Rules for small Alt Lenses

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dcmiller
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p.1 #1 · Rules for small Alt Lenses

I've been slowly putting together a collection of the smallest really good lenses that cover FF on Canon. Why? I don't really know.
Anyway, this weekend I bought the CY 100 3.5. I hope it mounts on a 5D. It costs about 50% more than the 2.8. It sharp corner to corner wide open.
I need one or two more lenses to fill the gap between 50 and 100. Suggestions? I would like to buy lenses that are sharp wide open. Contax or Leica probably. I do have some olympus OM but I want better build quality.

Dec 01, 2008 at 07:08 PM

ovredal73
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p.1 #2 · Rules for small Alt Lenses

Contax and Leicas are the best built in my opinion. C/Y 85 1.4 is a beauty, but not as small as an OM of course. The Leicas 35/2 and 50/2 are well built.

Dec 01, 2008 at 07:15 PM

rachp
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p.1 #3 · Rules for small Alt Lenses

Voigtlander 58mm SLII

Dec 01, 2008 at 07:31 PM

jcolwell
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p.1 #4 · Rules for small Alt Lenses

I recommend the Contax Carl Zeiss Tessar T* 45/2.8, SMC Pentax-M 135/3.5, and Voigtlander APO-Lanthar 180/4 CF ED - they're all sharp wide open and really small for their focal lengths.

Dec 01, 2008 at 08:38 PM

alexandre
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p.1 #5 · Rules for small Alt Lenses

Small?

OM 50/1.2
OM 50/1.4 (serial # > 1,000,000, best if > 1,100,000)
OM 100/2.8

The OM series is beautiful and small. How small, you ask me?

This image is copyrighted by the owner

This small. XTi and the 7 Zuiko Dwarves.

Dec 01, 2008 at 08:51 PM

ovredal73
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p.1 #6 · Rules for small Alt Lenses

rachp wrote:
Voigtlander 58mm SLII

That´s true. This one looks very solidly built. Actually forgot I am waiting for one of these in the mail...

Dec 01, 2008 at 09:09 PM

rachp
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p.1 #7 · Rules for small Alt Lenses

ovredal73 wrote:
rachp wrote:
Voigtlander 58mm SLII

That´s true. This one looks very solidly built. Actually forgot I am waiting for one of these in the mail...

Oh, how could you forget?

It is a solid lens with great image quality - I love it.

Dec 01, 2008 at 09:37 PM

dcmiller
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p.1 #8 · Rules for small Alt Lenses

I have the OM 50 1.2 - ts small for a 1.2 but not small enough

The Tessar doesn't fit a 5D, I believe

How big is the Leica 2.0 ?

Which is the better 60 macro - Contax or Leica?

Anyone else have the CY 100 3.5?

Dec 01, 2008 at 10:30 PM

jcolwell
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p.1 #9 · Rules for small Alt Lenses

I use the Tessar on my 5D. I had to trim a slight angle off the leading edge of the aperture lever shield - no sweat.

Dec 01, 2008 at 11:48 PM

Jman13
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p.1 #10 · Rules for small Alt Lenses

If you're going for small, the Contax 85 f/2.8 Sonnar is an absolute gem. Tack sharp corner to corner right from f/2.8. Stopping down doesn't improve the image quality at all because it's already at peak resolution wide open, and it stays there through f/8. Beautiful colors and wonderful contrast, and it's small and compact to boot. I also have an 85 f/1.4, but I'm selling it, as I have the Canon 85L for times I want large aperture at that FL...I'm keeping the Sonnar for those times I want an 85 prime that's lightweight and portable.

Dec 02, 2008 at 12:48 AM

HansenTsang
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p.1 #11 · Rules for small Alt Lenses

Talking about small lenses the pancakes came to my mind. I have the Voigtlander 40 mm f2 for the Nikon and I use it on my 5D with an adapter. Very nice and small. The next one is the Nikon 45 mm f2.8P. Very light and small also. I also have the Contax Tessar 45 mm f2.8 with an adapter to fit the 5D. I really need to shave it to work properly on my 5D. None of these Tessar design are very good wide open. I also get a lot of CA with these lenses.

The next one is some what of an unknown. It is the Nikon 50 mm f1.8 pancake 3rd generation. It is almost as small as the 45 mm Tessar pancakes but this lens is wonderful wide open. I have used it on all my Nikon bodies and Canon bodies. This is the only lens in my collection that I have two copies.

Edit: I forgot about the Pentax 40mm f2.8 is also quite small. You do have to grind down the aperture lever to fit the Canon 5D. However it is not as sharp as the Nikon 50 mm pancake.

The Nikon 50 mm f1.8 pancake is similar in optics to the E series but it has a metal body instead of the plastic E.

Dec 02, 2008 at 01:57 AM

mawz
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p.1 #12 · Rules for small Alt Lenses

Note the Pentax 40/2.8 is a modified tessar design in the usable SMC-M version and is therefore only a bit better than the Nikon and Contax 45's true Tessar designs (the other Pentax 40, the DA Limited, adds an Aspherical element to the same basic design for superior performance but lacks an aperture ring making it unsuitable for adaptation)

The best pancakes are the 40/2's (Voigtlander and Olympus) followed by the Nikon 50/1.8

Dec 02, 2008 at 02:36 AM

Ed Sawyer
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p.1 #13 · Rules for small Alt Lenses

FYI, Leica 50/2 summicron-R is bigger than the Oly 50s, btw.

-Ed

Dec 02, 2008 at 03:12 AM

dcmiller
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p.1 #14 · Rules for small Alt Lenses

So far it's looking like all CY:

28/2.8
50/1.7
60 macro
100/ 3.5

I think I have a 45mm tessar, but the 50 1.7 is tiny enough.
I should probably add a 35mm, as that's one of my favorite FL.
Oh, I also have a CY 35-70. I think that counts as small for a zoom.
Are any Leica actually small, or just slow?

Dec 02, 2008 at 03:55 AM

rico
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p.1 #15 · Rules for small Alt Lenses

The S100 is a sweetheart. With diminutive shark fin and aperture lever, it should offer no trouble on the 5D; the rear element is well recessed, too. If you get the CZ macro, make sure it's the compact C version - the 1:1 versions (SP60, MP60) are hefty fellas.

Dec 02, 2008 at 09:14 AM

Anden
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p.1 #16 · Rules for small Alt Lenses

Jman13 wrote:
If you're going for small, the Contax 85 f/2.8 Sonnar is an absolute gem. Tack sharp corner to corner right from f/2.8. Stopping down doesn't improve the image quality at all because it's already at peak resolution wide open, and it stays there through f/8. Beautiful colors and wonderful contrast, and it's small and compact to boot. I also have an 85 f/1.4, but I'm selling it, as I have the Canon 85L for times I want large aperture at that FL...I'm keeping the Sonnar for those times I want an 85 prime that's lightweight and portable.

+ 1

Sold my 85 1.4. Have the 85L and 85/2.8.
A

Dec 02, 2008 at 10:42 AM


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