50mm 1.4 lens ! Advice needed !

[littleearth]

Hello,

I have the chance to buy one of these lenses :

SMC Takumar 50mm f1.4
C/Y Planar 50mm f1.4 AE

I hear very good things about both these lenses !
The Zeiss is more expensive but is it worth it ? What about wide open performance and bokeh...

PS : I shoot film only (It will be a one camera one lens project)

 

[colyn]

What lens mount are you looking to buy for??

The C/Y is a Yashica/Contax bayonet mount while the SMC Takumar is a Pentax screw mount lens unless you are referring to the early Pentax SMC bayonet lens.

 

[GaryLH]

Sounds like he maybe choosing the lens and then getting the appropriate body by they way he posted the info.

Gary

 

[littleearth]

It will be either a Spotmatic F or a Contax 139 Q !
It's film so the glass is my major concern !
I will be using it for 1 year so I want to choose carefully !

 

[Greyscale]

Normally, I would say the Zeiss lens and the Contax body. But if this is going to be a "one camera, one lens for one year" project, the Pentax setup might be more reliable, with no battery/electronics dependency to worry about.

 

[Swift1]

The SMC Takumar 50/1.4 is a superb lens, and many many lense I've sold, it is one of the very few that I regret selling.
I've never used the Zeiss.
I think IIRC, the Zeiss has a 6 bladed diaphragm and the SMC Takumar has an 8 bladed diaphragm, if that is an important detail to you.
The Spotmatic F and SMC Tak 50/1.4 make a superb pairing.

 

[Pioneer]

I do not have the SMC Tak but I do have the Super Tak 50/1.4 on a Spotmatic and that combo produces some stunning results. I'm sure the Zeiss lens is very, very good as well but I already know which I would choose for a long term project just because of the proven reliability of the Spotmatic.

 

[Ranchu]

I've never had either, but I've wanted that planar for a while. I'm selling a 137 MA in the classifieds, though.

 

[sparrow6224]

I found the spotmatic a cumbersome camera to use; whereas I have a Contax 167M which I love and it's rather like hte 139 or whatever it is, I think they came out successively. The lens competition is a wash, I think if some kind of high falutin tests were done the Zeiss, more modern, would come out ahead but I'm not certain. Since it's for a year I'd try out the cameras. I think the Contax would be a pleasure compared to the Spotmatic myself. I think the glass will be fine either way. Just make sure it's clean of haze fungus etc.

 

[raid]

I have the SMC 50/1.4 and I have in Rollei QBM mount a Zeiss 50/1.4.
Both lenses are superb. I would give the Zeiss a tiny edge. Both are rated 95% and higher in ratings. In this case, choose the camera and then the lens.

 

[aizan]

that's a tough one, but i'd go with the pentax for the lower price tag.

 

[Crazy Fedya]

I would choose 50/1.4 SMC Takumar and one of meterless pre-Spotmatic bodies. I have this outfit and I love it. Never used Zeiss CY mount lenses or bodies though.

 

[raid]

The 50/1.4 Planar was referred to as " the best 50mm SLR lens ever made" by some people. Its bokeh is very smooth.
The Pentax 50/1.4 has a similar reputation. It is being compared to a pre-asph Summilux.

The SMC lens may be the better buy costwise and having adapters available.

 

[nikon_sam]

I have the Tak 50mm 1.4 and Spotmatic and I do like that combo but when I use slower lenses on that body the viewfinder is on the dark side...I would find a more modern body with the brightest VF possible...
I like what Raid said about choosing a body then the lens...

 

[mfogiel]

If you plan to shoot more portraits/close distance shots, go with the Takumar, if you want to shoot more medium distance-landscape stuff, go with the Planar. The Spotmatic has a very dim finder, so take it into consideration - perhaps a Pentax MX or ME Super with the slim M42 adapter would be much better suited.

Pentax 50/1.4

20133422 by mfogiel, on Flickr

 

[Swift1]

If you plan to shoot more portraits/close distance shots, go with the Takumar, if you want to shoot more medium distance-landscape stuff, go with the Planar. The Spotmatic has a very dim finder, so take it into consideration - perhaps a Pentax MX or ME Super with the slim M42 adapter would be much better suited.

FWIW, The SMC Pentax "K" 50/1.4 is optically identical to the SMC Takumar 50/1.4
If you decide on a K mount body, then I'd go with the K mount lens.
I've used most Pentax K mount bodies, as well as many Pentax screwmount bodies, and yes the MX finder is bigger and brighter, but I wouldn't say the Spotmatic finder is dim. Once you're out using it, it's not something you notice.

 

[jammcat]

M42-C/Y Adapters are silly cheap on the bay. I use my super-takumar 50mm on my Contax Aria and 139Q. I've been getting rid of my SLR gear, but am keeping the Contax stuff so that I can shoot Zeiss/Takumar still.

 

[redisburning]

marek has it, mostly.

the 50/1.4 planar is not good if it is BOTH wide open AND close to mfd. however, at long ranges it is stunning and has a flat field. it really is a class above the pentax at distance.

C/Y lenses have lower contrast than the current ZF lenses and as a lineup have THE best transition to OoF of any lens lineup Ive ever seen. actually, I kind of recommend the slower 50/1.7 Zeiss planar, but the f1.4 is stunning too. as long as you play to it's strengths, or use it with knowledge of its weaknesses.

if you plan to shoot at a few meters at an aperture between f1.4 and f2.8, the 50/1.4 Planar is UNPARALLELED for overall gestalt. sharpness, contrast, OoF, color and a sense of the subject being isolated from a barely blurred background.

frankly I find the SMC takumar to be a bit pedestrian. it's too tame for my taste. a competent lens at a good price, though. but what is sublime to one is boring to another.

food for thought, but there are affordable v1 summilux 50 Rs out there and that one is pretty special too.

 

[nobbylon]

Planar and Contax for me. I bought an SPF a couple of years ago for nostalgic reasons and was very disappointed with the dim finder. I've had a serviced K2 with a K 50 1.4 since which was better but still not as nice a camera/lens combo to use as the Contax.
If I was going the Contax route I'd put a little extra in and get an RTS II.
Electronics Vs Mechanical rears it's ugly head again for some. Most SPF's will be gummed up so will need a service anyway. Yes they are reliable when working but the finder falls short these days.

 

[littleearth]

Thank you for your opinions ! I guess the SMC is a fine lens as is the Planar !
I've used a Spotmatic SPII and it feels great in the hand, but the viewfinder is indeed rather dim !
I may pick a Pentax MX and a late 50 1,4.
As to the Contax I'm still not sure, since some people don't like the Planar wide open at closer distances ! I like to shoot portraits so I may go with Pentax !