sleepyhead
Well-known
I used the CV 50/1.5 for about 2 years, and the CV 50/1.1 for about 2 months. I've since sold them both and use a 50/2 Summicron as my all-around 50mm lens, and a 50/1 Noctilux for very low light or when I want that "look".
Some observations on the CV 50mm lenses:
The 50/1.5 is a very very good lens as others have pointed out. I really had no complaints about it. The bokeh is much nicer than the 50/1.1 to my eyes. The only reason I replaced it with a 50/2 summicron is that f/2 is plenty fast for much of what I need, and the Summicron is quite small and light, and takes 39mm filters like most of my other lenses.
The 50/1.1 is surprisingly sharp stopped down a couple of stops, and if one can live with the size and weight it could serve as a do-anything all-around 50mm lens. The focus throw was surprisingly short for such a fast lens, which some may like and others may dislike. Wide open, my copy was quite sharp and quite low in contrast. My Noctilux 50/1 is sharper and contrastier wide open than the CV lens. I didn't like the bokeh of the 50/1.1, in several situations I found it jittery and distracting. The deal breaker for me was that the apparent depth of field at f/1.1 looked much bigger that what you would expect from a 50mm f/1.1 lens. This could be great if you want the lens for very low light and want as much in focus at f/1.1 as possible. But if you want the lens for that very thin DOF look, then it may disappoint.
Some observations on the CV 50mm lenses:
The 50/1.5 is a very very good lens as others have pointed out. I really had no complaints about it. The bokeh is much nicer than the 50/1.1 to my eyes. The only reason I replaced it with a 50/2 summicron is that f/2 is plenty fast for much of what I need, and the Summicron is quite small and light, and takes 39mm filters like most of my other lenses.
The 50/1.1 is surprisingly sharp stopped down a couple of stops, and if one can live with the size and weight it could serve as a do-anything all-around 50mm lens. The focus throw was surprisingly short for such a fast lens, which some may like and others may dislike. Wide open, my copy was quite sharp and quite low in contrast. My Noctilux 50/1 is sharper and contrastier wide open than the CV lens. I didn't like the bokeh of the 50/1.1, in several situations I found it jittery and distracting. The deal breaker for me was that the apparent depth of field at f/1.1 looked much bigger that what you would expect from a 50mm f/1.1 lens. This could be great if you want the lens for very low light and want as much in focus at f/1.1 as possible. But if you want the lens for that very thin DOF look, then it may disappoint.
