Searching for a f1.2 around 50mm for EOS

[CameraRick]

Hi there,

I had some shots in the night these Days and I just saw something: I need a Lens around 50mm (maybe 55mm, 58mm, doesn't matter) with f1.2 for the EOS-Mount. Adapters are Ok, when they reach Infinity without Lens

To original 50mm f1.2L is nice, but the Price-Tag should be under 300€

I need to use it wide-open, but generally for Video-Use, not that much Photo (would be nice if it works for that too, though)
I saw the Porst 55mm f1.2, nice pricetag, but it seems like it's very soft in most circumstances - so maybe it isn't a good buy? Are there other Lenses?

Best Regards

[martyn_bannister]

I have a Canon FL 55mm f1.2. I still haven't got around to converting it to EOS

[dsmlogger]

I don't think that any f/1.2 lens is really sharp @ f/1.2.

Also have in mind that digital sensors cannot fully utilize apertures below f/2 so a very bright lens will not perform on a digital SLR as good as if it was used on a film SLR wide open.

You also want it below €300 which make your demand pretty optimistic.

Porst is probably your only choice, unless you're will willing to spend more for a Zuiko 50mm f/1.2 which is an excellent piece of glass and sharper @f/1.2 than a Zuiko 50mm f/1.4 @ f/1.4.

[CameraRick]

Hi there,

I think our opinions of "really sharp" differ a bit
I'm not a sharpness-junkie, I don't need L-Lenses (of course because of their price, but also because I don't need it sharp like a razor). While shooting Video, it isn't that interesting that it's sharper then my Kitchen-Knife, the Video isn't really sharp at all
I guess for me it's enough when it's sharp enough for beeing "usable". So, that it has to be "somehow" sharp, not just blurry. "Good usable" at f1.4/f1.6 would be nice.

I can buy a Porst for around 190-220€, I think it's a good price. What would be other Lenses beside the Porst and the Zuiko?

@martyn_bannister
It's sad you can not adapt it, converting is so much work and I'm afraid to break it

Best Regards,
Lucas

[dsmlogger]

[CameraRick]

I own a Pentacon 50mm f1.8, got it for 10€. Guess what, it's too dark.
My Flatmate owns the Canon 50mm f1.4 (AF Lens), but it wasn't available when I had a difficult shot two days ago.
I were at ISO 1600 (I don't want to go fruther, Noise in Video is a Killer...), and even my 30mm f1.4 had problems to be "bright enough" for me. That's why I want an f1.2 (and of course because it's cool to have one )

Two friends of mine own a Pentax 50mm f1.4 (Pentax K mount), which is very nice and goes for around 100€. But I want something brighter

Minolta is not an Option - you can't adapt the onto the EOS mount without losing infinity or without losing quality

[dsmlogger]

[ForenSeil]

[BRunner]

You can try to get smc Pentax 1.2/50. On German eBay you can get it surely under 300€. It shows once or twice a month or so.

[yinyangbt]

most 1.2 are over 300 .M42 ,Kmount ,OM and Nikkon mount don't need converting - they work with adaptor.
If you have the skills,time&money to convert , MD/MC ,Fujinon X ,FD are options easier or harder to convert.
I was in this situation too and solved the problem carefully pourchasing a NEX3 + Porst 50/1.2 .Now I am waiting for the adaptor. The EOS is gathering dust .

[iangreenhalgh1]

I just bought an Elmo 1.3/50 projector lens for 99p on ebay, could be interesting.

[symphonic]

Sorry, I don't have any f1.2 recommendations, but in my opinion there's not that much of a difference between a f1.2 and f1.4 lens (at least financial-wise justifiable). With that kind of budget you can also consider getting a Zeiss Planar 50/1.4 (although to be perfectly honest with my experience so far, I found that there are very minimal differences between most 50mm lenses, so I guess you're good to go with the Zuiko f1.4 and others as well).

[IAZA]

I have Canon FD 55/1,2 SSC converted to EOS & Yashica ML 55/1,2
Here's the comparison FD & ML

[ManualFocus-G]

I picked up a pre-ai Nikkor 55/1.2 for just over £100 and It's very decent on my 5d. It came attached to an old Nikon body.

