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**iheiramo** · 05-28-2018, 01:02 PM - **7 Likes**

M120:

**onlineflyer** · 05-29-2018, 05:00 AM - **3 Likes**

Cross post from Macro by any means Club, M 35-70mm f2.8-3.5 + 12mm extension tube

**iheiramo** · 05-31-2018, 12:38 AM - **8 Likes**

I have finished my Single In May Challenge with M50/2 and it's time for my monthly wrap up, before I start my June challenge with M100/4. The month I've been waiting since I got the lens as Christmas present as I felt that summer would be the right time to put this macro lens thru the test.

This month has been a struggle and I'm glad to move on to the next lens. The main motivation problem has been that it's so easy to compare to other fifties and in that comparison this lens has no strong points. M50/1.4, 1.7 and 4 macro all have their strengths. M50/2 feels like the weaker version of 1.7 and loses in every aspect. 1.4 and 4 have a different nature and doesn't compare directly to 2. I understand the historical position of this lens being the cheap entry model, but at todays prices I can't find any reason to use it. Paid 30€ for this and 60€ for 1.7 and the latter is clearly better bang for the buck being among the greatest lenses in the line up and definitely the one to get, if looking for a cheap fifty.

I'm being very harsh on the lens. Despite my judgement I have to admit that you can take decent pictures with it, if you know it's limitation. This lens really blows highlights and also loses shadow information. Therefore you can bring out the best of it in low contrast situations. In higher contrat I decided that it's better to lose shadows and avoided top 1/4 of the histogram. Anything in that top quarter lost it's color. Underexposing was the only way to get blue sky. This is the main weakness of this lens and something I haven't experienced with any other lens. Other complaints are things that 1.7 just does better: Rendition, Bokeh, CA... Well everything. I can't point a single feature where 2 would be equal or better than 1.7. In optimal conditions you get close to same results, but usually you are left with inferior results.

This lens will definitely go on to the shelf and not be used. I hope that at some point I find motivation to shoot the other month with it in FF format.

This is probably the best I got out of this lens. Controlled light, all sharp at f8 and shot on the tripod. At best the lens is reasonably sharp:

This might be my favorit of the month:

May has been incredible in Finland this year. It will go into history as one of the best ever. In south coast it hasn't rained in four weeks and temperatures have been above normal. This has been the nice, warm and sunny summer we have missed in previous 3 years. The chance in the seasons has been massive, as I started the month on the spring snows of northern Finland:

I took this as a safety shot when I was getting sick, but I think it's the best flower shot of the month:

**DW58** · 05-31-2018, 05:33 PM - **5 Likes**

M 50mm f/4 Macro.

ChristianRock · 06-01-2018, 12:48 PM - **6 Likes**

I had been neglecting the M 50 1.7... it's so easy to take a f/1.4 lens with me instead. But I really should use it more often, it's lovely and sharp wide open:

And it's really good at f/2.8:

**iheiramo** · 06-01-2018, 12:56 PM

Originally posted by ChristianRock

I had been neglecting the M 50 1.7... it's so easy to take a f/1.4 lens with me instead. But I really should use it more often, it's lovely and sharp wide open:

It's hard to do justice to all lenses when you have several in same focal length. Nice shots. Especially the last one.

ChristianRock · 06-01-2018, 01:23 PM - **9 Likes**

Originally posted by iheiramo

It's hard to do justice to all lenses when you have several in same focal length. Nice shots. Especially the last one.

Thank you, you're one of the people whose work I look up to in here.

Here's the M 50 1.7 again with flowers, also f/2.8.

LensBeginner · 06-03-2018, 12:51 PM - **1 Like**

Today I found this green whip snake ensnared in the veggie garden's net... poor beast forgot his body is thicker than his head...

Little white brick + film-era 2x TC + M50/1.7

edom31 · 06-03-2018, 05:36 PM - **5 Likes**

My M 35mm 2.8 - got sticky apertures but still good wide open to 5.6

**brightseal** · 06-03-2018, 06:45 PM - **1 Like**

Originally posted by LensBeginner

green whip snake ensnared in the veggie garden's net

did you release it?

