The Best CV Lens for B&W-Period

[Pablito]

...the one that's on the camera when I take the picture....

 

[Doug]

Us old codgers know that the best CV lens is the 2.5/75mm Heliar, and dat's da name a dat tune.

Grins! 😀

(And some more text to fulfill the minimum)

 

[RayPA]

Assumed somebody owns the whole CV lens line,"best lenses" cannnot exist anyway. As golden bullets do not exist. Period.😀 Neither in a relative nor in an absolute context.

Sorry for beeing so little helpful, but that is my opinion.

Regards,
bertram

I expected nothing less, Bertram. 🙂

Have some fun here, folks. OF COURSE within the universe there isn't the best, but in your, mine, our individual universe there most certainly is, based on what we do., what we use, etc. Let's here THAT. Do like Tom did. Qualify it if you have to. Tell us why. No one will argue with your choice. It's your opinion.

Like Tom I prefer Tri-X and good ol' solvent developers. For me the best lens for b&w is the 40/1.4 SC. It gives me some incredible mid-tones, especially skin tones, and just the right amout of contrast. For me it can't be beat. It's the best.

🙂

 

[RayPA]

I just got a 35/2.5 PII, a 50/2 Heliar, and Bessa R2A. After shooting one roll, mostly with the Heliar, I have to say that I really like the contrast from the 35. But, I prefer the 50 focal length and the bokeh from the Heliar. Both are very sharp. I guess I'll just have to shoot a few more rolls and get back with you. 😀

Paul

I've lots of 50s, I don't use them as much as the 35 and 28 FL, but I find the Heliar/2 and the 50 Skopar tempting. Looking forward to seeing more of the Heliar, especially.

.

 

[Bertram2]

I expected nothing less, Bertram. 🙂

🙂

Glad I could meet your expectations 😉

Speaking about personal impressions and relative to those lenses I really know, the 2,5/75 Heliar, the 1,9/28 Ultron and the 1,5/50 Nokton have an extraordinary look (1,2/35 too).
If I had ro reduce my gear to one camera and one lens it would be the 1,9/28 on a R4. The absolute perfect street and travel combo, not only because of the excellent price-performance ratio.

Regards,
bertram

 

[rover]

Bertram, admit it, Tom's post made you girn a little.

You are of course correct, and as Ray said we are having fun here and speculating. I never would have imagined someone would have had them all, but then we weren't thinking.

He gottcha, got us all on this one.

 

[traveller]

At the moment the Nokton 50/1.5. But I can't predict my answer next week......

 

[Sparrow]

The 35 f2.5 Skopar is second best….allegedly

😉

 

[Andrew L]

How 'bout the 50mm f2 Heliar with a yellow filter on it?

However, I have reservations about the same lens for colour as I think it might be too magenta, particularly on the skin tones.

 

[Sparrow]

More likely the light or the lab

 

[ray_g]

The 50/3.5 Heliar I had was very good. Very sharp, not too much contrast, compact. Like an elmar on steroids. Not much character, though.

 

[Andrew L]

Stewart,

I don't think it was. I just think the lens has a tendency towards magenta. I've have started a thread about as I find quite strange. The Heliar is harsh when it comes to rendering skin tones.

 

[Sparrow]

Hi Andrew, any cast the lens has is going to be insignificant compared to changes in the colour temperature of the light, and the vagaries of a high street lab’s printing; get a KB6 if it remains a problem

 

[Andrew L]

Stewart,

You are probably right about this. I know the lab can be slightly inconsistent with b/w prints but had always assumed that they were more on the ball with colour.

 

[Sparrow]

Stewart,

You are probably right about this. I know the lab can be slightly inconsistent with b/w prints but had always assumed that they were more on the ball with colour.

Try a slide film that should tell you what’s going on as long as you avoid the warm light on the early morning or evening

 

[RayPA]

At the moment the Nokton 50/1.5. But I can't predict my answer next week......

Some folks have described the 50/1.5 as "clinical," but I think it's got character. Nico gets great/non-clinical b&w results with it. I really like that lens, but I like it for color, too. Ergonomically it's very nice for my hands, and a good-looking lens. Probably my favorite 50, along with the Hex 50/2.


.

.

 

[RayPA]

How 'bout the 50mm f2 Heliar with a yellow filter on it?

However, I have reservations about the same lens for colour as I think it might be too magenta, particularly on the skin tones.

Andrew, does the Heliar need the contrat boost?

.

 

[nico]

Some folks have described the 50/1.5 as "clinical," but I think it's got character. Nico gets great/non-clinical b&w results with it. I really like that lens, but I like it for color, too. Ergonomically it's very nice for my hands, and a good-looking lens. Probably my favorite 50, along with the Hex 50/2.

Hey Ray 🙂,
your post is a very nice surprise. I'n having the kind of day you only wish it will end up soon and your unexpected comment makes me feel much much better 🙂
Thanks!
Ciao
NIco

 

[Andrew L]

Ray,

Thinking about it, the f2 Heliar probably doesn't need the extra contrast boost. I certainly haven't tried shooting with a yellow filter in front. Not even sure I've got one any more.

I used to use a yellow filter a few years ago when I used silver halide b/w emulsions and I could process my own film. Sadly, those days are long gone, sigh.

 

[RayPA]

Ray,

Thinking about it, the f2 Heliar probably doesn't need the extra contrast boost. I certainly haven't tried shooting with a yellow filter in front. Not even sure I've got one any more.

I used to use a yellow filter a few years ago when I used silver halide b/w emulsions and I could process my own film. Sadly, those days are long gone, sigh.

Aah..ok, I've no knowledge of the Heliar character, but it seems that most CV lenses tend toward higher contrast. I thought maybe you liked contrastier b&w images, and that if the Heliar needed a contrast boost, I was going to have to check my funds! 😉

🙂