You are not making it easy to ignore this lens... The bus shot is my fave...

[Gooshin]

thank you,

the bus shot is my fav too because as you can see even though i'm about 10-12 feet away from the guy in the leather coat, i still had enough DOF to really single him out.

(main reason why i keep wanting to try MF cameras)

[Miserere]

Nice shots, Gooshin. This baby was made for wide-open shooting

[thePiRaTE!!]

more wide open shots

this thing is very usable at 1.2!

only thing the specular highlights are somewhat odd, they are half circle/oval shaped, its weird...

Cool shots! I've been noticing this effect with all the Tomioka/Cosina/whoever 55 1.2 variants. It seems to be common among lenses with extreme apertures from shots I've collected. Its the 'cats-eye' effect it seems, named as I've read due to the shape of the highights. I'm not scientifically inclined enough in this regard to explain it, but the symptom is highlights clipped in proximity to the nearest edge of the barrel. If used carefully, its another way to get a swirl effect.

[hinman]

I have tested my copy of Cosina 55mm f/1.2. I am very happy with the lens. This is my 3rd fast 50mm lens after my Pentax FA 50mm f/1.4 and Pentax A 50mm f/1.7.

Is it oustanding? Yes

How is the bokeh? I really like the smooth bokeh and the excellent speed in f/1.2

How is the build? I would call it quite outstanding for the $200 price range.

Can it replace your FA 50 f/1.4 and my A 50 f/1.7? No!

I answer 'no' due to the absence of 'A' and autofocus. I discussed with Mis and Igillian and I explain the reasons and happiness that the lens doesn't have AF and 'A' setting; otherwise, it would be a serious blow to my love of FA 50 f/1.4 and A 50 f/1.7. It is my LBA excuses to keep three similar focal range in 50mm/55mm.

I only do some snapshot testing on the lens

Cosina 55mm f/1.2 Purchase

Cosina 55mm f/1.2 Test Shots

#1



#2
note the oval shaped in the bokeh ringed light


#3
f/1.2 in iso 400 in a very dark restaurant



#4
1/4 sec, f/1.2, hand-held in iso 400 with K20D



#5
breakfast in a Inn which is dim in the morning



#6
indoor is great



#7
outdoor is just as excellent as a normal lens


Cosina 55mm f/1.2 Purchase

Cosina 55mm f/1.2 Test Shots

The lens has served me well as the fastest lens in my gear. It has smooth and very good bokeh, color and great DOF with K10D/K20D. But i would not trade in my FA 50 f/1.4 or A 50 f/1.7 for reasons of missing AF and 'A' setting.

I also noted the oval shaped ringed lights in bokeh. My iris is oval shaped instead of circular. It does not bother me as I love my lens to be a bit different than others. I see imperfection as the greatest opportunity for a picture difference.

[thePiRaTE!!]

Some nice shots there Hin, thanks for sharing your shots and thoughts.

I've noted that the oval highlights are even more prevalent when the lens is wide open, and of course the aperture wouldn't be affecting it in this instance so I don't think its aperture shape. I have the Tomioka Yashinon variant, as well as the Cosina Porst and they both render the highlights the same way. In fact, I think they are the same lens, even though it has been discussed that Cosina made the Porst - I've pixel peeped and they are very, very similar.

In fact, I was originally told the Yashinon - due to its factory sliced rear element (to fit a pin for the camera it was designed for) - rendered oval highlights because of this, but the Porst has no sliced rear element, nor an ovular aperture yet produces the exact same highlight characteristics.

Between the samples shown in this thread, seen in my own work and in scrutinizing shots of similar highlighting by other extreme aperture lenses, I am leaning on oval highlights being a trait of extreme aperture lenses which render highlights in an animated way (that is to say, not totally subdued, like the T*85/1.4, for example). I'll continue to investigate though.

[CFWhitman]

more wide open shots

this thing is very usable at 1.2!

only thing the specular highlights are somewhat odd, they are half circle/oval shaped, its weird.

This effect looks very similar to the highlights of the Helios-40 85mm f/1.4 from the pictures I've seen.

[jgredline]

I brought mine in today. It gets dark now at about 4:15pm, so with this baby, I can keep shooting.

[Class A]

IThis is my 3rd fast 50mm lens after my Pentax FA 50mm f/1.4 and Pentax A 50mm f/1.7.

Why do you keep the f/1.7 in addition to the f/1.4?
Is there anything the f/1.4 cannot do?
I've read that the f/1.7 can be a bit sharper with low f-ratios, but is the difference really noticeable?

The FA f/1.4 seems to have all the advantages on its side (8 blades instead of 6, faster, AF). Do you sometimes intentionally want to use the MF with the f/1.7 or why keep both?

[hinman]

Why do you keep the f/1.7 in addition to the f/1.4?
Is there anything the f/1.4 cannot do?
I've read that the f/1.7 can be a bit sharper with low f-ratios, but is the difference really noticeable?

