Mortal Kombat. 50mm battle

nobbylon said:
if you are worried about the hood, get the one I suggested, tabbed with 50 on the barrel and seperate hood, as far as i'm aware it's the same optically as the latest version
Click to expand...
Ok, I will look for it in the internet, and will have in mind as a good variant.
pfoto said:
Nugard welcome to the forum, your English is excellent! :) The slide-out hoods are not the greatest except for the one on the 75mm Summicron ASPH which locks. The pre-ASPH 50mm Summilux would be an ideal lens for you I think, the last model has the disadvantage of also having a telescopic hood, but closest focus is 0.7M and it takes a regular 46mm filter. Earlier versions of the pre-ASPH Summilux use clip-on/screw hoods, closest focus is 1M, and filter size is 43mm with a 0.5 thread pitch (can sometimes be difficult to find filters that screw in properly). The pre-ASPH produces sublime images.

Another possibility is to get a current 50/2.8 Elmar-M, a beautiful little lens that is light and small and collapses into the camera so you can take it anywhere. :) You lose a couple of stops but you would have a lot more money to put towards that savings fund for the ASPH 50.

Lenses with telescopic hoods will accept screw-in hoods, although it is an awkward arrangement.
Click to expand...
I do like Elmar-M, but I'm also thinking about how it's gonna work in dust, snow, or maybe rain... I really love to travel, and I want to be sure in my lens. I need to know, that it will work properly.
And in that case, if I would go for small lens I'd go for new summarit...
Krosya said:
Zdoroven'ki buly ;),
After having a Summicron Rigid, Summicron current, Planar and M-Hexanon - I kept only one - Hexanon - to me by far the best lens. No issues with flare or built-in shade. I love 50mm lenses and have several - Canon 50/1.2, Summitar 50/2, Heliar 50/2 (currently for sale - see classifieds here), yet Hexanon is my main lens. I really think it's hard to go wrong with it. But do some search here - many posts with most of these lenses and see what look you like. I have some examples posts on flickr - see link below.
Click to expand...
Zdoroven'ki!.. You were in Kyiv?..;)
I will look again among threads here for Hexanon pictures. I know that it is good and rather chip lens, but for my first lens, I'd rather pick Leica lenses...:rolleyes:


The last pre-asph summilux is great lens, and I would buy it, if only I could find such lens for 1500 dollars...:(

PS: Is there some part of forum here, where people selling their stuff?.. Because I just can't find it:eek: :bang:
 
Last edited:
Nugard, I just got an e46 summilux from KEH for 1150$ in bargain condition (I can't hardly tell it from new). I'm putting it through its paces the last few days and am quite impressed, lovely build also. The corners really do only sharpen up after f8 though, not really a lens for testers -- but makes lovely photos :) . Hope that helps somewhat...
 
The Planar is as sharp as the Summicron (current), but it has a big advantage over the latter: it doesn't flare. Big, big advantage IMHO.

I chose the Sonnar because the photos taken with this lens are just so....beautiful, mellow. And then, it is smaller than the Planar and a 1.5 lens (although you have to know its focus shift close up and wide open). I love it!
 
Nugard said:
For this reason I want to choose mine "better" ;)
Click to expand...
now that's the 1st time i've seen someone admit it, fair play to you!

With all the photo gear and indeed everything I like, I've always liked to think that if I was buying the best it would make my efforts more productive with better results. Lighter bicycle, faster times uphill! better running shoes, quicker on the road etc etc... I've worked out for me that in the end it's just a liking for nice stuff and that, seen as we're on a photo forum, buying the most expensive, named, perceived best piece of gear doesn't automatically lead to the best photo's. Since getting involved with photography approx 30 years ago, i've always liked a certain look to photos and have modified my kit accordingly along the way to try and achieve it. I have slowly come to the conclusion that it doesn't matter what name's on the front or how much you've paid, it all depends on what pleases the user in terms of end result and user experience if indeed a photograph is what you actually want at the finish. I like cameras to play with, don't get me wrong, a safe and harmless pastime as my wife puts it albeit at times expensive, but for me it's my pictures that mean more to me than the gear I used to take them.
 
Last edited:
nobbylon said:
now that's the 1st time i've seen someone admit it, fair play to you!

With all the photo gear and indeed everything I like, I've always liked to think that if I was buying the best it would make my efforts more productive with better results. Lighter bicycle, faster times uphill! better running shoes, quicker on the road etc etc... I've worked out for me that in the end it's just a liking for nice stuff and that, seen as we're on a photo forum, buying the most expensive, named, perceived best piece of gear doesn't automatically lead to the best photo's. Since getting involved with photography approx 30 years ago, i've always liked a certain look to photos and have modified my kit accordingly along the way to try and achieve it. I have slowly come to the conclusion that it doesn't matter what name's on the front or how much you've payed, it all depends on what pleases the user in terms of end result and user experience if indeed a photograph is what you actually want at the finish. I like cameras to play with, don't get me wrong, a safe and harmless pastime as my wife puts it albeit at times expensive, but for me it's my pictures that mean more to me than the gear I used to take them.
Click to expand...

