Last summer, I wrote about my experiences with three LTM lenses: Super Rokkor 45mm f2, Super Rokkor 50mm f2.8, and the Canon Serenar 50mm 1.9. All were better than I had expected. Since then, I have obtained what is considered the best Minolta standard LTM lens, the 50mm Super Rokkor f1.8, and yes, it is as good as advertised. Along the way, a 50mm f2 fell into my lap. It came attached to a camera, which was the object of my desire, so the 50mm f2 sat unused on the shelf.
Testing lenses can use up a lot of film and chemicals, so I prefer using digital cameras for basic tests before using a lens with film when possible. Back in May, I purchased a Panasonic Lumix digital camera and an LTM adapter, allowing me to test ideas on digital before committing to film. A key issue when evaluating lenses is how sharp they are wide open. Having read reviews of this lens, I decided to take a few test shots with the Lumix. These images are of things that were lying around—nothing special—because I wanted to see how sharp this lens was. My conclusion: if not for the desire to have the 50mm Super Rokkor f/1.8 (released specifically) for the Minolta-35 IIB, the 50mm f/2 would have been acceptable. See for yourself.
The first two coneflower shots are at f2.8 and f5.6. The remaining images are at f/5.6. Since this is a cropped sensor camera, I cannot say how the image corners might look, but central sharpness is quite good for a 70-year-old lens. I’ll use it.
