Pherdinand
the snow must go on
Send both of them to me, vha, and I will arrange the fingerprint issue.
"Special" Lenses
- Thread starter Meleica
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stet
lurker.
Pherdinand said:
I'm glad you reposted; this is one of my all-time favorite photos on RFF.
Meleica
Well-known
bump for more answers, plz.
kully
Happy Snapper
OK, It's not a RF lens but now that I've started scanning old film in, I've re-realised how nice the Pentax-M 50/1.7 is - and it was a 'kit lens'. Lovely fondling feel too. But it was stolen.
Meleica
Well-known
kully - funny you say that, I just got a 50/1.7-M for $ 20 shipped....people dont know how good this lens is !! I'm keeping mine ( at least for now )
oftheherd
Veteran
I have been fortunate that I like almost all my lenses. Even the first two aux lenses I got for my Yashica TL Super, the Yashikor 28mm and 135mm. That was their cheap line, but I got pretty good at using flare artistically (out of necessity). And as much as I love my Fujica lenses (and believe me they are great), the 50mm T* f/1.4 Planar in Yashica/Contax mount really made a notable difference. In MF rf, I think I always liked the 65mm on my Super Press 23. I don't think there was any one characteristic, it just produced pleasing photos to my eyes.
Meleica
Well-known
you cant like them all - I am asking for your favorite one or two lenses....
bsdunek
Old Guy with a Corgi
I have three Nikkor 50mm f/1.4 lenses for F series cameras. One is a favorite. The vintage ranges from about 1960 to 1970, and they are all different. They are all very good though.
As an engineer, I know how products mass produced on the same assembly line can have differences, even though they all meet specification. Lenses are no different. It's just that most of us can't try out a bunch of lenses and pick the one we like the best. My wife does that with flutes assisting those that want to buy - she goes to a place called 'Fluteworld' where you can try out everything they have in stock and choose the one that suites you best. She can tell you how different ones of the same model are, and good flutes are pretty much hand made. (she could have GAS with flutes - it's just that they're so darned expensive!) 😎
As an engineer, I know how products mass produced on the same assembly line can have differences, even though they all meet specification. Lenses are no different. It's just that most of us can't try out a bunch of lenses and pick the one we like the best. My wife does that with flutes assisting those that want to buy - she goes to a place called 'Fluteworld' where you can try out everything they have in stock and choose the one that suites you best. She can tell you how different ones of the same model are, and good flutes are pretty much hand made. (she could have GAS with flutes - it's just that they're so darned expensive!) 😎
oftheherd
Veteran
Meleica said:
Why not? Why would I buy and keep lenses I didn't like? And anyway, I did give you two favorites.
kully
Happy Snapper
Meleica said:
Lucky bugger, at the moment I'm using a Centon clone of the 50 - it's nice but just not the same.
Actually, the other day I was using my 24mm Vivitar (OM) and I took a couple of photos on the roll with a Oly 50/1.8 and the clarity was astounding.
Got me thinking, apart from the cheapo's - is there such a thing as a 'bad' 50 (or 35 &c.)?
RicardoD
Well-known
This may be blasphemus but my special lens is my Canon EOS 85mm f1.8 Ultrasonic for my Digital Rebel. I don't use it that much but when I do I wonder why its not on the camera all the time. It just consistently delivers for me.
Abbazz
6x9 and be there!
My all-time favorites are Heliar type lenses, because of their incredible bokeh.
