wlewisiii
Veteran
Ah, this is good to know. I have seen that last variant most often and it seems to have at least ... reasonable... pricing. It's on my list to seriously consider now. But the, I love my 50's 😉
What M or L lenses will give you swirly/bubbly bokeh?
- Thread starter ravenxarmy
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Miles.
Beamsplitter
It's an excellent lens. Has a very short focus throw that some folks like. On my optical bench it out-resolved a mint rigid Summicron at the "working apertures." Good luck in your search!
wlewisiii
Veteran
It seems like it would fit in with my selection for Leica.
My current list:
7Artisans 50/1.1
Canon 50/1.4 (glorious, modernish but not quite 🙂 )
Chikoyo/Minolta 50/2 (exquisite)
Nikon 50/2 (fun & fills the Sonnar craving nicely)
Jupiter 8 50/2 (a stinker copy)
I-22 50/3.5 (pretty good one)
I-61 L/D (optically ok, mechanically meh)
Leica Elmar 50/2.8 (hazy)
Voigtlander 50/1.5 (very good but ... modern, you know?)
Had a Summicron collapsible & traded it for a Summitar that I loved but was an idiot and sold. Really wanted another one till Brian told me about the Chiyoko. Might get a Summar if I find a nice one cheap enough though. Ditto for an actual Elmar 50/3.5.
Had a Canon 50/1.8, good but I like the 1.4 better.
So you can see why the Topcor tempts me 🤣
My current list:
7Artisans 50/1.1
Canon 50/1.4 (glorious, modernish but not quite 🙂 )
Chikoyo/Minolta 50/2 (exquisite)
Nikon 50/2 (fun & fills the Sonnar craving nicely)
Jupiter 8 50/2 (a stinker copy)
I-22 50/3.5 (pretty good one)
I-61 L/D (optically ok, mechanically meh)
Leica Elmar 50/2.8 (hazy)
Voigtlander 50/1.5 (very good but ... modern, you know?)
Had a Summicron collapsible & traded it for a Summitar that I loved but was an idiot and sold. Really wanted another one till Brian told me about the Chiyoko. Might get a Summar if I find a nice one cheap enough though. Ditto for an actual Elmar 50/3.5.
Had a Canon 50/1.8, good but I like the 1.4 better.
So you can see why the Topcor tempts me 🤣
Miles.
Beamsplitter
I stand corrected about the optics across the variants. They made a slight change in the formula for the S variant (which for sure is a Biotar). See attached diagram.
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wlewisiii
Veteran
Hmm. Interesting 🙂 I'll have to see what Brian has to say about the significance of the change 😉
KoNickon
Nick Merritt
That picture of your daughter on the swing is the very definition of "peak of the action." And stunningly sharp. Great picture. (And I didn't even notice the swirlies!)
KoNickon
Nick Merritt
I have the Helios 44M-4, which is the Biotar copy, in M42 mount. It currently sits on a Sears (Mamiya-made) SLR; works fine. I think I've used it on the Mamiya TL series cameras too, with no problems. So maybe you just need the right body. But if you want a rangefinder body and lens, I'm not going to stop you!
santino
FSU gear head
Of the classic Helios 44s (not Ms) the 44-3 is considered the pinacle of image quality. It is the belarussian version of the soviet 44-2 and is multi coated! It will IMO perform better than an old Biotar and probably work on the Bessaflex.
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What's with all the non swirly pics in this thread?
ravenxarmy
Established
So the S is the one to get then. Thanks!!
ravenxarmy
Established
What about 5cm F1.8??
It's an S but I assume the internal structure is different from Biotar design?
It's an S but I assume the internal structure is different from Biotar design?
Miles.
Beamsplitter
The 1.8 is a Planar.
ravenxarmy
Established
Is this the 3rd variant of the lens?
I found 2 of them for sale, both in terrible shape.
There are lots out there, none of them in acceptable condition. I will keep looking.
Miles.
Beamsplitter
Same Biotar optics as the other “S” variant so the only difference is the barrel style. I’ve never seen reliable production numbers for any version, but at least anecdotally, this version is much less common.
And they called her Xenon, Warrior Bokeh Princess...
1930s 5cm f1.5 Xenon, on the M Monochrom. This one- cleaned internal haze, and glass is really clean.
Wide-Open.
Canon 5cm F2 Serenar, wide-open. VVV
Canon 50/1.9 Serenar, wide-open. VVV
The latter- much better than the reputation, and not expensive.
I paid $60 for each of these- probably have gone up since then.
Canon 50/1.9 Serenar, wide-open. VVV
The latter- much better than the reputation, and not expensive.
I paid $60 for each of these- probably have gone up since then.
ravenxarmy
Established
I like those serenars.
I looked at the prices just now and there's also a 1.5
How's that one? Worth looking into?
