Best 50mm Lens for a Bessa R2

[BryceEsquerre]

I am purchasing a Bessa R2 around Christmas time for myself. I will need a nice lens to go along with it. I've been looking at color skopars. I'm trying to keep it around 250 usd. What other options do I have? I would like it to be 2.8 and faster. Suggestions would be appreciated!


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[jmcd]

The lens you mention is excellent and tiny. Another option around that price would be an older screwmount Canon 50/1.8 with adapter.

[BryceEsquerre]

Someone has already told me to go the canon route. I'm kinda leaning towards the color skopar though. I can't find one available though. I guess I'll just have to wait and keep searching .


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[ntenny]

I've been very happy with the LTM Nikkor 50/2.

-NT

[AgentX]

If you want a classic lens, there are plenty of options, but you have a classic lens, for better or worse. (Image quality, coating, etc.) How vintage do you want to be? Lotta good stuff out there in thread mount pretty cheaply.

New color-skopar 2.5s are getting scarce and expensive. B&H seemed to be out of them at the rock-bottom $289 price, but other places (check ebay, etc) are $3-400ish (photovillage, plus there was an independent seller recently), and CameraQuest (not gray market, and apparently the only ones in the US despite claims to the contrary) is $599. I just picked up a B&H before they were out of stock. Hope it doesn't come with the focusing problems of my 21mm CV, because I got jerked around on that. B&H told me to go to the manufacturer who told me to go to their US distributor CameraQuest who told me my lens was gray-market despite what B&H said. Eventually I badgered B&H into a grudging exchange.

So you're going to need to define "best." Smallest? Best value? Widest aperture? Easiest to carry? Sharpest? Classic look? I went with the Skopar after determining my needs were for the most compact lens with the easiest handling (eliminating collapsibles like the 50 3.5 Heliar and Elmar-M 2.8). It was a tad heavier than I wanted despite its size, but I couldn't argue with the price, and I will wager that unless I get a bad sample, it'll be as sharp a lens as I'll ever personally need.

If you don't mind the relative size and weight (still tiny by SLR standards), you likely could not go wrong with a Summicron in good condition. Tough to find in your price range, however. But they'll hold re-sale value in the end.

[BryceEsquerre]

I'm really looking for something that focuses well, produces a sharp image, and doesn't break the bank. Image quality is my greatest concern however. The color skopar more than meets my quality requirement, but id like to see what else is out there. What do you guys think of the elmar? I know there is a 3.5 and a 2.8 . I think the summicron is a little too expensive for my taste.


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[BryceEsquerre]

http://www.ebay.com/itm/50MM-50-2-8-...#ht_2999wt_752

Why would it be that cheap?

It actually yields nice looking results. I think it will be a nice starter lens to give me time to save up and get a nice expensive lens ( I'm thinking a summicron). If anyone has any experience with this color skopar 50mm 2.8 please chime in.

[ntenny]

http://www.ebay.com/itm/50MM-50-2-8-...#ht_2999wt_752

Why would it be that cheap?

It's an SLR lens. I think the Bessamatic had a unique mount, so it's not easily usable with any other camera, and certainly out of the question for an RF.

-NT

[BryceEsquerre]

Ahh I understand now. I'm having difficulty finding any available cv 50mm 2.5 lenses.

[Leigh Youdale]

The CV 50/2.5 is no longer manufactured. The only ones available are either second hand (which doesn't often happen as people like them so much they hang onto them) or PhotoVillage in new York are still advertising new ones. I think I saw they had 4 or 5 left in stock and when they're gone, they're gone. There ain't no more! They only have them in silver. I bought their last black one some considerable time ago.