58mm or 50mm Rokkor f/1.2

[randall_pukalo]

I would like to buy either a 50mm (MD) or 58mm (MC) f/1.2 Rokkor lens

for my dad's old camera for available light photography. Does anyone

have any advice on which is the better/sharper lens. Also, will the

58mm, being an MC series lens, work on an MD series camera? (XG-1). i

am concerned about the exposure meter - will it work with an MC lens?

Thanks

[guy_mansford]

I have no experience of the 50mm, but the 58mm is potentially wonderful. I have just shot some available light shots at a gig on it wide open at f1.2 and they were great. I bought one example which had severe yellow discolouration because of breakdown of the radioactive isotopes in the glass. This lens was extremely unsharp. The next example however is excellent and incredible value at ?80 for an f1.2 lens. As far as I know you won't have any trouble with MC lenses. I use an XD-7 and all the manual lenses are fine.<div></div>

[fmueller]

The only cameras that can make use of the MD feature are the XD-series and the X-700. They can use MC lenses also, but you can't take full advantage of the S-mode (XD-series) and P-mode (X-700). If you are usign an XG-1, it will make no difference to you whether the lens is MC or MD.

 

As to which of the two lenses is better, there is no clear answer. Both are very sharp, so there is no difference in this regard. The 58mm is obviously a bit longer, so it might be better suited for portraits, while the 50mm is slightly better for indoor group shots, but the difference between 58mm and 50mm is small. The 50mm is significantly rarer and usually more expensive, so if money is an issue that might sway you towards the 58mm - this is the reason I still don't have a 50mm 1.2.

 

Yellowing of glass elements occurs only in very early examples of the MC lens. Later versions don't have the radioactive impurities, which by the way pose no health risk. If you buy the version of the MC lens with rubber focusing ring, you are totally safe, but most of the earlier MC 58mm 1.2 with milled metal focusing ring don't have the problem either.

 

For more info see the detailed comparison of these two lenses in the Rokkorfiles:

 

http://www.rokkorfiles.com/50mm%20vs%2058mm.htm

[jason hopper]

I use both 58/1.2 MC Rokkor-X and 50/1.2 MD Rokkor-X. Just to add to Mr. Mueller, about the only difference between the 50 and 58 is heft; the 58 is a chunk. But for me in real low light (like in the photo), the 58 is "easier" because of its size. Otherwise, the 50 balances more like a "normal" lens. For either, try to use a hood.

[gary_watson]

MC 58/1.2s aren't all that abundant and usually don't come cheap relative to common Rokkors. You might look into the far cheaper and nearly as fast MC 58/1.4--a sweet lens. No shutter priority with any MC oldies, though.

[christian deichert]

"No shutter priority with any MC oldies, though."

 

Seems no one ever gets this right. Yes, an XD [-5/7/11/S] will function in shutter priority mode ("S") with an MC lens. Yes, an X-700 will function in program mode ("P") with an MC lens. Put an MC lens on one of these cameras and try it yourself if you don't believe me.

 

Neither MC lenses nor these cameras are designed to work with each other in these modes, so I'll grant that the results may not be optimal in all situations, but my XD-11 has exposed photos properly with my MC 58/1.2 in "S" mode.