Showcase Canon 50mm f/1.4 LTM

[WoodWorks]

I've not been much of a 50mm shooter. The field of view has always just seemed a little too tight to me. But some of the recent posts here with photos shot with fast fifties by Jefenator and DeadBear77, among others, got me intrigued. So when this Canon LTM 50mm f/1.4 showed up on ebay with a "Make An Offer" listing, I made a low-ball bid, and to my surprise, it was accepted.

I've only had it for a week, a week of almost continuous rain here, so I'm just beginning to get to know it. But already I'm smitten.

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Mirror Ball.jpg by Holzwerk, on Flickr

Even wide open the center of the frame is sharp as a schoolmarm's tongue.

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Mirror Image.jpg by Holzwerk, on Flickr

Though the edges at f/1.4 are definitely soft, I think this has more to do with designed-in field curvature than any flaw in the lens.

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Winter Lavender 1.jpg by Holzwerk, on Flickr

And by f/5.6, it's sharp across the frame.

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Winter Lavender 2.jpg by Holzwerk, on Flickr

In low light, especially with a camera that can handle high ISO, it's a dream.

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Varsity.jpg by Holzwerk, on Flickr

My guess is that it will be stellar for indoor, environmental portraiture. And since it peaks wonderfully and has a great feel to the focus ring, manual focusing is child's play. Though the razor-thin depth-of-field at f/1.4 can be tricky.

But so far, I'm loving this lens, and I think I may be in danger of becoming a "normal" lens convert.

 

[Bimjo]

Great that you got a good one, and for a decent price. These lenses (especially those from Japan) seem to all have scratched front/rear elements and are priced way above their actual value IMO. So, good on ya!

 

[WoodWorks]

Yeah, there are some pretty nasty-looking ones for sale on ebay at prices that make me laugh out loud. But if mine has any scratches or other flaws on the optics, my aging eyes sure can't detect them. And the exterior cosmetics seem almost brand new to me. I don't know what the seller was thinking, but I feel like I got away with one.

 

[NickCyprus]

Fast fifties are the best! Nice shots too

 

[Bimjo]

Yeah, there are some pretty nasty-looking ones for sale on ebay at prices that make me laugh out loud. But if mine has any scratches or other flaws on the optics, my aging eyes sure can't detect them. And the exterior cosmetics seem almost brand new to me. I don't know what the seller was thinking, but I feel like I got away with one.

 

[davect01]

Congrats on the catch.

Images are looking good.

 

[serhan]

Good catch and good shots Enjoy it. I should use it mine also. Low contrast makes it easy to use for B&W and night shots. Here is a review on Leica/film:
http://aperturepriority.co.nz/2013/05/28/the-japanese-summilux-canon-50mm-f1-4-ltm/

My only posted shot is on e-p2 equiv of 100mm, not creamy like FF, but shows its character bokeh:

E-P2    ---    0mm    f/1.0    1/1600s    ISO 200

Amin also has some shots on Leica forum:
http://www.leicaplace.com/showthread.php?t=98&highlight=canon+50mm+1.4

 

[WoodWorks]

Good catch and good shots Enjoy it. I should use it mine also. Low contrast makes it easy to use for B&W and night shots. Here is a review on Leica/film:
http://aperturepriority.co.nz/2013/05/28/the-japanese-summilux-canon-50mm-f1-4-ltm/

Amin also has some shots on Leica forum:
http://www.leicaplace.com/showthread.php?t=98&highlight=canon+50mm+1.4

Yes, those were two write ups that set me off on the quest to find one of these. You gotta love the Intertubes.

 

[Jefenator]

Congrats on that - looks like a good score on a cool old fast lens that is compact!

I have a similar vintage Canon FL 55/1.2 which is optically amazing but huge and very heavy.

 

[WoodWorks]

I have a similar vintage Canon FL 55/1.2 which is optically amazing but huge and very heavy.

Yeah, I know. It's seeing what you've done with it that makes me go out and spend all my money!

 

[Ad Dieleman]

I like the third one especially, also because the sharpness is not in the center which makes the picture more interesting IMHO. Also, that sharpness is not half bad for a lens of half a century ago at f/1.4!

 

[WoodWorks]

Yes, it's one of the many things I like about shooting manual-focus lenses. Just frame, focus, and shoot. None of this focus-and-recompose nonsense, or laboriously moving the focal point to the correct spot. It's counterintuitive, but for the kind of shooting I like to do, it's much quicker most of the time. I even find myself manually focusing my auto-focus lenses.

 

[WoodWorks]

A couple more samples.

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Rails.jpg by Holzwerk, on Flickr

Including the obligatory "brick wall" test, Ashland style.

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Wooden Doors.jpg by Holzwerk, on Flickr

 

[WoodWorks]

Shot with the A7, wide open at f/1.4.

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Cyrus.jpg by Holzwerk, on Flickr

 

[bobbill]

Good old thread, keeper....now I must fight the "urge" to grab a ltm normal...Canon...

 

[WoodWorks]

After selling my original copy of this lens a couple of years ago to finance some other lens, I found a newer copy of one (serial number 112050, probably from the early '70s) on eBay for a Buy It Now price that I couldn’t resist. All of these shots except the Landscapes (which were shot at f/5.6) are shot at f/1.4.

ILCE-7RM2    ----    0mm    f/1.0    1/30s    ISO 100

ILCE-7RM2    ----    0mm    f/1.0    1/80s    ISO 100

Its bokeh isn't as creamy as my Sonnar lenses, but it's not really why I bought the lens, so I think it's okeh.

ILCE-7RM2    ----    0mm    f/1.0    1/40s    ISO 100

ILCE-7RM2    ----    0mm    f/1.0    1/160s    ISO 100

ILCE-7RM2    ----    0mm    f/1.0    1/160s    ISO 100

And if you stop it down a little, it does a good job on landscapes.

ILCE-7RM2    ----    0mm    f/1.0    1/30s    ISO 160

ILCE-7RM2    ----    0mm    f/1.0    1/50s    ISO 100

It's been a while since I've used a 50mm lens, and I look forward to getting reacquainted with the FOV.

 

[Ad Dieleman]

Its bokeh isn't as creamy as my Sonnar lenses, but it's not really why I bought the lens, so I think it's okeh.