Fast 50 shoot off

ziggy53

Below is a link to a 50mm lens test:

Pentax 50mm, f1.4 SMC
Canon EF 50mm, f1.8, "Nifty Fifty, Plastic Fantastic"
Canon EF 50mm, f1.4, "Faster Fifty"

http://ziggy53.smugmug.com/gallery/2897706#155882874

Notes:

The camera used was a Canon dRebel 350D/XT, aperture priority, ISO 100.

The Pentax lens is an older screwmount design, mounted via adapter, and the adapter has a focus confirmation chip attached. The focus confirmation was used for this lens. Aperture was adjusted manually. The focus confirmation chip always reports "55mm, f1.4" regardless of the lens mounted and regardless of lens settings, so the EXIF is not correct in that regard. The first of the Pentax series is not correct WB. I am not sure what happened.

I had to shoot several frames with the Canon 50mm, f1.4, in order to get accurate focus. I suspect it had something to do with the glass envelope of the subject, but I'm not sure.

I am truly impressed at the quality afforded by each of these lenses.

UP N MTNS

Very cool lens test....
I have to say I really like the first shot best using the Pentax f1.4

DaveK

Great help thanks for the comparison as I am looking at a 50mm purchase. I agree they all look good and any differences is minor.

ziggy53

UP N MTNS wrote:

Very cool lens test....
I have to say I really like the first shot best using the Pentax f1.4

I'm glad you think so, because that's the same conclusion I came to. The Canon EF 50mm, f1.4 is the overall winner because of its autofocus and autoexposure integration with the body, but the Pentax 50mm is just an awesome lens, with great color and contrast, and I think slightly better resolution at any aperture.

The real sleeper is the cheapy EF 50mm, f1.8. By f5.6 it is a sweet performer. Autofocus does not "snap to" as quickly as the f1.4, and yes, the aperture is not as refined as the other lenses, but this is a very good "value" lens.

ziggy53

DaveK wrote:

Great help thanks for the comparison as I am looking at a 50mm purchase. I agree they all look good and any differences is minor.

Yep, I took the EF 50mm, f1.8 on a Boy Scout outing last weekend, and it performed very well at dusk. The f1.4 is worth it for paying jobs, but the f1.8 is so inexpensive, I don't mind a little extra risk when I use it.

gtc

50mm/f1.4
thanks for the test-it confirms, to me anyway, that the pentax smc 50mm/f1.4 is one of my favourite lenses.

i dont shoot wide open with it that often-my preference is for f2.0,but when things are dark and gloomy the f1.4 is invaluable.

a retired pentax engineer has been quoted as saying that the pentax smc takumar ,if made today ,to the same standards and tolerences, would cost over $1000 to buy in todays money.

tobers

Very interesting - thanks. I stand by my 50mm 1.8 (plastic fantastic) as a top lens. It looks fairly indistinguishable from the 1.4 at those resolutions, and I've always been extremely impressed by the results it gives. £60 well spent

dogwood

Cool test. I find my nifty 50 (plastic f1.8 50mm) a little soft when used with a 1DMKII-- only noticable when zoomed in-- but definitely noticable compared to L-glass. But for the price of the nifty 50, I can't complain!