Canon LTM First Photos With Canon 50/1.5

[Bingley]

I recently purchased a Canon 50/1.5 (thanks again, Roland!) and took it for a spin in San Francisco this weekend. Here are some of the results:

The photos I've just posted over on the Saturday Shoot-out thread were also taken with this lens.

 

[David Murphy]

Nice shots. I'm beginning to think the Canon 50/1.5 is better than the Sonnar it is said to copy (I own a Sonnar too). In typical RFF fashion we'll soon be driving Canon 50/1.5 prices through the roof like we did with a few other cameras and lenses 🙂

 

[gb hill]

Very nice lens. The color is very good. The first photo has a nice mood to it. I like the 2nd photo alot,(hippy at heart I quess). The 3rd quite funny, and the 4th has nice skin tones and interesting background. I am amazed by these Canon lenses.

 

[Bingley]

Thanks to you both. Here are several black and whites from the same outing, for comparison sakes...

 

[ferider]

These are nice, Steve.

Roland.

 

[Bingley]

Thanks, Roland! I don't think I'll be returning this lens...🙂

 

[Krosya]

great photos - looks like a superb lens!

 

[Bill58]

Thanks to you both. Here are several black and whites from the same outing, for comparison sakes...

Bingley:

How in the world do you focus a 50 that fast to get a street shot like this one (the people on the sidewalk)? BTW--congratulations. I finally gave up trying to get one (or justify the cost vis-a-vis my other 50s) and bought a J3.

Bill

 

[Bingley]

Thanks, Bill. In answer to your question, if I'm in a spot (like a sidewalk) w/ interesting people headed my way, I try to pre-focus the lens if I can to a distance approximating where I want to take the shot. That said, this Canon 50 handles very well, and I found it v. easy to focus during my wanderings.

 

[Dektol Dan]

Very nice!

 

[Sonnar2]

Just curious, how do you manage for the people (i.e. the guy in front of the first picture in #4 -> great one!) that they like beeing photographed? ;-)
Do you have a bodyguard with you? 😎

 

[Bingley]

Just curious, how do you manage for the people (i.e. the guy in front of the first picture in #4 -> great one!) that they like beeing photographed? ;-)
Do you have a bodyguard with you?

Frank -- In response to your question:

1) In this situation, I shot fast, avoided eye contact w/ the subject, and moved on.

2) My Canon P (which was CLA'd last year) is really, really quiet, so the subject probably didn't hear the shutter.

3) There were a lot of other photographers out and about on Haight St. that day, so one middle-aged guy w/ a camera did not stand out.

4) Dumb luck. 😀

Cheers & Thanks!

 

[vrgard]

Very nice work, Steve. Reinforces my fondness for Sonnar lenses and makes me very glad that I own a copy of this particular lens.

-Randy

 

[steverett]

Steve,

I really like the look of this lens, it has a different feel from the other canon 50s I've used (the 1.8 and 1.4). It's hard to describe, but it reminds me of more modern rangefinder lenses. I'm very happy with my 1.4 though, so I can't see needing to buy one in the near future. I was also wondering what type of film you used for the color shots, or was it digital?

 

[Bingley]

Thanks for the kind words, Randy. Am I correct in recognizing parts of Los Altos in your photos?

@Steverett -- I've liked the looks of photos I've seen from Sonnar-design lenses, but I have to admit that the results from this Canon 50/1.5 were a pleasant surprise. Wide open, the oof is pleasing to my eye, but the lens is quite sharp corner to corner from about f4 on down (as Roland said it would be). I'm also pleased w/ the way the lens renders color. Which brings me to your question:

All the color shots were film (I don't own a digital camera). All but the fourth shot were taken on Portra 400NC; the fourth shot is on Kodak HiDef 400. Must try this lens w/ Reala...

BTW, I also have the Canon 50/1.8 (version II), which I love for its sharpness and compact size.

 

[Bill58]

Ahhha. I do the same w/ a 21, 25, and 28. They give me more wiggle room w/ DOF but closer. I need to practice more w/ the 50 like you.

Thanks,
Bill

 

[vrgard]

Good eye, Steve, in recognizing Los Altos. And keep posting those Canon 50/1.5 shots!

-Randy

 

[rumbliegeos]

Beautiful shots, clearly products of much more than the lens quality. One question:

What are the spec's on the scans? What resolution did you scan at? I am having a difficult time in getting images that look sharp in Photoshop survive uploading onto the web or into PowerPoint. These shots are crystal clear on my monitor.
Thanks, Gerry

 

[Bingley]

What are the spec's on the scans? What resolution did you scan at? I am having a difficult time in getting images that look sharp in Photoshop survive uploading onto the web or into PowerPoint. These shots are crystal clear on my monitor.

Hi Gerry -- Thanks so much for your kind comments. To answer your question, the scans of these photos, believe or not, are from Costco. I don't have a darkroom or a scanner (yet, it's on my Christmas list), so I have all my film processed at the Costco in Sacramento, and put on to CDs. I'm not sure what dpi they scan at, but I've generally been pretty pleased w/ their work. I then upload, resize, and crop as needed in PS.

 

[rumbliegeos]

Steve,
Many thanks for the fast reply to my question. I will look at the Costco website, and see if the resolution of their scans is listed.
Gerry