MF std. prime for EOS - Zeiss Contax, CV, Leica, Nikkor, or...?

[ssmc]

Okay so I'm looking to get a MF fast (f/2 or better) 50mm-ish lens that can be modded/adapted to fit an EOS mount. As far as I know, the following lenses can be used:

- Zeiss Contax Planar (Leitax adapter)
- CV 58/1.4 Nokton (Leitax or other adapter)
- Summicron- or Summilux-R (Leitax)
- Nikkor AIS (Leitax or other adapter)

Ideally I'd like something that has a longish focus throw and that will clear the mirror on a FF camera without modification.

Any opinions on corner sharpness or other issues with any of these lenses? Would the Contax Planar be as soft wide open as the current ZE/ZF version? I know the old AIS Nikkors have lots of coma in the corners. I have a 50/1.4G on my D700 and it has really spoiled me with respect to overall sharpness, even wide open. Obviously it gets better stopped-down but it's more than usable at f/1.4. If it had an aperture ring I'd use it with an adapter but the current G-EOS adapters are expensive and kludgy (and MF on this lens is not wonderful)

Any thoughts or comments would be appreciated!
Scott

 

[gavinlg]

Voigtlander 40mm f2 - excellent optics, tiny, well built, new, and functions 100% with canons including auto stop-down.

Otherwise if you don't absolutely need a MF lens, why not look at the 'sigmalux' sigma 50mm f1.4. Yes it's a sigma, but it's the on a par with the canon 1.2L as the best available 50mm for EOS. Smoothest creamiest 50 I've ever used, and super sharp from f1.4. Absolutely no halation or glow like the canon and zeiss ZE 50mm f1.4's.

sigma 50mm f1.4 @ 1.4

 

[gavinlg]

.....OM 50/1.8 for its good reputation here in RFF (havent tested yet).

I had an OM 50mm (made in japan version) and upon a bit of testing I found that it was optically IDENTICAL to the canon 50mm f1.8 mkII available for about $100 brand new. Like, you could not separate them in any way.

 

[keytarjunkie]

The Sigma 50mm f/1.4 is the best DSLR 50mm lens I've used, and I've used all of the Nikons and Canons (except for the Canon 50/1.0L).

Personally, I would either get that, or a Zeiss 50mm f/1.7 for Contax and modify it to EOS.

If I wanted something small, the Voigtlander 40mm would do it. Excellent optics and very portable.

 

[mfunnell]

Me, I just use my Canon EF 50/f1.2. Expensive, but goes with my 5D just like it was made for it 🙂 It will even manual focus, if you want it to (there's a switch for that, and all: it even supports full-time manual focus and it's mechanical, not fly-by-wire like the 85).

The CV Ultron 40/f2 is a nice lens too (I use the AIS mount version on my FM3a). The EOS mount version will support everything EOS (except AF) which is far more convenient than use via adapter (though I haven't really used any of those, so I suppose I shouldn't complain about something I've not worked with).

If you want to adapt a nice older fast 50, and can live with the whole stop-down rigmarole, then you could do a lot worse than an old Pentax 50/f1.4. I have the "K" version of that, which I'm using on a Pentax K200D (which, it seems to me, handles the faffing about with old lenses rather more conveniently than EOS adapters; shame about the crop-factor thing, though). They are not expensive (mine cost me less than $100) and they are very good.

...Mike

 

[sojournerphoto]

I used to really like my canon 50/1.4 - has a nice look wide open and much better than internet chatter would have you believe.

Otherwise: canon 50/1.2L, Zeiss 50/1.7 in C/Y mount, Zeiss 50/2 macro planar ZE (native canon mount), Voigtlander 40/2 in canon mount

Be aware that adapted C/Y or Nikon lenses will not have auto aperture, which in my experience for all round shooting is a pain on an slr.

I'm not convinced the 85/1.2 canon is fly by wire focus. I think it has ful time af using the usm motor that allows manual override. Not quite the same thing. I think the current 50/1.2L is the same.

I think pretty well any 50 faster than about f1.8 is going to show some residual aberration

Best

Mike

 

[nksyoon]

Both the 50 Lux and 90 cron I used on my 5D had very long focus throws.

The CV 58/1.4 has a shorter throw.

 

[mfunnell]

I'm not convinced the 85/1.2 canon is fly by wire focus. I think it has ful time af using the usm motor that allows manual override. Not quite the same thing. I think the current 50/1.2L is the same.

The Canon 85/f1.2 has a "manual" focus ring which drives the AF motor while the 50/f1.2 ring focuses mechanically. Both have "full-time manual" override of AF - they just do it differently. I prefer the way the 50 does it.

...Mike

 

[nighstar]

i've just gone back to using a Canon DLSR and i intend to use all of my OM lenses with it. so far i only have one OM → EOS adapter, but i should probably get more... 50mm is not my favorite focal length, but i have tried the Zuiko 55mm 1.2 and absolutely love it. 🙂 it does seem to be a tad soft wide open, but the bokeh wide open is gorgeous imho.

there is a Flickr group for Zuiko lenses on EOS cameras & a group for EOS cameras with manual lenses. browsing those groups might help.

i hope to try out Zeiss ZE and Voigtlander lenses too, eventually. it would be nice to have some MF lenses that are made for for EF mount.

