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Archive 2009 · Which is the best 50mm f1.2

  
 
marc_remill
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p.1 #1 · p.1 #1 · Which is the best 50mm f1.2


Hi all

I'm new in this forum and....wow, is fantastic.

My first question that I'm not able to answer "using search button".
I would like to buy a solid performer "50mm" at f1.2, to be used on Canon Body (FF and Not FF). So I would like to have some feedback about all the 50mm, 55mm, 58mm f1.2.

Well, only one is very well know here, and it is the rokkor 58mm.

So about this I know all, and I would like to avoid to shave mirror of my 5D, so I must forget it (this is a little difficult reading this forum)

Just some some lens I would like to know are Pentax SMC-M/A 50mm f1.2, Oly Zuiko 50/55mm f1.2, Nikkor 50/55mm f1.2

Any comparison?

Thanks anyway



Thanks for any Info



Feb 18, 2009 at 08:34 AM
jcolwell
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p.1 #2 · p.1 #2 · Which is the best 50mm f1.2


Welcome to FM. I've tried the SMC Pentax 50/1.2 and Nikkor 50/1.2 AI. I prefer the Pentax. I'd like to try the SMC Pentax-A 50/1.2 and Olympus 50/1.2. There is no SMC Pentax-M 50/1.2, only the original "K" and the -A.


Feb 18, 2009 at 08:47 AM
thrice
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p.1 #3 · p.1 #3 · Which is the best 50mm f1.2


I like my pentax-a 50/1.2

I haven't compared 100% to the Minolta Rokkor, since the rokkor is ridiculously price gouged and requires a lot of effort to modify to eos mount.

Check out the admirable blur index Jonas compiled here



Feb 18, 2009 at 08:59 AM
robsteve
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p.1 #4 · p.1 #4 · Which is the best 50mm f1.2


From the Really fast 50 thread, the Noct-Nikkor seemed to be the best of the adaptable to the 5D lenses. They aren't cheap though.

https://www.fredmiranda.com/forum/topic/652568/

Robert

Edited on Feb 18, 2009 at 09:14 AM · View previous versions



Feb 18, 2009 at 09:10 AM
hubsand
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p.1 #5 · p.1 #5 · Which is the best 50mm f1.2


This may not be the answer you were expecting from this forum but, seriously, the new Canon 50L is the best of its kind ever – period. The SMC K 50/1.2 is pretty sharp, but not the sweetest bokeh. My Minolta 58/1.2 was the opposite, though some samples may resolve better. The Nikkor is serviceable – a bit better than than the Olympus wide open. Most lenses of this type behave very similarly: soft corners, lots of halation and coma up to f2; OK centre frame from f1.2 to f2; very sharp all over (peaking) at f5.6.

The only lens to break the rules is the new Canon 50L. And the Anniversary Zeiss . . .



Feb 18, 2009 at 09:14 AM
rachp
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p.1 #6 · p.1 #6 · Which is the best 50mm f1.2


I agree with the Canon 50L. If you can go f1.4 then consider the Voigtlander 58mm SLII.


Feb 18, 2009 at 09:24 AM
alexandre
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p.1 #7 · p.1 #7 · Which is the best 50mm f1.2


I know Rokkor 58, Zuiko 55, and Pentax-K 50.

Pentax is the sharpest wide-open, but I don't like its colors and contrast. From f/2.8 is ridiculously sharp. You can find it for 400-ish.

Zuiko was a bit disappointing. Its bokeh is harsh/confusing, it appears to be darker than the other two. But it is dumbly easy to use, no drilling or shimming or hammering required, just an adapter. Yours for 300-400ish too.

Rokkor is a legend and/or a FM mania, your pick If you can live with the difficulties to make it usable on FF, it's awesome. Sharp from f/4, the best bokeh I ever had, colors and contrast perfect for my taste (neutral, but not dull as, say, Canon 50 CM). You can find one in anything between 300 and 700 dollars (demand make proces go crazy). I ebayed an EX+ for $450 some weeks ago.

i'd pick the Rokkor, Pentax, or Zuiko, in this order. Today I have a Rokkor and a Pentax K. I kept the second because it is quite ugly cosmetically and because I paid $25 for it



Feb 18, 2009 at 10:34 AM
Lotusm50
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p.1 #8 · p.1 #8 · Which is the best 50mm f1.2


The "best" might be the Zeiss 55 f1.2 Planar Jahre, but you might not like the $5000 price tag.

