"Standard Lens" used with a Kowa B/H on a Canon 5DII?

[andrewkeam]

Hi, I was wondering what my options are for using a somewhat standard lens (50mm - 58mm) on my Canon 5DII with a Kowa Bell and Howell? Most examples I can find are on smaller sensor cameras. I know the 5DII is not ideal due to its larger sensor but I am actually looking to use it for stills and video, so ideally am looking for something that does not vignette..

The ones that may have potential are below;

Helios 58mm f2
Voigtlander 58mm 1.4
Pentax 55mm 1.8
Fujinon 55mm 1.6 (M42 Mount)
Canon 50mm 1.8
Canon 50mm 1.4
Nikon 55mm 2.8
Nikon 50mm 1.2
Nikon 50mm 1.4
[color=#333333][font=Helvetica, Arial, FreeSans, sans-serif][size=3]Nikon E 50mm 1.8 Pancake[/size][/font][/color]

Any thoughts on any of these would be greatly appreciated! I am also looking for something around 85mm or so. Any suggestions there? Or is it all pretty much the same at those longer focal lengths? I currently have a Mamiya 645 80mm 1.9 lens and a Pentax 67 105mm 2.4 that I use on the Canon and they seem to be fine... Probably not the sharpest because they were designed for a bigger image circle... So I would probably look at getting something small, sharp and compact in these longer focal lengths...

Any thoughts on the Jupiter 9 85mm f2? These seem to be much cheaper than the Helios 85mm 1.5, apart from the faster aperture, is there much difference?

Or am I better off going with a older Nikon or Canon version?

Any thoughts on longer focal lengths as well? Maybe a 100mm and 135mm as well....

Ok, thanks again, any thoughts would be greatly appreciated..

[Bioskop.Inc]

You might find that a 50mm will vignette like crazy with your 5D - actually it will, i think 85mm is your minimum.
If you're going to try anything that wide then pick the Helios 44-2 (preset aperture is the best) - but it'll probably be a waste of time.
I use a 60D & can't really use a 50mm except for wide open.
Just remember that you're using a Full Frame sensor & most of us are on crop sensors, so for us a 58mm isn't a 58mm really. So don't think that you are at a disadvantage, the anamorphic will give you a wider FOV because its widescreen.

The Mamiya will probably be nice, try it & see.
But for anamorphics, simple lens formulas seem to work best - the Russian lenses are great & are all really good Zeiss copies (in some cases they were made on the same machines, once Germany got divided up), so don't be fooled by their prices (not all are cheap, but most are in comparison to Canon/Nikon).

Jupiter 9 vs Helios 40-2 (the black version, with tripod mount - don't get the silver one):
They are both soft wide open, not horrible soft (dreamy soft) but its an acquired taste - the Jupiter 9 just needs to be stopped down to f2.8 for it to get sharper & the Helios 40-2 to about f2.
The Helios 40-2 produces really crazy swirly bokeh wide open & is a monster of a lens (big & chunky, weighing about 1kg).
But all-in-all they are very similar, apart from price & weight.
I have both & can't decide, but tend to go for the Helios 40-2 & have adapted to the weight - if money is a problem stick with the Jupiter 9.
They are both perfect matches for the Kowa.

If you want to go wider then the Tair 11a (135mm) is amazing.
You could also try Super Takumars (M42 mount) - they do a 85mm & 105mm, are always sharp & give great flares with a Kowa.

The only problem that you might have with some of the older lenses is that some might hit your mirror at infinity, so this is a good reference for that problem:
http://www.panoramaplanet.de/comp/

good luck

[andrewkeam]

Hi, Thanks so much for your response, I will look into some of these options that have been offered.  Would people ever use anything longer in this type of anamorphic format?  Or is 135mm really the longest that is practical?   Thanks again.  Is very helpful!  

[Bioskop.Inc]

Never tried going longer, give it a go - you should be ok.

[dahlfors]

Indeed I noticed the same earlier - very little info around on the net about longer focal lengths and anamorphic adapters!

 

I have shot with D800 + Nikon AI-S 200mm f/4 together with both my Iscorama and on the dual-focus Isco Ultrastar anamorphic projection lens. Worked fine with those two anamorphics. 

 

The Nikon 200mm f/4 is a very sharp and overall nice lens. It has a small 52mm filter thread in front - which makes it fit nicely to anamorphics. With some stronger diopters, around +1 to +3 or so, the 200mm + Isco lenses are a great combo for facial expression closeups.

 

I don't have any experience of the Kowa anamorphic - but if it behaves similarily to my two anamorphics, then 200mm shouldn't be a problem.