LensBeginner · 06-04-2018, 12:18 AM - **2 Likes**

Originally posted by donlass

did you release it?

It wasn't easy but yeah I managed

Jonathan Mac · 06-04-2018, 12:56 AM - **3 Likes**

I found these early test shots I took with the M 120mm f/2.8 in the centre of Madrid

IMGP1215a by Jonathan MacDonald, on Flickr

IMGP1220a by Jonathan MacDonald, on Flickr

Jonathan Mac · 06-05-2018, 12:17 AM - **3 Likes**

This is a stitched panorama of the village of Alquézar in Aragon, Spain. It's widely regarded as one of the most picturesque villages in Spain, something I can certainly agree with.

K3 and M 35mm f/2

Alquezar panorama 1a by Jonathan MacDonald, on Flickr

**iheiramo** · 06-06-2018, 03:46 AM - **3 Likes**

Some left overs from Single In Challenge with M100/4 macro. I try to save the album shots to wrap up in the end. It's been such a pleasure to use this lens.

Wide open:

F5.6:

F8:

**Canada_Rockies** · 06-06-2018, 07:59 AM

Originally posted by iheiramo

Some left overs from Single In Challenge with M100/4 macro. I try to save shots to wrap up in the end. It's been such a pleasure to use this lens.

I am so delighted to see the old girl get loving use again. Thanks for using her in the SIC.

06-03-2018, 12:51 PM - 1 Like	#6608
LensBeginner Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2014 Photos: Albums Posts: 4,696	Today I found this green whip snake ensnared in the veggie garden's net... poor beast forgot his body is thicker than his head... Little white brick + film-era 2x TC + M50/1.7 Last edited by LensBeginner; 06-03-2018 at 01:52 PM.

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05-28-2018, 01:02 PM - 7 Likes	#6601
iheiramo Unoriginal Poster Join Date: Nov 2016 Location: Espoo Photos: Albums Posts: 3,182	M120:

05-29-2018, 05:00 AM - 3 Likes	#6602
onlineflyer Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: NW Ohio Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 2,094	Cross post from Macro by any means Club, M 35-70mm f2.8-3.5 + 12mm extension tube

05-31-2018, 12:38 AM - 8 Likes	#6603
iheiramo Unoriginal Poster Join Date: Nov 2016 Location: Espoo Photos: Albums Posts: 3,182	I have finished my Single In May Challenge with M50/2 and it's time for my monthly wrap up, before I start my June challenge with M100/4. The month I've been waiting since I got the lens as Christmas present as I felt that summer would be the right time to put this macro lens thru the test. This month has been a struggle and I'm glad to move on to the next lens. The main motivation problem has been that it's so easy to compare to other fifties and in that comparison this lens has no strong points. M50/1.4, 1.7 and 4 macro all have their strengths. M50/2 feels like the weaker version of 1.7 and loses in every aspect. 1.4 and 4 have a different nature and doesn't compare directly to 2. I understand the historical position of this lens being the cheap entry model, but at todays prices I can't find any reason to use it. Paid 30€ for this and 60€ for 1.7 and the latter is clearly better bang for the buck being among the greatest lenses in the line up and definitely the one to get, if looking for a cheap fifty. I'm being very harsh on the lens. Despite my judgement I have to admit that you can take decent pictures with it, if you know it's limitation. This lens really blows highlights and also loses shadow information. Therefore you can bring out the best of it in low contrast situations. In higher contrat I decided that it's better to lose shadows and avoided top 1/4 of the histogram. Anything in that top quarter lost it's color. Underexposing was the only way to get blue sky. This is the main weakness of this lens and something I haven't experienced with any other lens. Other complaints are things that 1.7 just does better: Rendition, Bokeh, CA... Well everything. I can't point a single feature where 2 would be equal or better than 1.7. In optimal conditions you get close to same results, but usually you are left with inferior results. This lens will definitely go on to the shelf and not be used. I hope that at some point I find motivation to shoot the other month with it in FF format. This is probably the best I got out of this lens. Controlled light, all sharp at f8 and shot on the tripod. At best the lens is reasonably sharp: This might be my favorit of the month: May has been incredible in Finland this year. It will go into history as one of the best ever. In south coast it hasn't rained in four weeks and temperatures have been above normal. This has been the nice, warm and sunny summer we have missed in previous 3 years. The chance in the seasons has been massive, as I started the month on the spring snows of northern Finland: I took this as a safety shot when I was getting sick, but I think it's the best flower shot of the month:

