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What's the best budget 50mm 1.4 lens?
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PostPosted: Tue Jul 28, 2009 4:12 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
I currently own 2 M42 mount Yashica DX 1.4 and 1.7
http://cgi.ebay.com/Yashica-Auto-Yashinon-DX-50mm-F1-4-Lens-M42-Digital_W0QQitemZ200367325579QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_CamerasPhoto_CameraAccessories_CameraLensesFilters_JN?hash=item2ea6d2c18b&_trksid=p3286.m63.l1177

I bought mine as a pair for $40us.
The 1.4 has fine hairline scratches all over the front lens, but it gives everything a soft look which is AWESOME!
Here are samples of my latest shots with the Yashica DX 50m 1.4.
SUPER SHARP, with a hint of Fuzz


http://solizphotography.deviantart.com/art/All-Alone-131212665
http://solizphotography.deviantart.com/art/Kneeboarding-Wife-131212578


PostPosted: Tue Jul 28, 2009 4:22 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Almost all time available for low costs.

http://www.mflenses.com/gallery/v/japenese/nikon_nikkor/nikkor_s_50mm_f1_4/

More expensive but affordable.

http://www.mflenses.com/gallery/v/mfl_club_members/patrickh/nikon_50mm_f1_4AIS/
http://www.mflenses.com/gallery/v/japenese/smc_pentax_m/pentax_50mm_f1_4/
http://www.mflenses.com/gallery/v/german/zeiss/pancolar_001/carl_zeiss_jena_pancolar_55mm_f1_4/

Generally cheap one also.

http://www.mflenses.com/gallery/v/japenese/konica/konica_57mm_f1_4/
With Rollei mount you can get on affordable price.
http://www.mflenses.com/gallery/v/german/carl_zeiss/Plannar_1_4_50mm_hft/


PostPosted: Wed Jul 29, 2009 2:31 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
+1 for Zuiko (> 1,100,000 serial #)


PostPosted: Wed Jul 29, 2009 6:16 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
Attila wrote:
Almost all time available for low costs.

http://www.mflenses.com/gallery/v/japenese/nikon_nikkor/nikkor_s_50mm_f1_4/

More expensive but affordable.

http://www.mflenses.com/gallery/v/mfl_club_members/patrickh/nikon_50mm_f1_4AIS/
http://www.mflenses.com/gallery/v/japenese/smc_pentax_m/pentax_50mm_f1_4/
http://www.mflenses.com/gallery/v/german/zeiss/pancolar_001/carl_zeiss_jena_pancolar_55mm_f1_4/

Generally cheap one also.

http://www.mflenses.com/gallery/v/japenese/konica/konica_57mm_f1_4/
With Rollei mount you can get on affordable price.
http://www.mflenses.com/gallery/v/german/carl_zeiss/Plannar_1_4_50mm_hft/


Attila, you have a total solution here with lot of attractant.... Wink


PostPosted: Wed Jul 29, 2009 8:03 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
Attila wrote:
More expensive but affordable.

http://www.mflenses.com/gallery/v/german/zeiss/pancolar_001/carl_zeiss_jena_pancolar_55mm_f1_4/


Your definition of "affordable" ist very interesting.


PostPosted: Sat Aug 01, 2009 5:36 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
I am planning to get an 50 1.4 too for the speed. Have 2 in mind, Minolta MC Rokkor-X 50 1.4 and the SMC Takumar 50 1.4. The MC got 55mm filter (as with all my other lenses) but the SMC got better pics. Is the advantage of the SMC that much better that I should get a step up filter for it? Any suggestion? Thanks.


PostPosted: Sat Aug 01, 2009 6:47 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
Alphan wrote:
I am planning to get an 50 1.4 too for the speed. Have 2 in mind, Minolta MC Rokkor-X 50 1.4 and the SMC Takumar 50 1.4. The MC got 55mm filter (as with all my other lenses) but the SMC got better pics. Is the advantage of the SMC that much better that I should get a step up filter for it? Any suggestion? Thanks.


Hi,

I do not know Rokkor, but I''m the owner of Takumar's derivative - Pentax SMC 50/1.4.
It's very fine lens, although You shall know, that it is optimized for shorter distances, and it is not the best solution for i.e landscape shots, as it must be stepped down well to achieve best sharpness in the corner area. On small sensor camera it is not so prominent of course.
If You are searching for speed, try to avoid Tomioka 55/1.4 (Rikenon, Revuenon, Cosinon, Chinon, Porst etc.) as it's transmission factor is not very impressive.
I've replaced my Cosinon 55/1.4 with mentioned SMC 50/1.4 and now I've really fast lens.
So, Rokkor or SMC?
You shall be the judge, if You find SMC's pictures much better, go for it. But it seems that the difference is not so shocking, as You are asking the others for advice Smile
What I can suggest You is to check, which lens produces more pleasing DOF rendering, as shooting with f1.4 lens causes that large out of focus areas are quite common, and be aware, that most of f1.4 lenses starts to be really SHARP from f2.8 up Smile


