Favourite 50mm lens?

[Gabriel M.A.]

(someday I may be able to scrape up the cash for some Canon primes).

This is no joke, and I'm sure there will be at least one person ready to faint at this suggestion: Canon's 50mm f/1.8 Mk-II, the all-plastic body. Cheap cheap cheap, new. It is surprisingly good, wide open is much better than many zooms I have tried.

Go ahead. On ePrey, the metal-mount Mk-I sometimes show up for about $100 (most of the time, higher than $150).

 

[vha]

time to join, Never been that much found of 50,have a planar 45mm for Contax G, but we didn´t get friends, hand a 50mm 1,8 nikkor something for slr, it did the job, but was boring.
After spending some time with Elmar 2,8 (old) it helped a bit, and spending the last 3 month together with a new Elmar I´m quite happy with it, even makes my M6 more pocketable.
A old sonnar would be nice, but have just found fake ones this fare . .

vha.

 

[amateriat]

For now, the 50 that came with one of my Hexars (in the kit). Jolly good overall.


- Barrett

 

[Justin Low]

What about a Jupiter 8? The one I have seems to outperform the collapsible 'Cron I've used before, in terms of contrast and sharpness, at least. Cost a fraction of the 'Cron too, at $11.

Some shots from the J8.

 

[awilder]

I just finished testing a 50/2 Hexanon M after focus callibration for Leica M bodies here: http://www.photo.net/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg?msg_id=00FhWx. Once properly adjusted, it's critically sharp. It's multicoating might possibly be a plus in suppressing unwanted reflection over the current Summicron shown here: http://www.photo.net/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg?msg_id=00DoRO

 

[markbrennan]

Well, I've just gotten the latest 'cron w/ my MP from Tony Rose and love it. Still getting used to it - it's a tremendous lens, sharp and contrasty, beautiful wide open (of course), fairly flare resistant. I only shoot w/ a 50.
I previously was using the Canon chrome 50 1.8 on my Canon P which is an interesting lens - so different from my modern 'cron, but also quite lovely in its way. My 'cron performs better, and therefore gives me more confidence. Shooting for only about 3 years and only about 6 months w/ a rangefinder I need such confidence - thus my investment in top gear. A better shooter wouldn't need it, but I want to know 100% that my own skill is the only limiting factor in my pictures.
I feel that I could spend years w/ my 'cron and still not master it. I'm intrigued by some of the earlier incarnations of this legendary lens but will stick w/ my version for the time being.
Regards,
-Mark

 

[summilux]

50 summilux asph and 50 coll summicron.

 

[x-ray]

All of the Summicrons have a beautiful look and I could be happy with any one of them. I currently have the tabbed 3rd version and like the glass but don't particularly like the tad. I've owned the DR, rigid, collapsible, elmars 3.5 & first V 2.8, 2nd version summicron and now the 3rd version and asph summilux. I also have a new s3 nikon with the 50 1.4 olympic. I must say this new nikkor 50 is a killer piece of glass and one of my all time favorites.

http://www.photo.net/photodb/member-photos?user_id=790229

 

[Nick R.]

Since I purchased a 50 elmar and 50 summilux, I haven't used my tabbed Summicron. Great lens but it's become a tweener because of its speed. However, if I could only buy one 50 it would be the 'cron --fast enough for indoor work and more than sharp enough for outdoors.