05-31-2018, 05:33 PM - 5 Likes	#6604
DW58 Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Dec 2015 Location: Rural Oregon Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 7,083	M 50mm f/4 Macro.

06-01-2018, 12:48 PM - 6 Likes	#6605
ChristianRock Pentaxian Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: People's Republic of America Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 9,912	I had been neglecting the M 50 1.7... it's so easy to take a f/1.4 lens with me instead. But I really should use it more often, it's lovely and sharp wide open: And it's really good at f/2.8:

06-01-2018, 12:56 PM	#6606
iheiramo Unoriginal Poster Join Date: Nov 2016 Location: Espoo Photos: Albums Posts: 3,182	Originally posted by ChristianRock I had been neglecting the M 50 1.7... it's so easy to take a f/1.4 lens with me instead. But I really should use it more often, it's lovely and sharp wide open: It's hard to do justice to all lenses when you have several in same focal length. Nice shots. Especially the last one.

06-01-2018, 01:23 PM - 9 Likes	#6607
ChristianRock Pentaxian Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: People's Republic of America Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 9,912	Originally posted by iheiramo It's hard to do justice to all lenses when you have several in same focal length. Nice shots. Especially the last one. Thank you, you're one of the people whose work I look up to in here. Here's the M 50 1.7 again with flowers, also f/2.8.

06-03-2018, 06:45 PM - 1 Like	#6610
brightseal Site Supporter Join Date: Dec 2015 Photos: Albums Posts: 629	Originally posted by LensBeginner green whip snake ensnared in the veggie garden's net did you release it?

06-04-2018, 12:18 AM - 2 Likes	#6611
LensBeginner Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2014 Photos: Albums Posts: 4,696	Originally posted by donlass did you release it? It wasn't easy but yeah I managed

06-04-2018, 12:56 AM - 3 Likes	#6612
Jonathan Mac Pentaxian Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Madrid, Spain Posts: 10,911	I found these early test shots I took with the M 120mm f/2.8 in the centre of Madrid IMGP1215a by Jonathan MacDonald, on Flickr IMGP1220a by Jonathan MacDonald, on Flickr

06-05-2018, 12:17 AM - 3 Likes	#6613
Jonathan Mac Pentaxian Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Madrid, Spain Posts: 10,911	This is a stitched panorama of the village of Alquézar in Aragon, Spain. It's widely regarded as one of the most picturesque villages in Spain, something I can certainly agree with. K3 and M 35mm f/2 Alquezar panorama 1a by Jonathan MacDonald, on Flickr

06-06-2018, 03:46 AM - 3 Likes	#6614
iheiramo Unoriginal Poster Join Date: Nov 2016 Location: Espoo Photos: Albums Posts: 3,182	Some left overs from Single In Challenge with M100/4 macro. I try to save the album shots to wrap up in the end. It's been such a pleasure to use this lens. Wide open: F5.6: F8:

06-06-2018, 07:59 AM	#6615
Canada_Rockies Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Sparwood, BC, Canada Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 12,385	Originally posted by iheiramo Some left overs from Single In Challenge with M100/4 macro. I try to save shots to wrap up in the end. It's been such a pleasure to use this lens. I am so delighted to see the old girl get loving use again. Thanks for using her in the SIC.

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