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What is the best cheap but beautiful 50mm there is? |
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04-03-2007
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#1
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An Undesirable
OurManInTangier is offline
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: UK
Posts: 2,582
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What is the best cheap but beautiful 50mm there is?
I'm currently bidding on a Canon 50mm f/1.8 as they're cheap but by many accounts fine lenses. Without wanting to become a complete gear addict I'd also be intrigued to know what everyone thinks is a great but cheap 50mm. I'm looking for something that gives images with real character be it; soft and hazy or incredible bokeh etc etc.
I've heard people say good things about the Jupiter 8 50mm and Elmar lenses too. Can anyone give me some idea of lenses that may fit the bill AND what you consider their best attributes to be.
Must be on a budget as this will be a second 50mm for less general usage. I use a M6 and don't care what mount so long as I can get an adapter.
Cheers
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04-03-2007
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#2
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Galleryless Gearhead
clintock is offline
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: boston
Age: 47
Posts: 757
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If you can find a Konica hexanon M 50/2, you will be quite happy- Like everything, they are expensive in the UK, but back when I was searching for one, I sometimes found them in Holland advertised, so perhaps there are some there to be found on that dutch auction site.
The jupiter 8 is great and really cheap, the only gripe I have with my old 1950's models is that they focus with a little tab, and have a very long throw..
Tab focus is fine when you only have to move the thing 30 degrees, but the J8 is more like 190 degrees I think. In practice it's not as bad as that if you just scale focus a bit before bring the camera up.
Another under-rated beauty I believe is the CV 50/2.5 skopar. It's ever so small, yet heavy, and like the hex can do no wrong.
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04-03-2007
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#3
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Reciprocity Failure
rogue_designer is offline
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Chicago, IL
Age: 37
Posts: 2,267
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Canon 50 1.2
It is absolutely unique among 50mm lenses. Has a signature unlike anything else. And I think beautiful.
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04-03-2007
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#4
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Massimiliano Mortillaro
darkkavenger is offline
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Prague, Czech Republic
Age: 34
Posts: 1,918
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Jupiter-3 50/1.5 
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Max.
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04-03-2007
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#5
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Curious
like2fiddle is offline
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: The hills of Vermont
Age: 52
Posts: 627
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Summitar 5cm/2. A lens with many faces. Soft, portrait-like wide open. Very crisp from f4 on. Beautiful in B&W but with good color rendition too. Should be able to be had for about $200 including CLA.
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Roger
WTB: 12526 rectangular hood
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04-03-2007
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#6
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Registered User
FrankS is offline
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Great White North
Age: 56
Posts: 17,162
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J8, Elmar f3.5, Elmarski f3.5, Elmar f2.8 (original), Summar, Summitar, Summarit, col. Summicron, CV50f2.5
These are the lenses I have and want to get to know better.
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“Believe nothing, no matter where you read it or who has said it, not even if I have said it, unless it agrees with your own reason and your own common sense.” – quote
I myself am made entirely of faults, stitched together with good intentions. -quote
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04-03-2007
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#7
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Half fast Leica User
Wayne R. Scott is offline
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Iowa
Age: 60
Posts: 1,307
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Canon 50mm f1.8.
Ziess Opton Sonnar 50mm f1.5.
Jupiter J-8 50mm f2.0.
That's all that I have experience with.
Wayne
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One's skill is never complete, one's knowledge is forever lacking, one's taste is invariably altered, one's opinion ever subject to controversy. There is a complete and constant urge toward improvement...
-Andrew Loomis.
"Good Judgement comes from experience. Experience comes from bad judgement."
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04-03-2007
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#8
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The Peaceful Pacific
mike goldberg is offline
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Jerusalem [Bostonian]
Posts: 1,093
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J8 with M-Adapter for your M6.
I bought a 'Sweeneyfied' J8 for my Bessa R, and it is superb.
mike
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04-03-2007
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#9
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Gary
nasmformyzombie is offline
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Seattle, WA
Posts: 151
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You can't go wrong with the Canon 50mm f1.8. Great value. If you get a good sample, the Jupiter-3 f1.5 is also very good.
