Nokton 50mm 1.5 vs ZM Planar 50mm F2

[kalun_leung]

How is the quality of Nokton 50mm 1.5 compared to ZM Planar 50mm F2?? Anybody have try both ?

 

[nico]

Hi,
welcome on rff, i never tried the ZM planar 50 but I usually shoot with a Nokton 50, so if you want see some samples you can take a look to my gallery (http://www.rangefinderforum.com/photopost/showgallery.php?cat=500&ppuser=5152) where I posted all my shots taken with the nokton. There a few i took with the skopar 21 but you'll easily recognize them!
I'm a rf newbie so i'm not an expert but if have some question about the lens you've only to ask. 🙂
bye
nico

 

[Nachkebia]

I find planar 50 to be one of the best lenses I own, check my gallery 🙂

 

[BrianPhotog]

Wide Open

Wide Open

Here's a shot with the Nokton wide open. The focus point is his bare foot.

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Here's one with the Nokton set at hyperfocal, f16. The elder lady is about at the close focus point for that.

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And here's one about midway, f8 and "waist up" distance.

​

I hope these help your decision-making process 🙂

 

[triplefinger]

Hi, I had a nokton, but ergonomically I REALLY didn't like it. constantly moving the aperture unintendedly(is that a word?) anyway, I bought the ZM 50/2 and LOVE it. it handles wonderfully and has a great look to it.

Mike

 

[kalun_leung]

Thanks everybody's comment, i am going to see you guys sample photo and have a deep think about it ~ thx!!!

 

[CJP6008]

For what it is worth, Erwin Puts has reviewed both lenses see http://www.imx.nl/home.html. I only have the planar - it's a belter. Cannot comment on CV 1.5.

 

[telenous]

I haven't a clue about the Nokton but I used the Planar ZM for four-five months and its photos had a unique look (I like to think it gave a quasi medium format tonality). I sold it only because I craved for more speed, other than that I would wholeheartedly recommend it to anyone.

 

[CJP6008]

Vladimer, beautiful shots on your blogspot. What colour film stock are you using? It looks wonderful.

Chris

 

[Nachkebia]

Than kyou Chris, I used Fuji Provia 100F and Kodak Ektachrome E100VS...

 

[CJP6008]

Vladimer, this site might interest you if you have not come across Tomas Munita already http://www.tomasmunita.com/. Tomas won the Oskar Barnack prize this year. Shoots transparancy on a Leica.

Are you familiar with the work of Ragubir Singh? Worth checking out if you have not already done so.

Keep shooting - a spread in National Geographic cannot be far away!

Chris

 

[Flyfisher Tom]

Vladimer, this site might interest you if you have not come across Tomas Munita already http://www.tomasmunita.com/. Tomas won the Oskar Barnack prize this year. Shoots transparancy on a Leica.

Chris

Chris is correct, Munita does shoot personal work on a Leica.

Ironically, the photos in his submission for the Barnack prize were shot on a Canon DSLR (while on commissioned assignment for a paper/magazine) 😉

That said, when I first viewed the submission in print, I could not tell whether they were transparency or digital. The quality of composition and color were good enough that I didn't care. Very impressive portfolio.

cheers

 

[jano]

Ironically, the photos in his submission for the Barnack prize were shot on a Canon DSLR (while on commissioned assignment for a paper/magazine) 😉

I'd like to see this photo, his gallery didn't mention which one it was, though.

 

[ZeissFan]

The Zeiss Planar (whether it be for the Kyocera Contax, Zeiss Ikon rangefinder or the old Zeiss Ikon Contarex) has a definite "look" when shot wide open. I haven't shot with the Nokton, but I'm sure it's a fine lens as well.

Stopped down, most lenses will perform quite well, so the question generally comes down to how it performs wide open for close- to mid-range distances and ergonomics.

 

[Flyfisher Tom]

very nice shots Brian 🙂

 

[Flyfisher Tom]

I'd like to see this photo, his gallery didn't mention which one it was, though.

Hi Jano,

I saw it on the newstand last month in one of the Leica magazines. It may still be on the shelves. I believe it is a color portfolio on Kabul, Afghanistan (not sure if the winner is the portfolio itself or just one submission).

Here is a link from the portfolio in question:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/spl/hi/pop_ups/06/in_pictures_leica_oskar_barnack_award_/html/1.stm

cheers

 

[Flyfisher Tom]

Kalun,

sorry to be off-topic for a bit 😱

You might want to check out fellow member Tetrisattack 's gallery. He has some very good shots taken with the zeiss zm planar 50.

This is one of my favorites from his gallery:

http://www.rangefinderforum.com/pho...allfields&name=tetrisattack&name=tetrisattack


cheers

 

[CJP6008]

Tom, I am pretty sure the Kabul stuff Tomas got the Oskar Barnack for were shot on a Leica - I'll ask him! All the award rules say is that the entry must be submitted either "as duplicates of slides or enlargements" and the photographer must declare that the images have not "been manipulated by digital or other means". Not sure what that permits as the immediate output of a CCD or CMOS chip needs a lot of help to get it even recogniseable as an image.

 

[CJP6008]

Tom, you are right. I asked Tomas and he said the shots were all digital. Boy he is good with that gear. Looks like he deliberately underexposed a fair bit. The stuff does look a lot like tranny. Really impressive. When BJP reviewed his work the quotes from Tomas suggested it was Leica shot. Don't believe what you read in the papers!

Reminds me of a guy I used to know who went digital after 10 yrs in an in house photo dept. (shooting tranny). He left to go to shoot for lads mags (GQ, Esquire etc). His advice was to shoot digital like slides. Expose for the highlights and really watch the colour temperature. In his view the much talked about extended capture range of digital is a myth.

Chris