Best Bokeh Lenses - 50mm - M42

This video takes a look at some of the best vintage 50mm lenses for producing great bokeh, including:

- Takumar 50mm f1.4 (Super, Super-Multi-Coated and SMC versions)
- Carl Zeiss Jena Pancolar 50mm f1.7 (8 blade, radio-version)
- Carl Zeiss Jena Tessar 50mm f2.8
- Meyer-Optik Gorlitz Oreston 50mm f1.8
- Zenitar M 50mm f1.7
- Yashica Yashinon 5mm f2
- Yashica Yashinon DS 50mm f1.7
- Cosina Cosinon 50mm f1.7
- Macro Takumar 50mm f4

The lenses are all M42 mount - excellent and good value film era lenses that are easy use on today's digital cameras. I freely admit I haven't tried all M42 lenses, and there are other excellent lenses you could try, including for instance Fujinon EBC and Voigtlander lenses.

The video starts with a description of the characteristics of great bokeh, which is a lot more than just smooth blur. It then goes on to consider a range of highly rated 50mm lenses from Japan, Germany and Russia.

It is part of a series of videos covering under 50mm lenses, 50mm lenses, 55-58mm lenses and over 58mm lenses.

My photos with all these (and other) lenses can be seen in albums here:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/9585957...