Which 50mm to keep - CV, Canon?

[gdi]

I have ended up with far more 50's than I need. I am trying to figure out which to keep and which to pass along. They are an excellent Canon 1.4 and a CV Nokton. I just got a very early Collapsible Summicron in LTM that I will keep because it so small.

I think the Canon is better than the Nokton at all apertures when it comes to sharpness and boke. I think the Canon flares a little more and has a bit less contrast.

What do you think? Here is a couple of pics of the three - do experts think that yellow tinge to the Summicron indicates it is of the radioactive variety? Photos taken with it have a slightly warm tone.

Thanks!

 

[Krosya]

well, what else do you have in 50mm? That info could help to advise one way or another.

 

[35mmdelux]

I would keep the Canon and get a good hood to use with it.

 

[Keith]

I'd keep the Nokton over the Canon and if you want a fast Canon get the 1.2 next time. 😛

I had a Canon 1.4 at the same time as owning a Nokton and I always found the long focus throw of the Canon a bit tedious and that alone caused me to pick the Nokton for low light 50mm shooting where speed was the priority ... lens and operation!

With the 1.2 strangely it doesn't bother me because when you're getting to these sorts of apertures there's not a hell of a lot of lenses to choose from and you tend to live with the quirks. 🙂

 

[raid]

I would keep the Canon 50/1.4 if you find it perform better than the Nokton. It is a no-brainer.

 

[SolaresLarrave]

Why do you HAVE to get rid of one? Why not keep the three and live happily ever after?

Now, if it's a case in which you simply don't have any use for one, but don't know which one to pick... choose the one that looks the coolest in your camera and keep that one. Send the other to me. 🙂

Of course, that's just a choice.

 

[vieri]

I wouldn't know about the Nokton, but I have the Canon and love it. I know this is of no help, I just felt to say it anyway 😀

 

[David Murphy]

I own or have owned and used all three of these lenses. The Nokton is clearly optically superior to the Canon - in fact it's even quite good wide open. The Summicron is a treasure and has outstanding optics, so it must be kept as well. I'd sell the Canon and as someone said above, endeavor to find a Canon 50/1.2 -- a very unique and useful Canon.

 

[gdi]

Thanks for the advice.

Actually I should have given all the info. I have a couple of other fast 50's in M mount - a Hex 1.2 and Canon 0.95. Both are pretty big, thus the desire for the tiny summicron.

I have trouble even finding the one I want to use when I go out, so I need to pare down.

I initially had thoughts similar to David - keep the Nokton, should be sharper than the Canon and have a more modern look. But I did a quick test prior to posting this and it really seems that the canon is as sharp or maybe even sharper than the Nokton. The Canon does seems to flare more particularly wide open and give some glowing highlights - a little like the 0.95 does.

Here is a comparison screen shot from LR with the Canon on the right. Sometimes I think the Canon is sharper and sometimes the Nokton...

 

[gdi]

Regarding the Summicron - would the verdict be that is a lens with Lanthanum?

 

[tomasis]

gdi, Nokton shot looks WAAY better. Higher contrast and sharper. Definitely keep CV 🙂 CV would be good companion to collapsible Summicron. I need such little sweet gem for myself.

 

[raid]

Which image rendering to you prefer?

One is by the Canon 50mm/1.4 and the other is buy the CV Nokton.
Both images taken at 2.0:

 

[thomasw_]

If I were in your shoes, this is what I'd do: keep the Hex 50/1,2 and collapsible summicron 50/2; sell off the rest and use the funds for another lens, eg, a pre-asph or asph summilux, or another body. I write that not knowing your preferences, though.

 

[gdi]

Tomasis, I don't see either shot being way better. I think the added contrast of the CV gives the impression of more sharpness. Sometimes brand looks sharper to me - other times brand B! But CV is so slow compared to the Canon 🙂 !

Raid - good example of how close these are, but I guess that the first is the Canon?

 

[gdi]

If I were in your shoes, this is what I'd do: keep the Hex 50/1,2 and collapsible summicron 50/2; sell off the rest and use the funds for another lens, eg, a pre-asph or asph summilux, or another body. I write that not knowing your preferences, though.

Thanks,

Probably good logic, but I find a way to rationalize keeping most of them! BTW, I had a older Summilux and did sell it, but the asph never called to me - I think because it sells for more than the Noctiluxes I used to pass up! :bang: I think keeping either the CV or Canon would eliminate the need to get a Summilux anyway.

The fact that I am having such a hard time deciding leads me to conclude that it really doesn't matter which one I keep. The Canon may be the one I sell just because I think it is worth a bit more than the CV.

(BTW, I am a long way from selling the 0.95! It is just too cool and fast to be replaced.)

 

[Krosya]

gdi, Nokton shot looks WAAY better. Higher contrast and sharper. Definitely keep CV 🙂 CV would be good companion to collapsible Summicron. I need such little sweet gem for myself.

I like one fron Canon better. Go figure 😉

 

[raid]

Raid - good example of how close these are, but I guess that the first is the Canon?

Yes, the first image is taken with the Canon 50/1.4. I like it.

 

[hofrench@mac.co]

This is ever so slightly off-topic, but does anyone have a sense of the difference between the vintage Canon 1.4 and the Canon 1.5? I'm particularly interested in the differences in signature between them. Lens speed differential is of course negligible.

 

[ampguy]

Keep the Nokton, if it works and focuses right.

 

[wlewisiii]

From my own experiances, I'd say to keep the Canon. I personally would find it to be the more useful lens overall. My problem would be deciding which to keep between the 1.2 & the .95 ...

William