Close Focusing 50/1.4 RF Lenses

ferider said:
Your options are:

3 - 50/1.4 Summilux (v2 E46, and ASPH)

For 3.) objectively the performance of the pre-asph is not so good below one meter. Lots of "Glow".

Roland.
Click to expand...
I disagree. I've shot my 50/1.4 last pre-ASPH close up and wide open repeatedly and it has always been great. Sharp with little glow.
 
Thanks for all the advise from everyone!

Here is what is already settled...

The Summilux 50 ASPH focuses to 0.7m with exceptional performance.

The Summilux 50 pre-ASPH E46 focuses to 0.7m with mixed reviews.

The Nikkor Millennium will focus to 0.7 when used with an Amedeo adapter that has been modified with exceptional performance

The LTM Nikkor 50/1.4 can be easily modified to focus to 0.7m with good performance.

The Summilux 75 and Hexanon 60 are not 50mm.

I want to avoid a character lens... and at the top of the list is flare control. I just used a well-known and highly regarded RF lens on a shoot that featured lots of hard backlight and point-light sources. The entire shoot was a waste as the lens flared horribly and ruined pretty much everything. When shooting with an SLR, flare can be seen in the viewfinder and controlled, with RF it is a lottery that I cannot be bothered with.

So on that note, I suspect, we have three candidates left... Summilux 50 ASPH, Nikkor Millennium, and possibly the Summlix pre-ASPH 50 E46.

Does the Nikkor Millennium natively focus to 0.7m on an SP?

And I wonder how the Nokton would behave at 0.7m... there is enough clearance on the mount to allow it to focus closer. Just need to adjust the stop internally. Maybe my Nokton will have surgery.
 
P.Lynn,

if it interests you, there is a Konica Hexanon AR 50 converted to M Mount on evilBay. The AR 50, according to what I just read, near focuses to .45m. I have asked the seller if it applies to this modified lens as well.

raytoei
 
The Nikon SP helical will focus to 0.9m. Remember the lens does not have a focus mount. The Amedeo Adapter must be modified so that the close-focus stop does not engage where it would normally.

And for SLR lenses: I bought an $80 adapter for Nikon F-Mount to Leica M-Mount. I use it for a 24/2.8.

But- the Nikon SLR lenses are very close to the Leica standard 51.6mm. Put in a fixed RF Cam on the back of the lens, it would RF coupled and go to 18".
 
Chriscrawfordphoto said:
There's a 50/1.2 Hexanon-M but don't know how close it focuses. You might ask Krosya, he has a couple of them. They're expensive though, about $2000, close to what you can get a Summilux ASPH for, but the Konica is faster!
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The 50/1.2 Hex focuses to 0.9M. Beautiful lens that at 1.2 has a much more prominent OOF at 0.9M than the Lux ASPH at 0.7M wide open. Of course the Lux is smoother, but the bokeh swirls are more enhanced with the Hex.
 
Mister E said:
How'd that work? I mean I know we talked in Tokyo that there is no reason amedeo doesn't do that in the first place, but mine doesn't focus especially close.
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I'm not exactly sure how MikeL modified his adapter, but I saw it (when it was temporarily Gabor's) and it did focus down to 0.70m. With my adapter, it already focused down to 0.80m when I got it from Amedeo.
 
Just a followup from the previous post on the converted-to-m-mount Hexanon AR 50 1.4f. I wrote to the evilbay seller and I quote verbatim:
[FONT=arial,sans-serif]
"Exactly focus distance on this lens is 2ft to infinitive. We do the best to set focus at infinitive first and the distance scale just match 90 to 95%"

cheers!

raytoei
[/FONT]
 
Hi Roland

Hi Roland

Don mentioned 2 issues with this lens - 1. The ultra accurate cam is is not machined beyond 1m, and 2. shimming this lens to get closer, but maxing out before infinity, is not practical, because the mount on these lens is not the usual 6 screw mount, but a different one altogether.

