Please recommend a 50mm lens for my R3A

amin_sabet · 07-09-2012

Hi all,

I previously used and loved a Zeiss ZM 50/2, M-Hexanon 50/2, and CV 50/1.5 on Bessa R3A and Zeiss Ikon bodies. I sold all of those and have been shooting Micro 4/3 digital but wanted to get back to some rangefinder shooting with film. Problem is that I am on a tight budget right now...

I found a good deal on a used Bessa R3A and bought that. Truth is, I liked that camera more than the Ikon when it came to shooting 50mm lenses. Love the 1:1 finder. I'm hoping to find a 50mm lens that I can afford.

Here is my want list:
-50mm lens (not 40mm or 55mm)
-Price ~$300 or less (slightly more okay but less would be great). I already have an LTM>M adapter, so that does not need to figure into price. Basically I ended up with an extra Panasonic 20mm f/1.7 (Micro 4/3) lens in a trade and want to sell that to fund this lens.
-At least f/2.8 speed
-Relatively small size, not bigger than the lenses I mentioned above (eg, CV 50/1.5).
-I'd rather have a light f/2.5 lens than a somewhat heavy f/1.4 lens. F/1.8-2.2 is probably my sweet spot for a balance of size/weight/speed.

I've been searching the forums and thought that a Canon 50/1.8 LTM might be the ticket, but the ones I've found either have element separation or are selling for over $300. Would appreciate any suggestions that you have.

Thanks,
Amin

Godfrey · 07-09-2012

I'd look for a Voigtländer Skopar 50mm f/2.5. I think I paid $380 for mine, new, last year. It's an excellent performer and worth every penny. They're getting a bit of a cult status now (long discontinued) but you might be able to find one at a reasonable price still.

Matus · 07-09-2012

What about the Skopar 50/2.5 ? Should fulfill the price requirements. Or maybe the Rokkor 40/2.0. Both are compact and highly regarded.

EDIT: I miss-read your post. So forget the Rokkor. Just get the skopar

amin_sabet · 07-09-2012

Is the Skopar you both mentioned the same as the 50/2.5 Color Skopar? I thought that might be a good one for me, but the last Ebay auction I saw had it at $450 and rising with a few days left to bid: http://www.ebay.com/itm/190699116911...84.m1423.l2649

Chrisrw · 07-09-2012

What about an old Jupiter 8? Cheap, 50/2. Or the Jupiter 3 he has which is 50/1.5 and well within your budget. Fedka has some good ones in his store. I just put the J8 on my Bessa R2, haven't gotten anything developed yet, but have shot about 7 rolls with it. Love the way it feels. There are some great reviews about this lens here and elsewhere. Yuri was very helpful and responsive with my transactions.

back alley · 07-09-2012

i'm liking my cv 50/2.5 more and more...unfortunately prices on many former good bargains have just gone nuts!

Bingley · 07-09-2012

The lens that meets all of your criteria, and will leave you some $$$ left over, is a Canon 50/1.8. It's really good and is not that large or heavy; beautifully made, too. The early chrome and the later chrome-and-black have the same optical formula. Planar design; has been compared favorably to summicron of the same era, but much, much less expensive. Be on the lookout for haze. See if you can get a clean one from KEH.

I also agree that the CV Color Skopar 50/2.5 is a superb lens and worth considering,but prices are creeping up and you may no longer be able to find a good one within your budget.

lam · 07-09-2012

I agree completely about the Canon 50mm f1.8, and even a f1.4 if can be had cheaply.
and the Color Skopar is a fantastic lens as everyone has alluded to. Fortunately.. and maybe unfortunately, i've owned all 3 of those lenses and they all perform great.

PMCC · 07-09-2012

Current pricing for the CV 50/2.5 is getting silly. Not very long ago, it was $189 on close-out at B&H, either earlier this year or late last year. With your budget I'd still try for a Canon LTM 50/1.8 -- with patience a clean sample can be had well within your price range.

