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X-Pro1 Cheap lens with Great IQ & Bokeh.. and it's 30 years old.

I already own the Fuji 35 f/1.4 but sometimes I want a true manual focus lens and while the latest firmware update did wonders for manual focus, nothing beats a real manual focus lens. I picked up an MD ROKKOR-X 50mm f/1.4 at a local camera show for $15 two weeks ago. The lens is of all metal construction with little wear, no fungus or scratches... and boy does it love to be mounted on my X-Pro1.

This lens was first produced (I believe) in 1977 and 35 years later it is a great performer on the X-Pro1. It is very sharp and renders the out of focus foreground and background with no harshness and the bokeh (as it applies to specular highlights) is also great. It is additive and round.

Mine seems to produce just what I was looking for when shooting in B&W mode on the X-Pro1.

Below are two photos I took this evening while catching up on some television shows I had recorded. The area where my TV resides is quite dark, only one lamp and the light from the boob tube for this shot. ISO was 1600 f/1.4 @ 1/30s.

If you are looking for cheap manual focus lens I have three to recommend, well, actualy two. I have the ROKKOR 58mm f/1.2 which you will find on eBay anywhere from $400 to $700 depending on condition of the lens... but let's get to the cheap and good stuff:

MD ROKKOR-X 50mm f/1.4 on eBay from $15 to $60
MD W-ROKKOR 28mm F/2.8 on eBay for even less. I paid $10 for mine!


Here's a color and B&W sample from the 50mm. By the way, that's the 28mm in the photo next to the Fuji 18mm. Both the 50 and the 28 had the lens hoods on them when I bought them along with the original front and end caps.





Just and FYI for those you who still enjoy using a real manual focus lens every now and then, check out the ROKKORs, they are plentiful and quite cheap on the used market.. but the prices are rising because people are becoming aware of how well they work on MFT as well as cameras like the X-Pro1.

Oh, the adapter I use is from Rainbow Imaging.. it is one of the cheap ones and the fit of lens to adapter and adapter to the body of the x-Pro1 is as tight and perfect as anyone might wish. Here's a link to the adapter, if you are interested.. it is currently selling for $21. Fuji X-Pro1 lens adapter, Minolta MD MC lens to Fuji X-Pro1 Adapter
 
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I guess that the camera does not bring up any frame line in the optical viewfinder with these lenses? You use the Electronic Viewfinder?
thanks
Robert N
 

kit laughlin

Subscriber Member
Bloody getdpi... the system just ate a long post because I was not logged in... Grrr.

Precis: Jim, just bought a Rokkor 50/1.4; thanks for the heads up. Having difficulty with rainbowimaging; but I am sure they will sort soon. My question:

Apart from the 58/1.2, do you know of any other 55-70mm MF lenses that might be mounted on the X-E1? I was thinking of Oly, but they only have a 55/1.2, and then it's up to 85. Or, do you not like the aperture ring reversal, compared to Fuji X?

Interesting times!
 

kit laughlin

Subscriber Member
for the second time today, this site ate my post because I was not logged in... Note to self: make sure you are logged in before trying to post!!!

Anyhow, I wasted 45 minutes today trying to order from rainbowimaging: turns out time completely wasted because they do not ship outside the US. Strange business model in 2012, and their site does not say this—you have to find out the hard way. I thought I was helping them sort out a website problem...

I guess there will be adapters on ebay, but I always prefer to use sites recommended by other members.
 
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