How about starting a 50mm/1.5 lens test?

[raid]

I now have three 50mm/1.5 lenses, and I am thinking about having a lens test that is only for 50mm/1.5 lenses. The lenses that I have are as follows:

1. Jupiter 3 for LTM [adjusted by Brian Sweeney]
2. Nokton Prominent [good results]
3. Zeiss Jena Sonnar 50mm/1.5 for Contax

These lenses are vintage lenses that will differ optically from the new breed of fast lenses. I wonder if anyone if willing to participate in another 50mm lens test here. If not, then I will compare these three lenses. The bad part of this set-up is the fact that these lenses are in three different camera mounts.

Which other 50mm/1.5 exist?


I won't include my "special" Summarit in the test since it gives soft focus images. I guess, there is the Nokton and the ZM also.

What do you think about another test? 😀

 

[FrankS]

Hi Raid, there is also the Summarit 50f1.5.

 

[ravid905]

If I had known you were thinking of doing this, I would have waited a little while before I sold my Summarit. If I remember correctly Raid, you had problems with one you had in the past. The example I had was in excellent shape, and gave me great results.

Also, if I remember correctly, after the last test round of 35-40mm you were thinking of doing a 28mm and wider. Any thoughts making a go of that?

Dave

 

[raid]

Hi Raid, there is also the Summarit 50f1.5.

Hi Frank,

I have a Summarit, but it gives me dreamy images. It is defective internally to the degree that it is an excellent soft focus lens. If I can locate a sharp Summarit, then it would be welcome in the test. I know that you find the Summarit great for special images.

 

[raid]

If I had known you were thinking of doing this, I would have waited a little while before I sold my Summarit. If I remember correctly Raid, you had problems with one you had in the past. The example I had was in excellent shape, and gave me great results.

Also, if I remember correctly, after the last test round of 35-40mm you were thinking of doing a 28mm and wider. Any thoughts making a go of that?

Dave

Hi Dave,

Yes, you are right about the 28mm lens test. I could do that one too.
I have three 28mm lenses now.

1. Kobalux 28mm/3.5
2. Canon 28mm/3.5
3. Minolta Rokkor 28mm/2.8

All three are great lenses.

 

[raid]

William,
You are right. Some claim it is the best of the group.

 

[xayraa33]

You can nudge the Nikkor 50mm f 1.4 in there too.
Well, it is an f 1.4 I know, but it's not too distant relations was the rare f1.5 Nikkor fifty.

 

[raid]

In that case, the Canon 50/1.4 should also be included. I have this lens too.


If we keep it for vintage lenses, there is no need for the Summilux unless there are older versions that can be considered vintage,

 

[jmkelly]

Raid: What body do you plan to shoot on? Are you willing to add some f1.4 lenses to the test? Otherwise you are limited to the Zeiss Sonnars and clones, plus maybe the Xenon and Summarit - if you can find sharp/clean examples. As noted above the Nikkor SC fits here if you accept f1.4, which is a lot more common in the community than the nearly unobtainable f1.5 (though if someone were willing to lend one it would be cool to see how it compares). And if you accept f1.4, what about three or four of the Summiluxes? And the current 50mm Nokton?

 

[LeicaTom]

Raid,

I`ll be doing a TEST of these FOUR classics soon, ALL are mint or near mint glass, top condition and ALL have hoods

1936 Leitz Xenon f1.5 50mm *Results in real "dreamy" looking photos like a 50mm version of the Thambar 90mm*

1953 Nikkor Nippon Kogaku f1.4 50mm *Great lens sharp and very close to the performance of the Canon f1.5*

1956 Leitz Summarit f1.5 50mm *Sadly underrated, great "art" lens in either color or black and white film*

1956 Canon f1.5 50mm (one of the last made) *Quite possibly the BEST lens of this group*

I sold my 1964 era Canon f1.4 50mm recently to finance my IIIC K Grey

I haven`t been able to find a real "wartime" German made CZJ f1.5 50mm Sonnar or a 1949/50 f1.5 50mm Nikkor for a realistic price 🙁

I would consider the Summlux series one (1959 to what was it 1965?) to be a "vintage" lens, but find one of them in LTM and you have a downpayment on a new car LOL!!!!!

The original Voightlander Nokton f1.5 50mm is also another crazy rare 1950`s rarity, almost impossible to find.....

