So many 50's out there - looking for LTM, affordable, sharp, good contrast

kaiyen

kaiyen

local man of mystery
Local time
5:21 AM
Joined
Aug 22, 2004
Messages
2,034
Location
SF Bay Area
View My Gallery
Hi all,
There are so many 50's out there. I'm looking for recommendations on a relatively fast (faster than f2 preferred), LTM lens that is sharp with good contrast and relatively low tendency to flare. Affordable doesn't mean cheap, but I'm not looking to buy a Zeiss or something. The CV 1.5 at $360 is reasonable for brand new, but I'd like to go closer to $200 or less.

I've gotten a recommendation for a Canon 1.8 and I have friends who will lend me some of theirs, which is incredibly nice. But at some point I should consider getting my own, and there are just so many options out there, and there is a lot of talk of M-mount lenses which makes searching a real bear. And I'm perfectly happy using my Industar 61 in the meantime.

thanks.
allan
 
Oh, for instance:

-Canon 1.5 How is that?
-There are a bajillion Leica's at about f2. But I hear many of them are less contrasty and prone to flare.

-Are there collapsible ones that will work on my Bessa R?

allan
 
if you dont mind fsu lenses - jupiter 3(1.5/50). maybe canon 1.8/50 is also good solution but it is only a third stop faster than 2, and inthat case you can also take jupiter 8(2/50) and spend really small sum of money...
 
Hi Allan,

Since you are local, I can loan you a Canon 50/1.4 for a few weeks to try out. Nice contrasty, sharp edge to edge. A bit bigger than the 1.8. Let me know,

Roland.
 
There are these to consider:
Canon 50/1.8
Canon 50/1.4 (could cost slightly more than $200)
J-3 and have it shimmed by Brian Sweeney (total cost $100-$150).
J-8 (downright cheap lens)
 
Roland,

I'd really appreciate that very kind offer. I have heard many good things about the 1.8, but I like the extra 2/3 I get when I use my Nikon SLR 1.4 vs. the 1.8's I've used so...

Between you and others in the area I have about 6 or 7 50mm's I can try.

And I do not mind FSU lenses at all, I just want to make sure they hit the criteria, that's all.

thanks! I'll be in touch, Roland.
 
Lower price, lower contrast, one could say. Canon LTM lenses, Summitars and older Summicrons (collapsible, first rigid) do not have today's lenses contrast curves. If contrast matters, take a new CV 50mm (2.5 Skopar, 2.0 Heliar, 1.5 Nokton) or a 50mm/2.0 M-Hexanon.

I've used at least two dozens of various LTM lenses over the years and at the end I chose the newest and contrasty ones mostly, except for the 50/1.2 Canon. The russian lenses also failed in terms of focusing accuracy or mechanical troubles.

Didier
 
ferider said:
Hi Allan,

Since you are local, I can loan you a Canon 50/1.4 for a few weeks to try out. Nice contrasty, sharp edge to edge. A bit bigger than the 1.8. Let me know,

Roland.
Click to expand...

Roland - i noticed that you're selling your 50/1.5 sonnar on %bay... nice kit, may I ask why you are selling it? curious about how it compare to your Canon 50/1.4???

thanks in advance...
 
Thanks, guys.

I'm selling the Canon since I have two Nikkor 50/1.4s modified for .7m minimum focus, and will be getting a pre-asph Lux next week, so something had to go ....

Generally the Sonnars (Canon 1.5 and Nikkors) are better for portraits, and the Canon 50/1.4, 1.8 better for general purpose, IMO.

Allan, just let me know. Best,

Roland.
 
Hi Allan

Hi Allan

The CV 50/1.5 is an excellent lens. Not as sharp edge to edge or as color correct as a Summicron (IMHO, YMMV), but very good, and the 1.5 is great for indoors and shallow DOF.

The collapsible 50s should work if you use some tape or rubber bands to prevent them from collapsing all the way. I use those cable ties and snip them off so they don't get anywhere near the rear area.

