BEST 50 Lens????--no worry about cost

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I agree with Nick. What is "best" to someone may be second best to another. If we don't go by optical tests and benchmarks but by "flavor" and "fingerprint" and other non-qunatitative criteria, you may actually favor a lens that is not very expensive. I love my Canon 50/1.2L for my SLR and I love the 50/2 Summicron (first and second versions) plus the Nikon 5cm/2 and the pre-war Zeiss in LTM. Each does something else that I find super.
 
While it's nearly impossible to say what is best for anyone else, I'll put in that I like payasam's thinking the best. Get a coated Elmar, Tessar or other 4/3 clone and I think you'll get as close as you can to your mix of desires.

William
 
First, define "best".

Different 50mm lenses have different characteristics, so a lens which will be best suited for one situation, will not be best in other situations.

It is far more complex than the question suggests. Several 50mm lenses are necessary. 🙂
 
Doug said:
If the new 50 Planar is as good or better than the 45 Planar for Contax G, it would be an astoundingly good lens.
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I seem to have read somewhere that it aint, unfortunately. Having and using the 45, it is just unfathomable to think there could be any equal, let alone better. It is amazing. When it gets that good, I think you need to start looking at other characteristics such as pleasing (to you) bokeh, color rendition, flare, etc.
 
Thank you all for so many thoughts so far. I'd love to hear even more.

From what I take in so far, what I ought to do is get the Summilux ASPH and then, also, use -- a lot more often than I have done -- my G1 and 45 Planar. Those G-models, though, are just so easy and whizz-bang and automatic that there's not as much thrill in using them as an all-manual M.

I don't want to buy the Summilux because of lab tests. Hell, it might be so good that it has no warmth. We'll see.

Julian
 
I wasn't planning to post to this thread, but now that the Elmar has been mentioned, I cast my vote for the latest 50mm f/2.8 Elmar-M. It comes with a short screw-on cylindrical hood which seems to be completely adequate, and flare is much less of a problem than it is with the latest version 50mm Summicron.
 
FrankS said:
First, define "best".
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Yes. Frank said it before I could type it. "Best"? Best for showing every zit on a person's face? Best for bluring every pore on a person's face? Best for showing the flare of the sun in the frame? Best for the "spartan" look (i.e. the lens contributes nothing)? Best as a chick magnet? Best as a party conversation piece? Best as a great MTF graph plotter? Best for a "classical" look? Best for controlled commercial food shots? Best for making the bokeh freaks screech out the door in pain? Best for making the bokeh freaks pat you on the back? Best for being a E. Puts-head? Best for great $$$ revenue on ePrey? Best for color? Best for B&W?

Since you are limiting yourself to "JUST a 50": Best for being exactly a 50mm and not a 52.2mm like the Summicron? Or not a 51.6mm like the Summilux?

Best how?
 
My point was that you can't define "best" in a way that a large group would agree with, and that the characteristics of "best" change with different situations.

You might ask, what's a good 50mm lens for landscape photography, or what's a good lens for portraits of people in dimly lit bars, or what's a good lens for a soft and creamy rendition of skin tones, or...
 
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julianphotoart said:
From what I take in so far, what I ought to do is get the Summilux ASPH and then, also, use -- a lot more often than I have done -- my G1 and 45 Planar. Those G-models, though, are just so easy and whizz-bang and automatic that there's not as much thrill in using them as an all-manual M.
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No, I think the idea was to try the new 50mm Zeiss Planar ZM, a manual focus lens in Leica bayonet mount.

For the latest and greatest (fanfare please) by all means get the new Summilux ASPH.
 
FrankS said:
My point was that you can't define "best" in a way that a large group would agree with, and that the characteristics of "best" change with different situations.

You might ask, what's a good 50mm lens for landscape photography, or what's a good lens for portraits of people in dimly lit bars, or...
Click to expand...

Ok, now I get your question. Well, in 35mm anyway, I do such a broad variety of things that there's no easy answer. Both colour and B&W, 50iso to 400iso, urban decay, detail shots, etc. Not "street" in the strict sense -- I'm not brave enough to stick cameras in the middle of strangers. My 35mm RF photography (as opposed to medium-format) skews more toward people, urban and (now that we are in Ventura) things like handheld sunsets over the ocean. On top of that, my wife has plenty of times she wants me to grab a shot of our daughter for her scrapbooking.