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RF: CV Bessa T, Fed 2
CV 15, Canon 35 f2, 50 f1.2, Leica Rigid 'Cron, Summitar, 90 Elmarit-M, 50 Jupiter-3, 85 Jupiter-9, 135 Jupiter-11
SLR: Contax RTSIII, ST, 137MA, 159MM, Yashica FR1, TL-Electro X
Zenitar 16 f2.8 Fisheye, Zeiss 25, 28, 35 f2.8 Distagons, 50 f1.7 Planar, 60 f2.8 Makro-Planar, 85 f1.4 Planar, 100 f3.5 Sonnar, 200 f4 Tele-Tessar, 28-85 Vario-Sonnar, Yashica 300 f5.6 ML
P&S: Contax T3; Olympus XA; Vivitar 35ES; Yashica T4 Super, GT, GX, MG-1
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04-03-2007
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#10
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Registered User
FrankS is offline
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Great White North
Age: 56
Posts: 17,162
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A good J8 is def. the most bang for your buck, and a col. I10, I22, or I50 is very very close to the Elmar f3.5, if not equal or better, depending on your sample.
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“Believe nothing, no matter where you read it or who has said it, not even if I have said it, unless it agrees with your own reason and your own common sense.” – quote
I myself am made entirely of faults, stitched together with good intentions. -quote
Last edited by FrankS : 04-03-2007 at 11:31.
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04-03-2007
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#11
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Galleryless Gearhead
clintock is offline
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: boston
Age: 47
Posts: 757
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J8 are often found for less money when bought along with the zorki body.
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04-03-2007
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#12
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ЗоркийКат:Sharpeyed Kitty
ZorkiKat is offline
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Lungsod Quezon, PILIPINAS/Philippines/Филиппины
Posts: 2,200
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1. Jupiter-8
2. Jupiter-3
3. Industar-50 (collapsible or rigid)
4. Industar-61L\D
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04-03-2007
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#13
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An Undesirable
OurManInTangier is offline
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: UK
Posts: 2,582
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Can I ask what makes some of these lenses so good. For instance, I've seen a few shots Tuna took with an old Elmar that just oozes an old style softness that just seems to work so well, very different to soft modern lenses. I'm not sure if this effect came from Tuna's lens being covered in hazy fungal nastiness or if its a 'trait' of all Elmar lenses
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04-03-2007
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#14
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Gary
nasmformyzombie is offline
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Seattle, WA
Posts: 151
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Quote:
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Originally Posted by OurManInTangier
Can I ask what makes some of these lenses so good. For instance, I've seen a few shots Tuna took with an old Elmar that just oozes an old style softness that just seems to work so well, very different to soft modern lenses. I'm not sure if this effect came from Tuna's lens being covered in hazy fungal nastiness or if its a 'trait' of all Elmar lenses
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The Canon f1.8 has more of a Zeiss signature, pretty contrasty for an older lens. It's a Planar design. I prefer the black version, it's smaller and lighter than the older chrome version. Continuing the Zeiss theme, the Jup-3 is a Sonnar clone, has the Sonnar signature, and is a great value if you get a good sample.
__________________
RF: CV Bessa T, Fed 2
CV 15, Canon 35 f2, 50 f1.2, Leica Rigid 'Cron, Summitar, 90 Elmarit-M, 50 Jupiter-3, 85 Jupiter-9, 135 Jupiter-11
SLR: Contax RTSIII, ST, 137MA, 159MM, Yashica FR1, TL-Electro X
Zenitar 16 f2.8 Fisheye, Zeiss 25, 28, 35 f2.8 Distagons, 50 f1.7 Planar, 60 f2.8 Makro-Planar, 85 f1.4 Planar, 100 f3.5 Sonnar, 200 f4 Tele-Tessar, 28-85 Vario-Sonnar, Yashica 300 f5.6 ML
P&S: Contax T3; Olympus XA; Vivitar 35ES; Yashica T4 Super, GT, GX, MG-1
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04-03-2007
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#15
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Registered User
sockeyed is offline
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Vancouver, BC
Age: 42
Posts: 919
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The Jupiter-8 gets my vote.
Jupiter 8 images on flickr
Also very nice is the Industar-61
The stellar CV Nokton 50/1.5 moves through here at very reasonable prices (mid-$200s, often).
