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CV 50/1.5 Nokton on a G1 - opinions?

Jonas

Active member
I now have the wide end and "normal" area covered. A short tele is still on my list.

I have a Canon FD50/1.4. It is OK, surprisingly sharp I have to say, but a tad big, has a little plastic feel and the bokeh wide open is obstructive. I also have a CV75/2.5 Color Heliar. It is wonderful, but a bit long as I seldom use anything over 100mm.

So, is the CV50/1.5 a good option? I want something that is small, sharp already wide open and produces decent bokeh. Can this be it? I appreciate any input on the matter.

--
Jonas
 
R

Ranger 9

Guest
I use this combination a lot and think the results are outstanding. Full-aperture sharpness is excellent and I think the out-of-focus areas look good. It's not the smallest 50mm lens around, but it's smaller than your FD and handles well on the G1.

(If you want a really small, fast 50 with good optical performance, look around for a Canon 50/1.4 rangefinder lens in 39mm Leica thread mount. It's a touch down from the Nokton in sharpness and contrast, but still very presentable, and it's very compact.)

I've posted some G1/Nokton photos in other threads. I think these two were made with this combo, if I remember correctly:



 

m3photo

New member
Re: CV 50/1.5 Nokton on a G1

... Can this be it? ...
I bought this one first soon after getting the G1 and finding out about attaching rangefinder lenses on it, thinking there'd be a far greater variety on the market in screw-mount lenses than any other type I came upon "jinfinance" and bought his L39/m43 adapter for it. If you haven't yet puchased one, he's just offering his at a reduced price now (drat!); for $51.02 here: http://cgi.ebay.com/Leica-M39-lens-...30059QQcmdZViewItemQQ_trksidZp1742.m153.l1262
whereas this Polish site has it for only $40 (double drat!):http://cgi.ebay.com/Leica-M39-lens-...ryZ30059QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
Back to the lens, it's beautifully made and looks well suited to the camera (mine's the silver version), solid and weighty but just right IMO. Images from it are typically more contrasty as should be with a good film lens; the two attached images of a castle ramparts are taken with this lens and the kit lens at 90mm equivalent for comparison both at f8. Other images taken are the cat - wide open and stopped down to f/4 and a python (in the next post) taken wide open hand-held in incandescent light and through thick glass (I'm not that brave) with a detail of the head to give an idea of the quality.
 

Jonas

Active member
I use this combination a lot and think the results are outstanding. (...)
I've posted some G1/Nokton photos in other threads. I think these two were made with this combo, if I remember correctly:
Thank you Ranger. I did a second search and found a dance performance image in addition to the ones you showed here.
I appreciate the effort and now, after having seen your and m3photo's images and also having read Sean Reid's review, I think there isn't much more to think about.

Thanks again, /Jonas
 

Jonas

Active member
Re: CV 50/1.5 Nokton on a G1

I bought this one first soon after getting the G1
(...)
it are typically more contrasty as should be with a good film lens; the two attached images of a castle ramparts are taken with this lens and the kit lens at 90mm equivalent for comparison both at f8. Other images taken are the cat - wide open and stopped down to f/4 and a python (in the next post) taken wide open hand-held in incandescent light and through thick glass (I'm not that brave) with a detail of the head to give an idea of the quality.
Yes, I see the detail and rendering and think I will be happy with one of these Voigtländer lenses. The castle images... isn't there also a difference in exposure making for the different impression one gets of the contrast?

I have a Milich adapter that will add to weight and confidence in a proper way... ;)

Thank you for the work and nice demonstration! Regards, /Jonas
 

Amin

Active member
The Nokton is my current portrait lens for the G1/GH1, and I absolutely love it except for the fact that the G1/GH1 auto ISO only gives me 1/30s. Here's the Nokton wide open on GH1:



If you look at the 100% version, you can see that the Nokton does very well all the way to the bottom edge of the frame at f/1.5.
 

scho

Well-known member
The Nokton is my current portrait lens for the G1/GH1, and I absolutely love it except for the fact that the G1/GH1 auto ISO only gives me 1/30s. Here's the Nokton wide open on GH1:



If you look at the 100% version, you can see that the Nokton does very well all the way to the bottom edge of the frame at f/1.5.
Nice portrait Amin and good demonstration of the capabilities of the Nokton when used wide open. This lens and the 20mm 1.7 Panasonic are the only two fast lenses I have that perform well wide open. The 25 1.4 Pan/Leica lux that I used to have was also quite capable wide open.
 

