[Peter Zack]

I plan a test with this lens and the FA50 f1.4 and the FA50 f2.8 macro
I've just been so busy with work lately that I haven't had the time.

[Miserere]

Look forward to that test, Peter.

For my part, I have a test planned against a Pentax K 50mm f/1.2.

When my camera gets back from Pentax Repairs....

[Miserere]

Somebody wasn't happy with their copy of the lens, so there is one last chance for somebody to get themselves a mint Cosina 55mm f/1.2. It's listed in the marketplace.

[Class A]

I plan a test with this lens and the FA50 f1.4 and the FA50 f2.8 macro

That'll be very interesting to see. I'm looking forward to seeing your results.

[jgredline]

Hi folks. I took these images yesterday on my way home. I was using a K10D with ISO at 1600, the Cosina 55 F/1.2 wide open hooked onto my Pentax 1.7TC and thus making it semi auto focusing. It was not bad at all considering I shot these out the window of my truck. . I missed the exposer and the result was more noise so I went the black and white route. I am hesitant to post these because this is far from my best...Perhaps tomorrow I will go out and take some more with this same set up.

[thePiRaTE!!]

...I may end up with both variants some day, heh.


K.

I couldn't resist. While optically, the Porst (Cosina) appears to offer the oof rendering I seek (though I don't yet have it) - the Yashinon represented what was to me the most visually appealing of the alternate Tomioka stable. So now I have both... on the way, and will be sure to try to show some of their respective flavors. Here's a pic of the actual lenses from their sellers -









Note the extra 1.4 setting on the Yashinon... its funny it's 1.4, I doubt it would be as useful as say a 1.7. Sometimes shooting in daylight, stopping down to 1.7 actually helps. I thought the physical appearance was similar to the old Canon 0.95, though the actual bokeh performance of the Porst bears more than a passing resemblance.

Thanks to Nesster, I've got the optical cross section for the Yashinon. I don't suppose anyone here has one for the Porst? I seen neither hide nor hair of it in my search so far.

[georgweb]

Here's one from the Cosina at f/2.
Dull lights, but look at the background. I find this nice at f/2. Those palm trees in the back usually dont't look so smooth.

Kelly,
I did not find the Porst' lens scheme either, but sure it is a 6-in-6 design. I removed the aperture lever from mine- aperture was slow anyway and the lever incl. its ring can be just taken out and put back again, no harm - and now have a manual 'AV-mode' lens.
Guilty of having too many toys :-)
Georg (the other)

[Miserere]

Note the extra 1.4 setting on the Yashinon...

All the Tomioka M42 55mm f/1.2s had the "extra" 1.2 in red. I guess it was a way of saying "here it is!" that made it stand out from the other lenses that only went to 1.4. Maybe it was a way to reuse the barrels for the 55mm f/1.4 and all that needed to be added was an extra 1.2 an a notch in the aperture ring.

The K 50/1.2 has a notch between f/1.2 and f/2 and I think it's f/1.7 (it's not marked).

Oh, and having been following a few of these Tomioka lenses on eBay I've noticed that the M42 versions sell for significantly more than the K mount (newer) versions. Looks like shooters from other brands are interested in f/1.2 also, and it might be the only time when buying K mount is cheaper than M42!

[troyz]

so, i went out for this lens' first extended testing session yesterday. over all, i am still very positive about this beauty.

I have some observations/developing conclusions i was hoping i could get some feedback/corroboration on.

1) my lens (at least) appears to focus past infinity. when focused at the infinity stop distant objects are not sharp. if i focus bracket towards closer focus, one of those shots will be very much improved. this is based on multiple tests, one of which was on a tripod (2s self timer, cable release, on stone paving) with a scene 1 mile away (and same shot taken with and compared to pentax k-55mm f/1.8).

FWIW, my Cosina 55/1.2 has focus-past-infinity and a slightly out-of-round iris diaphragm (as shown in other samples in the Marketplace forum https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/sold-items/40638-sold-cosina-55mm-f-1-2-worldwide.html ).

[thePiRaTE!!]

...Kelly,
I did not find the Porst' lens scheme either, but sure it is a 6-in-6 design. I removed the aperture lever from mine- aperture was slow anyway and the lever incl. its ring can be just taken out and put back again, no harm - and now have a manual 'AV-mode' lens.
Guilty of having too many toys :-)
Georg (the other)

I wasn't sure until I received my copy what you meant about the aperture lever - I did the same as you - thanks for sharing the info. In fact, due in part to the fact that the lens copy I received was not the one pictured in the foto-hobby auction (the one I got was quite well used with dust inside) I did my first complete dismantle of a lens.

It was a seat of my pants operation that took fully 7 hours to complete, but I successfully cleaned the lens inside and out. In fact, I learned a lot of things, I'll comment further below.

All the Tomioka M42 55mm f/1.2s had the "extra" 1.2 in red. I guess it was a way of saying "here it is!"...

