images were taken on a 6MP EOS 10D

No sharpening or other PP was applied at all, that is how they came out of the camera apart from some resizing.


I have a 10D also. What do you have your camera set at? Sharpness settings run from -2 -1 0 +1 +2.


No idea, there doesn't appear to be a sharpness setting in the menu.

These soft/sharp debates have me concerned.

I'm going to get out all my 50mm lenses and test them all side-by-side, they can't all be soft.


PostPosted: Thu Jun 16, 2011 1:05 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
iangreenhalgh1 wrote:
walter g wrote:
iangreenhalgh1 wrote:
I've got an OM10 with Zuiko 1.8/50 and a Pentax MG with a M 2/50.

Maybe these factors come into play a little:

The images were taken on a 6MP EOS 10D

No sharpening or other PP was applied at all, that is how they came out of the camera apart from some resizing.


I have a 10D also. What do you have your camera set at? Sharpness settings run from -2 -1 0 +1 +2.


No idea, there doesn't appear to be a sharpness setting in the menu.

These soft/sharp debates have me concerned.

I'm going to get out all my 50mm lenses and test them all side-by-side, they can't all be soft.


Well it could be my laptop screen that caused the softness affect, but i also noticed a lack of contrast, especially on the garage photos.

I have some sharp images, they are already posted on this site. Look for Fujinon EBC photos I posted.

Here's one link to a previous thread.
http://forum.mflenses.com/ebc-fujinon-macro-55-f-3-5-t22627.html


PostPosted: Thu Jun 16, 2011 1:30 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
iangreenhalgh1 wrote:
walter g wrote:
iangreenhalgh1 wrote:
I've got an OM10 with Zuiko 1.8/50 and a Pentax MG with a M 2/50.

Maybe these factors come into play a little:

The images were taken on a 6MP EOS 10D

No sharpening or other PP was applied at all, that is how they came out of the camera apart from some resizing.


I have a 10D also. What do you have your camera set at? Sharpness settings run from -2 -1 0 +1 +2.


No idea, there doesn't appear to be a sharpness setting in the menu.

These soft/sharp debates have me concerned.

I'm going to get out all my 50mm lenses and test them all side-by-side, they can't all be soft.


In the menu scroll down to parimeters select it with the button on your scroll wheel.
Got down to set up and hit the button again.
This will allow you to set Contrast, Sharpness, Saturation and Color tone.
You can do 3 different setups.
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