Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2016/12/16

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Subject: [Leica] IMG: The Age-Old Question: Which 50mm?
From: jhnichols at lighttube.net (Jim Nichols)
Date: Fri, 16 Dec 2016 16:13:05 -0600

I have recently posted some images made with the post-war Russian 
Jupiter 8, a Zeiss copy, and have had some favorable comments.  I 
personally like its images, and it is a very small package. Today, I 
decided to compare it to other older 50s in my collection.  I have no 
modern prime lenses in my collection.

I set up a porcelain Wood Duck near a window, so that I could shoot as I 
normally do, hand-held at about 3 ft.  The light required ISO 1000.  I 
shot two images with each lens at f/2.8. The collection included the 
Jupiter 8, the Canon 50/1.4, the Leica Summitar, the Leica-R Summicron, 
and the Pentax Super-Multi-Coated Takumar 50/1.4.

I processed the RAF files sparingly, to let the original files prevail.  
Surprisingly, the Canon and the Summicron appeared the best.  After a 
little sharpening, I picked the Summicron-R as the winner, with the 
Canon a close second.

http://www.gallery.leica-users.org/v/OldNick/Leica+Summicron-R+50mm+2_0+Lens+at+2_8+Final.tif.html

http://www.gallery.leica-users.org/v/OldNick/Canon+50mm+1_4+Lens+at+2_8+Final.tif.html

Unfortunately, these are two of the largest, heaviest 50s in my 
collection, so I may not make them my normal choice.

Comments and critiques welcomed and appreciated.

-- 
Jim Nichols
Tullahoma, TN USA



Replies: Reply from lluisripollphotography at gmail.com (lluisripollphotography) ([Leica] IMG: The Age-Old Question: Which 50mm?)
Reply from photo at frozenlight.eu (Nathan Wajsman) ([Leica] [OM] IMG: The Age-Old Question: Which 50mm?)
Reply from tedgrant at shaw.ca (Ted Grant) ([Leica] IMG: The Age-Old Question: Which 50mm?)