Julian
 
A currrent Summicron, even versions back to type 2 (the rigid and DR), are pretty harsh for people pics, particularly female. Do Summiluxes soften up a bit wide open? I don't know, never having used them. I kind of like vintage glass like the col. Summicron and the Summitar that soften opened up. You get a lens with 2 looks. I just got a Summarit and am looking forward to trying it out. Good luck with your search, but you'll eventually need more than just 1 50mm lens. 🙂
 
FrankS said:
Do Summiluxes soften up a bit wide open? I don't know, never having used them.
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The new Summilux ASPH does not soften up significantly at full bore, which is, after all, why this lens costs a king's ransom. All moles and warts show up in vivid detail, even at f/1.4.
 
julianphotoart said:
1. Zeiss Planar
2. Summilux 1.4 ASPH (the new model)
3. Summilus 1.4 (the prior model)
4. Noctilux
5. Summicron (current model)
6. Nokton 1.5 (obviously with an adapter)
7. Color Skopar 2.5
8. Elmar 2.8
9. Summicron DR (now that I think of it, while great it would be just too old)
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I think it was the early '50s when Nikon came out with a good piece of glass and the Korean War photogs quietly unloaded all their German lenses and bought nikkors. That was the 50 1.5 at the time.
 
"Criteria: (1) the best lens; (2) I am not a low-light specialist (i.e. I don't frequent jazz clubs much) but on the other hand I hate flash; (3) I shoot into the sun a fair bit I I want the lens to handle it; (4) I don't care about weight/size; (5) I like shallow DOF but not to the point where, with my middle-aged eyes, I'll never get a shot in focus" is how you began. Taking these into account, I suggested a design based on the Tessar, and Wlewisiii saw exactly why I did that. Later you announce, "I have no set single definition of best. Given my parameters, 'best' may be a compromise of some kind. I'm interested in everyone else's various definitions; free flow of opinions."

I propose that we all thank Julianphotoart, champion of free speech, for giving us this wonderful opportunity to amuse him.
 
In this order: (1) best meaning the sharpest (2) and the most bokehful---and that would be the Zeiss 45mm for the best rangefinder camera which just happens to be the knock-your-socks-off Contax G2 (if it's in mint shape like mine---'er, my wife's). So there you have it. 😉
 
julianphotoart said:
The choices I'm aware of are:

1. Zeiss Planar
2. Summilux 1.4 ASPH (the new model)
3. Summilus 1.4 (the prior model)
4. Noctilux
5. Summicron (current model)
6. Nokton 1.5 (obviously with an adapter)
7. Color Skopar 2.5
8. Elmar 2.8
9. Summicron DR (now that I think of it, while great it would be just too old)

I'd especially like to hear opinions from anyone who's used the new Zeiss Planar and can compare it with either Summilux and/or the Summicron.
Thanks to all those who, despite rolling their eyes, take time to give either objective or subjective views -- either are great.
Julian
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Well, I roll eyes and take time anyway because such questions are fascinating evergreens tho they normally cannot provovoke anything but questions coming back from those who were asked . My as usually nitpicking questions about the background:

First:
The list is not complete, why ? CV Heliar collapsible and the Hassy TX 4/45 (!!!)
are extraterrestrial creatures when it comes to detail res and three dimensional impression. What about Taylor Hobson, Hexar. ?
It does not make sense to compare a 1,4 directly to a 2,8 or 3,5 lens. You should ask for the best of each speed.

Second :
How many of us have used ALL these lenses long enuff to afford a personal opinion , which would be still subjective only then ?? Nobody I think.

How many of us have seen at least enuff prints ( not scans on a monitor !) of ALL the listed lenses to afford a certain personal opinion related to other peoples work ?? Again nobody I think.

Conclusion: All you can get is a mixture of personal experience, hearsay, sagas advertising propaganda and opinions based on a certain mainstream opinion, but still all patrial related to your shortlist.
The selection in your list btw seems to be influenced strongly by assumptions based on a certain mainstream understanding where the best-of-all is to find.

Last question: if the above written is true, what real information can you get at all by asking such a question ? None IMHO which answers your question. Just opinions which are not suited for a comparison. Which cannot be done anyway because there is no such an absolute thing as the the-best-of-all-ever.
It's all relative to personal style, taste or esthetic understanding, technical reqirements, photographical project, personal skill.

At this quality level we talk about here lens tests btw do NOT really contribute to let you find YOUR best-of-all lens, the only one btw that really can exist, at least temporarily,. 'til the next GAS attack. 😉

Regards,
bertram
 
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