better 50/1,2

[estudleon]

which is the sharp (assuming sharpness = resolution and contrast) pentax 50/1,2?

There are three types, aren't there?

I want to buy one and looking for the best one.

[Wheatfield]

http://www.takinami.com/yoshihiko/ph...ax_normal.html

[estudleon]

Originally Posted by Wheatfield

http://www.takinami.com/yoshihiko/ph...ax_normal.html

Thx, Wheatfield, very usefull.

It seems that I will have to live with the "A" fringes.

[Digitalis]

unless you're like me and find a really good K 50mm f/1.2...

[K-9]

3 types? There are more than that for Pentax K-mount:

Cosina 1.2 (58mm filter)
Cosina 1.2 (55mm filter)
Ricoh 1.2 (not sure which filter size this has)
Porst 1.2 (55mm filter)
Tomioka 1.2 (58mm filter)
Pentax 1.2
Pentax A 1.2

The most desirable and expensive has always been the Pentax-A. I also assume that this means it's the sharpest of all listed here.

[Digitalis]

Originally Posted by K-9

The most desirable and expensive has always been the Pentax-A. I also assume that this means it's the sharpest of all listed here.

no that's because it maintains metering functionality which is something that the Pentax K 50mm f/1.2 doesn't. but even this shortcoming can be bypassed to an extent.

both pentax 50mm f/1.2 lenses have similar optical construction, thought they have a different number of aperture blades eight Vs Nine which makes an almost trivial difference between the two. I prefer the construction quality of the Pentax K 50mm f/1.2....I don't like the build of a lot of the A series lenses, it's just a matter of personal preference.

[rparmar]

The smc Pentax 50mm f/1.2 works for me. A German test I saw had it beating all competitors, including Nikkor, Canon FD, Minolta MD Rokkor, Olympus Zuiko and Leitz Noctilux. Though the Nikon lens came closest.

A couple of shots.

daffodil



toy bear suicide

[fwcetus]

Originally Posted by Wheatfield

http://www.takinami.com/yoshihiko/ph...ax_normal.html

[or] SMC Pentax Resolution Test Results

[Duplo]

Originally Posted by rparmar

The smc Pentax 50mm f/1.2 works for me. A German test I saw had it beating all competitors, including Nikkor, Canon FD, Minolta MD Rokkor, Olympus Zuiko and Leitz Noctilux. Though the Nikon lens came closest.

Out of curiosity, whoch nikkor are you refering to the 50/1.2 AI, 50/1.2 AIS, 55/1.2 AI or the 58/1.2 noct?

There is something about those classic f1.2 50ies though, such a beautiful rendering from them and very different from the modern f1.4 and slower variants.

[rparmar]

Originally Posted by Duplo

Out of curiosity, whoch nikkor are you refering to the 50/1.2 AI, 50/1.2 AIS, 55/1.2 AI or the 58/1.2 noct?

I found the reference. Here is the full chart. Lower numbers are better.

LENS TESTED ----------------f/1.2 ----f/2.8 ------f/5.6 ----Average
Pentax SMC 50mm f/1.2 --------101 -------77 ---------50 --------228
Nikon Nikkor 50mm f/1.2 ------116 -------73 ---------49 --------238
Canon FD 55mm f/1.2 ----------117 -------82 ---------45 --------244
Minolta MD Rokkor 50mm f/1.2 -117 -------75 ---------54 --------246
Canon FD 55mm AL f/1.2 -------117 -------84 ---------51 --------252
Yashica ML 55mm f/1.2 --------124 -------90 ---------51 --------265
Olympus Zuiko 55mm f/1.2 -----125 -------90 ---------60 --------275
Nicon Noct-Nikkor 58mm f/1.2 -158 ------107 ---------52 --------317
Leitz Noctilux 50mm f/1.0 ----152 -------97 ---------67 --------316
Konica Hexar 57mm f/1.2 ------166 ------129 ---------58 --------353

Found in a Manual Focus Forum thread.

[Duplo]

Originally Posted by rparmar

I found the reference. Here is the full chart. Lower numbers are better.

LENS TESTED ----------------f/1.2 ----f/2.8 ------f/5.6 ----Average
Pentax SMC 50mm f/1.2 --------101 -------77 ---------50 --------228
Nikon Nikkor 50mm f/1.2 ------116 -------73 ---------49 --------238
Canon FD 55mm f/1.2 ----------117 -------82 ---------45 --------244
Minolta MD Rokkor 50mm f/1.2 -117 -------75 ---------54 --------246
Canon FD 55mm AL f/1.2 -------117 -------84 ---------51 --------252
Yashica ML 55mm f/1.2 --------124 -------90 ---------51 --------265
Olympus Zuiko 55mm f/1.2 -----125 -------90 ---------60 --------275
Nicon Noct-Nikkor 58mm f/1.2 -158 ------107 ---------52 --------317
Leitz Noctilux 50mm f/1.0 ----152 -------97 ---------67 --------316
Konica Hexar 57mm f/1.2 ------166 ------129 ---------58 --------353

Found in a Manual Focus Forum thread.

Strange results... the NoctNikkor is by a lot of people described as perhaps the most impressive 50ish mm lens ever made, a lens made and optimised for wide open performance... it is however also know for exhibiting extreme field curvature.
Bjørn Rørslett ha a very interesting comment on it here:
Normal Lenses For Nikon 'F' Mount
at the bottom of the page.

[Digitalis]

The noct nikkor is very good lens, though it isn't great when it is stopped down past f/4. The Lieca noctilux shares this characteristic...Canon did produce a 50mm f/1.0 fir their EF SLR cameras but optically is was nothing to write home about.

the Noct nikkor was designed for astrophotgraphy which is why It had an aspherical element to eliminate the effect of coma in the extrememe edges of the image field.

The noct nikkor has achieved cult status amongst nikon Photographers because it's the only mass produced f/1.2 lens nikkor ever made for the F mount. buying one these days is an expensive affair because they are quite rare, but from what I have heard even the pentax 50mm f/1.2 (both K and A variants) are considered rare. There are a few variants of the noct nikkor, but the optical properties of the lens remains more or less unchanged.

[Duplo]

Originally Posted by Digitalis

The noct nikkor is very good lens, though it isn't great when it is stopped down past f/4. The Lieca noctilux shares this characteristic...Canon did produce a 50mm f/1.0 fir their EF SLR cameras but optically is was nothing to write home about.

the Noct nikkor was designed for astrophotgraphy which is why It had an aspherical element to eliminate the effect of coma in the extrememe edges of the image field.

True, the noct, is supposed to reach its peak in the f1.4 to f2.8 range

Originally Posted by Digitalis

The noct nikkor has achieved cult status amongst nikon Photographers because it's the only mass produced f/1.2 lens nikkor ever made for the F mount. buying one these days is an expensive affair because they are quite rare, but from what I have heard even the pentax 50mm f/1.2 (both K and A variants) are considered rare. There are a few variants of the noct nikkor, but the optical properties of the lens remains more or less unchanged.

actually there is a few 50/1.2 nikkors produced.
the 50/1.2 AIS, which is still in production.
the 50/1.2 AI, which is not and the 55/1.2 pre AI which is out of production too.

The noct mainly received its cult status from being produced for wide open or near wide open performance only IIRC.

[rparmar]

Anyone who knows German might be able to make sense of this chart.

[GeneV]

Originally Posted by rparmar

Anyone who knows German might be able to make sense of this chart.

I speak German, but it takes a good deal of effort to figure out that chart. It appears that the lower number of points means the lens is better.