porst 55mm 1.2

I'd love to hear your opinions on this lens, although oddly on ebay it's quoted as 50mm.

Comparisons to the 56.

Soon to be coupled with xt1.

Thanks

brought up this link - http://www.pentaxforums.com/userreviews/porst-55mm-f1-2-color-reflex-mc-auto.html - I'm sure there are others out there

Never heard of them before and your post piqued my interest. It looks as though it behaves much like the OM 55 f1.2 that I have. Soft and dreamy wide open - you can almost imagine the photos as watercolour paintings - and gets sharper as you stop down.

Based on the apparent age of these lenses I would guess that the Fuji X mount version is for the old Fuji SLRs and so you'd need an adapter to fit to the new X mount - though this is just a guess.

Haven't used my Oly much but here's one that shows the sort of thing it does wide open - it isn't focussed where I wanted as the wind kept gusting around and with the narrow DOF even a small movement throws your focal point out of focus ( that also includes photographer movement )




View at full size to see dreamy goodness - i.e. not terribly sharp but its fun anyway

There is reasonable detail visible where it is in focus but I like that dreamy effect for some things. It might also be good for some portrait stuff where you want a dreamy soft focus sort of look.

I don't think it would hold up against a modern lens such as the 56 for sharpness, but it will have a character of its own.

Hope this helps, but do remember some of this is pure guesstimation on my part ;-)

Nick

I have a copy of the Porst 55/1.2 and although my Fuji 56/1.2 has not yet arrived (due this week!) I can tell you that my copy yields only middlin' IQ (soft, low contrast) wide open as compared to my Pentax K 50/1.2 and Rikenon 55/1.2 lenses, all tested recently on my X-E2. It sharpens up nicely when stopped down, though. From what I've read about the Fuji lens it kicks all the the others to the curb. I'll soon find out...

BTW, from what I've read, the Porst has only 6 elements as opposed to the 7 element design of the Pentax and Rikenon f1.2 lenses. OTOH the Fuji XF 56/1.2 has 11 elements in 9 groups and includes 1 aspherical and 2 extra low dispersion elements. Draw your own conclusions...

EDIT: I have also read that the Porst 50/1.2 is an entirely different animal from the 55/1.2. It's a 7 element design and was probably made by Tomioka, a small but respected independent Japanese lensmaker from the 60s and 70s.

If you google "Porst 50mm f1.2" and "Porst 55mm f1.2" you will find an abundance of information on these lenses.

--
Jim King - Retired Colormonger - Suburban Detroit, Michigan, USA; GMT -4h (EDT)
Pentaxian for over 50 years.
* * * * *
There is hardly anything in the world that some man cannot make a little worse and sell a little cheaper, and the people who consider price only are this man's lawful prey.
- John Ruskin
* * * * *
A fanatic is one who can't change his mind and won't change the subject.
- Sir Winston Churchill
* * * * *
The difference between genius and stupidity is that genius has its limits.
- Albert Einstein

Thank you all.

Especially the heads up on the mount.

nickwit said:

Thank you all.

Especially the heads up on the mount.

Click to expand...

Nick Webster is correct about the lens mount on the Porst - it is the original Fujica FF X-mount, not the current Fujifilm APS-C X-mount, so an adapter ring is necessary. I use the inexpensive Kiwi adapter ring listed on eBay here.

--
Jim King - Retired Colormonger - Suburban Detroit, Michigan, USA; GMT -4h (EDT)
Pentaxian for over 50 years.
* * * * *
There is hardly anything in the world that some man cannot make a little worse and sell a little cheaper, and the people who consider price only are this man's lawful prey.
- John Ruskin
* * * * *
A fanatic is one who can't change his mind and won't change the subject.
- Sir Winston Churchill
* * * * *
The difference between genius and stupidity is that genius has its limits.
- Albert Einstein