Leica Users: Rigid 50/2 Summicron or Nikkor 50/1.4 Sonnar?

[lens_hacker]

One other candidate to be considered in the LTM Sonnar line-up is the Canon 50mm F1.5 in LTM.

The out-of-focus areas are smoother than the Nikkor. Maybe not quite as sharp, this one is shimmed for best use at F1.5. This shot is ~F2. It is smaller than the Nikkor.

 

[lens_hacker]

And this is with the 1950 "5005" series Nikkor 5cm F1.4 using an S-Mount adapter on the Bessa R2. The optics are a little different from those that followed, the change occurred early on.

After looking at a couple of rolls with it, The OOF strike me as being a bit smoother than the later 5cm f1.4 Sonnar formula Nikkors.

 

[davela]

My experience with all Nikon lenses has been very good, rangefinder or SLR, but I've never seen as fifty as sharp as my Collapsible Summicron. Maybe I'm just imagining that, but it impresses the hell out of me.

 

[lens_hacker]

You're not imagining it- the Collapsible Summicron is one of the all-time best lenses. The lower-contrast preserves shadow-detail and prevents highlights from getting blown-out.