Which 50mm are guys using on your Nikon RF?

[rob.nyc1]

Hey folks,

Just curious … which 50mm are you guys rocking on your Nikon RF?

I picked up a Millennium reissue a few years back, and it’s stellar…super sharp, nice contrast. My only gripe with it is the length … it sticks out a bit more than the original 50mm f/1.4.

I also have a Voigtlander Skopar f/2.5 that’s smaller than my 35mm f/1.8 reissue and also very sharp! A great lens for sunny days shooting a la “f8 and be there” - sample shot over at www.rob.nyc

Particularly curious if anyone is using the original Olympic 50mm…I may try to hunt one down during my April trip to Tokyo.

 

[Sonnar Brian]

50/1.4 Millenium, 5cm F1.4 Nikkor-SC Sonnar formula (several), 5cm F2 Nikkor-HC, Zeiss 50mm F2 Sonnar, Zeiss 50mm F1.5 Sonnar , coated Carl Zeiss Jena 5cm F2 Sonnar collapsible, and Menopta 53/1.8. The Zeiss lenses and Menopta are shimmed for the Nikon.

 

[rob.nyc1]

Woah Brian that’s a fine collection you got there! Would love to hear what you like about each of them and which ones get the most usage.

 

[Sonnar Brian]

The Millenium Nikkor and Zeiss 50/1.5 are the sharpest.
The Post-War 50mm F1.5 Zeiss Sonnar has better coatings than the wartime version. BUT- need to find one with the cement intact. Not too hard todo, be wary of separation and Newton's Rings. It's one of the best Sonnar formula lenses you can find. The Nikkor lenses are as good as the pre-war Coated Carl Zeiss Jena lenses. BUT- Zeiss improved the formula around the 272xxxx batch. Post war West German lenses are on par with those.

One of my favorites with the Zeiss Opton 50/1.5 Sonnar on the S2.

SO- if you want another 50 that is Different: get the 50/1.5, take out of the mount using the retaining ring in the back, unscrew the variable retaining ring 1/3rd of a turn, put back together.

 

[Erik van Straten]

I very much like to use on my S2 the prewar uncoated Zeiss nickel Sonnar "black band" 50mm f1.5.

gelatin silver print (zeiss sonnar 50mm f1.5) nikon s2

Amsterdam, 2023

 

[Erik van Straten]

gelatin silver print (zeiss sonnar 50mm f1.5) nikon s2

Amsterdam, gay pride 2019

 

[Sonnar Brian]

Menopta 53/1.8, an export version of the Helios-103. This is a classic 1-2-2-1 Double Gauss.
Wide-Open







And at F4:

 

[Tim Read]

Brian - this was taken with my Nikkor - HC 50mm f2 NKJ lens on a Sony a73. The s/n is 623794 which I believe places it in a fairly large batch somewhere in the 1950s. I like the lens a lot and notice from an earlier post above that you have one or some of them. I'd be interested in any comment you have about them if you can spare the time.

 

[Sonnar Brian]

The Nikkor-HC 5cm F2 is a fine lens, undervalued, and kind of loses out to the "Big Brother" Nikkor-SC 5cm F1.4.
I have them in LTM and S-Mount. It is one of the Best of the classic Sonnars you can find.
The front element of the Nikkor is much thicker than the CZJ 5cm F2, and thicker than the Jupiter-8.


I'll post some more- right now, swapping Home Offices with my Daughter- who just graduated with her degree in Applied Computer Science.

I've also Shimmed Jupiter-3's for Nikon. I use the mounts left over from converting Sonnars to Leica mount, then put the J-3 barrel into them. Shim for Contax or Nikon. I used to do those conversions for members here, they supply the Sonnar and J-3. $25+left over parts. I drive a hard bargain.

 

[Erik van Straten]

Congratulations with your daughter, Brian!

 

[raid]

I am not a Nikon Man. I have only one Nikon RF camera that came with the Millenium 50mm 1.4. I got the lens and the camera was part of the deal.
Many congratulations to the family, Brian.

 

[Alpsman]

Just the ordinary, plain Nikkor-S 1:1.4 f=5cm . . .

 

[Tim Read]

Thanks Brian and congratulations on your daughter's graduation.

 

[peppard]

Congrats on you daughter success!
Giorgio

 

[splitimageview]

50/2 Nikkor S-mount (black
50/1.5 Carl Zeiss Sonnar
50/2 Zeiss Opton Sonnar

The latter two adjusted for S-mount by @Sonnar Brian. Which means they work perfectly with an S-mount Amedeo adapter for use on my Leicas, the ultimate in flexibilty! 🙂

 

[kshapero]

Leica Summicron-M 50 f/2, latest version.

 

[raid]

Leica Summicron-M 50 f/2, latest version.

This thread seems to be about Nikon S mount 50mm lenses.

 

[Sonnar Brian]

I came close to adapting the Type 1 Rigid to S-Mount, probably will "as I get time". The barrel of the Type 1 Rigid and Type 2 Rigid unscrews from the focus mount. Leica made an adapter to use it on a bellows. Hack the adapter with a Contax Mount, left over from conversions. Someone on RFF adapted one years ago.

 

[dourbalistar]

This thread seems to be about Nikon S mount 50mm lenses.

Not obvious from the title itself, but yes, this thread is in the Nikon RF forum.

 

[wlewisiii]

50/1.4 Millenium, 5cm F1.4 Nikkor-SC Sonnar formula (several), 5cm F2 Nikkor-HC, Zeiss 50mm F2 Sonnar, Zeiss 50mm F1.5 Sonnar , coated Carl Zeiss Jena 5cm F2 Sonnar collapsible, and Menopta 53/1.8. The Zeiss lenses and Menopta are shimmed for the Nikon.

Nikkor 50/1.4, Helios 53/1.8, 50/3.5 (Exacta red "T" Tessar put into a Contax 1.5 shell by Brian ) & a 1937 Zeiss Sonnar 50/2 collapsible modded once again by Brian 🙂 I did the Helios but followed his instructions 😉

My S2 is, alas, in need of a CLA but when it gets back, I have a feeling either of the last two will get the majority of use.