Nokton Images
It compares favourably with the pre-ASPH Summilux |
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04-03-2007
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#16
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rangefinder user and fancier
xayraa33 is offline
Join Date: Feb 2004
Posts: 4,141
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get the 1.8 Canon, 1950s quality build for a reasonable price.
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04-03-2007
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#17
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Registered User
sockeyed is offline
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Vancouver, BC
Age: 42
Posts: 919
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Here's a gratutious J-8 bokeh shot or two:
And the Industar-61:
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04-03-2007
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#18
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Registered User
oscroft is offline
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Liverpool (UK) & Bangkok (Thailand)
Age: 54
Posts: 2,340
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I'll add another vote for the J-8. A good one is really very good indeed. Another lens I was very pleasantly surprised by is my rigid I-50, which gives very nice tonality. (I also have a CV 50/2.5 Skopar on the way, which if it's anything like the 35/2.5 Skopar will be wonderful, but it depends what you mean by "cheap")
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04-03-2007
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#19
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thorirv is offline
Join Date: Jul 2005
Posts: 363
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a key to plenty cheap, plenty fantastic 50mm's, could be ditching the rf's, and get an olympus slr. or pentax, or konica, or... (in no particular order)
or, do this, but without ditching anything ,-)
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04-03-2007
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#20
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Easily Amused One
RdEoSg is offline
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Southern California
Age: 33
Posts: 737
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Frank, what is an Elmarski f3.5?!?!?!
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-Chris-
www.monochromemuse.com
Leica M6 with a 35mm Summicron ASPH, Voigtlander 15, and Canon 90mm. Hasselblad 503CW with 80mm CFE and 120mm Makro-Planar CF. Canon 5D with assorted lenses.
"The Canon might appeal to your inner geek while the Leica might give you a taste for absinthe and a longing to cut off one of your ears." -- Gordon Webster at photo.net
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04-03-2007
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#21
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Registered User
venchka is offline
Join Date: Apr 2006
Age: 67
Posts: 6,130
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Use the Canon 50/1.8 a lot before you get GAS for another 50.
After doing that, if you feel the need for something "different" or "special", then the Canon 50/1.2, Nikkor 50/1.4 or Leitz DR Summicron 51.9/2.0 are worth investigating.
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Wayne
Deep in the darkest heart of the East Texas Rain forest.
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I don't want to hear about it |
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04-03-2007
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#22
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Registered User
venchka is offline
Join Date: Apr 2006
Age: 67
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I don't want to hear about it
Quote:
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Originally Posted by rogue_designer
Canon 50 1.2
It is absolutely unique among 50mm lenses. Has a signature unlike anything else. And I think beautiful.
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Stop it!
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Wayne
Deep in the darkest heart of the East Texas Rain forest.
Quote:
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"Leave me alone, I know what I'm doing" K.R.
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04-03-2007
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#23
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Registered User
Leica Geek is offline
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Glendale, Californa
Posts: 210
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Canon f1.8 Serenar is a sweet lens. You won't regret it.
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Leica M6 Black .72 w/TA rapidwinder, Leica M3, Leica IIIf Black Dial, Contax G2 Silver, Yashica Electro, Epson RD-1.
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04-03-2007
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#24
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Registered User
Leica Geek is offline
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Glendale, Californa
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[quote=memphis]Leica Summarit --- Even Bill Eggelston says it's his favorite lens --- great for low light, nice bokeh, and run from $150 - $400[/QUOTE
Where can I get a Summarit for that price? I'll buy one right now. I've never seen them for that low.
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Leica M6 Black .72 w/TA rapidwinder, Leica M3, Leica IIIf Black Dial, Contax G2 Silver, Yashica Electro, Epson RD-1.
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04-03-2007
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#25
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Registered User
FrankS is offline
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Great White North
Age: 56
Posts: 17,162
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Quote:
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Originally Posted by RdEoSg
Frank, what is an Elmarski f3.5?!?!?!
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It is a nickname for the Russian copies of the Elmar 50mmf3.5: they are the I-10 and I-22.
__________________
“Believe nothing, no matter where you read it or who has said it, not even if I have said it, unless it agrees with your own reason and your own common sense.” – quote
I myself am made entirely of faults, stitched together with good intentions. -quote
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