Favorite wide open lenses.

unohuu

Member
Joined
Apr 10, 2004
Messages
480
Location
Minneapolis
Format
35mm
Minolta AF 85mm f/1.4
Minolta MC 85mm f/1.7
Minolta MC 50mm f/1.4 and 1.7
Minolta MD 135mm f/2.8
Tamron adaptall 135mm f/2.8 (manual focus)
Kiron for Minolta 28mm f/2.0

and the jury is still out on the Minolta 100mm f/2.5
 

Ara Ghajanian

Member
Joined
Aug 27, 2004
Messages
364
Location
Providence,
Format
Multi Format
Nikkor 50mm f1.4 (if you can get past the fall off in the corners)
Nikon 50mm f1.8 E series (some people don't like the bokeh, I personally do)
Nikkor 105mm f2.5

A lot of people are recommending the 180mm f2.8, can you tell me more about it, I may grab one soon.
Ara
 

MattCarey

Member
Joined
Nov 5, 2004
Messages
1,303
Format
Multi Format
mawz said:
Super Takumar 50mm f1.4
Nikon 100mm f2.8 Series E
Nikkor 55mm f3.5 Micro-P.C
Click to expand...

I'll second the 100mm Series E lens.

In the "cheap lens" bunch, add the 75-150 Series E zoom. However, I find the 100mm is the most useful.

The 80-200mm f2.8 by Nikon is excellent, but big and doesn't focus closer than 6'.

Matt
 

eric

Member
Joined
Sep 7, 2002
Messages
1,585
Location
Southern Cal
Format
Multi Format
unohuu said:
Minolta AF 85mm f/1.4
Minolta MC 85mm f/1.7
Minolta MC 50mm f/1.4 and 1.7
and the jury is still out on the Minolta 100mm f/2.5
Click to expand...

Yep:
MC 85 1.7
MC 50 1.4
and the lowly cheapo 50mm 1.7
I have the 100 3.5 QE lens, barely shot with it, so don't know yet
Also, my old Konica 135mm 3.2 lens
Ohhh, one more, my Hassy 80mm CF and the 150mm cf, okay, that's 2.
 

Colden

Member
Joined
Aug 13, 2005
Messages
61
Format
Multi Format
I've been using the Nikkor 50mm f/1.2 AI-s. I like it. Does anyone have both that and the f/1.4 version, and if so, how do they compare at both wide and stopped down aperture?
 

HerrBremerhaven

Member
Joined
Mar 23, 2006
Messages
858
Format
Multi Format
Colden said:
I've been using the Nikkor 50mm f/1.2 AI-s. I like it. Does anyone have both that and the f/1.4 version, and if so, how do they compare at both wide and stopped down aperture?
Click to expand...

I use to have the 50mm f1.2 AIS, along with the f1.4 AIS. Actually, I have gone through four of the f1.4 versions prior to finding a good version, so some quality control issues might affect results. What I found out was the the f1.2 was much softer in the corners, and had more light falloff towards the edges than the f1.4 version. I did try out another friends f1.2, so I make this judgement based on two clean f1.2 versions, and four f1.4 versions.

I did not feel the half stop made much difference, since the edges were worse. Almost like using a vignetter, or that it could have used a centre filter. The better f1.2 is the 55mm, while the best is the Noct Nikkor 58mm f1.2 (rare and expensive).

I sold my f1.2, but kept a good f1.4. A couple years ago I added an f2.0 long barrel AI 50mm, which performs better at f2.0 than the f1.4 can do. It really helps to have the proper lens hoods for all these, which is another factor to consider. Anyway, hopefully a few more people will chime in with experiences, so you get a good overview of these.

Ciao!

Gordon
 

Lee Shively

Member
Joined
Apr 4, 2004
Messages
1,324
Location
Louisiana, U
Format
Multi Format
Canon EF 70-200/2.8L and 400/5.6L. I haven't used either lens in over a year but they are sweet wide open.
 

Mongo

Member
Joined
Jan 17, 2004
Messages
960
Location
Pittsburgh,
Format
Multi Format
My two favorite Nikkor lenses wide-open are the 105/2.5 Ai-s and the 105/2.5 Pre-Ai (the silver nose version). The two lenses are very different optical formulas. The newer lens is sharper, but the older lens has (to my eye...this kind of stuff is all about opinions) much better bokeh and just the right amount of sharpness for portraits. I use both, but tend to gravitate toward the older lens more often.

(The older lenses are available for a song on eBay, and it takes about 15 minutes with a Dremel tool to convert one over to work with cameras that require Ai lenses.)
 
OP
OP

waynecrider

Subscriber
Joined
Feb 8, 2003
Messages
2,571
Location
Georgia
Format
35mm
What only 1 picture? Kidding.. Now I need to buy me a Nikon manual focus body so I can try out the Ai lenses since my N80 won't meter with them.

Also, would sure would love to add a Minolta body; maybe the X700.

Btw, isn't there a site around here about bokeh? I'll be testing my lenses and posting my results in two weeks.
 

edz

Member
Joined
Dec 4, 2002
Messages
685
Location
Munich, Germ
Format
Multi Format
My 1:0,95/25mm cine 16mm.. If I'm not going to shoot low light all the way open or 1 stop or so then I'd grab for another.. its there just for candlelighting
The same is almost true with my still Xenons.. If I'm going to need to stop down then I might want to grab instead for a Xenar.. Planars, Xenons and friends are faster than the Xenars, Tessars, Yashinons and their friends but not always my favorite stopped down.
In medium format if I compare a Rolleiflex 2,8 Xenotar or Planar to the 3,5 Xenar or 3,5 Yashinon when both are stopped down to f/8 then its a toss with just maybe the Yashinon winning by a hair..
 

erikg

Member
Joined
Feb 10, 2003
Messages
1,444
Location
pawtucket rh
Format
Multi Format
Zuiko 55mm 1.2
Jupiter 3 50mm 1.5 (LTM)

Whatever that lens is on the Lubitel TLR is very interesting wide open.
 

Roger Krueger

Member
Joined
Jan 20, 2004
Messages
146
Location
San Diego, C
Format
Med. Format RF
A couple of 6x9 Mamiya press lenses

Mamiya 100/2.8 (Planar clone)
Very sharp and yet very creamy feel.

Mamiya 50/6.3 (Biogon clone)
Good for night shooting--you can get that wide-open no-spikes-on-light-sources look and yet still have decent DOF because it's so slow.
 

Roger Hicks

Member
Joined
May 17, 2006
Messages
4,895
Location
Northern Aqu
Format
35mm RF
Duh -- I posted the 21 inch late last night, without realizing I was on a 35mm forum. It was late and I was tired...

With 35mm:

Dreamagon 90/4: www.dreamagon.com.

But I use it on digital (sorry) more than I do on film.

If I could afford it (I borrowed one from a friend for a year):

90/2.2 Thambar on Leica.

For portraits:

135/1.8 Porst/Soligor/generic (I've had the Soligor, sold it, then bought the Porst because I missed the Soligor).

And of course the 58/1.4 Nikkor I wish I'd never sold...

Cheers,

Roger (www.rogerandfrances.com)
 

Russ - SVP

Member
Joined
Mar 26, 2005
Messages
755
Location
Washington
Format
35mm
Nikon 105mm f/2.5

Kiron Kid
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Menu
Log in
Register
Cookies are required to use this site. You must accept them to continue using the site. Learn more…