Originally posted by pres589 Has anyone mentioned the M50 f4 Macro yet? The 3D effect and general pixie dust happening with that lens, from samples I've seen, seem quite impressive!
I'm pretty sure I mentioned it, if I didn't, I should have
That lens is a perfect example of why one should have multiple 50s. It's not going to be a low light lens, but when f4 and above are called upon, it's an unbeatable 50 that makes one look like a better photographer than one actually is...
So why I keep my 50s...
M 50 f4 Macro - macro capabilities (1:2), always has good sharpness and rendering from wide open, images are so pleasing with a 3D pop at times and I do think there's pixel dust sprinkled on that lens...
M 50 1.7 - the best all-arounder? f1.7 is plenty fast (just not as fast as f1.4...), colors and sharpness are great, some 3D pop and pixie dust is there...
Rikenon XR 50 1.4 - the weakest 50 I have, as it is pretty bad wide open with unpredictably nervous bokeh, yet from f2 on it all comes together and it gives a 3D effect that no other lens I've seen can reproduce. Mine is currently stuck at f1.4 with a stripped screw that doesn't come off, so it hasn't seen action and has been replaced by the...
Rikenon P 50 1.4 - this fixes all issues with the previous XR version - sharp from wide open if only ever slightly dreamy when pixel peeping but even that is fixable in PP. Stopped down it's a sharpness monster but the field curvature seems a bigger problem than any other 50 I've ever tried. Still, it's usually my go-to 50 now.
F 50 1.7 - I bought it to have an AF version of the 50 1.7 optical formula. Almost as good as the M 50 1.7 wide open, just a tiny tad softer. Great all arounder to do low light events and portraits in situations when I need to do things quickly such as with my kids, it gets its fair share of use that way. It gets used quite a lot in basketball season.
K 55 f2 - it's my least used "50" but I can't come to part with it. It's as good as any 50 I have at any comparable aperture except for the fact that it loses contrast quickly in bright scenes and in a way that is not that easily fixable in PP. I never got a proper hood for it and that needs to change, then I think I'll use it more
But for portraits I think it's unbeatable in my current setup - 55mm *is* the perfect portrait FL in APS-C.
And just because... the picture on flickr with most "likes" from each one, plus 3 I don't own anymore - Sears 50 1.7 and Sears 50 f2 (both rebadged Rikenons). I also had an M 50 f2 that is now trash (son dropped it, focus got completely stuck, elements are probably loose, not worth fixing).
M 50 f4 Macro
Rikenon P 50 1.4
F 50 1.7
K 55 f2
Rikenon XR 50 1.4
M 50 1.7
Auto Sears 50 f2
Auto Sears 50 1.7
Conclusion: all 50s are great