p.2 #2 · Compact manual 50mm lens for street/travel?
I also use A7CII as my main camera and I'm also into MF lenses, and I especially like small & light options.
I like the CV 40/1.2 SE, as it is reasonably light (340g) and more compact compared to the original 40/1.2 version (420g). As for smaller 50mm options, I think 50/2 Loxia is another good native E-mount option (320g), as well as the CV 50/1.2 SE (383g) and CV 50/2 APO-Lanthar (364g).
From smaller adapted options, I really like CV 50/1.5 Nokton II: https://www.cosina.co.jp/voigtlander/en/vm-mount/nokton-vintage-line-50mm-f1-5-aspherical-ii/
I have the Black MC version which is only 198g without considering adapter weight. It's quite small and light for a fast aperture lens. I don't think it suffers much at all on Sony sensor stack, haven't noticed any IQ issues with this lens when adapted although I have not had any chance to compare how it performs on native digital M-mount cameras. I never stop it down further than f5.6, and it has perfect corner-to-corner sharpness by that aperture. The lens also works well with LM-EA9.
Some samples on my A7CII: https://photos.app.goo.gl/GSTdmoPoTMKsQ9TWA
I also had the CV 50/2.2 but I sold it as I found 50/1.5 II to work better on my A7CII. 50/2.2 definitely needed f8 for best corner-to-corner performance on the native stack A7CII and it wasn't still as good as 50/1.5 II at f5.6.
CV APO-Lanthar 50/3.5 VM also works very well adapted and could be another great option if fast aperture is not a priority.
Some samples with my A7CII: https://photos.app.goo.gl/KhNd1HQtfxbTwMit7
Besides those, I also use MS-Optics Sonnetar 50/1.3 and various other MS-Optics M-mount lenses that are all very small and light but those are much harder to get in the 2nd hand market and prices tend to be relatively high.
p.2 #4 · Compact manual 50mm lens for street/travel?
You can check Fred's and Bastian's reviews on these on Sony stack as mudlake posted the link. Also it depends on what you want, eg landscape vs portrait use. On A7C mod sensor CV 50mm 2.2 is sharp wide open vs you need f8 on Simera 50mm 1.4 for corners.
Here is Simera 50mm 1.4 wide open on A7C kolari mod, cropped:
wide open
3 shot pano at f8
CV 50mm 1.5 II is also a good compromise including the size btw these 2 lenses with decent sharpness on A7C Sony stack as shot below ...
p.2 #6 · Compact manual 50mm lens for street/travel?
I also have the CV 50/2, But for backpacking with my A7C2, I use the lighter Loxia when I need a 50. Nice balance and performance.
The main knock against Loxias is taking them on and off. The process is much improved if you can find a pocketPANO Lens grip. A very useful addition. However, these have been unavailable since the pandemic. the following is posted on their website:
"Dear customers,
A large part of our product range is currently out of stock.
Unfortunately, it is currently not foreseeable when production of the missing parts can be resumed. Just check back in the store at a later date.
p.2 #7 · Compact manual 50mm lens for street/travel?
I like the Loxia 50, too.
The other annoyance, in an otherwise excellent lens, is that the hood barely stays on.
There are some nice 3rd party options on eBay.
p.2 #8 · Compact manual 50mm lens for street/travel?
Thank you @everyone for your suggestions! I think I have some ideas to go by if I decide to go longer than my CV 40/1.2 (which is really a 43 so...)
@Juha Kannisto - Going the other way from the CV40/1.2, I know you've liked the CV 35/1.4 Classic E-Mount. If I was looking for a daily carry lens on the street, would you still recommend it?
p.2 #9 · Compact manual 50mm lens for street/travel?
dylanrichards wrote:
Thank you @everyone for your suggestions! I think I have some ideas to go by if I decide to go longer than my CV 40/1.2 (which is really a 43 so...)
@Juha Kannisto@ - Going the other way from the CV40/1.2, I know you've liked the CV 35/1.4 Classic E-Mount. If I was looking for a daily carry lens on the street, would you still recommend it?
Yes, I still like the CV Nokton 35/1.4 classic for E-mount a lot and I'm keeping my copy. I like the character that it has wide open quite a bit and it's also competent for stopped down shooting. It's a bit more eccentric (more aberrations / character) than 40/1.2 but I've always enjoyed the output from the lens. It's also quite light and compact in comparison.
p.2 #10 · Compact manual 50mm lens for street/travel?
@Juha Kannisto - Love the character in those photos! (And it reminds me How much I wish I had been actively making photographs when I went to Tokyo years ago)
p.2 #11 · Compact manual 50mm lens for street/travel?
3catsinky wrote:
the viltrox 50F2 is a gem. it's a steal for the price
I was at the Viltrox booth yesterday at the B&H Build Expo and a few people mentioned this lens. I'm looking for an AF 50mm lens for Portrait work using my A7CR. Seems all the choices have significant issues. I eneded up getting the Sony 50 1.5 GM but am not happy about paying up for it. I don't need perfect sharpness, but I do need to be confident that when the green box is on someone's eye, its gonna be in focus. After watching a few video's on the Samyang 50 1.4, I just didn't feel I would be happy with it. My portrait work involves having my subjects moving around a fair bit. I don't know, maybe I should just get one and do some portrait stuff and see if it works.
p.2 #12 · Compact manual 50mm lens for street/travel?
zippin44 wrote:
I was at the Viltrox booth yesterday at the B&H Build Expo and a few people mentioned this lens. I'm looking for an AF 50mm lens for Portrait work using my A7CR. Seems all the choices have significant issues. I eneded up getting the Sony 50 1.5 GM but am not happy about paying up for it. I don't need perfect sharpness, but I do need to be confident that when the green box is on someone's eye, its gonna be in focus. After watching a few video's on the Samyang 50 1.4, I just didn't feel I would be happy with it. My portrait work involves having my subjects moving around a fair bit. I don't know, maybe I should just get one and do some portrait stuff and see if it works....Show more →
That 50/1.4GM you have is one very good lens. If it were me, I'd stop looking for another 50 because the one you have is one of the best lenses ever made. Forget about the price since you already paid it and use the heck out of it!
p.2 #13 · Compact manual 50mm lens for street/travel?
dylanrichards wrote:
Thank you @everyone for your suggestions! I think I have some ideas to go by if I decide to go longer than my CV 40/1.2 (which is really a 43 so...)
@Juha Kannisto@ - Going the other way from the CV40/1.2, I know you've liked the CV 35/1.4 Classic E-Mount. If I was looking for a daily carry lens on the street, would you still recommend it?
If you're interested in that look in a 35 and can live without the electronics, 7artisans has a nicely inexpensive little wonder in the 35/1.4 mIII. It's $189 of funky joy.
p.2 #14 · Compact manual 50mm lens for street/travel?
Nifty Fifty wrote:
Small, light, stylish, and affordable would probably be the TT artisan 2.0 50. Whether you like the results remains to be seen.
The two copies I tried were both badlight misaligned. It is a lovely size. I've had a few of the older 50mm F2 with a similar size and optical formula that only claim to cover APS-C, and those were very well aligned. Those maybe have slightly worse coverage on full-frame than the TTA 50mm F2--I didn't have both at the same time. I didn't keep any of them.
I had the Meike 50mm F1.7 for a while and thought it was too big, and it is slightly smaller and lighter than the Loxia.
My current favorite is a well-aligned Konica Hexanon 50mm F1.8.