The FA f/1.4 seems to have all the advantages on its side (8 blades instead of 6, faster, AF). Do you sometimes intentionally want to use the MF with the f/1.7 or why keep both?

My Pentax A 50mm f/1.7 costs me 1/3 of the FA 50 f/1.4 and I use it over the FA 50mm f/1.4 for better close up when used with either my Cosina 1:1 matched macro adapter or my Kenko 2x macro teleplus converter. And recently, I get Pentax F-1.7x AF and I find I get a better 85mm out of the combination from A 50 f/1.7 with a 1.7x TC. And I get partial AF with the magical 1.7x TC. If I use the magical TC on my FA 50 f/1.4, it will diminish the AF to partial AF where the magical TC can kick in the AF mechanism only when the focal point is close in range.

I could have done with one Pentax FA 50 f/1.4. The IQ are very close but I find the A 50mm f/1.7 a bit sharper especially for close up. I will be lying if I can tell you all the major differences that I find. They are indeed very close in IQ. I like FA 50 f/1.4 most followed by my A 50mm f/1.7. And I like the smaller form factor for my A 50 f/1.7 and the MF is better in the f/1.7 as it is meant for MF. And better manual focusing is crucial in close up or macro work. The 'A' setting is critical for flash when I start macro shot with flash. The FA 50mm f/1.4 is already very good for close up but the A 50 f/1.7 can go up one notch higher with better focusing throw. And with the magical F-1.7x, I get a great combination for pFA 85mm f/2.8 in the TC combination -- I added 'p' for partial auto focus.

[Class A]

Thanks for sharing your experience.

Do you consider the f/1.7's bokeh a lot worse than the f/1.4's?

pFA 85mm f/2.8 in the TC combination -- I added 'p' for partial auto focus.

Always good to have the option of AF, isn't it?
That's why I asked whether the Nokton wouldn't be even better if it had AF (retaining good MF).

[thePiRaTE!!]

...
Always good to have the option of AF, isn't it?
That's why I asked whether the Nokton wouldn't be even better if it had AF (retaining good MF).

A digression in regards to manual/auto focus:

Unfortunately it doesn't work both ways with current technology. You either have a greased helical or a motor mechanism under your fingers because the motor can't pull the helical.

Short story: I had the great mispleasure of picking up my sisters K10 with a Tamron zoom of some sort on it. Of course, the first thing I did was try to manually focus it and was flabbergasted at the impossiblity of doing so. I was rocking back and forth over and over near the area of good focus and was not able to actually find it. Couple that with the plastic, half centimeter grip width and the loose play in the action and I realized why some people must think manual focusing is a waste of time. With this lens it quite literally was.

Now, mf on af lenses has been done much better on the FA limiteds for example but it still held no candle to the helical, especially in the Nokton.

Compare an airbrush to a paintbrush. If you're doing a whole house in an afternoon one is better than the other. If your doing the Mona Lisa, one is better than the other. One is only nice to have if its of personal preference. (Its also why I have a Nokton and can only commit to remote interest in the DA*55).

(side note: I would also contend that the notion of 8 blades being better than 6 is again a personal choice, not a statement of fact )

[Class A]

AUnfortunately it doesn't work both ways with current technology.

Yes, I know. And I appreciate that quality MF can be a perfectly reasonable priority for some people/applications.

My (tongue in cheek) comment referred to another thread where Roentarre responded with a remark about "image quality" when I suggested AF for the Nokton. I just don't think that you are not into IQ if you appreciate AF. I'm sure that Roentarre didn't mean it that way. I'm not as serious as I may sound.

(side note: I would also contend that the notion of 8 blades being better than 6 is again a personal choice, not a statement of fact )

I agree again. Definitely, nice bokeh doesn't exclusively depend on the number of blades.

I'm genuinely wondering whether the f/1.7's bokeh leaves something to be desired in order to justify having a f/1.4 in addition to it, considering everything else (AF, no need for 1.4 speed/DOF thinness) being equal.

[m8o]

LBA STRIKES AGAIN! Yet another fast 50; make 4 for me now -- 3 more than I really need -- and this time my 1st foray with a non-A or AF lens.

I saw this lens on eBay, came here to this forum to research, and quickly found this thread. All I needed to answer any price/reward questions I had! Thanx for all the contributions. eBay's BIN makes it too easy!

[Miserere]

LBA STRIKES AGAIN! Yet another fast 50; make 4 for me now -- 3 more than I really need -- and this time my 1st foray with a non-A or AF lens.

I saw this lens on eBay, came here to this forum to research, and quickly found this thread. All I needed to answer any price/reward questions I had! Thanx for all the contributions. eBay's BIN makes it too easy!

Welcome to the 1.2 Club

Did you use cashback? I hope so!