Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2007/01/15
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Peter and Luis: Both the Nikkor and Canon are Sonnar derivatives. AFAIK, the f/1.5 versions are closer to the original Sonnar design. Especially the Canon. Some people think that the 50/1.5 Canon is a better Sonnar than the Sonnar, due to coatings and chrome/brass construction. The f/1.4 versions show the stamp of some new design considerations by the Japanese companies. The Canon is optimized for the traditional middle distance, middle aperture. It's higher contrast than the Nikkor. What's new is the optimizing for contrast of the details you can see, perhaps at the expense of the really fine stuff--what we came to know as the Japanese way, contra Leica. Now the Nikkor is higher resolution, and optimized for close-in and wide open. Optimized for photojournalism. The price you pay is that the corners are always a little unsharp. Again, contra Leica of that time, but in a different way. Those Who Supposedly Know Such Things say that the 50/1.4 Nikkor was the best 50/1.4 lens available until the second version Summilux surpassed it in the early 60s. See Dante Stellas article on the two companies' Sonnar derivatives for details. http://www.dantestella.com/technical/nikoleic.html There is also an old "Viewfinder" article on the Nikkor, which you can read on the LHSA DVD: "Legendary Leica Lenses, the 50mm f/1.4 Nikkor," by Dick Gelcreast. I have a paper copy, but it doesn't have any mention of the issue date. Several Luggers have used these lenses. I know Kyle Cassidy used to use a fast Canon 50, I believe the f/1.4, perhaps he can chime in. Bill Clough has posted many shots with the 50/1.4 Nikkor. I happily used a 50/1.4 Nikkor for years. I sold it a few years ago for about $350. The reason I sold it was that the VC 50/1.5 Nokton I acquired was much better wide open. Here are a few of my shots with the 50/1.4 Nikkor. The first 3 (B&W) are wide open or nearly so: http://users.2alpha.com/~pklein/currentpics/claire_surreal.htm http://users.2alpha.com/~pklein/currentpics/paula_harpo.htm http://users.2alpha.com/~pklein/temp/marianne.jpg http://users.2alpha.com/~pklein/oldpics/bluebeach.htm (probably the Nikkor, not 100% sure) --Peter At 07:39 PM 1/15/2007 -0800, Peter, SF, CA wrote: >Returning to the question, is the Nikon LTM also a >Sonnar derivative? Any reason to prefer the Canon or >the Nikon, scarcity factor aside?