Reading mode: Light Dark

Any good legacy lens similar to the Touit 50mm ?

Go to last post
E

erotavlas

Forum Enthusiast
Messages
335
Solutions
1
Reaction score
70
I was looking for a new lens mostly for closeup still life and portraits. I currently use the 24mm f1.8 very frequently because it's a great wide angle and also I can get real close to small objects like mushrooms or flowers. However I wouldn't mind to increase the zoom on that to get a little closer and also use it for portraits.

I was thinking of the Touit 50mm and it would fit what I am looking for however I really don't want to spend $1000 on another lens right now.

I was wondering if anyone knows of any good alternatives to this lens, perhaps a legacy full frame lens that I can use with an adapter.
 
erotavlas said:
I was looking for a new lens mostly for closeup still life and portraits. I currently use the 24mm f1.8 very frequently because it's a great wide angle and also I can get real close to small objects like mushrooms or flowers. However I wouldn't mind to increase the zoom on that to get a little closer and also use it for portraits.

I was thinking of the Touit 50mm and it would fit what I am looking for however I really don't want to spend $1000 on another lens right now.

I was wondering if anyone knows of any good alternatives to this lens, perhaps a legacy full frame lens that I can use with an adapter.
Click to expand...
Consider the Sigma 60mm?

It gives you AF.

Also consider the Sony E50?

It gives you AF + OSS. Use it above f/2.2 for maximum sharpness (vs DOF), or wide open for smooth bokeh

Haven't all Touits come down in price by now?

Sony also has an A50/2.8 Macro lens. Another contender for you? This is a very cheap lens. Gives you AF using the LA-EA2 adapter.

Then, search for 'nifty fifties'
 
The FD 50mm f/1.4 S.S.C. is quite good, and usually quite reasonably priced. The image quality of the f/1.8 S.C. is excellent too, and cheaper, but I think you get a little more bang for your buck with the f/1.4.
 
Not legacy but the Venus 60mm F2.8 can go to 2:1 (not 1:2) to infinitely. It's sharp and I love the bokeh. It's manual only and while it can take a great portrait focusing is difficult. Not just because it's manual but the rate of focus. For macro its fine but the littlest turn of the focus ring for portrait moves too much but you get use to it. There's lot's if legacy glass people will recommend but usually they're slow like F3.5 and not what I'd call a portrait lens.

I wanted the same thing and size/weight is important. I got the Zeiss 55mm F1.8 and just used extension tubes on it. Best of both worlds and after several macro lenses and and a Raynox 250 it's my go to for macro as well as portrait. You could also do the 50mm F1.8 it's a great lens and has a closer minimum focus plus OSS.
 
Legacy, the Minolta MC 50/1.4 with an adaptor can be found around $125.00 USD, & produces really good results, also the Konica Hexanon 50 in either 1.4 or 1.7 produce exceptional results but cost a little more for a good copy & adaptor selection is more limited. These are all manual old school lens, but with focus peaking, I perfer those types for the quatily & control you get fromnthe end result. So with a little patience you should be able to get some great shots as well ! Search ebay & amazon for those lens .
 
CZJ Flektogon 2.4/35

CZJ Pancolar 1.8/50

both lenses can shoot closer than peers. Pancolar can come as close as 0.33m, while most legacy fifties goes to 0.45m. Pancolar is great as portrait lens, too.

Also, consider getting helicoid M42 adapter for them.
 
Buy two lenses for yourself, one for portraits and one for macro. For portraits, I will second the Sigma 60mm f/2.8, it makes a great portrait lens. I chose it over the Sony 50mm f/1.8 OSS, although that is only because of my specific needs. There are tons of discussions comparing the two, but I like the longer focal length, even if I lose a stop compared to the Sony 50mm.

For close-ups, you can get a close-up adapter for your 24mm, or for any other lens that you pick up. There aren't a great number of macro lenses for our system yet, nothing in the reasonably priced category that is still good performance. Consider the extension tube set for our cameras, it will only cost you $20-$30.
 
I have tested the SEL 50 against a large number of manual 50mm lenses and the SEL was at least as good at f1.8 as any of those manual lenses. According to DXO, the SEL 50mm is the best lens for the Sony NEX7, i.e. for all APS-C e-mounts. I would go for it, or maybe the Sigma 60, which I have not tested but is said to be even a little sharper.
 
Last edited:
shnitz said:
Buy two lenses for yourself, one for portraits and one for macro. For portraits, I will second the Sigma 60mm f/2.8, it makes a great portrait lens. I chose it over the Sony 50mm f/1.8 OSS, although that is only because of my specific needs. There are tons of discussions comparing the two, but I like the longer focal length, even if I lose a stop compared to the Sony 50mm.

For close-ups, you can get a close-up adapter for your 24mm, or for any other lens that you pick up. There aren't a great number of macro lenses for our system yet, nothing in the reasonably priced category that is still good performance. Consider the extension tube set for our cameras, it will only cost you $20-$30.
Click to expand...
Close up adapters don't work well on the 24mm I've used tubes and the edges get realllly bad. I've used a raynox 250 and that hardly makes a change that's best on zooms. Images close up with the 24mm is fun but has perspective distortion. I don't think OP wants to get closer but wants a more flattering focal length for close up and portrait.

Sony 50mm +tubes would be my #1 pick and all for under $300. I get down to 1:1.75 (24mm is 1:4) with my 55mm+1 set of tubes and the Sony 50mm already has a shorter focusing distance so probably better and OSS. I haven't used the sigma 60mm it's supposed to be very sharp so might be a better pick. Personally I loved my 50mm and that extra stop makes a difference so does OSS.
 
