is the f1.1 worth it?

bizarrius

bizarrius

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I am about to buy a 50mm lens and i think i want the f1.1.
Is the lens really worth the 1k euros?
I mean i can buy a 50mm for half the price of this lens and buy and 100 more film rolls 😀

will this lens give me a lot more than a f2 lens except the one and a half more Ev steps?

I'm not a professional photographer nor a good one either.
I know no lens will make me a good photographer.
Well except the f0.95 which will make me a happy photographer 😀
 
If you do a search and check the recent threads by P. Lynn Miller you'll find a lot of very good images with this lens ... and a lot of opinions!

Personally I wouldn't buy it but that's mainly because I already have enough 50's and the extra half stop of speed over what I have doesn't warrant the outlay.
 
It is without a doubt a great lens.
With more stops comes the ability for night shooting (with decent shutter speeds) as well as being able to use a smaller dof. If that is what you want, then there are only a few options. None of which are really kind to your wallet.

Try ebay dealers or second hand perhaps if you're looking to save money.
Do what makes you happy 😉
 
bizarrius said:
will this lens give me a lot more than a f2 lens except the one and a half more Ev steps?
Click to expand...

No, it won't. Most if not all 50mm lenses are excellent. The BEST 50mm lenses made arguably are those f2 lenses. Sharp, contrasty, fast... Summicron, Hexar, Planar (it is a sin CV doesn't have a regular production name to add to this list). They are small and built for all around use. If you are going to only have one lens, and particularly only one 50mm lens, this is where you start.

But... they can't do 1.1.

There is a huge gap that has to be filled, the one created by your "want". Only you can answer if the 1.1 will be everything you expect. I expect you won't be satisfied unless you try it.
 
Only take the 1.1 if you already have a decent f 2 50mm. I would regard the 1.1 a special purpose lens. At f 2 it isn't as sharp and contrasty as an f 2 lens.

Further, do you really like the weight of a 1.1 (or 1.0 or 0.95) lens on the body of your camera, or do you take the weight for granted - then again, also considering the weight it would most likely only serve you for special purposes and not as a 'day to day' lens. Consider that weight is already a factor for people to trade in their summiluxes which start at f 1.4!
 
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Thanks for the answers.
TBH i love night photography but this is Greece and its mostly bright and/or sunny.
I've been shooting with the 35mm f1.4 and i never had a film above 200ASA. i am about to start shooting with 400 and 800. i'm just waiting for my order to arrive since i don't find these here.
So i don't think the f1.1 will give me more than the bokeh of it. But it will also make give me a BROKEH pocket for a while 😀

I also have the Hexanon 50mm f2 lens as an option which only sells for 250 brand new from a shop here.
 
Is the f.1. worth it?

Depends... unless you are really determined to shoot in no light, I would not recommend the f1.1... why... it is a large lens that blocks a considerable amount of the finder and it only focused to 1.0m, my major gripe.

I own 50mm lenses in f1.1, f1.2, f1.4, f1.5, f1.8 f2.0, f2.5, f3.5... while there are many people well served by a 50/2.0, I find that I really need a f1.4/1.5 as my general use lens. I tend to shoot slow speed film, ASA 25 and while I can easily push film 1-stop, to cover for not having a f1.1 lens, pushing 2-stops to allow the use of a f2.0 lens does not deliver the result I want.

So where is this headed... my favorite, general use 50mm is my modified Nokton 50/1.5, not too big, not too slow, and focuses all the way down to 0.7m. It is the lens that is bolted to my M5 at the moment.

Although if I can modify my Nokton 50/1.1 to focus down to 0.7m... I will not never need another 50mm lens.
 
bizarrius said:
Thanks for the answers.
TBH i love night photography but this is Greece and its mostly bright and/or sunny.
I've been shooting with the 35mm f1.4 and i never had a film above 200ASA. i am about to start shooting with 400 and 800. i'm just waiting for my order to arrive since i don't find these here.
So i don't think the f1.1 will give me more than the bokeh of it. But it will also make give me a BROKEH pocket for a while 😀

I also have the Hexanon 50mm f2 lens as an option which only sells for 250 brand new from a shop here.
Click to expand...

that's why you should consider the VC 75/1,8😉
 
Check out the Hong Kong shops on eBay, you don't need to pay 1000 Euros for the Nokton 1.1. Obviously, check the seller has a load of good feedback, use PayPal, and you can't go that far wrong. I've bought stuff from Taipei, Hong Kong and Japan, no problems.
 
How often do most people shoot between f/5.6 (good light) and maximum aperture (poor light)?

At this point, if you shoot much in poor light, the bigger the maximum aperture, the better. At f/5.6 or so, almost all lenses are pretty damn' good.

There is however a caveat. If the lens is so big & heavy you're unhappy with it, or if you'r unimpressed at maximum aperture, it's not worth keeping. That's why I gave away my 50/1.2 Canon (to a friend for his 60th birthday -- he really liked the lens) and use the 50/1,5 C-Sonnar as pretty much my only 50mm lens (I can borrow my wife's Summarit if I want, and the Color Skopar will be good when I get the loose mount repaired).

Cheers,

R.
 
First, as some people already said -you can get CV 50/1.1 a lot cheaper - $700-800 USD or so (and it keeps going lower).
Second, based on photos I have seen - CV 50/1.5 is a FAR better lens AND cheaper - however it keeps going up in price - it used to sell for $400 new and now if you check Cameraquest price it sells for $600 ( gotta be a good lens to grow in price so quick, right? ) 😉.
 
It seems that i am the only one who can't find these prices on classifieds. 😀
Not even on eBay. I don't like bidding on stuff. i like the "BUY IT NOW" button 😀
I am starting to think that the f2 lens will suit me well. Or if i find the f1.5 will be much better.

Btw @Debusti Paolo: You seem in love with it or something 😀 i'm not much of a >50mm guy. I was never above 35mm until i bought my M6.
 
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You might also ask yourself if a used Noctilux is worth $5000+ or a new 0.95 is worth $10 000!!!!
If you need the speed, be it for dark and dingy places or for very shallow depth of field - yes, it is worth it.
If you shoot mostly at f2 and onward - why carry the extra bulk?
I like the 50f1.1 as it serves as a good travel lens - you can cover the catacombs to the bright piazzas with the same lens.
 
No doubt it's a great lens. Right now Helen(Hill) is selling hers for $750 I guess, here on RFF classifieds... You should get it for that great price. You can sell it anytime for that price, but I doubt it: it a great and powerful lens, ready for any light situation from sunny snow to dark churches...

Cheers,

Juan
 
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