I own one which had a drop from a significant height a year ago, causing some front lens elements to be misaligned. Thankfully the lens is easy to repair, and I was able to re-sit the front elements. Now it happily spends its days with me tag-teaming alongside my Chiyoko Super Rokkor 45mm f2.8 as my default lens for my Leica M5 and IIIf.
That’s awesome! I’m glad to hear that this lens is easy to service! And oooh I am so curious to try a Chiyoko super rokkor! It reminds me of Obi-Wan Kenobi’s lightsaber hilt haha
I got my version of this lens on a Thanksgiving Day, as the result of my sister's know-it-all belief system, a character flaw she holds to this day. In the late 1980s, I travelled to said sister's first hosting of Thanksgiving Day dinner. Not much of a cook to begin with, she and her husband had no experience with their newly acquired smoker-cooker(a patio fad back then), had never cooked a turkey before, and decided to pile one ignorance on top of the other (The Alfred E. Newman lifestyle). So around 3:30pm, a turkey large enough to feed a dozen soles was still bleeding at the joints. Frustrated with the obvious - no turkey that day - I hopped in my car and went off to explore Seattle, my old college stomping ground. In due course, I discovered a small camera/photo shop. That it was open seemed odd. I assumed the owner was just using the holiday to catch up, so I popped in and window shopped. Being a Canon RF collector at that time, I inquired. After a classic "disappearing into the back and returning", he presented me with this mint 50mm 1.4 for $175. That might seem a bit much for that day, but it had a mint, fully functional, Canon 7 attached to it. So, who needs raw turkey? And, I was thankful. It really is the best of the 8 or 10 50mm lenses Canon produced from the late 1940s into the mid-1960s.
This is a killer lens. Shot it a lot on my M240. Not too hard to service yourself either. Usually you just need the right spanner wrench and helicoid grease weight (go light. the threads already provide enough resistance). I would love to rehouse the lens block in something quicker to focus and with a tab for Leica M.
That's gotta be one of the most beautiful lenses I've ever seen man. Sheeeesh. Honestly, some of those film shots look like medium format shots - would've fooled me! Love the bokeh as well.
I just put this lens on my M4P a few weeks back. It is my go-to from now on. I tried Leica, Voigt, LLL,... but this little Canon takes me back. Such a great lens for most any daily need.
The Canon 50mm 1.8 is a nice ltm lens as well, the design was carried over to the Canon FL 50 1.8 slr lens. The slr version focuses closer, is quite a bit larger than the ltm but cheaper.
I love this lens. It lives full time on my BessaR and I’ve probably captured my best work with it. I’ll have to try it on my mirrorless for video now. Great video!
I think about buying this one every time I see it in the used bins And then I remember I love the Minolta counterpart even more and it’s so even easier to come by
At one point I had both this Lens and a Leica Summilux Pre-ASPH, its competitor. Although the Leica was better built, there was almost nothing between them image wise, apart from a colour difference. In the end, I kept the Canon and sold the Leica.
I had this lens and also a 50mm Lux. I love the dreamy but sharp look of the Canon but didn’t want to keep two 50mm lenses so I sold the Canon. This video almost makes me miss it but I do prefer the clinical sharpness of the 50mm Lux over the Canon.
I have more than fifty lenses, most of them manual vintage lenses, and I like and use them all though some more than others. It would be very hard for me to pick one as my favorite, but the auto-Takumar 55mm f2.2 does come to mind immediately. It has incredible resolving power and captures very subtle colors. I have several auto-Takumars and the uncoated lenses with, it seems to me, a lower inherent contrast produce great images. I'm just getting into Schneider Kreuznach and like the 38mm f2.8 Xenar adapted from a fixed lens camera. Recently. I acquired a set of three Retina SK lenses with the DKL mount, the 50mm f1.9 Xenon, the 35mm f2.8 Curtagon and the Tele-Xenar 135mm f4. I should receive DKL to e-mount adapters in the next couple of days and some DKL to a-mount adapters in a couple of weeks. I have great expectations for the 50 and the 35. The Xenar is SK's version of the Tessar, and I would have to add that I do like my 50mm f2.8 Tessars also from Jena and from Stuttgart.