 

[jarski]

I had an OM 50mm (made in japan version) and upon a bit of testing I found that it was optically IDENTICAL to the canon 50mm f1.8 mkII available for about $100 brand new. Like, you could not separate them in any way.

think I paid 60€/80$ for my OM 50/1.8 with EOS adapter, so it wasn't bankrupting me either 🙂 + its very small, but guess Canon is also.

there is a Flickr group for Zuiko lenses on EOS cameras & a group for EOS cameras with manual lenses. browsing those groups might help.

M42 group is good too. many Pentax, Fuji and Zeiss gems out there 🙂

 

[Rico]

CZ Planar 50/1.4 in C/Y mount is very sharp wide open as shown in the corner crop below. Like any fast lens, vignetting is visible at wider apertures. Throw is moderate (not as long as a classic Summilux-M 50).

A simple adapter works for EOS mount, and mirror clearance is assured on 1 Series (not assured on 5D). You should also consider the cheaper and excellent Yashica 50mm ML primes.

 

[rxmd]

CZ Planar 50/1.4 in C/Y mount is very sharp wide open as shown in the corner crop below. Like any fast lens, vignetting is visible at wider apertures. Throw is moderate (not as long as a classic Summilux-M 50). [...] A simple adapter works for EOS mount, and mirror clearance is assured on 1 Series (not assured on 5D). You should also consider the cheaper and excellent Yashica 50mm ML primes.

If he wants the same lens with autofocus and auto aperture, he could buy the Contax N version and get it modified at Conurus. Expensive, though - a Canon 50/f1.2 will be cheaper.

The OP's question looks basically like a rehash of the old quest for the best 50, except on a body that will mount all of them. (Pretty much except Canon FD and Minolta). There is really no answering that question. Everybody has to see for themselves and it's not like 50s cost a lot to try. I currently use a Summicron-R and a Helios-81N, both 50/f2 lenses that I like, but this is just subjective, and so is anything that is likely to come up in these suggestions.

 

[myM8yogi]

I used an Olympus OM 50mm f/1.2 on an EOS adaptor. It's absolutely tiny for such a fast lens. It's got some special qualities wide open, and then image quality becomes faultless from f/2 onwards. It is small enough to justify most use at f/2 with the knoweledge that you have another stop and a half available if you want subject isolation at greater distances or light is getting low. My only complaint is the bokeh, which sometimes had that double-edged thing going on.

 

[Joosep]

Ive used alot of old and new fast 50s on EF.

Depends, if you want quality or you want look.

My favourite by far was the old Topcor 58 1.4
(Cosina started making remaking them).

 

[ssmc]

Thanks for all the replies!

My main reason for wanting a MF 50 for EOS is kind of redundant - I've read there's a known weak point in the design of the Canon 50/1.4 AF motor gearing, so that if the AF fails (which it apparently can do), you can't even manually focus it. This is a big deal for me because I often get the best use out of my cameras while hiking. I'd hate to be in Death Valley or Canyonlands with an unfocusable lens! (hence the question about corner sharpness). So the MF lens would be more of a high-quality backup rather than a main lens.

In any case you guys have given me a lot to think about! (including some options that escaped me, like the Sigma)

Best regards,
Scott

 

[filmfan]

Almost any lens will do. All you are going to get from this question is an account of who uses/owns which lenses.

 

[rxmd]

My main reason for wanting a MF 50 for EOS is kind of redundant - I've read there's a known weak point in the design of the Canon 50/1.4 AF motor gearing, so that if the AF fails (which it apparently can do), you can't even manually focus it. This is a big deal for me because I often get the best use out of my cameras while hiking. I'd hate to be in Death Valley or Canyonlands with an unfocusable lens! (hence the question about corner sharpness). So the MF lens would be more of a high-quality backup rather than a main lens.

I think you are referring to the situation where you drop the lens on the front element (a Bad Idea by itself) and the focus gearing gets knocked out of position. The Canon 50/f1.4 is a good lens, but the autofocus construction is indeed dated and cheap (if light & fast) and not a strong point of the lens.

However, the easiest way to protect the gearing is to use a hood, best together with a "pinch" cap. Also protects from flare and dropping the lens. Rather than lugging about a backup 50 while on a hike, a $15 hood kept attached at all times sounds like a much better idea.

 

[filmtwit]

Minolta Rokkor 58mm f1.2

Not at easy conversion but well worth it.

http://www.cogitech.ca/Rokkor/index.html

 

[Tim Gray]

My main reason for wanting a MF 50 for EOS is kind of redundant - I've read there's a known weak point in the design of the Canon 50/1.4 AF motor gearing, so that if the AF fails (which it apparently can do), you can't even manually focus it.

My EF 50/1.4's focus mechanism broke while sitting in a closet (a hood wouldn't have helped). For what it's worth, I could still manual focus it in my case.

 

[gavinlg]

....The Canon 50/f1.4 is a good lens, but the autofocus construction is indeed dated and cheap (if light & fast) and not a strong point of the lens...

The AF construction is so crap that it only hits focus at f1.4 at close distances something like 30% of the time - there's too much play in the focus motor to get it any more accurate. Even when it hits focus, it's optically blown out of the water by the Sigma 50mm (for the same price). The sigma is pretty nice to MF too - nice large and smooth focussing ring.