Some CV Heliar 50mm pics

Referring to post #1
Photo #1 Shot at 5.6, I think. If so the bokeh is a little bit there but no much. Shot with Ilford XP2
Photo#2 Shot at f11. gave of a very unique contrast. Also shot with XP2.
Photo#3 Shot at about F4 with Kodak C41 B&W. Would have liked more contrast but still a nice shot.
Photo #4 Shot at f16 with Fuji reala. Would have looked more alive if I had over compensated a full stop.
 
Benjamin Marks said:
Actually, the Pop Photo review was of the, now discontinued, 50/3.5 version of this lens. It is, I believe, an optically different beast. Does anyone know whether the Nikon version of the 50/3.5 (which is still available AFAIK) produces the same results as the vaunted M-mount version?
Click to expand...

Actually , no it's Heliar 50/2 (however there was another review of a Heliar 50/3.5 at Pop Photo as well, where it was very much praised)- this is what it says on Cameraquest.com (Hope Mr. Gundy will be Ok with me quoting from his site, if not - Mods, - please remove this post):
"Popular Photography raves about the 50/2 Heliar! Take a look at the December 2006 issue of Popular Photography, page 59. Burt Keppler's article is essentially about the 50/2 Heliar. Quoting "The Heliar turned out to be incredibly good, comparable at all apertures to the 50mm f/2 Leica Summicron-M we'd tested in 1996." Cosina did it with "Newly developed super high-index glass (that) reduces all aberrations." Keep in mind the only two camera makers in Japan that produce their own glass are Cosina and Nikon. When Tom Abrahamasson and I discussed a new Heliar at the factory with Mr. K in 2004, he was not not at all sure a satisfactory modern 50/2.8 Heliar could be produced. It would not surprise me if Mr K had this high index glass developed just for the new Heliar."

see page on Bessa R3M/R2M set :http://cameraquest.com/inventor.htm
 
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I like the Heliar 2/50, though I was at first doubtful about the collapsing feature. Never had one like that, concerned about wobble and forgetting to extend & lock. Worries turned out groundless, and this compact handy lens is a fine performer. Remarkable accomplishment, really, as it has only 5 elements (in the classic Heliar configuration) compared to 7 for the Skopar 2.5/50. Pic below is wide open I think, with a bit too much yellow in the balance still...

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From pics above I noticed that Heliar has some unique feature - dark and light spots in the background looks like arranged in "circle" pattern (with center in the center of image).
I found it sometimes interesting, sometimes disturbing.
Love or hate it - but this lens has a distinctive character.
 
Well, I got myself convinced that I'll get one of these Heliars and do my own testing/shooting with it. I think it has a great potential, plus a somewhat collectable lens as well. So, hopefully soon I'll be posting some results from mine!
 
Since my b&w skills as of now are nothing to write home about (I am only starting after a 20-year break since my high school days in Russia), I am posting something more appropriate to boast the Heliar:

Scan-080527-0007.jpg


Scan-080528-0018.jpg


Scan-080528-0019.jpg


All of these were rather wide open (between 2 and 4), I don't remember exact aperture for each.
 
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