I looked at the prices just now and there's also a 1.5
How's that one? Worth looking into?
wlewisiii
Veteran
The Canon 50/1.5 is a Sonnar type. It's a beautiful classic right up there with the Zeiss 1.5 & the Nikon 1.4. Ask Brian about the Canikon lens he made sometime 😉
If you can find a clean one for a price that your wallet says is acceptable, they're fine lenses. Fortunately for _my_ wallet, I find myself satisfied with my Nikkor 50/2 for my Sonnar type 😉
If you can find a clean one for a price that your wallet says is acceptable, they're fine lenses. Fortunately for _my_ wallet, I find myself satisfied with my Nikkor 50/2 for my Sonnar type 😉
dourbalistar
Buy more film
@ravenxarmy, like @wlewisiii said, it's a beautiful lens and highly recommended. There's a thread on the forum with many image samples:
Canon LTM - Canon LTM 50mm 1.5 "Sonnar" Photos Please!
I couldnt find a thread like this from before, so..... Post your photos from Canon 50mm 1.5 LTM "Sonnar" lens,pls.
rangefinderforum.com
Here are a few of my favorites that I've taken with the lens:
2020.08.26 Roll #256-05191-positive.jpg by dourbalistar, on Flickr
2020.10.06 Roll #259-05408-positive.jpg by dourbalistar, on Flickr
2021.02.13 Roll #270-06003-positive.jpg by dourbalistar, on Flickr
ravenxarmy
Established
It took me a while to track down a Topcor-S in a good shape. Finally I managed to score a mint 2nd iteration (which seems to be the most common) with super clean optics.
It arrived yesterday so I wanted to take it out for a spin immediately but it was pissing down all day so I had to wait.
This morning was still rather cloudy so no sun peaking through the trees for better bokeh effect but I was impatient so rather thn waiting for a better weather / light I went out and run a quick comparison between Topcor and Biotar.
I used Sony a7 with K&F adapters. Shot everything full open at f2.
For the sake of comparison I stacked both vintage lenses against a modern SONNAR 55mm f1.8 (shot at f2)
Very quick run down on the differences between the 2 lenses:
- SIZE
Topcor is much smaller, which is good for me usage wise but I'm not savvy enough to know how that would affect optics
- APERTURE RING
Topcor : 2-16 Regular, clicky
Biotar : 2-22 Unclicked with a pre-set ring
- FOCUS THROW
Topcor : Very short. Shorter than collapsible Summicron, which I believe is somewhere in the ballpark of 180°. Topcor is probably somewhere aroun 90°, maybe a tad bit more.
Biotar : Super long, I think it was nearly 360°. Strangely enought I felt Topcor was a lot easier to precision focus.
- CLOSE FOCUS DISTANCE
Topcor : 100cm
Biotar : 45cm
This one clearly goes to Biotar. 1m is not nearly close enough. It might turn out to be a serious problem for close up portraiture.
- SHARPNESS
This is highly subjective but I felt Topcor was a lot sharper full open.
I am surprised how close the Topcor is to Biotar. I still feel the Biotar produces tiny bit nicer images but Topcor is definitely in the ballpark. Very happy with it... I suppose it's safe to say that Topcor-S is the LTM Biotar, next time anybody asks.
Pictures run in order of:
1. SONNAR
2. BIOTAR
3. TOPCOR
It arrived yesterday so I wanted to take it out for a spin immediately but it was pissing down all day so I had to wait.
This morning was still rather cloudy so no sun peaking through the trees for better bokeh effect but I was impatient so rather thn waiting for a better weather / light I went out and run a quick comparison between Topcor and Biotar.
I used Sony a7 with K&F adapters. Shot everything full open at f2.
For the sake of comparison I stacked both vintage lenses against a modern SONNAR 55mm f1.8 (shot at f2)
Very quick run down on the differences between the 2 lenses:
- SIZE
Topcor is much smaller, which is good for me usage wise but I'm not savvy enough to know how that would affect optics
- APERTURE RING
Topcor : 2-16 Regular, clicky
Biotar : 2-22 Unclicked with a pre-set ring
- FOCUS THROW
Topcor : Very short. Shorter than collapsible Summicron, which I believe is somewhere in the ballpark of 180°. Topcor is probably somewhere aroun 90°, maybe a tad bit more.
Biotar : Super long, I think it was nearly 360°. Strangely enought I felt Topcor was a lot easier to precision focus.
- CLOSE FOCUS DISTANCE
Topcor : 100cm
Biotar : 45cm
This one clearly goes to Biotar. 1m is not nearly close enough. It might turn out to be a serious problem for close up portraiture.
- SHARPNESS
This is highly subjective but I felt Topcor was a lot sharper full open.
I am surprised how close the Topcor is to Biotar. I still feel the Biotar produces tiny bit nicer images but Topcor is definitely in the ballpark. Very happy with it... I suppose it's safe to say that Topcor-S is the LTM Biotar, next time anybody asks.
Pictures run in order of:
1. SONNAR
2. BIOTAR
3. TOPCOR
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