I used it for fast street photography for years often wide open and focus worked great coming back to after a few years of using modern lenses, it took a bit to get back used to it.
Hi there. Been following you since the beginning and I must say yours is one of the channels I really look forward to. I picked one of these up a couple of years ago and I really love it got many of the same reasons you bring up. I do like the way it focuses and it handles so well on a CL-sized camera, and looks smashingly good to boot. One thing to mention is older versions were only marked in meters which is a little annoying when you’re guesstimating your distances for stealth shooting. But in the last year, my fave is a somewhat rare Tokyo Optical Simlar 50/1.5 I rescued from a box of photographica a buddy gave me.
Thanks for watching! That is a huge compliment! Oh yes, I did forget to mention that little detail. and I've never heard of that lens before! I'll have to do a deep dive!
@@ReimannPembroke There isn't a whole lot of info on it but if you're ever in NorCal, you can take it for a drive. Or anything else I have that may interest you. :-)
This lens has both kinds of bokeh combined - at longer distance focus point shot wide open, the lens has an overall smooth bokeh. With closer focus point taken wide open, it creates a circular bokeh around the center piece which I especially like with this lens. Built quality is okay but not as good as its Nikkor S.C. 50/1.4 LTM counterpart. Visible vignetting with the Canon 50/1.4 LTM wide open but looks nice.
Nice thoughtful review of a cracking lens, might just get one for my Bessa R even though i just paid up for voigtlander 50mm and a Jupiter lens. To go with my 35mm lens.. expensive hobby/lifestyle choice but so worth it🎉.
I’ve had this on my eBay saved search for a while. I have a Leica IIIF with a Summitar 5cm f/2 that I also use with my Canon VI-L. I need something a little newer with a bit more contrast. Think I might get one now.
Hello, there are 4 versions on that lens... 1.8, 1.4, 1.2 and 0.95. I do believe the 1.2 and the 0.95. I love the 1.2, great for street photography and portrait.
I actually bought one of these not too long ago but tried to convert it to ef mount instead of e/rf... I just purchased an rf adapter and hopefully it'll work now. Thanks!
Since EF mount has a much longer flange distance than LTM, how would you go about converting an LTM lens to an EF mount? I guess you have to rehouse it?
Thanks for watching! The focus throw is 180 degrees, so it’s longer than most modern rangefinder lenses, but most of the older LTM lenses from Canon and Nikon have a focus throw about this long
Hi thanks for watching! I actually don't have a lens hood, but you can surely find a cheap 48mm screw on lens hood on eBay or an online camera store! I think Canon also made clamp on hood for these lenses back in the day so if you want one of those, I'm sure they're out there. The canon hoods might be a little more expensive though.
I've had one of these for many years now. I had it CLA'd at some point because the focus was pretty stiff. It's felt mint ever since. Still one of my favorite lenses to use. It stays on my M2 even though I have Leica branded lenses as well.
Hello! I had this lens on a Canon P for a while now and I just bought a Leica M10. Using and Urth adaptor and the lens back focuses now :/. I presume it's because of the adaptor. But is there anything you know I could do? try a different adaptor? Cheers!
I would guess it’s because of the specific adapter. I sometimes adapt the lens to my Sony digital camera with a Fotodiox adapter. So maybe you could see if they make an LTM to M Mount adapter!
I’m in the same boat as you! For the things I shoot on film usually, a 35mm lens is the right choice 90% of the time! This is great when I want a tighter frame though!
Lol I thought I might ruffle some feathers! But no, I'm talking about how it compares to the Summilux in this video. I think this lens is better than Leica's first version of the Summilux. Especially when you consider price.
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What is your favorite lens that you have ever used? COMMENT BELOW⬇️
I own one which had a drop from a significant height a year ago, causing some front lens elements to be misaligned. Thankfully the lens is easy to repair, and I was able to re-sit the front elements. Now it happily spends its days with me tag-teaming alongside my Chiyoko Super Rokkor 45mm f2.8 as my default lens for my Leica M5 and IIIf.