Close focusing is a huge factor for me so is the aperture I haven't found a good 50mm solution without tubes. Another lens that may be of interest to you is the Rokinon 135mm F2. It's optically up there with my 55mm and focuses down to 1:4 just like the 24mm. But a drastically different shot and depth of field.
 
I took a look at both those lenses.

The Sony 50mm f1.8 has magnification of 1:6.25 with min focusing distance of 39cm

The Sigma 60mm f2 has magnification of 1:7 with min focus distance of 50cm even further away.

(am I reading those specs right?)

Those are both very far off from the Touit 50 which is 1:1 and min focus distance of 15cm. I mean wouldn't the subject be even less magnified in the Sony and Sigma lenses?

Taking field of view into account, I'm thinking they would give me a similar magnification as I already have with the 24mm which is 1:4
 
Is the f3.5 on the legacy macros (like Minolta 50mm f3.5) a deal breaker for nice bokeh in portraits?
 
erotavlas said:
I took a look at both those lenses.

The Sony 50mm f1.8 has magnification of 1:6.25 with min focusing distance of 39cm

The Sigma 60mm f2 has magnification of 1:7 with min focus distance of 50cm even further away.

(am I reading those specs right?)

Those are both very far off from the Touit 50 which is 1:1 and min focus distance of 15cm. I mean wouldn't the subject be even less magnified in the Sony and Sigma lenses?

Taking field of view into account, I'm thinking they would give me a similar magnification as I already have with the 24mm which is 1:4
Click to expand...
If you're replying to me yes you're correct and my Zeiss 55mm is 50cm for 1:7.1

But I'm suggesting you by macro extension tubes they're under $30. With one set of tubes that's 26mm of extension I can now go down to 1:1.75 that's over twice the magnification of the 24mm and you're getting a real portrait lens. I'd get the 50mm it might be closer to 1:1 given it's shorter focus distance. You can get more than one set of tubes too as many as you want actually.

If your new to tubes it's like taking a projector and pulling it away. The image is now bigger than the screen and it's intensity is less. So you get magnification but at a loss of light. In my tests the loss of light is negligible and OSS helps keep shutter speeds slow. You keep the same optical properties of the lens so no loss of IQ.

A Raynox 250 achromatic diopter goes on the end of the lens no loss of light but your adding glass so possible loss in IQ. The Raynox is best on a zoom like the 55-210mm and that's not a portrait lens.
 
In my experience no legacy 50mm can compare to the IQ of the Sony 50mm it's definitely worth it. Now I'm not saying that some don't have very unique and pleasant rendering and buttery bokeh making them useful but none are as sharp/contrasty wide open and the coatings are outdated.
 
Not sure what kind of budget you're working with, but I grabbed a Touit 50 off of eBay for about $600. It was in what I would describe as excellent condition...no scuff marks, dirt, or abnormal debris on both the body and glass. I've been using it like mad. LensAuthority also sold a used one in excellent condition for, IIRC, $700 or $800. Obviously, those prices are still higher than the SEL50 and Sigma60, but I just wanted to point out that it can definitely be had for far less than $1000 if you look in the right places and are lucky, especially with those November sales around the corner.
 
GotBilled said:
The FD 50mm f/1.4 S.S.C. is quite good, and usually quite reasonably priced. The image quality of the f/1.8 S.C. is excellent too, and cheaper, but I think you get a little more bang for your buck with the f/1.4.
Click to expand...
I agree, I love that lens. The c/y Zeiss planar 50 1.4 is also very nice, so much so that my fd hasn't been on in a while. I think the fd has more character, but the Zeiss is sharper and it pops... I never believed the Zeiss pop until I got this old one and saw it myself.
I'm not sure if there were any really bad legacy 50's.

Mike
 
daelliott said:
Not sure what kind of budget you're working with, but I grabbed a Touit 50 off of eBay for about $600. It was in what I would describe as excellent condition...no scuff marks, dirt, or abnormal debris on both the body and glass. I've been using it like mad. LensAuthority also sold a used one in excellent condition for, IIRC, $700 or $800. Obviously, those prices are still higher than the SEL50 and Sigma60, but I just wanted to point out that it can definitely be had for far less than $1000 if you look in the right places and are lucky, especially with those November sales around the corner.
Click to expand...
True, I know what your saying. And although I can afford it, the prices of some of those legacy lenses are so tempting.
 
It's not a legacy lens yet, but I think the Tamron 60mm f/2 macro and LA-EA1 is a better option than the Touit 50mm. The Tamron is a stop faster than the Touit and is a much more capable macro lens. The Tamron has a proper manual focus ring (not focus by wire), a magnification scale, and it has much greater working distance at 1:1 which is the Touit's biggest weakness. If you want to see samples check my gallery, all of the pictures there are from the Tamron.
 
If you're really looking to do it on the cheap I'd still do tubes just use a legacy portrait lens. You can get a Minolta MD 50mm F1.7 for like $30 or even better a Pentax-M SMC 50mm f1.4 for $75 or so.

IMO You just won't find a fast 50mm legacy prime that can get to 1:4 or better. They're two different lenses if you wanted a legacy lens that did both it'd be a macro lens between 90-105mm F2.8
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Keyboard shortcuts

f
Forum
m
My threads
Mobile site
About
Editorial content
Cameras & Lenses
Community
All content, design, and layout are Copyright © 1998–2025 Digital Photography Review All Rights Reserved.
Reproduction in whole or part in any form or medium without specific written permission is prohibited.
When you use DPReview links to buy products, the site may earn a commission.
©GPS Media - Guides, Products, Services.
Back
Top