What's the sharpest 50mm lens?

[Keykey]

Hi everybody,

What's the sharpest 50mm lens you've ever used? I'm an owner of Jupiter-8 and Jupiter-3 and I find that both of them aren't that sharp.

What you guys think? Is there a sharp and fast Russian lens available?

Cheer,

Keykey

 

[sunsworth]

Although I only used it for an afternoon I'd hae to say the new Leica ASPH Summilux. Amazing from edge to edge.

Steve

 

[varjag]

I agree that Helios-103 1.8/53 is a pretty sharp lens, and fast enough at that.

 

[Paul T.]

Is yours an LTM Jupiter 8? Because I use a Jupiter 8 on a Kiev, and I don't find it noticeably less sharp than, say, my Summicron 35/2. I think rhe Jupiter 8 kiev mount is a terrific lens. My Contax 50/1.5 Sonnar is faster, and the workmmanship is better, but the jupiter takes photos that are just as good. I would make sure your Jupiter 8 is focusing properly, and collimated, before you reject it out of hand...

 

[satbunny]

They are quite soft aren't they? Nice for a 90mm portrait but not so great for a 50mm.

 

[einolu]

The industar 22 / 50 is sharp as well, if you get a good one.

 

[rover]

I guess my first thought in answering your question is to ask one. What are you looking for in a photograph? The reason I ask is that for the most part, all 50mm lenses are sharp. Is there a particular look you are looking to have in your images? Many here strive to attain the "glow" which is as much a function of technique as it is equipment.

http://luminous-landscape.com/columns/sm-02-04-28.shtml

So, what lenses are sharp? It is said that the Industar 61/LD is very sharp from the FSU crop when compared to the Jupiter 8. In my opinion though I would take a good Jupiter 8 any day because of the pleasing character with which it renders images. All Summicrons are as sharp as it gets, but older ones offer less contrast and produce a more "classic" look than the new one. Like wise the older Canon 50/1.5 and it's replacement the 50/1.4 are different, but both very good.

Now, there are a lot of choices out there. I would say to keep an eye on the gallery, and pay attention to what lenses are used to make the photographs you like. I think you will find that there are many correct answers to your question, but only one right one for you.

 

[Bertram2]

Although I only used it for an afternoon I'd hae to say the new Leica ASPH Summilux. Amazing from edge to edge.
Steve

Hi Steve,
how nice to meet you here ! 😀 As i see you've already got quite close to this new Summilux . Hmm, bet you think about trading some stuff at the time ? 😉

Best as always,
Bertram

 

[Apostata]

I'd suggest mounting your camera on a tripod and shooting some sort of grid or sharply articulated object (in good lighting), while carefully measuring the distance between the object and the lens in order to set the focus properly. This is probably the easiest way to check the quality of your equipment outside of taking the lens to a shop.

 

[richard_l]

Chances are that if you use a support (even a monopod) your lenses will all be sharper than you thought. But of course that ain't the rangefinder way. Everybody is supposed to be an HCB clone. 🙁

 

[sockeyed]

My Industar-61 (black and chrome version) is probably my favourite Russian lens. It's very sharp and renders lovely images. Here's a sample:

 

[Peter L]

I have some razor sharp images of my daughter at age 4 (She is now 22) These were taken on an uncoated Elmar 5cm f3.5 colour they are colour to and still retain the shapness and correct colour rendition I wish I had never sold it I cant even remember what I got in its place!

 

[tenebrae]

Just to prove that Russian lenses differ quite a lot, between them:

I received the Helios-103 I ordered, in Kiev/Contax mount, today. This one apparently dodged the Quality Control Department (if any). I tried to fit it on the camera - it would go in (scarcely) but would not turn at all. The locking tabs had not been machined...

So, I just spent the last hour sanding and grinding the tabs, using the tabs on the original Jupiter-8 for reference.

And as far as the sharpness is concerned: the Industar-61 I have on my FED-4 produces hair sharp results. The pictures I have shot so far using a Jupiter-8 are rather soft. Nice.

 

[Bertram2]

Chances are that if you use a support (even a monopod) your lenses will all be sharper than you thought. But of course that ain't the rangefinder way. Everybody is supposed to be an HCB clone. 🙁

Ohh how very true !! I mean if you shoot with low speed films or in low light conditions and you HAVE the possibility to use a monopod but you don't then your are not HCB but doing a poor craft !
For me it is absolutely insane to pay big money for top lenses but not getting all their performance potential out of them if possible.!
Well you can do it and say sharpness is a bourgeois concept but then it is ridiculous to argue about the test results of lenses achieved under lab conditions.

Some shoot even a 90mm with 1/15 and 1/8 free hand because they are "trained" as they say or because of the lack od a mirror slap 🙄 and state they get sharp fotos anyway.
Watching the results one can see that the photos if at all can be considered as beeing accetable but not as sharp. That's like driving a Ferrari with four almost flat tyres.
My recomendtion always chose 1/8 , put it on a tripod first and shoot, then shoot it free hand and then enlarge it 20X30cm. You'll be healed.

Regards,
Bertram

 

[Gabriel M.A.]

Sharp how? Wide open, my 50mm Summicron-M leaves all of them in the dust. Stopped down at about f/4 or f/5.6 they are all about as sharp hand-held.

 

[Wayne R. Scott]

I think this is the sharpest 50mm that I have ever seen, I'll bet you can cut yourself with it:

http://www.hermes.net.au/bayling/repair.html

Wayne

 

[ray_g]

IMO, the 50/2 Zuiko OM Macro. I use it to shave 😉

 

[peter_n]

I don't know about a sharp and fast Russian lens, but I have a Jupiter-8 and by the time you get to f5.6 on my sample its pretty sharp. The optics are wonderful in the lens but the mechanics are terrible. I'm sending mine for a CLA so that the focus ring doesn't slip. Then it will be a killer lens. 🙂

 

[tedwhite]

My sharpest 50mm lenses - I have only two - are the Super Takumars 50/1.4 and 55/1.8 (well, who's gonna quibble over 5mm?). I use the Jupiters 8 & 9 for softer effects on subjects that benefit from it (portraits, nostalgia stuff, classic/antique cars). My incredibly sharp lenses are the two c/v's: 35/2.5 and 25/4.

Ted

 

[varjag]

Watching the results one can see that the photos if at all can be considered as beeing accetable but not as sharp. That's like driving a Ferrari with four almost flat tyres.
My recomendtion always chose 1/8 , put it on a tripod first and shoot, then shoot it free hand and then enlarge it 20X30cm. You'll be healed.

Using a tripod (and a slow film) would indeed improve image quality, but if one is into street photography, a tripod is not generally possible. Poor light conditions can also command longer exposures, wider apertures and faster films. Also, the subject there typically isn't still enough to justify a tripod: you just won't have any visible advantage.

All these factors may degrade the lens' optimum performance significantly, but you still better off using a sharp lens in complicatied conditions than to start with unsharp one.