That’s awesome! I’m glad to hear that this lens is easy to service! And oooh I am so curious to try a Chiyoko super rokkor! It reminds me of Obi-Wan Kenobi’s lightsaber hilt haha
I got my version of this lens on a Thanksgiving Day, as the result of my sister's know-it-all belief system, a character flaw she holds to this day. In the late 1980s, I travelled to said sister's first hosting of Thanksgiving Day dinner. Not much of a cook to begin with, she and her husband had no experience with their newly acquired smoker-cooker(a patio fad back then), had never cooked a turkey before, and decided to pile one ignorance on top of the other (The Alfred E. Newman lifestyle). So around 3:30pm, a turkey large enough to feed a dozen soles was still bleeding at the joints. Frustrated with the obvious - no turkey that day - I hopped in my car and went off to explore Seattle, my old college stomping ground. In due course, I discovered a small camera/photo shop. That it was open seemed odd. I assumed the owner was just using the holiday to catch up, so I popped in and window shopped. Being a Canon RF collector at that time, I inquired. After a classic "disappearing into the back and returning", he presented me with this mint 50mm 1.4 for $175. That might seem a bit much for that day, but it had a mint, fully functional, Canon 7 attached to it. So, who needs raw turkey? And, I was thankful. It really is the best of the 8 or 10 50mm lenses Canon produced from the late 1940s into the mid-1960s.
This is a killer lens. Shot it a lot on my M240. Not too hard to service yourself either. Usually you just need the right spanner wrench and helicoid grease weight (go light. the threads already provide enough resistance).
I would love to rehouse the lens block in something quicker to focus and with a tab for Leica M.
Thanks for watching! I’ve really enjoyed mine so far! Rehousing is an interesting idea🤔
That's gotta be one of the most beautiful lenses I've ever seen man. Sheeeesh. Honestly, some of those film shots look like medium format shots - would've fooled me! Love the bokeh as well.
Thanks for watching man!! I agree! When you shoot wide open, it has a very similar look to medium format!
I have one of these Canon 50mm f1.4 lenses and I regularly use it on my Canon R5 and even wide open it's amazing. Its so nice to use for video
I bet this lens and the R5 is an amazing combo!
I just put this lens on my M4P a few weeks back. It is my go-to from now on. I tried Leica, Voigt, LLL,... but this little Canon takes me back. Such a great lens for most any daily need.
Awesome to hear that! I bet it’s a joy on the M4-P
The Canon 50mm 1.8 is a nice ltm lens as well, the design was carried over to the Canon FL 50 1.8 slr lens. The slr version focuses closer, is quite a bit larger than the ltm but cheaper.
I’ve heard the 50mm f/1.8 is nice! I’m curious to try the older 50mm f/1.5 sonnar design lens too
@@ReimannPembroke I have both the 1.4 and the 1.8. I love both of them. I also love the Nikon 5.0cm f/1.4.
I love this lens. It lives full time on my BessaR and I’ve probably captured my best work with it. I’ll have to try it on my mirrorless for video now. Great video!
Oh awesome! That's great to hear :) It is surprisingly good for video! I really enjoy it
I think about buying this one every time I see it in the used bins
And then I remember I love the Minolta counterpart even more and it’s so even easier to come by
Oooh interesting! I’ll have to research that lens! Thanks for checking out my channel!
At one point I had both this Lens and a Leica Summilux Pre-ASPH, its competitor. Although the Leica was better built, there was almost nothing between them image wise, apart from a colour difference. In the end, I kept the Canon and sold the Leica.
When the difference is almost unnoticeable, save the money and keep the cheaper option! Thanks for watching!
I had this lens and also a 50mm Lux. I love the dreamy but sharp look of the Canon but didn’t want to keep two 50mm lenses so I sold the Canon. This video almost makes me miss it but I do prefer the clinical sharpness of the 50mm Lux over the Canon.
Very cool that you had both lenses! I’m sure this will be useful for people contemplating which lens to get
I have more than fifty lenses, most of them manual vintage lenses, and I like and use them all though some more than others. It would be very hard for me to pick one as my favorite, but the auto-Takumar 55mm f2.2 does come to mind immediately. It has incredible resolving power and captures very subtle colors. I have several auto-Takumars and the uncoated lenses with, it seems to me, a lower inherent contrast produce great images. I'm just getting into Schneider Kreuznach and like the 38mm f2.8 Xenar adapted from a fixed lens camera. Recently. I acquired a set of three Retina SK lenses with the DKL mount, the 50mm f1.9 Xenon, the 35mm f2.8 Curtagon and the Tele-Xenar 135mm f4. I should receive DKL to e-mount adapters in the next couple of days and some DKL to a-mount adapters in a couple of weeks. I have great expectations for the 50 and the 35. The Xenar is SK's version of the Tessar, and I would have to add that I do like my 50mm f2.8 Tessars also from Jena and from Stuttgart.
