Sonnar 50/1.5 to replace Planar 50/2, is it such a crazy idea?

[edwardkaraa]

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I had both and finally opted for the planar. The sonnar is good for occasions when you have nothing interesting to shoot, so you can play with shallow depth of field and background blur effects to make photos more interesting, just like with a noctilux or a summilux. The effect gets boring quickly though. Nothing beats having an interesting subject with a sharp lens, that's why I decided for the planar.

[graphlex]

If you like the Sonnar rendering and don't mind using the EVF at apertures wider than f2.8, that solves the focus shift problem.  

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[SiggiGun]

Hi All

 

Both lenses are very different. My answer is Ou need booth of them

[hgkafa]

I had both and finally opted for the planar. The sonnar is good for occasions when you have nothing interesting to shoot, so you can play with shallow depth of field and background blur effects to make photos more interesting, just like with a noctilux or a summilux. The effect gets boring quickly though. Nothing beats having an interesting subject with a sharp lens, that's why I decided for the planar.

 

 

It's interesting that you compare the effect of the Sonnar with that of the Noctilux or the Summilux wide open. I have none of these lenses, but I do have the great Canon 50mm f1.2L, and I do use it in the way you mentioned in boring situations. I open up the aperture and let the 1.2 has the final word on the image, and I love that effect. It's the main reason why I still refuse to sell my Canon 6D.

 

I will be very interested if someone could comment on how different/similar the Sonnar will be to the 50 1.2L. I def wouldn't want to live with the focus shift if my canon will do the job just as well, and I am def keeping the Planar afterall. 

Edited January 20, 2016 by hgkafa

[jazzwave]

Nokton 50/1.1 , Canon 50/1.4 , Canon 50/1.8 (both are LTM)

[keithlaban.co.uk]

I use my 50 Sonnar on my M240 with EVF. Very happy with it for the kind of work I bought it for - large aperture differential focus - but wouldn't consider using it where more exacting standards are needed.