Author Topic: Old Canon 50mm f0.95  (Read 9442 times)

Toby

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Old Canon 50mm f0.95
« on: October 16, 2019, 08:05:44 »
I've wondered about this "dream lens" for a long time, and finally, after making some extra money shooting a documentary around the Arctic Circle, decided to pull the trigger. Only had it a couple of days now, but it is certainly a unique lens with a very strange bokeh. It is surprisingly sharp in the center, and actually does exceptionally well correcting lateral CA, though there is a bit of longitudinal CA--no surprise there--but not bad at all. Vignetting wide open is quite low. Here are a few first test shots for "bokeh" quality--hope to do more comprehensive testing in other situations soon. As usual I have processed these adding a bit of microcontrast and some sharpening to bring out the texture of the bokeh, but these are not heavily processed. It ain't the new $8000 Noct, but it is a pretty impressive piece of glass that has a lot of character.

Erik Lund

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Re: Old Canon 50mm f0.95
« Reply #1 on: October 16, 2019, 08:09:01 »
Congratulations!Truly busy Bokeh - Wow  :D What camera are you using it on?
I was looking at this lens several times back when I was shooting Leica M
Erik Lund

Toby

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Re: Old Canon 50mm f0.95
« Reply #2 on: October 16, 2019, 08:15:20 »
Sorry forgot to mention--Sony A7RII. The flange distance is maddeningly short.

Erik Lund

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Re: Old Canon 50mm f0.95
« Reply #3 on: October 16, 2019, 08:51:41 »
Thank you! Enjoy  8)
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Birna Rørslett

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Re: Old Canon 50mm f0.95
« Reply #4 on: October 16, 2019, 09:47:40 »
I once had one of these 0.95 Canons and remember it was doubly soft, not only the images it delivered, but the front glass itself became easily scratched.

Impressive looks, though.

Nikfuson

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Re: Old Canon 50mm f0.95
« Reply #5 on: October 16, 2019, 09:49:36 »
Interesting rendering. Busy but with character as you say. As with a lot of older lenses with "temperament" one has to pay attention to the background. Treated the right way beautiful, characteristic images can be obtained.
Thanks for sharing this  :)

Akira

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Re: Old Canon 50mm f0.95
« Reply #6 on: October 16, 2019, 13:17:34 »
Truly intriguing images from the lens in the hands of the knower.

If I remember correctly, the rear element is partially cut for the cam to push the roller of the rangefinder.  But I don't see any affect of the cut-out.

Thank you for sharing!
"The eye is blind if the mind is absent." - Confucius

"Limitation is inspiration." - Akira

Erik Lund

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Re: Old Canon 50mm f0.95
« Reply #7 on: October 16, 2019, 13:25:20 »
The TV version did not have a cut out for the rangefinder roller
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Toby

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Re: Old Canon 50mm f0.95
« Reply #8 on: October 17, 2019, 08:13:25 »
The TV version did not have a cut out for the rangefinder roller

Thanks for that info! I do not see any effect of the cutout in terms of effects on out-of-focus circles, which I would have expected. Rotating the lens (which I can do in the mount that I have) shows no difference in circle of confusion shapes.

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Re: Old Canon 50mm f0.95
« Reply #9 on: October 17, 2019, 08:30:12 »
Interesting,,, For the Noct Nikkor the OOF,  out of focus highlights are completely reflecting the rear element, exactly at the surface of the glass, that is also why it is painted black and round along the edge, to hide the cut out for the stop down aperture leaver on the camera when shooting wide open.
Same for 50mm f/1.2 btw I adapted it for Leica M and as long as the tap for the roller is not hitting the glass, there is no effect on OOF highlights,,,

This obliviously is dependent on optical design, so my guess is that there is an obstruction somewhere that causes the OOF to behave differently, Leica M Noctilux also don't show this,,,
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Toby

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Re: Old Canon 50mm f0.95
« Reply #10 on: October 17, 2019, 08:31:31 »
I once had one of these 0.95 Canons and remember it was doubly soft, not only the images it delivered, but the front glass itself became easily scratched.

Impressive looks, though.

Actually in head-to-head comparison with my Nikkor 55mm f 1.2 it holds its own--as sharp or slightly sharper in the center wide open, holding the sharpness pretty well to the edge of frame (but not the corner, where it is abysmal). It does have slightly less contrast, but actually controls CA slightly better than the Nikkor. Also significantly less vignetting wide open than the Nikkor. Of course this is not really a fair comparison, given the difference in flange distance--the Nikkor with its flange distance of 46.5mm can't pretend to compete againsy a rangefinder lens with a flange distance of 28.8mm. I think the illusion of softness in this lens has to do with the unique "smeary" look of OOF structure. It is neither smooth as in modern lenses, nor sharply defined "nisen" (two lines in Japanese) bokeh, as exemplified by the Trioplan. BTW the Nikkor 55mm f1.2 has really lovely bokeh. Here is an example. Very different from that of the Canon 0.95.

Toby

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Re: Old Canon 50mm f0.95
« Reply #11 on: October 17, 2019, 08:34:33 »
Interesting,,, For the Noct Nikkor the OOF,  out of focus highlights are completely reflecting the rear element, exactly at the surface of the glass, that is also why it is painted black and round along the edge, to hide the cut out for the stop down aperture leaver on the camera when shooting wide open.
Same for 50mm f/1.2 btw I adapted it for Leica M and as long as the tap for the roller is not hitting the glass, there is no effect on OOF highlights,,,

This obliviously is dependent on optical design, so my guess is that there is an obstruction somewhere that causes the OOF to behave differently, Leica M Noctilux also don't show this,,,

The other fast lens with a rear element cutout is the famous Tomioka designed M42 55mm f1.2--branded Tominon, Chinon, Cosinon, Yashinon, etc. As far as I know, it also doesn't show any change in the OOF shapes.

Dr Klaus Schmitt

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Re: Old Canon 50mm f0.95
« Reply #12 on: October 19, 2019, 15:18:41 »
Congrats Toby, some nice results you got!!
formerly known as kds315

rosko

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Re: Old Canon 50mm f0.95
« Reply #13 on: October 19, 2019, 23:20:57 »
Amazing bokeh(s) !

I like particularly the third shot.

Thanks for sharing,

Francis.
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John Geerts

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Re: Old Canon 50mm f0.95
« Reply #14 on: October 20, 2019, 08:08:09 »
Actually in head-to-head comparison with my Nikkor 55mm f 1.2 it holds its own--as sharp or slightly sharper in the center wide open, holding the sharpness pretty well to the edge of frame (but not the corner, where it is abysmal). It does have slightly less contrast, but actually controls CA slightly better than the Nikkor. Also significantly less vignetting wide open than the Nikkor. Of course this is not really a fair comparison, given the difference in flange distance--the Nikkor with its flange distance of 46.5mm can't pretend to compete againsy a rangefinder lens with a flange distance of 28.8mm. I think the illusion of softness in this lens has to do with the unique "smeary" look of OOF structure. It is neither smooth as in modern lenses, nor sharply defined "nisen" (two lines in Japanese) bokeh, as exemplified by the Trioplan. BTW the Nikkor 55mm f1.2 has really lovely bokeh. Here is an example. Very different from that of the Canon 0.95.
Indeed, the bokeh of the 55/1.2 is lovely.

Very interesting series with the Canon 0.95