What's your favourite vintage 50mm lens of all time?

For me it's got to be the one I started with, the Pentax M 50mm 1.8.
 
If we can stretch slightly to 55mm, the Canon 55mm f/1.2 SSC ASPH. Excellent wide open, hardly any flare.
 
Nikon Nikkor-H 50mm F2 Auto.
 
It's difficult the choose.

Minolta Rokkor 55mm f1.7 MC because of the build, it's just about perfect IMO.
Olympys Zuiko 50mm f1.8 because it looks fantastic and is very compact but a bit clunky in use though.
Minolta Rokkor 50mmf1.2, funky at wide apertures with an unfriendly composition but stopped down a bit it's gorgeous. I often think that stopped down falloff is overlooked.
Nippon Kogaku 50mm f1.4 and f2. These are built just lovely but maybe a bit big.
Minolta Rokkor 50mm f1.4 and f1.7 MD because they're quire compact and just get on with it.
 
woof woof said:
It's difficult the choose.

Minolta Rokkor 55mm f1.7 MC because of the build, it's just about perfect IMO.
Olympys Zuiko 50mm f1.8 because it looks fantastic and is very compact but a bit clunky in use though.
Minolta Rokkor 50mmf1.2, funky at wide apertures with an unfriendly composition but stopped down a bit it's gorgeous. I often think that stopped down falloff is overlooked.
Nippon Kogaku 50mm f1.4 and f2. These are built just lovely but maybe a bit big.
Minolta Rokkor 50mm f1.4 and f1.7 MD because they're quire compact and just get on with it.
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So what would be your pick if the minoltas? If you had to choose?
 
Tom Pinchenzo said:
Anything manual focus, designed for analogue SLR.
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Technically that rules out most of my favourites, rangefinder lenses like the Leitz Elmar f/3.5, designed before a practical 35mm SLR even existed, or their surprisingly sharp Summitar f/2, first made in 1939 (though mine is later and coated), or the faster Summilux f/1.4, a 60s lens that Leica kept in the catalogue with only cosmetic changes and didn't better for over 40 years. My favourite SLR 50 is the Zeiss f/1.7 for Contax/Yashica (once the yardstick for resolution that UK magazine Camera Weekly used to compare every other lens with, and a noticeable step up from anything I'd used before). No complaints about the Nikon f/1.4 AF-D, either.
 
Nikon f1.4 50mm AI, but I admit that my knowledge/experience of other 50mms is very limited.
 
I have just started shooting with my Takumar Super Multi Coated 50mm F/1.4 and am frankly astounded at how much I like it. An easy lens to use, snaps into focus and on my EM1 MkII the wide open performance is superb. Sure, over time it might kill me but I'm willing to take the chance :sneaky: :D
 
To follow the original question - before you restricted it to lenses for SLRs, Zeiss Sonnar 50mm f1.5 on my Contax IIa.
 
Carl Zeiss Planar 50mm f1.4 T*. Sold it as I stopped using SLRs. Miss it.
 
Retune said:
Technically that rules out most of my favourites, rangefinder lenses like the Leitz Elmar f/3.5, designed before a practical 35mm SLR even existed, or their surprisingly sharp Summitar f/2, first made in 1939 (though mine is later and coated), or the faster Summilux f/1.4, a 60s lens that Leica kept in the catalogue with only cosmetic changes and didn't better for over 40 years. My favourite SLR 50 is the Zeiss f/1.7 for Contax/Yashica (once the yardstick for resolution that UK magazine Camera Weekly used to compare every other lens with, and a noticeable step up from anything I'd used before). No complaints about the Nikon f/1.4 AF-D, either.
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Ok, we'll include rangefinder lenses too :)
 
Minolta MD 50mm F1.4 but I don’t use this FL very often and it’s really only ever been up against the F1.8s from Olympus (Zuiko OM) and Canon FD.

Perhaps, though, I could also give an honourable mention to my Minolta 35-70 MD Mark 3 when used at 50mm??
 
Morris said: Sure, over time it might kill me but I'm willing to take the chance .

Yes, some of these old lenses have some radioactive material in their glass - including the 50mm Super Tak - but the chances of being harmed by it are very low indeed. The thorium is an alpha-emitter; alpha is very weak radiation, stopped by a single sheet of paper (or the corresponding mass of anything else). These lenses were designed for film, and film is very radiation-sensitive - and no-one worried about film fogged by a lens left on the camera. The yellowing of the radioactive elements can be 'cured' by exposing the lens to ultraviolet light.
 
Tom Pinchenzo said:
So what would be your pick if the minoltas? If you had to choose?
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OK.

The 55mm f1.7 because it's built like the Nippon Kogaku's but smaller and lighter and because it's a wide enough aperture. All this assumes that the size of the bokeh balls isn't a major concern and 1.4 let alone f1.2 isn't essential.

There's a nice review here...

phillipreeve.net

Review: Minolta MC Rokkor 1:1.7 55mm on Sony a7 - phillipreeve.net

The Minolta MC 55 1.7 is a small and affordable lens with good bokeh. In-depth review on the Sony Alpha 7 with many full resolution sample images.
phillipreeve.net phillipreeve.net
 
Hasselblad 50mm f4 CF FLE
Canon FD 50mm 1.2 L
 
Pentax SMC-F 50mm f1.7. maybe AF but is used mostly on a P50 (MF).

Do hanker after an SMC-A50/1,2 just for the hell of it.
 
I like Tessars. Most of mine are on fixed lens cameras - rangefinders and simple viewfinder cameras - but I do have a couple with an Exakta mount. These are unlikely to appeal to someone brought up on digital and the obsession with sharpness as these are not the sharpest lenses, particularly in the corners, but I rather like the edge effects they produce which can make objects stand out more than other lenses do.