The slower FSU collapsibles (I22, and I50) have a nice glow to them and allow for manual focus shift type stuff by varying the length of the tube if it's not locked up:

http://matsumura.smugmug.com/gallery/4311557_zctya#252755911_dqHYo

kaiyen said:
Oh, for instance:

-Canon 1.5 How is that?
-There are a bajillion Leica's at about f2. But I hear many of them are less contrasty and prone to flare.

-Are there collapsible ones that will work on my Bessa R?

allan
Click to expand...
 
Wow - those J3 shots are impressive. If I can find one at a good price I will grab one...what is a good price for one of these? I wish one of the lens masters on RFF had one for sale 🙂
 
kaiyen said:
Oh, for instance:

-Canon 1.5 How is that?
-There are a bajillion Leica's at about f2. But I hear many of them are less contrasty and prone to flare.

-Are there collapsible ones that will work on my Bessa R?

allan
Click to expand...

Where can you find a Canon f1.5/50mm for $200? - Let me know I`ll take it as a backup lens 🙂 *ALL KIDDING ASIDE* - The Canon f1.5/50mm lens is a Godsend and I swear by it being one of my favorite lenses of ALL TIME, but they are now "pricey", with an original hood and caps, you are looking at $350/375+ at least, they are not easy to obtain, while they cause bidding wars on evilbay.....

In that price ($200) try out an early 1950`s f1.8 Canon Serenar/or Canon Co.
(great ALL AROUND lens for starters) or an f2.0/50mm Leitz/Leica Summitar or Nikkor/Nippon Kogaku HC in LTM, both lenses are legends and are perfect shooters, worth every nickel....naturally perfect/clean glass helps and always use a hood and flare will be NO problem

Tom
 
Last edited:
ferider said:
Thanks, guys.

I'm selling the Canon since I have two Nikkor 50/1.4s modified for .7m minimum focus, and will be getting a pre-asph Lux next week, so something had to go ....

Generally the Sonnars (Canon 1.5 and Nikkors) are better for portraits, and the Canon 50/1.4, 1.8 better for general purpose, IMO.

Allan, just let me know. Best,

Roland.
Click to expand...

Roland is selling a Canon 50/1.5? A sad, sad day... 😉
 
Kaiyen,

Definitely take ferider up on his offer! I just got my test roll shots back from the Canon 1.4/50 ... purchased because of several threads on RFF ... and I'm *very* *very* pleased with it. But it could run a tad more than $200 -- mine was $275 on evilbay (but that did include the M-mount adapter already too -- cosmetically definitely a "user", but the glass is perfect). I am guessing if you try it, you'll end out buying one! 😉

*edit* I should have some low-quality scans up on my flickr page here shortly.

Oh, btw, the lens does have one thing I don't like very much: a really, really long focusing throw. It's helpful when doing critical focus wide open, but a tad annoying other times: feel like I'm turning the focusing ring for ages and ages and ages!
 
Last edited:
I bought a Canon 50/1.4 just a few weeks ago, and I am thrilled by its optical performance. I got the lens from KEH as Bargain, but it looks mint to my eyes.
 
I just sold my *minty* Canon f1.4/50 yesterday morning together along with a EX++ "wartime" uncoated f2.0/50 Summitar

I didn`t use the Canon but once on my M6, so I didn`t get too attatched to it


The Summitar went away because I`m getting another one that`s also an
uncoated "wartime" one on the Leica IIIC K Grey camera I receive
next weekend

Buying the IIIC K was alot more important then keeping the Canon lens, true
it was mint, but I can always fine another one of them, but not a IIIC K

Tom
 
Last edited:
I apologize - I'd like to stick around $200, but I didn't mean that all the lenses I was looking at were $200 or below. For instance, I am not averse to the CV 1.5. That's not $200.

But since I'm asking, might as well throw in that criteria, you know?

I will take Roland up on his offer to try it out. I have a busy few weekends with weddings and school, but soon I'll be out shooting a lot with the R.

So the Canon 1.4, 1.5 and 1.8 are all good lenses, as is the Jupiter 3. Cool.

allan
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom