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50mm lenses, fast ones
  • 120 Replies sorted by
  • @Alexauwa
    If the sheer size of the Samyang 35mm f1.4 isn't a problem, its only major drawback is a bit of barrel distortion. For shooting video, the Samyang's fixed barrel length and luxurious focus ring are ideally suited for use on a 15mm rails-mounted shoulder rig. The Nikkor 35mm f1.8 is the complete opposite - a tiny auto-focus jewel, ideal for snapshots but awkward for video.
  • No one wants to try to pick the lenses in the vid? I'm Smurfappointed!
  • @LPowell thanks for replying. I have made good experience with Kipon, will that one be fine?
    http://www.amazon.de/Walimex-Adapter-Canon-EOS-Micro/dp/B003Y3OD4E/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1323032625&sr=8-4

    Shoulder rig, I liked this one here;
    http://www.pchood.com/Basic%20Kit

    Are there any good alternatives? Do you think it will be well balanced as the lense is quite sizey!?
  • @Alexauwa
    I can't comment on the Kipon adapter or the Cinematics shoulder rig as I haven't tried either. If you intend to use a follow focus mounted on 15mm rails, I found it very frustrating and unreliable to expect the camera's tripod hole to serve as a mount for the lens. The solution I found was to mount the Micro Four Thirds adapter directly to the 15mm rails, and rely on that as a mount for both camera and lens. Here's a link to photos of my rig:

    http://www.personal-view.com./talks/discussion/558/gh2-shoulder-mount-follow-focus-rig-gini-trusmt
  • I used to have a Nikon 50mm f/1.2 AI-s. Beautiful lens, with a charming subtle softness at 1.2 that carries the focal zone gently into the bokeh blur. Very sharp at 1.8. I'll buy another one soon. I got my last one for $350.

  • Found this in my feed box today. Zeiss ZF Planar 50mm f1.4 (reportedly untouched by any grading)

    not bad for $725

  • @Vitaliy_Kiselev Is the Pentax SMC 50mm 1.7 any good wide open? I have the FD 50 1.4 and always use it at 2.0 to avoid coma/softness. And how is the Olly 45 in manual focus? By-wire-plastic-fantastic or butter-smooth-nail-that-follow-focus?

  • I like my Rokkor 50mm F1.4s I have the PG and X lenses, also like my 50mm Ziess Jena 50mm F1.8..

    My Rokkors are cheap ebay buys (under $50) for the most part (have a few of them) and at F2.0 they are nicely sharp. 1.4 they are a bit soft but still usable, some times the softness really helps cover rough skin or other issues.. Softness can be a great thing depending on the situation.. Like older talent.. Hide the wrinkles a bit.. I have a decently large selection of lenses and use many often and my cheap 50mm Rokkors are one of those "go to" lenses.. Rokkor prmes in general are pretty decent.. I have a wide selection of Rokkor primes... Mainly because they are still cheap and deliver good results. People comment (positively) all the time on my photos and video, and they are usually on a Rokkor lens.

    Rokkors are not perfect but they are good for next to no $$

    Get a nice clean copy and I bet you'll like it.

  • Though not a '50' and not 1.x - i like the CV 40/2 - pancake sized and comes with a macro filter. Super sharp wide open ans great build quality.

  • Olly 45 is good in MF mode. In fact, the Olly 45 stays ON the camera, the 14 and 20mm stay in the bag, and all the other lenses including the Nikkors, Rollei, Leica, Minolta and even the JC Penney stay in the lens cabinet. Sorry guys, y'all are fuzzy wide open and stopped down you still lose by a hair. I may have to cave and get the new Olly telephoto if it can beat the Samyang. Every now and then I use the Vivitar 55, just because it looks so good for no apparent reason.

  • @shian , filmed with GH2 ?, what settings did you use ?

  • @DrDave Thanks for the info! How long is the focus throw? I'm pretty spoiled by my Voigtlaender 25.95 and FDs when it comes to manually tracking the brides eyelashes in my wedding videos ;) 45mm seems like a sweet spot for portrait framing on the GH2. 50 is too long indoors and 25 is intimidating on the client some times.

  • @feha not my video. Shooter says he shot smooth and -2 across the board.

  • It's strange that nobody cites the Yashica 50mm ML f1.4 and ML 1.7. Not to be confused with the mediocre MC version. Maybe you are victims of Lock-in :)

    They are the poor man Zeiss. Near the same quality of the zeiss counterpart. You can find them for $100 or less.

    With the 24mm and 28mm ML f2.8 they are one of the best hidden jewels out there.

    @tesselator used the 24mm for the pics of the lens he sells.

    http://www.personal-view.com/talks/discussion/comment/3463#Comment_3463

    img_7689.jpg
    475 x 475 - 63K
    index.jpg
    600 x 600 - 116K
  • @oscillian I put a piece of tape on the ring of the 45mm and then put the GH2 into MF mode where it displays the focus range. Rotating the lens through the entire range (as shown on the screen) is just over one full revolution, almost 1.2 times around. If you like long throw focus, then the Vivitar 55mm macro is a lens you should also consider, although the throw is more like a log scale. I have never had focusing issues with the 45mm; some of my old Nikkor glass (which is really contrasty) is so touchy if you bump the tripod the focus can move.

    Olly is marketing its new lens as the "portrait" lens, but the 45mm is a bit closer to portrait length. They should make a 60mm/1.2!

    @LongJohnSilver Yashica makes some great glass! There just is a kind of saturation of good choices at the 50mm end.

  • @DrDave Thanks a bunch! Will look into it.

  • 35mm lens is nice on GH2 for medium close up shot. To jump to close up shot, multiply by 1.7. That's 60mm. I'm not surprised that Olympus and Schneider are going after the focal length.

    Nokton 58mm 1.4 SL II "N" is pretty good for close up.

  • I would go for a 60mm m4/3. Of course, I have the 58mm Rokkor, with the the dreamy Bokeh........it is actually a good portrait lens, because it is a tad soft and dreamy. Too soft for landscapes.

  • Just got the Yashica ML 50 1.7. What can I say? My SSC 50 1.4 is up for sale ;) The Yashica has all I wanted: Sharp wide open, smooth bokeh, great colors and just enough contrast to be gradable. Breathing is almost absent and the coating is flare resistant. Focus throw is long and butter smooth. Only downer is that the aperture ring is harder to turn compared to the SSC. But I guess I'll leave it at 1.7 for most of the time :) oh, and is was cheaper than the FD!

  • I stumbled upon this lens on local ads: 1,2/55 Porst Color Reflex Auto (Pentax K mount) for 150eur (about 200$). Supposedly in condition: NEW

    I have found many contradicting opinions on the web (how unexpected). Does anyone have any first hand experience with this lens?

  • Debating between 50mm sigma 1.4, 50mm zeiss 1.4, and olympus 45mm 1.8. Night shooting is extremely important, and I'm also considering potential compatibility with speedbooster. Opinions?

  • Why don't you just get an old Nikkor 50mm 1.5 ai lens for an assload less?

  • My reference point is an article on dxomark comparing 50mm lenses on dx cameras.

    Nikkon 50mm 1.5?