"Special" Lenses

[Meleica]

How many of you have experienced owning a special lens ? I dont just mean a good or great performing lens, but one that just seems to produce special images or with a particular panache ?

My most current "special" lens is a Leica 40mm/2 Summicron. Now I have owned one before and thought it was a fine lens, but the one I got recently just seems to have that "something special." The images are warm and sharp without being harsh and really do have a subtle 3-D quality, especially when used outdoors with fill flash... This lens came on a Leica CL ( which I stupidly sold - but I am loaded with gear right now ), and I thought so much of it, I have kept the lens even though I dont currently own a Leica body to use it with ! It sits alone in a corner...I just cant sell it....

Your special lens ?

PS - Other special lenses I have owned are:

Minolta MC 58mm 1.2 ( super bokeh )
Heliar 240mm 4.5 ( smooooooooooooth pictures )

Dan
-------------------------------------------------------------
Current Line Up:

Fuji 645Zi
Pentax 67 w/ 75/2.8, 90LS, 165mm
Bessa R2S w/ Heliar 50/3.5 and Millenium Nikkor 50/1.4
Contax G2 w/ 45 and 90 lenses
Olympus Stylus Epic
Canon Rebel II ( or something like that ) 50mm/1.8
Some manual Ricoh in Pentax K mount that is a superb camera for cheap $
4x5 Calumet Cadet with 6x17 back and Fuji 125mm

 

[clarence]

Jupiter 9, in both M42 and LTM.

I suppose we have to ignore the fact that it is cheap as well.

Pardon me but why are you keeping the lens if you're not planning to get a body to shoot it with?

Clarence

 

[Meleica]

I just cant part with it...and I'm sure I'll come across another M body at some point

 

[PeterL]

Olympus 90/f2 macro. Not an RF lens, but brilliant. Buttery smooth bokeh, colour rendition is marvelous.


Peter.

 

[pvdhaar]

M-Hexanon 50/2. Gorgeous build and spiffing pictures in the most complex lighting situations that none of the other lenses I ever had/used could handle..

 

[Meleica]

bump
bump

 

[Ronald M]

Suprising a new version 50 2.8 elmar. Not for portrait work though so far.

I bought it on a whim a month ago and it is growing on me.

 

[Sparrow]

Oly OM 50mm f2 macro,
at the time it made everything else look dull

 

[wlewisiii]

I'd have to say, much to my surprise, my collapsible Summicron. I only got it because it was cheap ($130 including CLA by DAG) since it needed repairs . It has rapidly become my primary lens as I just love the results I get from it.

It's going to be interesting to see what the Memorial Day weekend photos look like when I get them back tomorrow.

William

 

[marcus]

Any Classic Voigtlander 50/2.8 color skopars w/ color film.

50/2 Schneider Xenar on a Retina for B&W.

 

[jamiewakeham]

Zeiss sonnar 135/3.5, wide open. For the type of portrait that'll cut you if you don't handle it carefully.

Though I'm just developing a deep and meaningful relationship with an industar 61 L/D...

Jamie

 

[lubitel]

I havent had that many lenses in my life. But so far I really enjoy a J8 and J3.

my holga also has a "special" lens 😉

 

[Rico]

Not for RF usage, but my special optic is the CZ Distagon 28/2.8 in Contax/Yashica mount: sharp enough, medium contrast, well-behaved in every way. Handling is comfortable, markings are easy to read, DOF scale is perfect. A price of $200 didn't hurt, either. 🙂 Lens for a lifetime.

 

[sf]

How could I resist this thread!

the special lens for me : 100mm Zenzanon RF

I like it because it allows me to back off a bit from my subjects (sometimes this is necessary when you don't have a tiny 35mm camera), and it just performs like a dream.

 

[stet]

I've just rediscovered my special lens, the Hexanon 90 for the Omegas. It had been neglected for months for the 60mm lens or 35mm cameras, but I'm happier with every shot, for creamy bokeh, great color and smooth bw tones.

one attached and one here from the gallery.

 

[Pherdinand]

I managed to get some truly 3D-looking images with the novar anastigmat on my super ikonta III. Not consistently, though. I still have to figure out what circumstances are needed for consistent result.
[Some people have seen this image already, sorry about that.]

 

[Todd.Hanz]

The Planars attached to my Rolleiflexes, the 75/2.5 Heliar, the 50/2 Summitar, and the 15mm Heliar for it's outrageous FOV.

the Summitar is really creamy and soft wide open, the 75 heliar seems perfect in every way for portraits.

here is one from the 75 and one from the summitar in that order:

 

[Nick R.]

Suprising a new version 50 2.8 elmar. Not for portrait work though so far.

I bought it on a whim a month ago and it is growing on me.

I'll second that and I think it's fine for portraits.

 

[lmd91343]

I have 2 non RF lenses. The first is my Canon FDn 85/1.2 L. The second is my Canon FD 55/1.2 ASPHERICAL.

My special RF lens is my Canon 50/0.95.

 

[vha]

Suprising a new version 50 2.8 elmar. Not for portrait work though so far.

I bought it on a whim a month ago and it is growing on me.

Have to agree on that one, got mine half a year ago, and actually I´v never been that much into 50s, but now the 28mm has dropped form 95% of the shots to only 60% . .

Now if i could find a 28mm with the same fingerprint as the elmar .. 🙂

vha