P.S. I see now that Bingley and lam beat me to the punch. So consider my post a +1.

ferider · 07-09-2012

Good lenses in your budget that will work on your R3: collapsible Summicron (there is one in the classifieds right now), Canon 50/1.8 and 1.4 (I got a good 1.8 for US 190 last week), Nikkor 50/2 (there was one for US 250 in the classifieds last week), or a Jupiter reworked by Brian (there is also one in the classifieds right now).

You won't find the color skopar for around US 300, I'm afraid. Here is one on ebay: 190699116911. Current bid US 461 with 2 days to go.

helenhill · 07-09-2012

Oh Hello Amin,

Hope ALL is Well
missed You... Best to the Mrs & The Boys !!

Hmmmm... As for a 50
As long as You don't mind some Contrast
And I mean it In a Good Way
That 50 Color Skopar is a Gem...Lovely Sharpness, Compact
Just did a Search and realised it's Hard to Find ... Arghhh

As Roland pointed out the 50 Summicron / collapsible
Has that Wonderful Retro Charm, Beautifully Sharp
Igors Cameras, & Tamarkin have the collapsible for $349.00 to 375.00 / ltm & m mount

Another GOOD choice: the 50/f2 Summitar
Tamarkin has two under Leica Screw mount for : $195.00 to $249.00 ....Cooool !!

amin_sabet · 07-09-2012

Hi Helen! Hope you're doing well too - we're all doing well here in Boston

.

Ah, I wish I could get a Color Skopar, but it's now out of my price range.

Thanks for the advice, everyone! I'll keep my eyes open for the lenses that were recommended.

helenhill · 07-09-2012

50 Summitar Shot...

working on the Gas Line & the Summitar by helenhill@flickr, on Flickr

helenhill · 07-09-2012

another Summitar shot...Great Lens , can't Beat that Price at Tamarkin

Moi ----conditioning the locks by helenhill@flickr, on Flickr

ornate_wrasse · 07-09-2012

Hi Helen!

Love that image of you with hair conditioner on your locks! I don't know that I would be brave enough to allow a similar image to be taken of me :-)

Ellen

Shutterspark · 07-09-2012

Another vote for the Summitar. That lens seems to be getting a lot of love recently. Probably my favourite 50mm. Very vintage look.

The 1.8 Canon you were looking for is a good choice, I would call it semi-vintage in terms of colours and contrast. I would probably take a collapsible Summicron over it considering current prices though. Not because it's a better lens, I just prefer the look.

The problem is that all the lenses you've mentioned you enjoyed using are quite modern in their drawing characteristics, and I'm not sure what would be similar for your price range. The CV would come closer but you've already said it was outside your budget.
I'm sure others here will come up with a solution.

That is... if you liked those lenses for the character rather than the ergonomics. If it's just a decent handling lens then many of the Canon black and white versions of their lenses are quite well thought-out IMO. Most are small and very light weight.

amin_sabet · 07-09-2012

It seems like the Canon 50 1.4 LTM is selling for not much more than the 50 1.8 LTM. Not sure if I'll find the former too fat and heavy. I like the samples I'm seeing from both lenses.

Helen, both are very cool shots!

Brian Legge · 07-09-2012

The Canon 50mm 1.4 is definitely larger and heavier than the 1.8. Enough so that the 1.4 isn't my first choice unless I need the extra stop. Great image quality though and it may work well on your body.

The Canon 50mm 1.8 is a great but I find I prefer the results from the Yashinon 5cm 1.8. A bit obscure and prices all over the place but if one pops up it will likely be in your price range. Its larger than the Canon 1.8 but the lens has a every so lightly more modern look which I prefer.

raid · 07-09-2012

Hello Amin,
I suggest to consider a Canon 50/1.4. It is a very well built lens that is very sharp. KEH has good offers once in a while.