..Oh, and having been following a few of these Tomioka lenses on eBay I've noticed that the M42 versions sell for significantly more than the K mount (newer) versions. Looks like shooters from other brands are interested in f/1.2 also, and it might be the only time when buying K mount is cheaper than M42!

I thought that too, hehe. Like an amp that has volume 11 setting, lol. I opted on the Yashinon for two reasons, 1) I think its one of the better looking lenses out there 2) All metal. The rubber/leatherette rings all suffer an ugly death eventually. I got a bit lucky not to pay more than the rest of the bunch sell for lately - 315 and its in sweet condition.

FWIW, my Cosina 55/1.2 has focus-past-infinity and a slightly out-of-round iris diaphragm (as shown in other samples in the Marketplace forum https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/sold-items/40638-sold-cosina-55mm-f-1-2-worldwide.html ).

The Porst I've received is also a focus past-er. I did make a discovery I am quite proud of though in dismantling the Porst - its about a 15 minute job to adjust infinity, and on the Porst at least, its completely arbitrary. Two grub screws lock in the apeture scale ring (between the aperture ring and the focus ring). It stops the focus ring and where you lock it down is up ot you. So if you want, you can tweak 'til its spot on. I don't know how similar other lenses are in design, but if they are close, adjusting infinity is a pretty basic task.

I've been eyeing the grub screw placements on other lenses to see where else I might strike my new found confidence. Next I think will be the Super-Tak 50/1.4 for a spot removal.

Speaking of the Porst - a few shots from day 1 and 2 (all at 1.2):

Walking home the first night, I spotted some flowers in the freezing rain, lit by a shop window.


The next morning, in the daylight. These roses are at their end.


One to note the sharpness. I shot this handheld 1/15 at ISO200. Very respectable low light capabilties as many have noted with their 1.2s.


My first thoughts - the bokeh is everything I hoped it would be, and its a good thing because its just average without this super-power. I mean to say - its not terribly soft as is its default perception, its simply not bad and like many other lenses, after 2.8 its fine.

It has a gentle glow the wider you get and a fading of contrast. Even on the school shot, you can feel a haze to it, even though its respectably sharp (thats 1.2 btw). Was it you Miserere who mentioned it would make for good portraits? You'de be right. At 1.2 its like a semi soft-focus lens. If you use it for that, expecting thats what you're using it for, its a pretty great lens, but it wouldn't be a good general fast 50 for the average user. Most 50's are sharper, then again most 50s aren't 1.2. For me, its unique bokeh makes it a keeper.

I look forward to stacking up the Yashinon and see how these differing designs pan out in use.


K.

[Miserere]

Was it you Miserere who mentioned it would make for good portraits?

Yup, it was me. Your 55mm on APS-C will make for great glowy portraits wide open

Looking forward to seeing a head-to-head with the Yashinon, Kelly.

And thanks for sharing those pics. I like the roses in the morning very much.

[thePiRaTE!!]

Thanks Mis. While were talking portraits (and this might be a totally different topic emerging here, but the Porst is still involved) I felt I needed to add a caveat to my earlier assertion as to the capabilities of this lens in portraits.

Porst 55/1.2


Zeiss 85/1.4


I used the bottom of the table, the position of the phones cord relative to the left side of the frame and the angle of the phones surface to fill the frame as equally as possible with these two lenses.

One may note:

- depth of field given my balancing is roughly equal
- perspective clearly is not

This all started when I took a close crop portrait of a co-worker with the Porst. I loved the Dof using the Porst at 1.2 and was pleased but I couldn't do justice to the subject. I tried shooting something clearly dimensional to clarify for my brain what I thought I was seeing in the pictures - hence the phones.

Conclusion: For me, while the Porst is beyond capable of portrait style shooting, I've discovered 55mm doesn't produce what my minds eye is seeing for this style of shooting, of course ymmv.


EDIT: Another little tidbit of interest - I mentioned earlier I'd received a copy of the Porst not as pictured at auction. I've heard back from foto-hobby and they've agreed to my request to rectify, so in the end I'm pleased. I did also note that the lens pictured went from f1.2-f16, while the one I received appears older and with a lower serial number but goes from f1.2-f22. Not sure what else might have changed between these versions, but there you have it.

[rparmar]

OK, some f/1.2 shots.

Bejewelled





Jan's Guitar

[thePiRaTE!!]

OK, some f/1.2 shots.

Looks quite sharp actually, the in and out of focus areas seem to have a smooth transiition. I think I'll find upon receiving the Tamioka 55 that it will be fairly different to the Cosina (Porst). Transition is generally emphasized with the 'dreamy' effect on this guy.

Here's a couple more at 1.2 from the Color Reflex -



And again, note the radial oof. I personally love this trait:



The dof is so thin - anything around a perfect focus appears to lack sharpness, especially on brighter subjects where the diffusion is illuminated and obvious, see around the bright leaves in teh second image. But, its really not un-sharp, just, glowy.

[jgredline]

OK, some f/1.2 shots.

Bejewelled





Jan's Guitar

Amazing stuff!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!