Thanks for the comment!! I really want to get into More of Pentax’s Super Takumar lenses!
wow this is really a great look that the lens gives your pictures. i didn't expect this. for 200 this is really a steal. 👌
Thanks for watching man!! Yeah this lens is hard to beat at it’s price
Great little lens. I discovered it on Flickr, because Mariam Sitchinava used it and then I went for the 50mm 1.2 version. Great channel!
Nice! I bet the 50 f/1.2 is so fun! Thanks for watching!
I used it for fast street photography for years often wide open and focus worked great coming back to after a few years of using modern lenses, it took a bit to get back used to it.
That’s awesome! Yeah I bet this lens is challenging to get back in the groove with
@@ReimannPembroke Just a bit, having to rewrite muscle memory.
Hi there. Been following you since the beginning and I must say yours is one of the channels I really look forward to. I picked one of these up a couple of years ago and I really love it got many of the same reasons you bring up. I do like the way it focuses and it handles so well on a CL-sized camera, and looks smashingly good to boot. One thing to mention is older versions were only marked in meters which is a little annoying when you’re guesstimating your distances for stealth shooting.
But in the last year, my fave is a somewhat rare Tokyo Optical Simlar 50/1.5 I rescued from a box of photographica a buddy gave me.
Thanks for watching! That is a huge compliment! Oh yes, I did forget to mention that little detail. and I've never heard of that lens before! I'll have to do a deep dive!
@@ReimannPembroke There isn't a whole lot of info on it but if you're ever in NorCal, you can take it for a drive. Or anything else I have that may interest you. :-)
@@gottanikoncamera sounds good! I’ll let you know!
Great video, lots of good info packed in. Thanks for sharing, this would be a great resource for those looking to buy
Thanks for watching! I thought it would be helpful for people looking for a great 50mm lens option
This lens has both kinds of bokeh combined - at longer distance focus point shot wide open, the lens has an overall smooth bokeh. With closer focus point taken wide open, it creates a circular bokeh around the center piece which I especially like with this lens. Built quality is okay but not as good as its Nikkor S.C. 50/1.4 LTM counterpart. Visible vignetting with the Canon 50/1.4 LTM wide open but looks nice.
Thanks for watching! I really want to try Nikons LTM lenses from that era and see how they compare!
You just cost me around 200$. (Thank you, I didn't know this lens at all)
Hey glad I could shed some light on a new lens for you (and sorry it cost you some money)😂
Nice thoughtful review of a cracking lens, might just get one for my Bessa R even though i just paid up for voigtlander 50mm and a Jupiter lens. To go with my 35mm lens.. expensive hobby/lifestyle choice but so worth it🎉.
Thanks Ian! I’ve heard the Voigtländer 50mm lenses are amazing!
Great video! I didn't know about this lens, but it's listed on my 'local ebay' so I came here to do some research. It looks great!
It’s a great lens if you need a fast 50!
@@ReimannPembroke I actually have too many fast vintage 50's already, but 1 more wouldn't hurt :)
@@ohjajohh haha I have that problem as well!
I’ve had this on my eBay saved search for a while. I have a Leica IIIF with a Summitar 5cm f/2 that I also use with my Canon VI-L. I need something a little newer with a bit more contrast. Think I might get one now.
I think you’d be pleased with this lens! It’s really a great performer!
feel great that you review this len. will be great if you can review 35mm f2 ltm, Nikon W-Nikkor 35mm f1.8, too thx
I'd love to review those lenses. Maybe one day I will get a chance to use them!
Hello, there are 4 versions on that lens... 1.8, 1.4, 1.2 and 0.95. I do believe the 1.2 and the 0.95. I love the 1.2, great for street photography and portrait.