The Cosina (or Porst, or Revuenon) 55.1.2 (Pentax K mount) is pretty good for about $250 currently. Outstanding bokeh better than most, if not all the lenses already mentioned (yes, IMHO, including the Rokkor 58/1.2 whose bokeh is more of an acquired taste), it's sharpness wide open is not significantly different than the other choices. It is, however, a little more prone to flare.

If you are willing to go to f1.4, I'm not sure the Voigtlander 58mm SLII is the best choice. It is a good value choice, however. It is not as good as the Zeiss ZF 50/1.4 in terms of bokeh (although similar in character), sharpness, CA, color and flare, but it is about $150 cheaper. An old Contax Zeiss 50/1.4 Planar is also a good value choice, although it's bokeh in certain situations can become a little nervous. You could also try an old Pentax Takumar 50/1.4 (screw mount), certainly comparable to many of the lenses mentioned, and quite inexpensive.




Feb 18, 2009 at 10:39 AM
marc_remill
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p.1 #9 · p.1 #9 · Which is the best 50mm f1.2


Wow, thank you very much everybody

(As I said is impossible to forget Rokkor in this forum)
(Zeiss 55 f1.2 Planar Jahre, maybe next life)

Well some particular question:

1) Differences between Pentax SMC-K and SMC-A 50mm f1.2
Pentax is very hard to find (~400USD)
2) Differences between Olympus 50mm - 55mm
Probably is possible to get (50mm) near 230USD
3) And between Nikkor 50mm - 55mm?
Probably is possible to get (50mm) near 330USD




Feb 18, 2009 at 11:21 AM
htbyron
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p.1 #10 · p.1 #10 · Which is the best 50mm f1.2


I have not used the others, but I am reasonably happy with my OM Zuiko 50mm f/1.2. I would rather have a Rokkor, for the fine bokeh, but at just over half the price and with much easier adaptability, I can live with the bang for the buck offered by the Zuiko. It's very easy to use, gives good results and was almost cheap ($250). Take a look at the really fast 50 bokeh thread and the admirable blur samples thread for some examples (the admirable blur thread has an index to different lenses on one of the pages near the end). Bear in mind the OM 55/1.2 is a different and older design -- some folks have not been as happy with that model, although others prefer it.


Feb 18, 2009 at 12:16 PM
aiken
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p.1 #11 · p.1 #11 · Which is the best 50mm f1.2


Hello Marc

I also have in mind to buy a 50mm/f1.2 and exactly an Oly 50mm/f1.2 for the same reason that htbyron explain

I also have a rokkor on conversion but I've no intention to shave the mirror



Feb 19, 2009 at 05:16 AM
makron
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p.1 #12 · p.1 #12 · Which is the best 50mm f1.2


marc_remill wrote:
Hi all

I'm new in this forum and....wow, is fantastic.

My first question that I'm not able to answer "using search button".
I would like to buy a solid performer "50mm" at f1.2, to be used on Canon Body (FF and Not FF). So I would like to have some feedback about all the 50mm, 55mm, 58mm f1.2.

Well, only one is very well know here, and it is the rokkor 58mm.

So about this I know all, and I would like to avoid to shave mirror of my 5D, so I must forget it (this is a little difficult reading this forum)

Just some some
...Show more

well, you can try the web search engine

http://forum.cogitech.ca/viewtopic.php?f=56&t=59

The canon 50L looks good with the least adapting effort.



Feb 19, 2009 at 05:59 AM
Jonas B
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p.1 #13 · p.1 #13 · Which is the best 50mm f1.2


marc_remill wrote:
Well some particular question:

1) Differences between Pentax SMC-K and SMC-A 50mm f1.2
Pentax is very hard to find (~400USD)
2) Differences between Olympus 50mm - 55mm
Probably is possible to get (50mm) near 230USD
3) And between Nikkor 50mm - 55mm?
Probably is possible to get (50mm) near 330USD



1) SMC-P 50/1.2 and SMC-P A50/1.2 don't differ much. The first version is a manual lens, the A version has auto aperture when used on Pentax camera. The A version also got one aperture blade more and may or may not have better coating.

2) The OM50 and OM55 are prety much the same. The 55mm is radioactive and thus sometimes a bit yellow. Not a problem.

3) Unfortunately I know nothing about Nikkor lenses.

There isn't much of a difference between the Pentax and OM lenses here. Bright rings around OOF background highlights, a bit soft wide open (doesn't matter much if you don't print big), the OM lenses vignettes a lot and I think I should have kept my Pentax.

The Rokkor 58/1.2 has better resolution and above all contrast wide open, not exactly butter smooth bokeh but a signature many like. The focus shift scared me away but that's me; I like to focus wide open and then stop down to get the DOF I want.

