Thanks my friends, appreciate all your feedback and comments!
Ok, just a quick sum-up of how I *feel* about the lenses, of course, some of these lenses have travelled the world and seen much more than I have, the observations noted here could deviate subject to lens / glass condition & also, sample variation!
1. Nikkor SC 50mm f1.4 ltm
Definitely my fav!... yes, i'm biased. The "glow" wide open or what
Dante Stella refered to as
"veiling flare" / uncontrolled field curvature is something of a unique lens signature that is my kind of food, maybe poison to others, haha
Slightly OT, literature has recently appeared that claims beneficial comparisons between the Millennium Nikkor 50mm F1.4 and Leica's asph 50mm F1.4??? :sweat:
2. Canon 50mm f1.5 ltm
We know who's a big fan of this lens, don't we?
Optimum aperture is f/4. Min focus is 3.5 feet. Its no longer a well-kept secret!!!
3. Summarit 50mm f1.5 ltm
This is not a sonnar unlike the above lenses. I adore swirly bokeh, this lens is fabulous for that... some say its soft wide open, and often referred this lens as highly suited for portraits! Alas, I saw terrible flare in the lens, maybe that's why the square hood is so *bloody* expensive!
4. Zeiss ZM 50mm f1.5
A modern sonnar... nice but its not perfect. Expect focus shift and ugly bokeh balls. What you get in return is a modern "look" and the sought after zeiss "pop"!
5. Summilux 50mm f1.4
A good performer overall...