Raid

Quote:

Originally Posted by amin_sabet

Hi all,

I previously used and loved a Zeiss ZM 50/2, M-Hexanon 50/2, and CV 50/1.5 on Bessa R3A and Zeiss Ikon bodies. I sold all of those and have been shooting Micro 4/3 digital but wanted to get back to some rangefinder shooting with film. Problem is that I am on a tight budget right now...

I found a good deal on a used Bessa R3A and bought that. Truth is, I liked that camera more than the Ikon when it came to shooting 50mm lenses. Love the 1:1 finder. I'm hoping to find a 50mm lens that I can afford.

Here is my want list:
-50mm lens (not 40mm or 55mm)
-Price ~$300 or less (slightly more okay but less would be great). I already have an LTM>M adapter, so that does not need to figure into price. Basically I ended up with an extra Panasonic 20mm f/1.7 (Micro 4/3) lens in a trade and want to sell that to fund this lens.
-At least f/2.8 speed
-Relatively small size, not bigger than the lenses I mentioned above (eg, CV 50/1.5).
-I'd rather have a light f/2.5 lens than a somewhat heavy f/1.4 lens. F/1.8-2.2 is probably my sweet spot for a balance of size/weight/speed.

I've been searching the forums and thought that a Canon 50/1.8 LTM might be the ticket, but the ones I've found either have element separation or are selling for over $300. Would appreciate any suggestions that you have.

Thanks,
Amin

Bingley · 07-09-2012

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brian Legge

The Canon 50mm 1.4 is definitely larger and heavier than the 1.8. Enough so that the 1.4 isn't my first choice unless I need the extra stop. Great image quality though and it may work well on your body.

The Canon 50mm 1.8 is a great but I find I prefer the results from the Yashinon 5cm 1.8. A bit obscure and prices all over the place but if one pops up it will likely be in your price range. Its larger than the Canon 1.8 but the lens has a every so lightly more modern look which I prefer.

I agree with Brian about the size difference between the two Canons. The Canon 1.8 still gets less respect than it deserves.

As for the Summitar: that's a glorious, character lens. But I don't think it's well suited as an all-round 50 (unless you really like the look it gives). Since you were seriously considering a Skopar 50/2.5, I assume that you're looking for a lens with higher contrast and a more modern look. If that's the case, the Canon 50/1.8 is still your best bet. Just sayin'.

Edit: If you can find a collapsible summicron w/in your price range with glass in good condition, I would give that serious consideration, although I'm not sure it will collapse in an R3A.

Shutterspark · 07-09-2012

Never used the Canon 1.4 so no comment, but if you decide on this lens and have trouble finding one at a good price they're quite commonly sold attached to Canon bodies here in Tokyo for $250 - $300 for the kit, average condition. I'd be willing to buy one on your behalf and send it to you, but due to the shipping and the no returns policy in most shops I'd keep this as a last resort. Shipping would be around $40 by itself.

http://www.lemonsha.com/item/41724.html
http://www.lemonsha.com/item/45396.html

mfogiel · 07-09-2012

In my opinion, a wonderful lens, if you do not need clinical sharpness at f 2.0 is the Collapsible Summicron, you would only have to be careful with collapsing it into the Bessa.

20101609 by mfogiel, on Flickr

amin_sabet · 07-10-2012

Thanks again, all. Shutterspark, very kind of you to offer to help that way! I think I've narrowed it to the Canon 50/1.8 and Canon 50/1.4. I wish I could handle the two of them to see the difference in heft.

Shutterspark · 07-10-2012

No problem, just let me know via PM if you want to go that way.
Going just by the weight the Canon 1.4 is more or less the same as the CV 1.5, while the Canon 1.8 is about 1/3 lighter.

raid · 07-10-2012

The Canon 50/1.4 is not that heavy. The 50/1.2 is heavy.
I sold my first 1.4 lens, then bought anoher one a year later.
I did the same with a Nikon 50/2.0.

These two lenses are just great lenses to use. The Canon has a more modern look to its images. The Nikon is a Sonnar.