I wish you were closer so we could do a test together

Tom

 

[raid]

Raid: What body do you plan to shoot on? Are you willing to add some f1.4 lenses to the test? Otherwise you are limited to the Zeiss Sonnars and clones, plus maybe the Xenon and Summarit - if you can find sharp/clean examples. As noted above the Nikkor SC fits here if you accept f1.4, which is a lot more common in the community than the nearly unobtainable f1.5 (though if someone were willing to lend one it would be cool to see how it compares). And if you accept f1.4, what about three or four of the Summiluxes? And the current 50mm Nokton?

I am learning from my earlier 50mm lens marathons, and I don't mind at all to make this a more inclusive test. In the past, RFF members mailed me a Nikon body to use Nikkor lenses on. I also got a Contax adapter to use the Prominent Nokton.After that lens test,I boughtmy own Prominent Nokton.

I now have Contax bodies in addition to Leica M and Canon LTM for the lenses. If I get the Contax adapter, I could use the Prominent Nokton on a Contax body. With Nikkor lenses, I better get the Nikon body for better focusing accuracy with the 50mm lenses.

In the past, I received as loaners the Canon 50/0.95 with Canon 7s [Mark was the kind donor]. I also received the Noctilux 50mm/1.0 [thanks to Fred] and the Nikkor 50mm/1.1 [thanks Kiu]. I miss them all. 😀

Last time, the Nikkor 50mm/1.1 had a bad focus, somaybe this time, it will get a fair chance. [Kui ... are you seeing this thread?].

We can also include the Canon 50/1.2 [which I have]. Such a test would be a general 50mm lens test. I first thought to limit the testing to a specific max aperture. 😕

 

[kbg32]

Raid,

What was that 50mm lens you tested that produced that "swirly" bokeh?

 

[raid]

Raid,

What was that 50mm lens you tested that produced that "swirly" bokeh?

That was a Frankenstein lens.
Brian inserted the optical part of the Braun Paxette Luxon 50mm/2 into the barrel of a J-3. The Luxon is a lens that is very hard to find these days, so this adapted lens has to be one of a kind.

 

[xayraa33]

Raid,

What was that 50mm lens you tested that produced that "swirly" bokeh?

Raid had a Braun Paxette lens that Brian made up in LTM that had swirly boke galore.

 

[raid]

The Luxon is a very good lens in the shade.

 

[lewis44]

Raid,
I have the ZI 50mm C-Sonnar f1.5. I would be willing to send it for the test if you need it.

 

[Sonnar Brian]

Raid- You should have a Ziess-Opton 50mm F1.5 for the Contax... (unless you traded!)

My 50/1.5's:

Carl Zeiss Jena 5cm f1.5, 1935 production, now in LTM;
Carl Zeiss 50mm f1.5 Shim optimized for the Nikon and LTM adapter;
Carl Zeiss Opton 50/1.5 in Contax mount, shim optimized for Contax
Summarit 5cm F1.5, (1) LTM and (1) M;
Canon 50/1.5 in LTM
Canon 50/1.5 J-3 Hybrid, LTM mount
J-3 in LTM, shimmed and elements adjusted for Leica
J-3 in Contax
J-3 Shimmed for Nikon
Voigtlander 50mm F1.5, Prominent mount with adapter for Nikon

And a Wollensak 51mm F1.5 large format lens that I'm going to hack into something!


The early Nikkor 5cm F1.4 lenses had slightly smaller optics, probably a bit closer to F1.5 than thr later lenses.
Close:
Nikkor 5cm F1.4 Early 5005 series, for the Nikon
Nikkor 5cm F1.4 Early series in LTM.

I have a wartime CZJ Sonnar coming in, a mystery lens in a movie camera mount. I plan on refitting it for LTM or Contax, depending.

The first generation Summilux lenses are closer to F1.5 than F1.4.

 

[robin a]

Raid,if you want to test a couple of Brian's adjusted J-3's I will bring mine on Sunday for you to use...............Robin

 

[payasam]

I haven't yet had my fill of the Jupiter 3 which Kim Coxon fixed for me: but you have one J-3 already.

 

[raid]

Raid,
I have the ZI 50mm C-Sonnar f1.5. I would be willing to send it for the test if you need it.

Hello Lewis,

Thanks! This would be a good contribution.