The EF50/1.2L is expensive and here you also have to take the focus shift into account at certain distances.

Are you sure you need f/1.2? If not a Sigma 50/1.4 is a good option. Flimsy AF and longitudinal CA but the smoothest bokeh paired withcontrast and resolution wide open beating the rest of them.

imo, /Jonas

--
Jonas



Feb 19, 2009 at 06:13 AM
Laminin
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p.1 #14 · p.1 #14 · Which is the best 50mm f1.2


"2) The OM50 and OM55 are prety much the same. The 55mm is radioactive and thus sometimes a bit yellow. Not a problem."

No. Only the 55/1.2 with a chrome front ring have radioactive glass, not the later samples with a black front. On film, the Zuiko 50/1.2 is miles ahead of the older 55/1.2. Just because the lens cross-sections look similar doesn't mean that they are "prety much the same": specifically, the radii at the cemented surfaces of the fourth lens group are different. All 55/1.2 are single coated, whereas the 50/1.2 are obviously multicoated.



Feb 19, 2009 at 07:08 AM
marc_remill
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p.1 #15 · p.1 #15 · Which is the best 50mm f1.2


Thank you, again and again

Trying a little recap

1) SMC-P/A 50/1.2. The A version would be a little better than Oly and Nikon. It is very hard to find.

2) The OM50 and OM55. The 55mm is older and bokeh is particular. The 50mm seems to be generally good

3) Nikkor 50mm, generally good. Wide open a little better than Oly, but is cost ~100USD more

4) The Rokkor 58/1.2 is a leader on this forum, but it is the harder to adapt on 5D.

5) The EF50/1.2L.Probably is the best and the most expensive 1000USD more than the others.

Well, about 50mm f1.4 I already have CY 50mm f1.4, SMC Tak 50mm f1.4 also Leica Summilux 50mm f1.4 and still now I don't know which is my preferred. I'm quite sure no f1.2 could be better than these, but at the moment I'm looking only for f1.2 stop..





Feb 19, 2009 at 08:23 AM
alexandre
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p.1 #16 · p.1 #16 · Which is the best 50mm f1.2


Don't forget the Pentak 50/1.2 K

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3007/2951173196_689aae153b_o.jpg



Feb 19, 2009 at 08:40 AM
Lotusm50
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p.1 #17 · p.1 #17 · Which is the best 50mm f1.2


marc_remill wrote:
Well, about 50mm f1.4 I already have CY 50mm f1.4, SMC Tak 50mm f1.4 also Leica Summilux 50mm f1.4 and still now I don't know which is my preferred. I'm quite sure no f1.2 could be better than these, but at the moment I'm looking only for f1.2 stop..



I think that is right. I guess the question is, what do you want the f1.2 lens to do, or to excel at, that your existing lenses can't do? Your existing trio can really do just about everything -- except operate at f1.2. None of the f1.2 lenses mentioned, except perhaps the Zeiss Contax 55/1.2 Jahre, can outperform or match what you already have from f1.4 to f16. Most of them are unremarkable. If it is bokeh you're after, don't get sucked up in the some of the hyperbolic hype generated in the threads here. It is indeed VERY subjective. Look at a lot of samples to identify something that will satisfy your taste.




Feb 19, 2009 at 08:46 AM
thrice
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p.1 #18 · p.1 #18 · Which is the best 50mm f1.2


marc_remill wrote:
Well, about 50mm f1.4 I already have CY 50mm f1.4, SMC Tak 50mm f1.4 also Leica Summilux 50mm f1.4 and still now I don't know which is my preferred. I'm quite sure no f1.2 could be better than these, but at the moment I'm looking only for f1.2 stop..



If it's an E60 Summilux I'll trade you my 50/1.2 Pentax-A adapted to Canon?



Feb 19, 2009 at 08:57 AM
cogitech
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p.1 #19 · p.1 #19 · Which is the best 50mm f1.2


marc_remill wrote:
I'm quite sure no f1.2 could be better than these, but at the moment I'm looking only for f1.2 stop..



Well, I couldn't find a 50/1.4 that is better than (my copy of) the Rokkor 58/1.2, so...



Feb 19, 2009 at 09:39 AM
ovredal73
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p.1 #20 · p.1 #20 · Which is the best 50mm f1.2


The 2 Olys are my basic suggestions for fine 50s - useable on 5d with no problems and fine, fine lenses. Small and lightweight. Perfect for any situation. But I just got a noctnikkor, so my Olys are unfortunately shelf fillers in my apt...


Feb 19, 2009 at 10:17 AM
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