I bet the 1.2 is great!!
will the ｆ1.2 and ｆ0.95 are too big and too heavy?
Great video and looks like a great lens, will try and get this for my sony...what's the adaptor you are using to fit the lens to the Sony A7C
It’s a great one! I’m using a fotodiox LTM to E Mount adapter
I actually bought one of these not too long ago but tried to convert it to ef mount instead of e/rf... I just purchased an rf adapter and hopefully it'll work now. Thanks!
I hope it works for you!!
Since EF mount has a much longer flange distance than LTM, how would you go about converting an LTM lens to an EF mount? I guess you have to rehouse it?
Great review! I wonder about the focus throw, do you have any approximation of the degree of focus throw?
Thanks for watching! The focus throw is 180 degrees, so it’s longer than most modern rangefinder lenses, but most of the older LTM lenses from Canon and Nikon have a focus throw about this long
Which lens profile do you use on a Leica M camera with this lens?
Awesome work! Does this mean you’re using this more now than your Jupiter 12?
Thank you! And no, I still shoot with the Jupiter 12 90% of the time because I like 35mm better for the types of things I shoot on film
Best lens for me ❤
Beautiful photos 😊
Thanks Bon!! I appreciate it!
Hi, nice review, may i know where you buy the lens hood?
Hi thanks for watching! I actually don't have a lens hood, but you can surely find a cheap 48mm screw on lens hood on eBay or an online camera store! I think Canon also made clamp on hood for these lenses back in the day so if you want one of those, I'm sure they're out there. The canon hoods might be a little more expensive though.
Good review! I have that lens and use it on a Canon P and an M9.
Thanks! I bet it’s great on the M9!
For my Canon P the 50mm f1.4 and the 35mm f2.8 are my favorites. Also if it is gear it isn't hoarding
Sounds like my setup! And thank you for the support😂
Hello! How do you think it compares to the Voigtlander 50mm f1.5 LTM ASPH?
Hi! I don’t have any experience with that lens so I can’t really compare them. I would love to give Voigtländer’s LTM offerings a try though!
Hi what adapter did. you use? I have this lens and a sony a7IV but can't seem to find an LTM adapter to sony for it
I think my adapter is a photodiox. I think B&H photo has them!
I've had one of these for many years now. I had it CLA'd at some point because the focus was pretty stiff. It's felt mint ever since. Still one of my favorite lenses to use. It stays on my M2 even though I have Leica branded lenses as well.
That’s awesome! I bet this lens on the M2 is a great experience!
Which digital body did you shoot your examples on, out of curiosity?
I shot the digital example photos and video footage with my Sony A7III
Hello!
I had this lens on a Canon P for a while now and I just bought a Leica M10. Using and Urth adaptor and the lens back focuses now :/. I presume it's because of the adaptor. But is there anything you know I could do? try a different adaptor? Cheers!
I would guess it’s because of the specific adapter. I sometimes adapt the lens to my Sony digital camera with a Fotodiox adapter. So maybe you could see if they make an LTM to M Mount adapter!
@@ReimannPembroke Thanks for the reply! I just bought a fotodiox adaptor and hopefully it's going to be the fix! Thanks!
My favorite lens in my kit
It’s so good! Nice to see you’ve got one too man!
Which adapter do you use for mounting it on your Sony?
I’m using a Photodiox pro adapter! Seems to work pretty well and it’s pretty low profile which I like
the only reason I don't own this lens is that I like 35mm better. But for a fifty, this is amazing.
I’m in the same boat as you! For the things I shoot on film usually, a 35mm lens is the right choice 90% of the time! This is great when I want a tighter frame though!
50/1.4 Canon FL is fantastic and much cheaper. To hell with coatings.
I’ve not heard much about this one! I’ll check it out!
Better than Summicron, ... are you kidding me?
Lol I thought I might ruffle some feathers! But no, I'm talking about how it compares to the Summilux in this video. I think this lens is better than Leica's first version of the Summilux. Especially when you consider price.
Canon in NOW WAY xan be compared to LEICA Summicron or Summilux.
I own both of these lenses. While the Canon is a great lens, it does not come close to the Leica.
Thanks for watching! I’d love to try the Leica lens for myself some day