[eggboy]

+1 on the Nikkor 55/1.2, but it is no where near as sharp as a C/Y Planar would be at 1.4.


Either one should be no more than US$300 or so on the 'bay.

[CameraRick]

In theory a Conversion might be pretty easy, but it's rare money you wast when it gets wrong
Also, I don't have the right Workplace here for this kind of "homework"

How much is a conversion if I pay someone to do this, and where can I make it? Maybe it's cheaper to buy a usable Lens instead of converting if this is really expensive :/

Of course the Difference between 1.2 and 1.4 is not that much. But from 1.2 to 1.7 is a whole f-stop, that's cool. 1.2 and 1.4 is a half f-stop, that's not bad.
And of course, I'd like to have a f1.2... but when I see this right, this might not fit into my plans :/

@IAZA
They look both VERY nice to me! Is this Wide-Open?


//edit
I just remebered: I own a 50mm f1.4 - Canon FD. So, who can change that mount?

[indianadinos]

[cooltouch]

I was curious about that comment too, indianadinos. Show me the evidence!

Anyway, our member Trifox converts FD and FL lenses to EOS mount. You might send him a PM and ask him what he charges.

You can usually pick up a Canon FD "chrome nose" 55/1.2 for well under 300 euros. And you can pick up a FL 55/1.2 for even less than that. A while back I had the opportunity to test a chrome nose 55/1.2 against my FL 55/1.2, and I could not tell any difference between them. Both did a very fine job. I suspect that the first version of the FD 55/1.2 (that would be the chrome nose) has the same optical formula as the FL 55/1.2. So, that's my suggestion. Look for one of those two lenses and find out what Trifox charges. He may even have one in stock.

[IAZA]

[8310]

http://www.luminous-landscape.com/essays/an_open_letter_to_the_major_camera_manufacturers.shtml

The story about sensors and ultra fast lenses. I think we already had that here a while ago, so there should be a discussion somewhere around.



On Topic: If you really need the 1.2 for its light gathering abilities and not only its shallow dof, you are better off getting a lens with good coating, eg the SMC Pentax. I have found the Porst, for example, to lose quite a bit of light in comparison due to worse coating. In most cases it is not much faster than an SMC 1.4 lens.

[dsmlogger]

Hm, I did light some fires with my comment!

Anyway, as 8310 posted previously, it comes to the way digital sensors gather light.

I remember Olympus pointing that out when introducing the 4/3 system and that's probably why Zuiko ED 50mm f/2 Macro is "limited" to f/2 in contrary with other 50mm AF lenses with apertures of f/1.2 and f/1.4

Also, if you really want to see some real sharpness differences between digital and film, put your f/1.4 of f/1.2 lens on a film SLR and shoot the same subjects with the same lens both on film and digital.

I did, and my f/1.4 lens really shined wide open (on film).

[CameraRick]

I'll contact Trifox and ask him out

The cheap price of a FD or FL Lens may get obsolete when it's very expensive to customize it :/

@IAZA
I think the Condition is not a problem when it's only cosmetic. Of course it's nice when it looks all-new, but I also like Lenses with Character
Most important for me is the optical Quality. My little 550D for example has some serious scratches on it, but it's my working-device (Filmsets are rough places) - technically, it's allright, and that is what matters - imho
Also, I like the Photos, very nice Lenses!

@8310
So a "bad" 1.2 won't give me as much light as a "good" 1.4? Or do I get this wrong?
The shallow DoF is very nice, and I would use it of course. Primary goal is "brightness when it's dark" :/
Would a 50mm f1.4 Canon FD be worth a customization under these circumstances?

Best Regards

[std]

Also you need to consider that some of the 1.2 lenses (like Canon FL and some minoltas) glow wide open. So you may need to close them to 1.4 or f2 to get a reasonable image.
I think a very good f1.4 of f2 lens can be better wide open.

[CameraRick]

Such a Glow is a serious Problem. At night, there are Lights, when they start Glowing it's not really nice :/
f2 is not enough, f1.4 is the minimum I would get :/

[Orio]