Looking for a good portrait lens for my R-D1

[meven]

Hi,

I am looking for a good portrait lens to use on my R-D1, the problem is I am on a budget, I don't want to spend too much money on a lens that won't be my primary one. I was looking at something around US$350-400. I guess the CV 75 and 90 should be good enough but I want to have more options.

Could someone also advice me a good viewfinder to go with it?

Thanks for your help.

Max

 

[Tuolumne]

Since the R-D1 has a 1.5x crop factor, I would stick with a 50mm. A 90mm lens is effectively 135mm on the R-D1, too long to be an effective portrait lens, and also too hard to focus with the R-D1's relatively short baseline. So, that makes 50mm the best choice and is what I use. Since this is the main lens on film RF cameras (if you have any) I think you should splurge and get the very best you can. It won't be a "niche" lens. Also, you won't need an external finder with a 50mm lens, since the R-D1 has internal frame lines for 50mm, which is effectively 75mm on the R-D1.

/T

 

[oscroft]

I guess the CV 75 and 90 should be good enough

Wouldn't they be a bit too long considering the small-sized sensor on the R-D1?

 

[laptoprob]

Hey Max, give the Canon 50/1,2 a try! Lovely soft wide open, great oof blur and with the crop factor a little more dof. Might be perfect for portraits.

 

[meven]

Since the R-D1 has a 1.5x crop factor, I would stick with a 50mm. A 90mm lens is effectively 135mm on the R-D1, too long to be an effective portrait lens, and also too hard to focus with the R-D1's relatively short baseline. So, that makes 50mm the best choice and is what I use. Since this is the main lens on film RF cameras (if you have any) I think you should splurge and get the very best you can. It won't be a "niche" lens. Also, you won't need an external finder with a 50mm lens, since the R-D1 has internal frame lines for 50mm, which is effectively 75mm on the R-D1.

/T

Thanks for the advice, as you can see in my signature I have quite a lot of 50mm lenses but can't decide which one I should keep... Obviously their are better lenses around but they all work fine for me, the choice is tough!! I could also sell two of them get a better one, which 50mm lens would you recommend me to buy on a maximum budget of US$500?

Thanks
Max

 

[Tuolumne]

Meven,
What's wrong with the 50mm lenses you already have?

/T

 

[meven]

Hey Max, give the Canon 50/1,2 a try! Lovely soft wide open, great oof blur and with the crop factor a little more dof. Might be perfect for portraits.

Hi Rob,

I already tried your former 50/1.2 for portrait in low light condition and I had really good results. I now have sent it for a light CLA (you remember the aperture ring was a bit too stiff) and I will have it back next thursday, I will then take it for a real test.

Cheers
Max

 

[meven]

Meven,
What's wrong with the 50mm lenses you already have?

/T

The only problem is that I think I have too many of them now and can't decide which one to use!!!!!!!:bang:

 

[Tuolumne]

The beauty of the R-D1 is you can compare the results instantly. Instead of asking us, do a few portraits with each elns and see which one you like best. Take your time and give each one a fair try. The handling will be very different as well as the image rendering. For me, I actually prefer my 35mm Summalux f1.4 as an all-round lens on my R-D1. Effectively 50mm with the 1.5x crop factor and renders beautiful images on the R-D1. But it ain't cheap!

/T

 

[laptoprob]

Hey Max, my advice is in my signature: Get an old Sonnar! I have two functioning well now: I solved the puzzle of rebuilding the Steinheil Quinon yesterday. Comparison of the two will follow shortly I hope.
Both the Quinon and the Canon are 50's lenses, interesting to test flare and contrast. On a digital you could well do with a lower contrast lens for portraits I think.

 

[meven]

The beauty of the R-D1 is you can compare the results instantly. Instead of asking us, do a few portraits with each elns and see which one you like best. Take your time and give each one a fair try. The handling will be very different as well as the image rendering. For me, I actually prefer my 35mm Summalux f1.4 as an all-round lens on my R-D1. Effectively 50mm with the 1.5x crop factor and renders beautiful images on the R-D1. But it ain't cheap!

/T

Yes I will indeed give all of them a fair try but I am waiting for the Elmar to arrive, it should be here in a few days.

Thanks for your advice.
Cheers
Max

 

[tajart]

i've seen some very nice results, portraits especially, from the nokton 40/1.4 on the rd1.

