p.265 #1 · What is your most recent (alt) lens purchase?
I have read so many positive comments about the Rokkor 58/1.2, that I could not resist getting one off of eBay. It is one of the later MC versions (possibly the last one,) and I am using it on an A7ii. The lens lives up to its reputation in every way--solid as a rock and just as heavy, very sharp from f2 on up, truly gorgeous rendering and bokeh. It is definitely a keeper that I will probably use mostly for portraits.
p.265 #2 · What is your most recent (alt) lens purchase?
PhotoMaximum wrote:
I have sold a lot of lenses over the years. The one I really regret letting go is the Pentax A* 85/1.4
I could believe that, based on the performance of my ST 85/1.9 and that the 85/1.4 has a stellar reputation.
I wish it was cheaper so I could try one out.
p.265 #3 · What is your most recent (alt) lens purchase?
^^ Rob, congrats. The 58/1.2 Rokkor is just a fun lens to play with. A personal favorite. I usually enjoy shooting this lens at f/2: that aperture shows off the character of this lens in the best way IMHO...
^^ Lightshow: back "in the day" several prominent lens magazine articles rated the Pentax A* 85/1.4 as being one of the best lenses ever made. It is very popular in Japan, if found in great condition. As you mention used prices for this lens are very high.
Back in my early days as a newspaper shooter I had the following:
3 Pentax LX bodies w/ motor drives
Several viewfinder options for the LX (it was a GREAT system camera w/ incredible focus accuracy)
A 20/2.8
M 24/2.8
M 35/2
A * 85/1.4
A * 200/2.8 ED (fabulous lens)
A * 300/4
A * 400/2.8 ED IF (another awesome and very rare lens)
I sold it all to go EOS in the 1990s. I wish I could go back in time and reclaim it all...
p.265 #4 · What is your most recent (alt) lens purchase?
This is a dangerous thread, I'm going to get all sorts of bad ideas here.
I have a few recent acquisions, but the big one(s) have been in my quest for an ideal 35. Hopeless I know but I'm trying to find the closest thing. I've had my eye on all of these and good deals just kept coming, so figured I'd compare...
I have the first three in, the Zeiss will hopefully be here by the weekend. I plan to compare all three along with the Canon FD BL 35mm f/2 SSC and possibly a couple others (C/Y 35-70, maybe the FE 24-70/4). Only other 35 I've seriously considered is the Loxia. I think I'd like it despite its short comings, but this is enough for now.
I'll post my results when I've got it all together, but I can already tell even with just the first three they all have strengths. I'm sure I won't keep them all but I'm already unsure which I would want to let go of...
p.265 #5 · What is your most recent (alt) lens purchase?
Mathieu18 wrote:
This is a dangerous thread, I'm going to get all sorts of bad ideas here.
I have a few recent acquisions, but the big one(s) have been in my quest for an ideal 35. Hopeless I know but I'm trying to find the closest thing. I've had my eye on all of these and good deals just kept coming, so figured I'd compare...
I have the first three in, the Zeiss will hopefully be here by the weekend. I plan to compare all three along with the Canon FD BL 35mm f/2 SSC and possibly a couple others (C/Y 35-70, maybe the FE 24-70/4). Only other 35 I've seriously considered is the Loxia. I think I'd like it despite its short comings, but this is enough for now.
I'll post my results when I've got it all together, but I can already tell even with just the first three they all have strengths. I'm sure I won't keep them all but I'm already unsure which I would want to let go of......Show more →
That's a nice set of 35s...I have owned the CY and CV, and swap out the ZF for the RX1...I'll be curious to see your results. What body are you shooting on?
p.265 #6 · What is your most recent (alt) lens purchase?
robgo2 wrote:
I have read so many positive comments about the Rokkor 58/1.2, that I could not resist getting one off of eBay. It is one of the later MC versions (possibly the last one,) and I am using it on an A7ii. The lens lives up to its reputation in every way--solid as a rock and just as heavy, very sharp from f2 on up, truly gorgeous rendering and bokeh. It is definitely a keeper that I will probably use mostly for portraits.
Rob
Congrats--few lenses live up to their reputation the way this lens does. It's my longest tenured lens, 90% of the time shot at f2.
p.265 #7 · What is your most recent (alt) lens purchase?
nehemiahphoto wrote:
Congrats--few lenses live up to their reputation the way this lens does. It's my longest tenured lens, 90% of the time shot at f2.
So far, I have the aperture stuck on f2, and I cannot believe how sharp it is. But the Rokkor is not really about sharpness, it is about bokeh and character, both of which it has in abundance. I think it is too heavy for me to use a walk-around lens. For that I have the CV Nokton 50/1.5 VM, which is I also love.
p.265 #8 · What is your most recent (alt) lens purchase?
nehemiahphoto wrote:
That's a nice set of 35s...I have owned the CY and CV, and swap out the ZF for the RX1...I'll be curious to see your results. What body are you shooting on?
Thanks. Shooting on an A7II. I've done a few infinity comparisons so far, but then the ZF came along so holding off until it comes in so I can shoot identical scenes and lighting. My initial impression is that the Ultron is a landscape & object lens. The Distagon or Nokton are people lenses. The FD is a competent lens as well, maybe a good balance. Still need more time with all of them though. I'll post some side by side crops once I start shooting thought.
As to the RX1, I look forward to comparing it as well some day, maybe in 2017 if its a busy spring listing season.
p.265 #9 · What is your most recent (alt) lens purchase?
