Bronica and Nikkor 50mm lens question

[George356]

I have 2 Bronicas, an S2A and an EC, both sharing the same lens mount.

With those cameras I have a pair of 50mm lenses:-

a Nikkor H 50mm f2.8
a Nikkor O 50mm f3.5

My question is, which of these 2 lenses is considered to be the better?

 

[Hassasin]

You have them backwards: H is 3.5, O is 2.8.

General consensus is 2.8 being newer and better. The follow up to O 2.8 was 2.8 OC with better coatings, but not likely to have much effect outside of color shooting, and that is debatable, as both still old news in coating technology anyway.

I have the OC, so can't really speak for the H, but it seems logical when people claim substantially more prone to flare in the H.

 

[neilt3]

If you have both lenses , you would be the one in the best position to tell us which is better !
One roll if film , same camera body , same targets , both shots alternating lenses .
Please show us your results .

 

[George356]

It's a test I intend to run, I just wondered if someone had beaten me to it/

 

[Hassasin]

It's a test I intend to run, I just wondered if someone had beaten me to it/

I'm pretty sure there is lots of photos on Flickr taken with all these lenses. Don't have time to look it up, but did own search before settling on the OC 2.8.

 

[George356]

You have them backwards: H is 3.5, O is 2.8.

General consensus is 2.8 being newer and better. The follow up to O 2.8 was 2.8 OC with better coatings, but not likely to have much effect outside of color shooting, and that is debatable, as both still old news in coating technology anyway.

I have the OC, so can't really speak for the H, but it seems logical when people claim substantially more prone to flare in the H.

Yes, of course you're right, I mixed them up , I even have them written down correctly in my lens book!!

 

[Hassasin]

It's a test I intend to run, I just wondered if someone had beaten me to it/

On second thought, wouldn't you be the best judge which is better for you?

In the end for me it's not just images, but handling, overall size etc that matter. Of course handling wise, both fit into same helical unit and they may not feel all that different. But still quite a different shape. Dedicated hoods for each are also quite different in size.

 

[George356]

Of course you are right, and a good copy of a poor lens is better than a poor copy of a good lens.

I don't have the dedicated hoods for these lenses so will have to improvise, probably with a Cokin square hood or similar, unless I can find dedicated hoods cheaply.

 

[Hassasin]

Of course you are right, and a good copy of a poor lens is better than a poor copy of a good lens.

I don't have the dedicated hoods for these lenses so will have to improvise, probably with a Cokin square hood or similar, unless I can find dedicated hoods cheaply.

The only way to get them cheaply, a relative term, is to set your search and wait. They go as low 20, but 40-50 is probably a good score. Not many are around, but they are high quality hoods, and feel like they ... belong ... on a good old lens.

 

[neilt3]

Of course you are right, and a good copy of a poor lens is better than a poor copy of a good lens.

I don't have the dedicated hoods for these lenses so will have to improvise, probably with a Cokin square hood or similar, unless I can find dedicated hoods cheaply.

If the filter thread doesn't rotate when focussed , I use these hoods for wide-angle lenses ; https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/192967916449

 

[ags2mikon]

The nikkor H 5cm or 50mm H is a scaled up nikkor 2.8cm 3.5 for the Nikon F. I have printed negatives from the 5cm Nikkor H at 16x20 and I was quite happy with the results. I also have the Nikkor O-C 50mm f2.8. It seems a little bit better than the H in the corners. At f8 they both are very crisp and have great color far better than the Komura 50mm. The Komura 50mm was a disappointment.

 

[George356]

If the filter thread doesn't rotate when focussed , I use these hoods for wide-angle lenses ; https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/192967916449

Thank you, good to know

 

[George356]

The nikkor H 5cm or 50mm H is a scaled up nikkor 2.8cm 3.5 for the Nikon F. I have printed negatives from the 5cm Nikkor H at 16x20 and I was quite happy with the results. I also have the Nikkor O-C 50mm f2.8. It seems a little bit better than the H in the corners. At f8 they both are very crisp and have great color far better than the Komura 50mm. The Komura 50mm was a disappointment.

Thanks for the input