Thank you!.. Really appreciate your thoughts. And I mostly of them have in my head... Yes... Better thing/tool is like a psychological barrier that we overcome with this thinny... And not everyone has a most useful idea like - I don't need this thing to overcome my self ;)
 
Last edited:
This thread is kind of interesting, from a psychological perspective.:)

There will always be a "better" lens out there, somewhere. If you're reasonably happy with the lens on your camera, and you're enjoying taking photos....surely that's enough?

Also: don't believe everything you read on the internet.

Don't worry -- take pictures!
 
The Planar is an "improved" Summicron, like Zeiss Ikon is an "improved" Leica, haha... In fact it is as sharp, more 3d and does not flare, BUT, it is not made by Leica, and does not cost as much ! So you have to make up your mind...
Here are a couple of shots with the Planar, this one at f2.8:
1777480380_63402ed427_b.jpg

and this wide open:
1096255141_2723c1b448_b.jpg


here instead, a couple of shots made with the DR Summicron from the sixties, this at f5.6:
2586306889_b6e397be36_b.jpg

and this at f 2.8:

2589030547_2ece311117_b.jpg


My advice would be:
look in the classifieds at the bottom of the page, where other RFF members are selling gear, and get the first lens you find in a good condition, then move on from there... you will not end up with just one 50mm lens anyway...
 
Last edited:
retnull said:
This thread is kind of interesting, from a psychological perspective.:)

There will always be a "better" lens out there, somewhere. If you're reasonably happy with the lens on your camera, and you're enjoying taking photos....surely that's enough?

Also: don't believe everything you read on the internet.

Don't worry -- take pictures!
Click to expand...
Yep!.. The thing is, that if you don't have any lens, then you can't take any shot...
That's why I need at list one lens:rolleyes:
 
nobbylon said:
because there is no better or worse at this level of lens!!!!!:bang: It's what you like yourself!
Click to expand...

That's exactly it. The M- and screw-fit 50s currently in my posession are Nokton, Noctilux, Summarit, (1936) Elmar, Color-Skopar, Canon f/1.2, current Sonnar, DR Summicron. I've recently tried Summicron ASPH and current Heliar and over the years I've had other non-ASPH Summicron, Jupiter f/2 and f/1.5, Xenon, Summar, Summitar, Summarit (original), TTH, Industar, 1930s and 1950s Sonnars, Yashinon f/1.8, and others.

General rules:

Newer designs deliver better technical quality

Slower lenses deliver better technical quality

More expensive lenses deliver better technical quality

Better technical quality soon reaches a plateau where 'look' is more important than sharpness and resolution. Both the Elmar and the Canon are detectably inferior objectively than anything except the Jupiters and the Industar, and the ASPH Summicron was objectively the best. (Pauses to don flak-jacket). But almost any lens can deliver great pictures if you work with its weaknesses and like its 'look' -- which is why, among the 20 or or more lenses above, the current Sonnar is my favourite.

Then again, I'm not a great 50mm addict, and in most other focal lengths I'd go for Leica.

Cheers,

R.
 
Last edited:
My advice would be:
look in the classifieds at the bottom of the page, where other RFF members are selling gear, and get the first lens you find in a good condition, then move on from there... you will not end up with just one 50mm lens anyway...
__________________
Click to expand...

Thank's for advice!.. But it's not so easy to get some Leica or Zeiss in Ukraine... This is why, I must take most reasonable desicion...
In your sample photos I like planar more... BTW did you ask phone number of that beautiful girl?.. :)
 
nugard, dont care about Zeiss or hexanon. Buy a Leica lens ;) Cron is not perfect but it has a lot of character. Microcontrast gives the pictures a pleasant look. I have one from year 1979. It is considered to be "worst" lens of all but every time when I look at pics, it strikes me always. and as a bonus, you'll enjoy of build quality, sweet mechanics of the new lens ;) when you already have MP. Design compatibility, you know :D
 
shooting at night? Buy a canon 50/1.2 and an m adapter for 350-400 $ and a big load of tri-x and a pack of diafine.
How about that for a good plan?:D
 
mfogiel said:
The Planar is an "improved" Summicron, like Zeiss Ikon is an "improved" Leica, haha... In fact it is as sharp, more 3d and does not flare, BUT, it is not made by Leica, and does not cost as much ! So you have to make up your mind...
Here are a couple of shots with the Planar, this one at f2.8:
Click to expand...
very insightful, thank you mfogiel. now I must try the Zeiss glass, or find a decent comparison test.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom