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50mm with proper Focus Direction? (Contax, Takumar, Yashika?)

Phillip Hudson

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I'm looking for a fast 50mm with iris control on the lens that focuses in the proper direction to complete my set below. Contax, Takumar, Yashika, others?

Set I have now:

Tokina 11-16mm 2.8
Rokinon 24mm 1.4
Rokinon 35mm 1.4
50mm ???
Rokinon 85mm 1.4

Here are some that I've found, but I don't know if they focus in the correct direction:

Carl Zeiss Contax 50mm 1.4
Pentax Super Takumar 50mm 1.4
Pentax SMC Takumar 50mm 1.4
Yashica ML 50mm 1.4

If you can clarify which direction these focus, or suggest other fast 50mm lenses that I should consider, I'd appreciate it. Thanks. This is for my Scarlet with Canon mount.
 
Nikon focuses in the wrong direction. I don't know about Contax, hence the question. Thanks though.


You should talk to the Duclos company... They do wonders from what I hear, not cheap but I believe they probably know more about lenses than most.
 
Contax is cine direction. But if most of your lenses are Rokinon, why not get the 50mm as well and have a closer look and less lens adapters.
 
You should talk to the Duclos company... They do wonders from what I hear, not cheap but I believe they probably know more about lenses than most.

Thanks. I'm already in contact with Matt over at Duclos. Once I find a good 50mm that focuses in the correct direction, I'll send all my lenses over for cinemod. Hoping the Red community could help by clarifying which fast 50mm lenses focus in the correct direction.
 
Contax is cine direction. But if most of your lenses are Rokinon, why not get the 50mm as well and have a closer look and less lens adapters.

Thanks, David. I was hoping the Contax focused in the cine direction. That's a nice looking lens. Unfortunately, Rokinon doesn't make a 50mm lens yet. As soon as they do, you can bet I'll be getting it.
 
Contax Zeiss should focus in the correct direction. My Zeiss Hasselblad lenses certainly do.

All Contax Zeiss lenses focus THE RIGHT WAY. I can confirm that, as I own almost all of them. In regards, the 50's, I own TWO 50 1.4's and ONE 50 1.7, and I can absolutely confirm they focus the right way. Good luck!
 
Thanks, David. I was hoping the Contax focused in the cine direction. That's a nice looking lens. Unfortunately, Rokinon doesn't make a 50mm lens yet. As soon as they do, you can bet I'll be getting it.

It's hard to beat the contax for smooth long focus throws. I'm switching to Nikon since I'm in love with the 14-24 for underwater and we are making some custom u/w optics for it, AND since I got a nice set of Nikon 2.8 zooms in a trade with Steve Gibby.

I'm selling my C/Y lenses and have a a 50 1.4. 35 2.8 and 300 f4 Still available (I had 2 50s since it got duped when I bought a camera with lens package, but sold it - the 50s move pretty fast)

Send me an email if interested.
 
It's hard to beat the contax for smooth long focus throws. I'm switching to Nikon since I'm in love with the 14-24 for underwater and we are making some custom u/w optics for it, AND since I got a nice set of Nikon 2.8 zooms in a trade with Steve Gibby.

I'm selling my C/Y lenses and have a a 50 1.4. 35 2.8 and 300 f4 Still available (I had 2 50s since it got duped when I bought a camera with lens package, but sold it - the 50s move pretty fast)

Send me an email if interested.

Will do.
 
Phillip-

I have been looking pretty hard at the Rokinon / Bower / Samyang 35mm and 85mm for cheap primes to balance out my cheap canon 50mm 1.4. It is silly Rokinon / Bower / Samyang don't yet make a 50mm. I would LOVE to hear your impressions on the 35 and 85! Mechanics? Images?



This is the set I am probably going to have till I can get either a zeiss set or RPP's. For now I can get by with a cheap set of primes and rent great glass when I need it.
 
Have the Pentax Takumar 50mm 1.4 in m42 mount smc.. I put a canon eos adapter on mine.. LOVE it.. worth getting reversing gear.. or, if your AC is willing, just tellt them which way to turn dial... I really expect to get roasted for this, but if you are marking a focus dial with marks, you know which one is first, second, etc... perhaps I am just ambidextrous enough (or pull focus infrequently enough) to not feel a difference for myself in direction.. of more importance to me is how many degrees of turn full near focus to infinity covers.... I like more degrees onthe scale, of cours..
 
Have the Pentax Takumar 50mm 1.4 in m42 mount smc.. I put a canon eos adapter on mine.. LOVE it.. worth getting reversing gear.. or, if your AC is willing, just tellt them which way to turn dial... I really expect to get roasted for this, but if you are marking a focus dial with marks, you know which one is first, second, etc... perhaps I am just ambidextrous enough (or pull focus infrequently enough) to not feel a difference for myself in direction.. of more importance to me is how many degrees of turn full near focus to infinity covers.... I like more degrees onthe scale, of cours..

The Super Tak 1.4 is kinda amazing huh? I think it has a kinda cool vintage look, too. Some of the "orange cast" ones are radioactive and give a nice orangy cast, too. Haha. Their nuclear! The Takumar's are very interesting. The 100, I think its the 105, is supposed to be out of control.
 
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