Unfortunately, very few exist for 35mm cameras. Here are the ones that I know of:
- Asahi Optical Co. Takumar 58mm f/2.4 for 39mm screw mount Asahiflex-IIB (1954)
- Asahi Optical Co. Takumar 58mm f/2.4 for 42mm screw mount Asahi-Pentax/Tower 26 cameras (1957)
- Asahi Optical Co. Bellows-Takumar 100mm f/4.0 (exists in M42 and Pentax K mounts)
- Asahi Optical Co. Macro 100mm f/4.0 (exists in M42 and Pentax K mounts)
- Cosina/Voigtländer Heliar S 50mm f/3.5 for LSM (also exists in Nikon rangefinder mount) (2001)
- Cosina/Voigtländer collapsible Heliar 50mm f/2.0 in Leica M mount (2006)
These lenses were also used on 6x6 TLRs:
- Voigländer Heliar 75mm f/3.5 on Brillant S TLR (Focusing Brillant) (1939)
- Voigtländer Heliar 75mm f/3.5 on Superb TLR
- Konica Hexanon 85mm f/3.5 on Koniflex TLR (1952)
- Mamiya 105mm f/3.5 D/DS for "C" series interchangeable lens TLRs (the first non-D 105mm lens had 4 elements/3 groups and was not a Heliar)
Of course, many of these lenses can be found on MF folding cameras (Voigtländer Perkeo, Bessa, Super Bessa, Bergheil).
Voigländer also designed Heliar lenses of various focal length for large format use.
Unfortunately, very few exist for 35mm cameras. Here are the ones that I know of:
- Asahi Optical Co. Takumar 58mm f/2.4 for 39mm screw mount Asahiflex-IIB (1954)
- Asahi Optical Co. Takumar 58mm f/2.4 for 42mm screw mount Asahi-Pentax/Tower 26 cameras (1957)
- Asahi Optical Co. Bellows-Takumar 100mm f/4.0 (exists in M42 and Pentax K mounts)
- Asahi Optical Co. Macro 100mm f/4.0 (exists in M42 and Pentax K mounts)
- Cosina/Voigtländer Heliar S 50mm f/3.5 for LSM (also exists in Nikon rangefinder mount) (2001)
- Cosina/Voigtländer collapsible Heliar 50mm f/2.0 in Leica M mount (2006)
These lenses were also used on 6x6 TLRs:
- Voigländer Heliar 75mm f/3.5 on Brillant S TLR (Focusing Brillant) (1939)
- Voigtländer Heliar 75mm f/3.5 on Superb TLR
- Konica Hexanon 85mm f/3.5 on Koniflex TLR (1952)
- Mamiya 105mm f/3.5 D/DS for "C" series interchangeable lens TLRs (the first non-D 105mm lens had 4 elements/3 groups and was not a Heliar)
Of course, many of these lenses can be found on MF folding cameras (Voigtländer Perkeo, Bessa, Super Bessa, Bergheil).
Voigländer also designed Heliar lenses of various focal length for large format use.
tetrisattack
Maximum Creativity!
Todd.Hanz said:
Todd, the shot of the swimmers really gave me pause - from a technical perspective, that image is jaw dropping.
rvaubel
Well-known
I was under the impression that the VC50mm F2.0 collapsible was NOT a true Heliar design. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I thought the Heliar design was not practical at wide apetures such as F2.0
Wondering in Berkeley
Rex
Wondering in Berkeley
Rex
PRJ
Another Day in Paradise
I'll second Rico's CZ Distagon 28/2.8 in Contax/Yashica mount. As I was reading down the posts I was fondly remembering the lens I used to have. It made the other Zeiss lensed I had for the Contax system pale in comparison, and I am talking about the 50 1.4 Planar and the 85 1.4 Planar. I always thought that that one was just an exceptional example for the lens but I guess not. I remember the negatives look like they were etched. Flawless lens.
Abbazz
6x9 and be there!
rvaubel said:
Rex,
From the lens diagrams which have been published (CameraQuest), this lens appears to be a true 5 glass Heliar. More accurately, according to Kingslake, it is a Dynar type lens, which is a Heliar with a reversed rear component. All the Heliar lenses produced by Voiglander since WWII have been of this type. So I guess it can be called a "classic Heliar".
Now, we just have to wait for the lens to be available to see what it's worth. Anyway, whatever the lens type, this picture on Cosina's website look very much like Heliar's bokeh IMHO. Yummy!
Abbazz
Phoenix Phil
Established
Mine isn't my favorite lens (yet) but more of a delightful surprise. My initial results from a Minolta XD 50mm f/1.7 was surprising compared to all the other lenses that I have tried in the past. And recently I ran a test of some MD lenses I recently acquired. The 50mm f/1.7 is equal to or better than the 50mm f/1.4.
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