 

[georgef]

Hi Max,

Glass being totally personal preference, I will not agree with the suggestions for the 50s. I find on the RD1 they are 75mm lenses, which personally are too short for me. I like portrait glass to be around 90-105. I like the flatness I get with that FOV, which the 50s do not give me on the RD1.
I owned the tele elmarit 90mm which I could not focus succesfully on the RD1. Now I will try the CV 75 which is an effective 112mm (a little long but ok for me).

Food for thought anyway; try the 75 at a local store if you can get access to it, you may like it; if not, maybe you can check people's photos with it on the RD1...and I have heard it is very sharp too.

george

 

[saxshooter]

The only problem is that I think I have too many of them now and can't decide which one to use!!!!!!!:bang:

Keep the 1.2 and send the others to me 😀

Seriously, I'd pick one (start with the 1.2 perhaps) and lock the others away. Learn the lens on your RD-1, get to know how it does close focus wide open, etc. If you like it, stick with it. If not, next lens (and lock the others away again).

I agree with other posters about the 90. And you've got 3 50's to play around with and figure out, why introduce another variable (ie, 75) into the mix?

 

[sonwolf]

I use both the CV 50mm 1.5 Nokton and CV 75mm 2.5 Heliar for portraits. Both lenses have positives and negatives for portrait work.

The Nokton's 77mm field of view works nicely for shoulder length portraits but is inadequate for close-ups. On the positive side, the lens' optimum apertures of 2.8-4.0 produce a gorgeous luminous tonality, and the 1.5 allows a very shallow focus look. On the negative side, 50mm is simply too short a focal length to provide the spatial compression the typical portrait lens produces. Heads and faces look larger and broader than in traditional portrait styles.

The Heliar's 115mm field of view is longer than the traditional 90-105mm range but still workable. The Heliar produces as shallow depth of field as the Nokton. The 75mm focal length yields a moderate amount of spatial compression, creating the portrait look, and close-ups are possible. On the negative side, the R-D1 has no 75mm frame lines so framing can be bothersome at portrait distances. In a controlled posed situation, the framing issue is manageable. In a fluid moving environment, framing can be tricky to handle. The Heliar posses a nice creamy tonality but lacks the luminous beauty of the Nokton. Focusing a 75mm lens perfectly at a close portrait distance is not easy for my eyes. Using an eyepiece magnifier on the R-D1 has assisted in achieving more consistent and better focus.

 

[BillBingham2]

I use a Nikkor 105/2.5 on my M6 for head shots and love it. I would think the 75 would work well but you will need to get a finder for it. I would recomend a zoom finder, Nikon or Tewe as being great choices.

I have heard of some 60mm special lenses that different folks have made from time to time, but not easy to find.

B2 (;->

 

[LCT]

Interesting question indeed.
I use a lot of 50's from an old Elmar from 1962 to the latest Summilux 50/1.4 asph.
The old Elmar is good for portait in BW but colors are too greenish, and the 50/1.4 asph is definitely too sharp.
The current Elmar 50/2.8 is a great lens but sharpness and also contrast are too high for portrait IMHO.
My Summicron 50/2 from 1978 is a bit less contrasty and could do it at f/2 but it is still a sharp lens.
My favourite is the late Summilux 50/1.4 pre-asph (with built-in hood) but it remains a bit too sharp even at f/1.4 (pic below with R-D1, f/1.4, 400 iso, Epson raw converter, no sharpening), so it can be difficult to use with old or not-so-young people unless you don't mind to show their skin details.
The (late) Summilux 35/1.4 pre-asph would be ideal but it tends to distort faces at short distance like any 35mm.
Perhaps the perfect portrait lens with R-D1 would be an older Summilux 50 but i have no personal experience of them.
Otherwise my CV 50/2.5 is a very decent little 50. Nicely built and reasonably sharp with a somewhat smoother bokeh than some other CV lenses. I don't use it much though so you'd better ask others' advice about it.

 

[BillBingham2]

Take a look at the Heliar 50/2 that can be purchased for $399. It is said not to be as sharp as the 50/3.5 and have quite a nice look. I can not comment on it as I am paying around with my 50/1.4 Nikkor Mil, which ROCKS.

B2 (;->

 

[matt fury]

I use either a vintage 50 (Canon 50/1.5 or Nikon 50/2), or a Steinheil Culminar 85/2.8. Framing is a little tricky with the 85, especially considering that I always forget my external finder, but it's not as bad as it could be.

 

[nksyoon]

Summilux 50 from early '70's on R-D1