DPR Forum

Welcome to the Friendly Aisles!
DPRF is a photography forum with people from all over the world freely sharing their knowledge and love of photography. Everybody is welcome, from beginners to the experienced professional. Whether it is Medium Format, fullframe, APS-C, MFT or smaller formats. Digital or film. DPRF is a forum for everybody and for every format.
Enjoy this modern, easy to use software. Look also at our Reviews & Gallery!

Contax N 50mm f1.4

G

Guest

I know this is a really broad question, but I am looking for advice on the 50mm f1.4. I am new to Contax and have just purchased a NX and 24-85 zoom. I was wondering if I should purchase the 50mm 1.4. The f1.4 is what interests me, but I tend to shoot wider than the 50mm. Just looking for some others' experience with this lens.

Thanks,
Jon
 
I had this lens and will be getting it again. This mounted on an N makes a real lite package.
The speed is a real plus too.
 
Hi Marc,

how is the N50/1.4 with AF speed and noise? I read somewhere else that it would be slower and louder then the N24-85.

What did you like/dislike with it?



Dirk
 
The N50/1.4 AF was a tad slower then the N24-85 (if that is possible). The noise didn't bother me that much. I really didn't find it much noisier. It did make a different sound though.
Overall it is an outstanding lens.
These were taken with N50
http://www.fogel.net/cars/cars0001.htm
 
I have this lens and it is big and slow but well balanced on the nx and n1, I am hoping since contax was the last one to have changed mounts have had access to all the pitfalls & wisdom of others. I am also hoping that the bigger means something and not that they couldn't get it right. the results are good i have not done a compression against the manual format 1.4 yet. in general i was hoping for contax to match leica specs for what they charge but so far the N system has been sub par for me and I do have every single lens and all the bodies including the digital. lately i have been enjoying a leica r 80 mounted on canon 1d. what a great combo
 
the n50 1.4 is great, there is no doult that the quility is perfect, yet very lite too. I had the 24-85 and 70-300, yet I mount this lens on my camera most of the time despite 24-85 are a lot more handy! the price is also a plus too!

Ben
 
Mehrdad,

I do not think that you will find much difference between the N50/1.4 and the C/Y50/1.4, since it is the same design. Maybe the N50 will be better in the corners because of the bigger lens.

In the past I found the Zeiss SLR lenses with some exceptions always better then the R-lenses. And do not forget that you have to pay also with Leica lenses with exactly the same zooms (if they would produce them at all) a multiple of the Zeiss N-zoom-prices. Dirk
 
I am thinking about buying an N1 with 50/1.4. Been looking at an N1 in a store in town w/24-85. I need to know if the 50/1.4 (as well as the 85 and 100) has a usable depth of field scale as I use this feature alot for mutiple subject scenes (portraits and such). The 24-85 does not have a depth of field scale. Is this common of zooms (never really used them but am starting to feel the need for one on ocassion).

Thanks
Kevin
 
I have the 24-85 and just bought the 50/1.4. I wanted the additional speed of the lens, and wanted to see how a prime standard lens looked on the N system. I haven't run a full roll through yet, but I notice that the 50 focuses a bit slower, sometimes dramatically so. Also, the manual focusing ring on the lens barrel is much tighter than the 24-85. Has anyone else had this experience?

Chip
 
Yes, same feeling as you. The focusing ring of the 50 is much tighter and can be stop as both ends. Under low light condition, it is slower than the 24-85, but when under bright conditionm it is faster than the 24-85.
 
Back
Top