I don't actually need < 1m. I do need to quit reading this thread though :D

ferider said:
Not sure Ted, because of different focus throw. Check with Don :)
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P. Lynn Miller said:
So on that note, I suspect, we have three candidates left... Summilux 50 ASPH, Nikkor Millennium, and possibly the Summlix pre-ASPH 50 E46.

Does the Nikkor Millennium natively focus to 0.7m on an SP?

And I wonder how the Nokton would behave at 0.7m... there is enough clearance on the mount to allow it to focus closer. Just need to adjust the stop internally. Maybe my Nokton will have surgery.
Click to expand...

Lynn,

The Nikkor Millenium on adapter doesn't handle as nicely as a native M/LTM mount lens.

When I was doing the same decision, I went for Nikkor LTM. I picked an early one (NKT), but the later ones (black rim) are very sharp and contrasty. Certainly competitive with the pre-asph Summilux v2. For example, the Nikkor has practically no distortion, while the Summilux distorts noticeably. And, the way I see it, the Nikkor gets better the closer, the Summilux gets better the further you focus.

The E46 Summilux pre-asph runs easily US 1300 or more .... I have to admit, I don't really see the point, when I can get a super combo with OM + late Zuiko 50/1.4 focusing down to 0.45m for US 220.


No indications whatsoever, but there clearly is a gap, and I wouldn't be surprised to get a new 50 from either ZM or CV soon ....

Roland.
 
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Roland,

Thanks... I do like my Nikkor's, so I may hunt down a late LTM 50/1.4 and modify it.

I agree that this feels like an exercise in futility... since I can toss an F with a 50/1.4 or 1.2 over the other shoulder and get within 2 feet or so. I do really like using an RF with a 50mm for general use, but while I start shooting from a distance, I often end wanting a tight portrait in the end and I run out of focus with either of the Nokton's. I often just need that last 5 or 6 inches to get what I want. Would be nice to not have to swap lenses or cameras at that critical moment.

Thus the reason I am looking for a fast 50 that will focus to 0.7 metres.
 
You mentioned earlier that you're not willing to give up a stop unless for more close-focus ability. You also want a lens with character and low propensity for flare.
The answer is the 50mm DR Summicron. Focuses very accurately down to 19 inches. Has amazing character, incredibly sharp, incredible bokeh, lower contrast but not bad.

Sorry if this is off the mark.

Phil Forrest
 
Phil_F_NM said:
You mentioned earlier that you're not willing to give up a stop unless for more close-focus ability. You also want a lens with character and low propensity for flare.
The answer is the 50mm DR Summicron. Focuses very accurately down to 19 inches. Has amazing character, incredibly sharp, incredible bokeh, lower contrast but not bad.

Sorry if this is off the mark.

Phil Forrest
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Phil,

In that statement of being wiling to give up a stop... I was referring to a stop slower than the Noctilux or Nokton 50/1.1. And I agree, the 50 Summicron DR would be at the top of my list if I was content with an f2.0 lens.

Thanks!
 
jonmanjiro said:
I'm not exactly sure how MikeL modified his adapter, but I saw it (when it was temporarily Gabor's) and it did focus down to 0.70m. With my adapter, it already focused down to 0.80m when I got it from Amedeo.
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Jon, thanks for the heads up on the discussion.

Lynn, as much as it pains me, I have to agree with much of what Roland has said regarding SLR close focus and adapted lenses. ;) As of now, the Nikon to M adapters turn in the opposite direction of M lenses. I asked Amedeo a couple months ago about making a custom adapter that turns in the Leica direction, since he's making them from scratch anyways, and he said he was going to look into it.

The adapter I have is from a Nikon S part that Robert J. found. Amedeo used it to make an adapter rather than use a Contax knockoff. The inner helical has a high point that stops against the outer part of the helical (when the lens is focused at around 1 m). I filed off the high point, drilled a hole in the inner helical so that the stop would engage at 0.7m, tapped the hole, and used a small machine screw as the new high point.