Amin

Active member
Thanks Carl! The Pana 20/1.7 is even sharper, but the Nokton is plenty sharp for me. Just not easy to nail the focus, but that is true for any fast lens and manual focus camera.
 

helenhill

Senior Member
Did I hear nokton 1.5....:D / all Film M4.M6ttl

AMIN:FAB Shot of your Son , he's gotten to Quite the Young Man !
 
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Amin

Active member
Thanks Helen, he is growing up too fast!

Beautiful, memorable film images. The mood and lighting on the first are wonderful and there is a great sense of mystery in 1, 2, and 4.

Thanks for reminding me to shoot some more film :).

In the meanwhile, here's one more from Nokton 50/1.5 (wide open) and GH1, crossposted from another thread:

 

pellicle

New member
Jonas

I have a Canon FD50/1.4. It is OK, surprisingly sharp I have to say, but a tad big, has a little plastic feel and the bokeh wide open is obstructive.
I have the FD501.4 (as well as 1.8 and an OM 1.8) I'm wondering what you mean by the bokeh is 'obstructive'

I've found I like my OM 1.8 the most and have made the following observations


below are segments of the above

FD 1.4 @ 1.4



OM 1.8 @ 1.8



stopping the 1.4 down to 1.8 produced essentially identical results

you mention "wide open" in your post suggesting that faster aperture is more desirable but then consider a 2.5 heliar? If you don't mind having a slower lens, then stopping down should be an acceptable solution too ... no?

Its true that the exterior feel of the FD 1.4 is plastic but I don't thin this translates to anything in operation, and the threads internally are metal.

The only thing I have against my FD is that its FD mount makes using extension tubes (and adding or subtracting one) a bit of a pain so I tend towards the OM most of the time.
 
Hi

I own several 50mm from Olympus OM, Canon FD, Pentax, Leica and also a Nokton 50 mm, this is the worst of the lot, center sharpness is very good but corners and borders ( on a resolution test chart ) is awful even at f4. Your Canon 50 mm is a far better lens as far as resolution is concerned.

As a portrait lens it may work well, but in my opinion it is not worth the money, even second hand.

To be true I´ve only tested mine, may be it is a lemon and other samples are great

Hope this helps

Jose
 

Photomorgana

New member
I now have the wide end and "normal" area covered. A short tele is still on my list.

I have a Canon FD50/1.4. It is OK, surprisingly sharp I have to say, but a tad big, has a little plastic feel and the bokeh wide open is obstructive. I also have a CV75/2.5 Color Heliar. It is wonderful, but a bit long as I seldom use anything over 100mm.

So, is the CV50/1.5 a good option? I want something that is small, sharp already wide open and produces decent bokeh. Can this be it? I appreciate any input on the matter.

--
Jonas
Jonas,
Nokton is a good lens. Great center sharpness wide open, good corner sharpness when stopped down. Bokeh is not my favorite, but very very good, nothing funky is going on, u know what I mean. (bokeh is in the eyes of the beholder :)

I sold this lens simply because I got bored :) and because I have way too many other lenses, but not because it was bad. You will enjoy this lens, there is nothing better for the price/size. (maybe look into Oly-pen 40/1.4 it could cost even less, I don't have this one, but I have f1.2 version and like it a lot)

Noktor 50mm f1.5 sample below.



Take care.
 

Jonas

Active member
Hi all,

I started this thread back in April. It is a sort of game over situation... ;)

Still, I want to thank everybody for their added experiences and opinions. Fast 50mm lenses are interesting.

Cheers,

/Jonas

EDIT: Photomorgana, you show what the lens did in that situation. But... I think I would have focused and composed that image totally differently! Best, /Jonas
 

Photomorgana

New member
EDIT: Photomorgana, you show what the lens did in that situation. But... I think I would have focused and composed that image totally differently! Best, /Jonas

I know, you would have focused on the face :) I have that version as well :) I just picked this one to show near and far bokeh looked.

So what did you end up getting in 40-60mm range?
 

Jonas

Active member
I know, you would have focused on the face :) (...)
Oh yes, the face as well.

Not much happened with my 50mm ideas. I'm just still quite happy with my Zuiko OM50/2 Macro. But, sometimes it is too slow, and it is always a little too big.

I'm still, patiently, looking for a Kern Switar 50/1.4 Macro.
 

Photomorgana

New member
Not much happened with my 50mm ideas. I'm just still quite happy with my Zuiko OM50/2 Macro. But, sometimes it is too slow, and it is always a little too big.

I'm still, patiently, looking for a Kern Switar 50/1.4 Macro.
Switar 50mm - is overrated, get Cosmicship with Natistar, Vivek told me they are better. ;)
 
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