Originally posted by Digitalis I know, but does it really make it all that different to nitpick between these two lenses, they are both excellent considering their years. just pick one, go out and take pictures dammit!
I guess there are two questions, one for a true collector and one for a shooter.
If yoou want an 8 element lens, which arguably was the sharpest 50 ever, you need to know how to identify it, and the only reliable means is as I reiterated above, the location of the focus mark, and the convex protruding rear element.
Now, on the other hand if you are a collector, and trying to figure out how many worms are in blue's can, i.e. how many different 50's there are, then all these nitpicking details matter, it's just I am not a collector.
I doubt seriously I will ever get another 50mm lens, unless someone donates an F1.2. I already have a rikoh XR-Rikenon 50mmF2, an SMC-M 50mm F2, an SMC-K 50mmF1.4, the Super-takumar 50mmF1.4 Version 1, and an SMC-Macro-Takumar 50mmF4. what else except a 1.2 do I need?