PostPosted: Sat Aug 01, 2009 8:59 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
Hi Wariag,

The sole purpose of me going for a fast lens are times when I need the speed such as flash prohibition areas, outdoor night photography etc. Also fro travel purpose. I do not do portrait. I am getting a AF confirmation adaptor for it and will be using it for my Sony A200 (APSC factor of X 1.5). I went for the MC instead of MD Rokkor after reading this link,

http://www.rokkorfiles.com/Battle%20of%2050s2.htm

Any suggestion between the MC and SMC? As for pricing, an SMC will cost about 4 times more than the MC. Age factor? Read somewhere that the SMC may get yellowing optics with aging? Is it true? I am new to SLR/DSLR thus any advices will be most appreciated. We don't find those lenses around here.


PostPosted: Sat Aug 01, 2009 1:23 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
wariag wrote:
(...)
If You are searching for speed, try to avoid Tomioka 55/1.4 (Rikenon, Revuenon, Cosinon, Chinon, Porst etc.) as it's transmission factor is not very impressive.
I've replaced my Cosinon 55/1.4 with mentioned SMC 50/1.4 and now I've really fast lens.
(...)
What I can suggest You is to check, which lens produces more pleasing DOF rendering, as shooting with f1.4 lens causes that large out of focus areas are quite common, and be aware, that most of f1.4 lenses starts to be really SHARP from f2.8 up Smile


I think that true is: Not all Auto-Something 1.4/55 is a copy made by Tomioka. For sure Porst is not Tomioka product. Any Porst. There is a myth about Tomioka lenses that they are overpriced being worse then average lens. I agree about crazy street prices but I do not agree regarding performance of the good copy.
Secondary: Many producer's reviews tell the user about best performance of the lens. Indeed - if you want to have fast lens to take pictures in low light - try to find lens with 1.2-1.4 aperture, set ISO to 1000+ and go ahead. But regarding quality it could be quite different. Quality of the lens copy is one factor, camera which we use with certain lens is one more factor.
Quote:
one mans gold is another's junk


PostPosted: Sat Aug 01, 2009 2:04 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
wariag wrote:

If You are searching for speed, try to avoid Tomioka 55/1.4 (Rikenon, Revuenon, Cosinon, Chinon, Porst etc.) as it's transmission factor is not very impressive.
I've replaced my Cosinon 55/1.4 with mentioned SMC 50/1.4 and now I've really fast lens.


Maybe your copy is faulty or something. I have both Revuenon and Porst and they are excellent.


PostPosted: Sat Aug 01, 2009 5:41 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
WallyJr74 wrote:
wariag wrote:

If You are searching for speed, try to avoid Tomioka 55/1.4 (Rikenon, Revuenon, Cosinon, Chinon, Porst etc.) as it's transmission factor is not very impressive.
I've replaced my Cosinon 55/1.4 with mentioned SMC 50/1.4 and now I've really fast lens.


Maybe your copy is faulty or something. I have both Revuenon and Porst and they are excellent.


I do not say, that it is BAD lens.
I have some excellent quality shots from Cosinon 55/1.4, and all I can say is "it is very good lens overall".
But I've tested my Cosinon 55/1.4 (and some time later my friend's Revuenon 55/1.4 as well) against my 58/2 Helios 44-2, and my EOS indicated that all three lenses set to full aperture transmits the same amount of light - so my Helios 58/2 set to f2 is as fast as Cosinon 55/1.4 set to f1.4. It was quite odd for me at first, I though that it's something wrong with my camera - so I've used my old Praktica as well, with similar result.
My old Helios decided to behave as slower than f1.4 with Pentax SMC 50/1.4,
that's all.
So I can recommend these 55/1.4 lenses for shallow DOF, but it is quite obvious to me that lens aperture does not always compete with light transmission factor when You compare two different lenses.
Of course, as Voytek says, I can be wrong and some of these "generic" 55/1.4 lenses are not so generic and differs in optical construction and the quality of the coating (which can be the main factor of better/worse light transmission factor).
So correcting myself - I've tested two 55/1.4 lenses (Cosinon and Revuenon) and although both were more than OK in case of image quality - these two lenses were not impressive in case of light transmission factor.

I think, that iIt would be nice to have lenses with dual aperture scale -f-stops and T-stops.
In the spare time I've tested some of my lenses to find that i.e. my Orestegor 200/4 is as fast as my Telear 200/3.5, and my friend's "noname" 200/4 telephoto shall have 200/5.6 on it's name ring, when the lens "speed" is what we need.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F-number#T-stops

Ive just missed auction of Tewe Berlin Telon 800/5, it went for about 150$, crap... Wink
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