Test of Twelve 50mm Lenses

[FrankS]

Yes, perfect! Thank you!

I personally thnk that the B+W tests at f2 will be more interesting.

If you could set up the results the same way, that would be great, but I would mix it up so that there are Japanese, German and FSU lenses in each group of 4. Let us know the lenses for used in each group, and in the end, edit the lens order to match the picture order, (as you have done inthis thread) so that the results are clear.

 

[raid]

I think, I will do as you mention above. This is more manageable than having to guess for twelve or eleven choices which is which. I took the film for developing yesterday, so hopefully, I will be able to get the film back soon.

 

[FrankS]

Raid, I'm really happy with the lens guesses I got incorrect: I mixed up the Nikkor with the Sonnar, and I mixed up the J8 with the J3.

 

[VinceC]

I came to this thread late after a busy weekend. When I quickly glanced through them, the rigid Summicron caught my eye for its color and contast.

 

[sychan]

I finally came back to look at this after the photos got posted.

To me, the Rigid Cron and the I61LD seemed to be the standouts. The colors on the Zeiss Sonnar were nicely saturated as well.

Once my Canon 50/1.5 comes back from the CLA, I'll see if I can do a similar test with the original voigtlander prominent Nokton 50/1.5, the new Cosina/Voigtlander 50/1.5 Nokton, a DR Cron, a Contax Planar 50/1.4, a Canon 50/1.2 and an I61LD.

 

[raid]

Raid, I'm really happy with the lens guesses I got incorrect: I mixed up the Nikkor with the Sonnar, and I mixed up the J8 with the J3.

Frank: Do you favor the Nikkor over the Sonnar and the J-8 over the J-3 or is it the other way around?

 

[raid]

I finally came back to look at this after the photos got posted.

To me, the Rigid Cron and the I61LD seemed to be the standouts. The colors on the Zeiss Sonnar were nicely saturated as well.

Once my Canon 50/1.5 comes back from the CLA, I'll see if I can do a similar test with the original voigtlander prominent Nokton 50/1.5, the new Cosina/Voigtlander 50/1.5 Nokton, a DR Cron, a Contax Planar 50/1.4, a Canon 50/1.2 and an I61LD.

Now if I could mail you my model, you could complete my test perfectly!
I am looking forward to seeing your test results. You have some excellent lenses for sure.

 

[FrankS]

Well, I do favour the Nikkor over the Zeiss Sonnar because I've got a Nikkor and I don't have a Zeiss Sonnar in LTM. This test tells me that I don't need both. I preffered the "Zeiss look," that turned out to be taken with the Nikkor.

Both the J3 and J8 impressed me with their sharpness, while I would have guessed there would be a difference between them. I remember while looking at the pictures to guess, I changed my mind and switched the 2 around. (Research shows that if you are unsure of something, your first guess is more accurrate than a second guess.) I should have stuck with my first guess.

 

[sychan]

Now if I could mail you my model, you could complete my test perfectly!
I am looking forward to seeing your test results. You have some excellent lenses for sure.

Raid,

My tests will lack the charming model you have, but maybe with the Canon 50/1.2 in common, folks will be able to get some way to bridge the comparisons.

Steve

 

[wlewisiii]

It's fun to go back now and see which ones are which. I just hope that the collapsible 'cron I've got coming does as well as yours (once fixed) and this test really does remind me that somewhere along the way I need to find the money for a Canon 50/2.8 (along with a VC 50/2 & 40/1.4, 40/2 Rokkor, Canon 28/3.5, 35/2.8, & 100/3.5, Steinheil 35/4.5 & 85/2.8 ... and so on and so on and so on as most folks here understand all too well 😉 )

William

 

[jmilkins]

Raid, thank you for such an educational and entertaining test that will really help many of us with only one 50 so far! Hexanon M50/2 in my case.

I've been explaining to my wife why you took the "same" photo with 12 different lenses, and she says "your little girl is both patient and beautiful", and that she "doesn't mind what colour the bricks are or whether thay are in focus!" 🙄

Looking forward to the monochrome examples.

 

[raid]

John: Thanks. You can tell your wife that I promised my kid some candy for being the model and that she became at times impatient with the repeated "photo". I have to share with your wife the feeling that my daughter is more important to me than any lens results.

 

[edodo]

Hello Raid, I just catch this thread. Thanks to share the test with the community!
Well I have examined closely the differences btw the rigid and the collapsible summicron. I must say that I like the low contrast of the collapsible. The rigid shows more burnt areas and black shadows while the overall quality of the color rendition of the collapsible is more soft. What is the shape of your collapsible? Any mark on the front glass?

 

[raid]

Hello Raid, I just catch this thread. Thanks to share the test with the community!
Well I have examined closely the differences btw the rigid and the collapsible summicron. I must say that I like the low contrast of the collapsible. The rigid shows more burnt areas and black shadows while the overall quality of the color rendition of the collapsible is more soft. What is the shape of your collapsible? Any mark on the front glass?

My Collapsible is very clean, and this is hard to find these days. Most similar lenses for sale have wipe marks.

 

[FrankS]

You just had the col. Summicron cla'ed too, didn't you, Raid.

 

[raid]

You just had the col. Summicron cla'ed too, didn't you, Raid.

Frank: No; I had the rigidSummicron cleaned that did not do well in the first test in which I tested for flare. I also had the Zeiss lens cleaned by DAG. He told me that the glass was exceptionally clean (no wipe marks). Now, both lenses did well in the last test. My collapsible Summicron happens to be very clean from the start.

 

[FrankS]

Sorry, my bad memory. When are the B+W shots coming, Raid?

 

[raid]

Does anybody here want/need a clean Canon 50mm/1.8 rangefinder lens? I have two, and I want to sell one. There is an ad on PN for it. I had no luck placing the ad here. I keep on getting an error code.

 

[FrankS]

Try again, Raid. This site is back to normal now.

 

[raid]

Frank: Sadly enough it is April 1, but I was not pulling a fast one here.