Some 50mm Lenses

[braver]

I don't get the sense that camera steadiness and actual focus are guaranteed here. That said... meh?

 

[RObert Budding]

It looks as if some of the photos aren't focused properly. Photo #4, for example, it appears that the leaves in the upper left portion of the photo are in focus.

 

[venchka]

Hi Frank. I did shoot them wide open, but the differences there were huge- the older lenses all showing a soft haziness that would preclude my ever shooting at those settings. My interest was to keep lenses for my usual settings, say f4 to f11. Interestingly, I found great differences even at f5.6.

Say what? You don't use these marvelous lenses wide open? That is the whole idea behind owning multiple, old 50mm lenses.
Your list is missing a few greats. Each one unique wide open and great stopped down.
Leitz 50mm f/2.0 Dual Range Summicron.
Canon 50/1.2
Nikkor 50/1.4
Konica 50/any from 3.5 to 1.2.

Enjoy. Open up!

Wayne

 

[srtiwari]

Say what? You don't use these marvelous lenses wide open? That is the whole idea behind owning multiple, old 50mm lenses.
Your list is missing a few greats. Each one unique wide open and great stopped down.
Leitz 50mm f/2.0 Dual Range Summicron.
Canon 50/1.2
Nikkor 50/1.4
Konica 50/any from 3.5 to 1.2.

Enjoy. Open up!

Wayne

Whereas I like the slight "glow" that one sees at F4 on (particularly with the Leica F1.5 and F1.4 Pre-Asph), at fully open it is too much for my taste. I have been interested in the differences in look just slightly closed down.
And they *are* marvelous lenses, including the DR Summicron, which I think of as mainly for B+W, and did not include it in this series of images.
I also have a Canon 50/1.8, a Nikkor 50/2, Leica Elmar 50/3.5 LTM, and a Jupiter 50/2. I don't have the others you mention, but there is still time...😉

Subhash

 

[venchka]

The DR Summicron was literally made for Kodachrome. Alas, I made this discovery too late.
Good luck with your quest.

Wayne