My new toy came early. It's a Nikkon 50mm f1.8 pancake lens. One of my favourite lenses is the Nippon Kogaku 50mm f2 and this pancake lens is quite a bit smaller and it also focuses closer, 1.5ft for the pancake and 2ft for the f2. The pancake bokeh seems to be about in line with the f2's but the pancake is sharper and actually surprisingly sharp wide open, it also seems to have much less vignetting but on the downside is seems more susceptible to flare and the f2 is IMO better built and handles better but I wanted this pancake as it is apparently a bit of a sort after lens and I wanted to give one a try. I had to get this one from Japan as there didn't seem to be any in the UK or Europe. This one is the all metal one that focuses to 1.5ft, others that were available are those that focus to 2ft or plastic ones.
Anyway, this is the f1.8 metal close focusing pancake.
The rear cap is from a Tamron and is deeper than the usual Nikon one and so makes this lens look a bit bigger than it is.
This is the f2, one of my favourites.
One of my first pictures with the f1.8. She was moving and talking but it's sharp enough.
Whole picture.
100% crop. I think this is good for an old lens although as usual it'll lose some sharpness by being posted here.
To show bokeh at a distance.
Now I need some time to go somewhere to use it.