FredM , are you going to keep both the 40mm 1.2 and the 50mm APO ? Or do you think you won’t use the 40mm anymore ? Curious as I’m still trying to decide if the 50mm f1.2 Nokton is still a good option now the APO is available.
This lens is extremely sharp at all apertures. It is remarkable, really. There is some noticeable vignetting at large apertures. Anyone else notice that color corrections are a bit different? I was testing it today and found on a bright daylight cloudless sky day that if I used "daylight" in lightroom, the sky looked purple. However, "auto" light balance corrected the issue and it chose 7500 and +5 on tint. This is a bit different to me.
I see a role for the 40/1.2 (quasi-35, rendering gem, soft, dreamy) alongside the ice monster 50/2 AL (shocking clarity, detail, microcontrast, landscapes, structures, astro, water bodies, f2-2.8 portraits, commemorative), but less so the 50/1.2. You get a kind of 50% 'discount' buying CV lenses plus a weight benefit, sweetens the dilemma some.
Fun facts for perspective: together, the three CV 50s (f1.2-f2-f3.5) weigh less than Sigma's E 35/1.2. The 50 AL is almost 50% cheaper too - $1049 vs $1499. A real contrast in philosophies.
I don't know that I'd call the 40/1.2 a 'soft and dreamy' lens unless focusing very close up. While there is a little softening due to spherical aberration at f/1.2 and medium focus distances, it's still got plenty of resolution, and the SA 'glow' is pretty minimal (it's there, but it's not overpowering by any means).
Fboss wrote:
FredM , are you going to keep both the 40mm 1.2 and the 50mm APO ? Or do you think you won’t use the 40mm anymore ? Curious as I’m still trying to decide if the 50mm f1.2 Nokton is still a good option now the APO is available.
Definitely keeping both. The 40/1.2 wide open has a unique character the CV 50/2 APO can't replicate. It's also the lens I would grab when shooting handheld in very low light.
I was thinking of selling my CV 65/2 APO but I know I will regret because of the 1:2 macro capabilities. (capable of 1:1 life size with achromats)
Fred Miranda wrote:
Definitely keeping both. The 40/1.2 wide open has a unique character the CV 50/2 APO can't replicate. It's also the lens I would grab when shooting handheld in very low light.
I was thinking of selling my CV 65/2 APO but I know I will regret because of the 1:2 macro capabilities. (capable of 1:1 life size with achromats)
I have the 40/1.2, 50/2 APO, and the 65/2 APO. I can't see selling any of them but I also worry I will not use all of them . . .
Meanwhile, some 50/2 APO shots on the (frozen) lake . . .
Sorry for the bad picture but here is how the lens looks with the Pentax 49mm inverted lens hood copy from JJC.
It only adds 0.25" to the lens' height should blocks stray light. Have not test it though.
genji wrote:
I bought one of these at your recommendation for the Zony 35/2.8 and it worked very well. However, I’ve just tried it on the APO-Lanthar 50/2 and found it causes vignetting that is obvious at f/2, still noticeable at f/2.8, and just discernible at f/4. Therefore I would strongly advise against this as an alternative hood (unless, of course, you wish to introduce mechanical vignetting).
Fred - Genji says it mechanically vignettes 50/2 APO - is that true?
It really is a pleasure to use. Focus verification/confidence is excellent at any usable aperture, making off-the-cuff work a pleasure, even in contrasty harsh light. Infinity is right in the middle of the transverse eight. Don't even think about peaking, it just lights up all over the place.
Size is perfect, rings the same, no slop, excellent damping and detents. Very impressive, like a precision instrument. How they do these for around $1000 is remarkable. I like the stock hood, it protects against bumps in tight places, might make focusing easier, keeping light well off the front. Might buy a spare.
Fred Miranda wrote:
I just tested for this at close distance (1m) and it does increase vignetting.
Here is with and without the JJC hood at f/2, f/4 and f/8:
It could be that at MFD it's FOV is effectively increasing/focal length decreasing and then catches the ID of the hood just in the corners. This happens on my RX1RII as well and is readily apparent if there is a perfect blue sky in the corners. Regular photos it's almost impossible to see.