I should probably include my Color-Skopars here as they are essentially the same as Tessars.
 
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Leica 50s: Summicron Rigid and Summilux ASPH

I’m fond of the 50mm Nikkor H as well. In medium format land I really like the Pentax 67 55mm SMC although the 105/2.4 would be the proper 50mm equiv there.
 
So it’s just occurred to me (don’t now why it didn’t before) that I’ve got three Pentax k-mount lenses: 28mm 2.8 SMC-A, 50mm 1.7 SMC-M and 75-150mm f/4 SMC-M. They pretty much cover the focal lengths I was looking for too!

has anyone had any experience with this combo? Any adapter recommendations? This looks like it wouldn’t do the job...https://www.kentfaith.co.uk/KF06.311_pentax-k-m-a-fa-da-lenses-to-fuji-x-mount-camera-adapter?gclid=CjwKCAjw6fCCBhBNEiwAem5SO-LC7oR5BawGhcxZXL_cOXz9O39w1SB1d68K0J7Ycc1RrTv_RULt0RoCSc4QAvD_BwE
 
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Tom Pinchenzo said:
Any adapter recommendations? This looks like it wouldn’t do the job...
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£26 seems a bit steep but I can't be sure. I'd just buy one off evil bay. I think the cheap ones I bought were between £10-£20 but they weren't Pentax to Fuji but I'm pretty sure you should get one less that £26.

I have three Novoflex adapters which at the time were £90-100 each but I also have some cheap adapters and they seem to do the jobs just as well so to be honest I can't really recommend the Novolflex ones.
 
Minolta MD rokkor 58mm f1.2 has to be it.
honourable mentions:
Canon FD 50mm f1.2
Minolta MD 50mm f1.2
Porst 50mm f1.2
 
Tom Pinchenzo said:
So it’s just occurred to me (don’t now why it didn’t before) that I’ve got three Pentax k-mount lenses: 28mm 2.8 SMC-A, 50mm 1.7 SMC-M and 75-150mm f/4 SMC-M. They pretty much cover the focal lengths I was looking for too!

has anyone had any experience with this combo? Any adapter recommendations? This looks like it wouldn’t do the job...https://www.kentfaith.co.uk/KF06.311_pentax-k-m-a-fa-da-lenses-to-fuji-x-mount-camera-adapter?gclid=CjwKCAjw6fCCBhBNEiwAem5SO-LC7oR5BawGhcxZXL_cOXz9O39w1SB1d68K0J7Ycc1RrTv_RULt0RoCSc4QAvD_BwE
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I got two M42 to M4/3 adapters direct from KF and find then to be of very good quality. I'm afraid I can't speak to the setup you are seeking though.
 
The most interesting 50mm (or thereabouts) I've used was the Rikenon 55mm f1.2 for M42. In order to get it into the throat of a Pentax screw mount and retain the automatic diaphragm, part of the rear element was cut away. This didn't seem to affect the image quality, which was rather better than I expected. It was sold under various other names as well. Here's mine on the Spotmatic...

Pentax Spotmatic with Rikenon f1-2 lens Nikon F 1996-20_23.jpg
 
Looks good Tom. You'll enjoy that.
 
Tom Pinchenzo said:
Really enjoying the 50mm 1.7 - never used old lenses on mirrorless bodies before but it’s good fun :p
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It is. Pentax is a good place to start as well. The one thing I might say is that if you are using that 70 - 150 lens of yours is you will have to watch out for the IBIS on your camera. You will get varying results dependent on whatever focal length you have set your camera too. The IBIS relies on knowing so that it can properly adjust for your focal length. You'll be right as ninepence with primes though.
 
Plain Nev said:
It is. Pentax is a good place to start as well. The one thing I might say is that if you are using that 70 - 150 lens of yours is you will have to watch out for the IBIS on your camera. You will get varying results dependent on whatever focal length you have set your camera too. The IBIS relies on knowing so that it can properly adjust for your focal length. You'll be right as ninepence with primes though.
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Ah, good advice! I didn’t know that.
 
Plain Nev said:
It is. Pentax is a good place to start as well. The one thing I might say is that if you are using that 70 - 150 lens of yours is you will have to watch out for the IBIS on your camera. You will get varying results dependent on whatever focal length you have set your camera too. The IBIS relies on knowing so that it can properly adjust for your focal length. You'll be right as ninepence with primes though.
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Does it seem a bit weird to you that there are only a handful of options for focal lengths and only two customisable slots. Luckily I’ve only got 3 manual primes and one of them (28mm) is one of the defaults.
 
You can change them Tom and enter whatever focal length you have. I've set them to 24 and 55, and if I'm using a zoom, zero. I don't think it really matters as it only provides the exif data for your photo. And using an XT3 I don't have IBIS either, so there is no problem there. You might even find that you might prefer to turn IBIS off altogether if you are using a tripod for your zoom. That would solve any issues.

(Just to clarify. Because I know I sound a bit contradictory. The focal length won't matter so much to me as I don't have IBIS. But it will be more important for you with your XH-1.)
 
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Some early images from the X-H1 with the adapted Pentax lenses - mostly 50 1.7 outside and 28 2.8 inside. I’m finding I only want to shoot with the vintage glass I’ve had lying around for years and not the shiny new Fuji af lenses...
E91D0D78-D3EB-474A-ABC7-E18C0039B967.jpegEAB1830F-7707-4971-AB78-4BD504BC3ECD.jpegAF7A670A-DBC8-4E04-AA8D-CB486B4E4016.jpegFAD099DD-1239-4897-AEF0-A093D5403FC3.jpeg7AD04F38-8D5F-4B87-B659-0ECDCA680A76.jpeg
 
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