It was very hard for me to tell photos from the Millenium and summilux asph apart. On the summilux asph, the contrast is a tad higher wide open and the transition from in focus to out of focus is faster. They look a little different in color, but I'm almost all black and white. I sold the summilux asph since I don't use 50mm that much. The only thing I miss is its focus direction and shorter focus throw. If someone comes out with an adapter that is in the same direction, I'd buy it right away.
 
Mike,

I agree with you and Roland regarding the economics and versatility of an SLR.

I am not really keen on working with adapters or modifications, I just want to get on with taking photos. So I am thinking that the best solution is to get one of the Summilux 50's.

I have always liked the Nokton 50/1.5 and I have been really enjoying the Nokton 50/1.1. Both lenses have been compared to the Summilux 50 in terms of image rendition and etc., so the Summilux should be a good compromise of speed and close focusing.

I would be happy with a Nokton 1.5 that focused to 0.7m...
 
some images

some images

From when I had my 50/1.4 lux E46 taken at wide open at min focus distance. This might be the best lens for you.

http://matsumura.smugmug.com/Photography/cats-with-Summilux-5014-E46/8717596_VMzN9#576257749_5rHem

The reason I like the E43, late '60s, is it is noticeably better built, and heavier, heavier glass elements, and/or heaver metals, less cheap metals, less plastics.

But, both took great images.

I'm used to long throws, and the E43s have 180 deg from 1m to inf., while the E46 lux has about 120 deg. for the whole .7 to inf. range.

Contrast with one of my old Nikkors with about 270 deg range, and that 180 deg "long throw" isn't so long after all.

You don't want to get Parkinsons with the short throw lenses ...


P. Lynn Miller said:
Mike,

I agree with you and Roland regarding the economics and versatility of an SLR.

I am not really keen on working with adapters or modifications, I just want to get on with taking photos. So I am thinking that the best solution is to get one of the Summilux 50's.

I have always liked the Nokton 50/1.5 and I have been really enjoying the Nokton 50/1.1. Both lenses have been compared to the Summilux 50 in terms of image rendition and etc., so the Summilux should be a good compromise of speed and close focusing.

I would be happy with a Nokton 1.5 that focused to 0.7m...
Click to expand...
 
Thanks to everyone for all the advise and discussion.

What is the going price of a Summilux 50 ASPH... a Summilux 50 pre-ASPH E46?

Both lenses I am sure will more than suffice for anything I do, so let's forget money for the moment... which variation has the best flare control?

I am pretty much done experimenting with different looks from lens, I have a boat-load of 50's that just sit on the shelf after a few weeks of use and then retired. I like the blank canvas the Nokton 50/1.1 has given me, no real surprises, the lens lets me control the images by use of exposure, film developer and etc.

f1.4 or faster... close focus distance of 0.7m... very flare resistant... neutral signature... medium contrast... high resolution... excellent performance close-up and wide-open... that is my laundry list for my next 50mm lens purchase.

I suspect my lens budget will need a serious revision as well!
 
The 50/1.5 Nokton is a screw mount lens. You can back it off a turn in the LTM to M-Mount adapter for closer focus. The actual optics and the RF Cam will move in unison, the actual focus will agree with what the RF indicates. You could make an LTM adapter with a "shim" on it to set the stand-off, and essentially get a hacked dual-range lens.
 
I still can't believe I had my 6-bit coded boxed Lux 50 ASPH with rub marks on the barrel for sale on this forum for 3 days and it didn't sell for the sub $3K price I was asking. Of course, I put it on the bay and I got above $3K before auction ended.
 
My Summarit-M was $125 a few years ago, my LTM Summmarit was $140 about 5 years ago. My Nikkor 5cm F1.4 in LTM was $95 about 6 years ago. Canon 50/0.95 was $200 6 years ago. Hard for me to believe how fast prices on lenses have shot up. I can thank the RD-1, M8, M9, and u4/3 mount "I guess". Certainly the current economy did not do it!
 
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