MS Optics 50mm f/1.0 ISM

[heavyweather]

So I took the plunge and snagged a copy of this lens, it's very unique. It seems impossible that an f/1.0 lens could be so small and light, but he's done it. I'm still deciding whether the bokeh and shallow depth of field at that aperture works for me... in the meantime, I'm looking for a UV filter that is compatible with this curious design.

What I mean is, for some reason, the filter threads on this lens are in the male configuration, so to attach a filter, you flip it over and screw it on "backwards," as in you mate the normally-front-facing female threads of the filter with the male thread of the lens. Bizarre, right? so my 55-58 step-up ring won't work, and both Hoya and B+W 55mm UV filters I've tried have too many threads to screw in all the way. The only filter that works, so far, is a circular polarizer from Tiffen. However, I only want to use that filter in the daytime for its ND properties, I would rather have a clear UV filter for night time shooting. Does anyone know of a filter with very few female threads?

Photo from the lens attached for grins. If anyone else has pictures with it, I'd love to see them!

 

[peterm1]

I can relate to your problems with lenses and accessories that have odd filter threads. I recently bought a lens hood for a 50mm f2 Ultron lens used on the old Voigtlander Prominent rangefinder camera and found that this particular hood has internal female threads instead of external male ones that might be found on a normal screw in hood. The threads were 49mm diameter so it does not directly help you in any way least of all with filters. And I did not plan to use it with an Ultron (which I have long sold) But I like the look of the hood when mounted on certain other classic lenses. The hood is pictured below just for interest - and grins as you say.

This was an easy conversion fix for me as I readily found on eBay a male to male 49mm adapter for a few pennies. (No laughing please about male to male adaptations! 🙂 ) By screwing the adapter into the female threads on the hood it effectively converted the hood into a normally configured one. (There seem to be a few iterations of this hood BTW. Some have a clamp fit and another has a friction fit - not sure why mine is different again).

Female to male step up ring adapters can also be found on eBay and these may fix your lens problem allowing you to use normal filters, normally mounted. Assuming of course that the thread pitch on the adapter is the same as on your lens - it sounds as if this is possibly a further part of your problem though..........??

Use this search term in the eBay search box and you will at least get some hits: "55mm female to male adapter". If you can't find one in the size you need (I am assuming it is 55mm) you could also use a normal step ring to double with whatever you do get.

 

[heavyweather]

Eureka! So if I use a 58 to 55 step down ring, presumably a reversed 58mm filter will do the trick. Provided of course the step down ring makes a snug fit on the lens.

I didn’t find any straight across 55 to 55 rings.

 

[peterm1]

Eureka! So if I use a 58 to 55 step down ring, presumably a reversed 58mm filter will do the trick. Provided of course the step down ring makes a snug fit on the lens.

I didn’t find any straight across 55 to 55 rings.

As I understand it, since your lens has an external 55mm thread as would normally be found on a filter (i.e. a male thread) you require a female to female adapter which when attached will in effect turn your lens thread into a "normal" lens which will take any filter having a male thread.

I made a mistake in my post below and wrote that you need a female to male adapter where in fact you need a female to female adapter. Your filters will then screw on without reversing them. Sorry it's somehow hard to get my head around this I guess because I have not come across it before and I momentarily could not visualize what was needed.

But the adapter you need appears to be exactly - this one: https://www.ebay.com/itm/55-55mm-Fe...452712?hash=item488a63f828:g:DB4AAOSwoudW2Nsa

Will it screw on correctly to your lens given you seem to be saying this has also been an issue peculiar to that lens. Well that's the question I cannot answer but it should if your lens uses the same thread pitch as all other lens threads. Bear in mind that a filter's threads do not have to "screw in all the way" so long as the end of filter thread cinches up tight inside of the lens and the filter becomes tight.

 

[heavyweather]

Thanks Peter, that looks like just the trick! I'll give it a shot. Might vignette a bit more than it already does, but hey, this lens is all about "the look."

 

[peterm1]

Thanks Peter, that looks like just the trick! I'll give it a shot. Might vignette a bit more than it already does, but hey, this lens is all about "the look."

No worries. I have never let a little vignetting worry me. Its easy to fix if that is what someone wants and as you say adds to the look. In fact I frequently add a vignette where there is not one already especially in portraits. And if you need to once you have a "normal" 55mm thread on the lens you can always add a stepping ring up to say 58mm to provide extra clearance and avoid vignetting that might be associated with filters or hoods.

BTW I am more comfortable with the bokeh on these nice shots than in the first one where the bokeh was quite "nervous". But that is not unusual with some lenses - they do not always produce the same bokeh characteristics in all circumstances. I like the portrait a lot.

 

[yorda]

thoses shots are more interessing than the post on JCH!
HeavyWeather do you have some more?

 

[cboy]

More photos please OP....Nice rendering!