Your shot makes me want a Rokkor. I've never loved MD glass though, just doesn't suit me. Excellent regardless. robgo2 wrote:
So far, I have the aperture stuck on f2, and I cannot believe how sharp it is. But the Rokkor is not really about sharpness, it is about bokeh and character, both of which it has in abundance. I think it is too heavy for me to use a walk-around lens. For that I have the CV Nokton 50/1.5 VM, which is I also love.
p.265 #10 · What is your most recent (alt) lens purchase?
Mathieu18 wrote:
Your shot makes me want a Rokkor. I've never loved MD glass though, just doesn't suit me. Excellent regardless.
Based on the research that I did, it seems that the MC version is the best of the Rokkor 58/1.2s, although some people prefer the earlier PG. The later MD version is lighter and cheaper. However, I don't know for sure that the optics are different.
p.265 #11 · What is your most recent (alt) lens purchase?
Gorgeous portrait Rob!
I have owned all three versionsof the lens, and I think the differences are absolutely minuscule, if any even if you're extremely picky like me. And I agree, if it were 200g lighter, I probably wouldn't own another 50. But, that leaves room for the ZM 50 1.5!
One of the best things about the Minolta is how versatile it is. Tons of character wide open, like in the third picture below. At F2 it's gorgeous with it's tonal redition, balance of sharpness, bokeh and contrast. stop down further, it gets very sharp all over. For a light kit, I will walk around with an RX1 + Mino 58
I have an R80, but because of the focus throw, additional size and sometimes rough bokeh wide open, I find myself using the Minolta 58 more
And the focus throw and accuracy on an A7 is perfect!!
p.265 #12 · What is your most recent (alt) lens purchase?
Beautiful photos Rob and nehemiahphoto. Makes me want to take out my poor neglected Rokkor. I haven't used it since I got the Nokton 50/1.5 VM. Two reasons, I think:
-Its size and weight.
-Different mount than my other lenses.
The Voigtlanders are very small and convenient and I always end up bringing them.
Hmm, I think I'll take a walk soon with the Rokkor and my C/Y 28/2.8, which is another lens I really like but rarely use.
p.265 #13 · What is your most recent (alt) lens purchase?
robgo2 wrote:
Based on the research that I did, it seems that the MC version is the best of the Rokkor 58/1.2s, although some people prefer the earlier PG. The later MD version is lighter and cheaper. However, I don't know for sure that the optics are different.
Rob
All versions of the 58/1.2 are MC PG and are 7 elements in 5 groups, and all versions of the 50/1.2 are MD, and are 7 elements in 6 groups. http://minolta.eazypix.de/lenses/index.html
You should also look for an MC SI 28/2.5, one of my most favourite 28's, I prefer it over the HH 35/1.8 which never really makes me go wow, same feeling with the 85/1.7
p.265 #14 · What is your most recent (alt) lens purchase?
HelenaN wrote:
Beautiful photos Rob and nehemiahphoto. Makes me want to take out my poor neglected Rokkor. I haven't used it since I got the Nokton 50/1.5 VM. Two reasons, I think:
-Its size and weight.
-Different mount than my other lenses.
The Voigtlanders are very small and convenient and I always end up bringing them.
Hmm, I think I'll take a walk soon with the Rokkor and my C/Y 28/2.8, which is another lens I really like but rarely use.
Thanks Helena-- and my name is just Nehemiah! I have seen your cv 50 photos on the A7 thread--gorgeous. I always envy your ability to harness the delicacy of the CV rendering. I tend to over process and loose it. I actually purchased the CV 35 1.7 from Rob, and owned the 180 CV. I love the sublety of those lenses--very delicate colors, very soft shadow and highlight tonality.
p.265 #15 · What is your most recent (alt) lens purchase?
Thank you too Nehemia! That's very nice to hear (read).
I agree that the Voigtlanders (at least the ones I have tried) have a very pleasant rendering. That's another reason to why I always end up bringing them even though I have other good lenses.
Since this thread is about lens purchases: My most recent was the CV Ultron 21/1.8 VM and I'm very happy with it.
p.265 #17 · What is your most recent (alt) lens purchase?
nehemiahphoto wrote:
Thanks Helena-- and my name is just Nehemiah! I have seen your cv 50 photos on the A7 thread--gorgeous. I always envy your ability to harness the delicacy of the CV rendering. I tend to over process and loose it. I actually purchased the CV 35 1.7 from Rob, and owned the 180 CV. I love the sublety of those lenses--very delicate colors, very soft shadow and highlight tonality.
Nehemiah,
You may have bought the CV 35/1.7 Ultron on my recommendation, but you did not buy it from me, as I still own it. It's a terrific lens.
p.265 #18 · What is your most recent (alt) lens purchase?
LightShow wrote:
All versions of the 58/1.2 are MC PG and are 7 elements in 5 groups, and all versions of the 50/1.2 are MD, and are 7 elements in 6 groups. http://minolta.eazypix.de/lenses/index.html
Actually, my lens does not say PG. I believe that some of the older PG lenses contained radioactive glass that tended to turn brown, and they had different coatings. The optical formula may have been the same, however.
p.265 #20 · What is your most recent (alt) lens purchase?
robgo2 wrote:
Actually, my lens does not say PG. I believe that some of the older PG lenses contained radioactive glass that tended to turn brown, and they had different coatings. The optical formula may have been the same, however.
Rob
PG = 5 Groups 7 Elements
(#-E-G)
3-C-T
4-D-Q
5-E-P
6-F-H
7-G-S
8-H-O
9-I-N
10-J
11-K
12-L
It doesn't need to say it for it to be true, the US/Can market say Rokkor-X, they stopped adding the designation with them, just like the absence of MC doesn't mean it's not multi coated.
I haven't used it since I got the Nokton 50/1.5 VM. Two reasons, I think:
