Nikkor 50mm f2 LTM vs Canon 50mm f1.4?

Hello everyone,

So far I only own a 35mm summaron and 50mm f2 summar for my leica and was hoping to upgrade the summar.

The 35mm is perfectly fine, although im not really happy with the summar - possibly the leica glow everyone seems to love :(

 

Id like the next lens to be 50mm, f2 or faster, LTM and sharp/high resolution pictures (Is this going against everything im meant to be learning as a photographer!) and found these two. budget is just under £200.

Any extra advice or suggestions are appreciated, but between these two, does anyone have any hands on experience and can offer insight on to which i should be going for? My body is M mount with an adaptor so the canon wont have any issue with blocking the finder like it does with LTM bodies.

 

Thanks

The Canon is quite soft wide-open. I have no knowledge about the Nikkor.

The Canon 50mm f/1.8 is sharp, and so are some very much cheaper LTM alternatives such as the Industar-61, if you can stand the shaming from the other Leica-fans.

Canon VL2 with Canon 50mm f/1.8

 

100% view L-Canon R-Industar

I've had excellent results with a late(black) Canon f1.4 50 LTM especially at f2 and below. It performs better than my Nikon f1.4 50. However for general shooting, I found I have better results with a very good condition version 1. Summicron f2 50. However the recommendation from JDMvW is right on the mark IF you get a good example. Should you be usinig a IIIc or IIIf, the Canon lens, being larger than the Summicron (or a Summar) will intrude a bit into the finder. I only use the Canon on a IIIg. Your question comes up from time to time and there are several detailed lens comparison tests on the internet.

REPLY

I have been looking out for these 1.8s too but it seems to be an absolute maze of different versions and types :D

 

REPLY

By the version 1 do you mean version 1 of the rigid, or the absolute first - the collapsible from 1953-1960? If you mean the former then id imagine it is out of my price range, and ill look into more of the collapsible ones.

Itll be used on an m4 with an adaptor but if i cant find a good example of something like this ill probably just save up a bit until christmas and get something around 600-700usd

I have been looking out for these 1.8s too but it seems to be an absolute maze of different versions and types.....

 

The Canon 50/1.8 used the same optics all through its production run. The barrel design did change.

You can get a nice looking 50/1.8 for $200.

I was referring to a Summicron collapsible. Wonderful lens.

The Canon 50/1.8 used the same optics all through its production run. The barrel design did change.

The Black Canon 50/1.8 was reformulated using newer glass. Unfortunately, the newer glass was more prone to haze and etching than the earlier chrome versions.

 

The 50/1.4 Canon is also prone to haze and etching. A clean one is quite good. The "hit rate" for a good one is probably 50/50.

 

Nikkor 5cm F2-

 

Marine Museum Nikkor 5cm F2

 

Canon 50/1.4 :

 

Canon 50 F1.4

I have a Canon 50/1.4 that I got along with a Canon P a few years ago.

 

I might not have looked closely for haze and etching, though.