50mm Nikkor vs. 50mm Summicron vs. 50mm Canon

[Mackinaw]

I picked up LTM Nikkor 50/2.0 several days back from Igor's Camera (good price, lens as advertised and good service, so yes, a plug) and since I was tired of painting the kitchen (the project that never ends) and had some film left in my MP, took some test pics. I compared the Nikkor against a collapsible 50mm Summicron M and a LTM Canon 50/1.4. All shots were at F2.0 on Ilford HP5+ in xtol straight. While I'm not somebody who spends hours looking at the OOF characteristics (bokeh) of a lens, the results of my test surprised me.

I guess we can add these pics to Raid's excellent 50mm test and to what Brian S. showed us recently. Enjoy!

50mm Nikkor @ f2.0

50mm Summicron @ f2.0

Canon 50/1.4 @ F2.0

 

[Sonnar Brian]

The F2 Nikkor always took a back-seat to the 5cm F1.4. One of the "Rodney Dangerfield" of Nikkors. I think it's come into its own in just the last few years. It is sharp wide-open.

An odd fact- the RF cam of the Nikkor 5cm F2 is much wider than most lenses made for Leica Thread Mounts, and can be used on the FSU cameras without problems. On my Zorki 3M, the RF follows it down to 2ft. I'll be doing a focus-accuracy test, and put a parallax adjusted finder on it.

 

[Al Kaplan]

It's not a fair comparison with two f/2 lenses against an f/1.4 lens stippoed down to f/2. The 1.4 Canon seems to have the smoothest bokeh of the three while the Nikkor has the harshest. As for sharpness at the plane of focus the Summicron seems the worst in these small on screen images.

 

[Mackinaw]

Brian----Yeah, I like this Nikkor and will be making it my primary 50mm for awhile. I like the center sharpness at F2.0 as well as the OOF characteristics. I don't like that the aperture ring turns in an opposite direction than Leica or Canon LTM lenses, but that I can get used to.

If you're a bokeh fan, I was most surprised by the Canon 50/1.4. Out of the three lenses, the Canon had the most pleasing OOF highlights. Internet chatter has always been that this Canon has harsh bokeh, but that's not what I found in my mini-test.

Jim B.

 

[Mackinaw]

It's not a fair comparison with two f/2 lenses against an f/1.4 lens stippoed down to f/2. The 1.4 Canon seems to have the smoothest bokeh of the three while the Nikkor has the harshest. As for sharpness at the plane of focus the Summicron seems the worst in these small on screen images.

You're probably right that it wasn't a 100% fair test, but these are the lenses I have so that's what I went with. Good for discussion if anything.

Jim B.

 

[Sonnar Brian]

The Nikkor is "ready to go" at F2. My collapsible Nikkor is sharper than the 5cm F1.4 when used at F2. Some of that is due to the focus shift on the F1.4 lens, which is optimized for wide-open use.

The Canon is a classic 1-2-2-1 Planar formula lens. That is unusual for an f1.4 lens: most manufacturers split either the front or rear element into two elements of weaker strength; Canon used a new glass with a higher index of refraction. (Neblette, 1965)

 

[HuubL]

The bokeh makes the Canon here!!

 

[harry01562]

Nice test, Jim. The Nikkor looks like a keeper, definitely. I also like the look of the Canon, which is a favorite, anyway. I'm getting a mystery lens in a few days that would be an interesting one to try in a comparison like this.

I may try a setup like yours with something like the mystery 50/2, Canon 50/1.8, Summitar 50/2 and the Summar 50/2. I could also put in the Canon 50/1.5, but I might get foul calls on that one, also. Phooey on foul calls, I like the idea. So I'll try a test of the 5 in a couple of weeks. Something to finish off the winter with...

Harry

 

[Sonnar Brian]

I need to do another thread on Faster than F2 lenses. It might be more than five lenses... Will have to try all wide-open, at F2, and at F4.