Fast lens

fast large format lens, designed by Paul Rudolph lens speed f4, weight = 5 kg image by lebedev_snigirevskaya (Image rights)

This article is a gallery of very fast lenses beyond average "fast" definition.
See also lens speed (=max. aperture of lens)

For APS-C format these are lenses with max. aperture of at least f1.4!<br(> For 35mm film frame format these are lenses faster than max. aperture f1.7 since
the average 50mm SLR system standard lens already has a speed of f1.7 or f1.8!
For medium format these are lenses with max. aperture of at least f2.0!<br(> For large format these are lenses with max. aperture of at least f2.5!<br(>

"fast" classification

format	benchmark	quite fast lens	common fast lens	notes about the "very fast" definition given above and about the benchmark
large	f2.5	f3.5	f6.3	f2.5 equals the benchmark set by the Kodak Aero in 1940
medium	f1.8	f2.8	f3.5	f2.0 lenses established the available light photography with the Ernostar in 1924. The 2nd version of the Ernostar also set the benchmark already in 1925.
35mm	f0.95	f1.4	f1.7	f1.6, because faster than f1.7. f1.7 is a lens speed which is almost average for the SLR normal lenses since the 1960s which were also the kit lenses. Fast lenses for leaf shutter SLRs reach only f1.9 max. lens speed. The benchmark is defined by the so-called Canon "Dream Lens" for rangefinder cameras. Actually it's been surpassed by a few faster lenses.
APS-C	f0.95	f1.8	f2.8	f1.4 because smaller format than 35mm requires faster lenses for achieving almost similar depth of field
µ4/3	f0.95	f1.8	f2.8	µ4/3 camera makers Olympus and Panasonic deliver some fast lenses, 3rd-party lens makers the same lenses as for APS-C. The result is a similar available lens speed palette for both sensor sizes, APS-C and µ4/3.
cine lens (many with C-mount)	f0.95	f1.4	f1.7	The benchmark is slower than the fastest ever cine lens which was for 35mm half-frame format, the legendary bokeh giant Zeiss Planar 1:0.7 f=50mm. The lens was used by Stanley Kubrick for his film Barry Lyndon which received 4 Oscars, one for the camera, and by the NASA for moon flight shots! Many C-mount cine lenses were constructed for 16mm cine film or sensors up to 1" size. Some are sufficient for and adaptable to µ4/3 cameras, a few even sufficient for APS-C sensors. But surprisingly the palette of available lens speeds is more alike that of lenses for 35mm frame format 24x36mm.

large format

Kodak Aero Ektar f2.5 178mm lens image by Cory.Lum (Image rights)

Kodak Aero Ektar f2.5 7" 178mm 5×5 lens image by Rachel Rayns (Image rights)

medium format

Mamiya 1:1.9 f=80mm image by Film&PhotoArchivist (Image rights)	Ernemann Anastigmat "Ernostar" 1:1.8 8,5cm image by Mario Groleau (Image rights)	Noritar 1:2 f=80mm image by John Banbury (Image rights)
Ernemann Anastigmat "Ernostar" 1:2.0 10cm image by Coleccionando Camaras (Image rights)	Wollensak 75mm f/1.9 Oscillo-Anastigmat image by Dirk HR Spennemann (Image rights)

35mm

Canon Lens 50mm 1:0.95 image by Juan Felipe Gómez (Image rights)	Carl Zeiss Jena Biotar 1:1.5 f=75 image by Paddan (Image rights)	Minolta Rokkor 50mm 1:1.2 image by Kenneth Dwain Harrelson (Image rights)
Carl Zeiss Planar 1.4/50 image by Derek Ross (Image rights)	Voigtländer Nokton 1:1.5/50 image by phollectormo (Image rights)	Leica Summilux 1:1.4/50 image by Wong Duncan Cheuk Sang (Image rights)
Nikon Nikkor 1:1.2 standard lenses image by Hovsep Kevorkian (Image rights)		Asahi Opt. Super-Multi-Coated Takumar 1:1.4/50 image by s58y (Image rights)
Zunow ad of 1956 scanned by Nesster  (Image rights)		Vivitar 135mm 1:1.5 image by eBayer mrweybs (Image rights)
		Futura Frilon 1:1.5/50 image by Just Plain Curt (Image rights)
		Konica Hexanon Lens 1:1.2/60 image by Jason Howe (Image rights)
Nikkor lens 1:1.4/50 image by Geoff Harrisson (Image rights)	FD Canon lens 1:1.2/50 image by Geoff Harrisson (Image rights)	Leitz Summarit 1:1.5/50 image by Geoff Harrisson (Image rights)
Olympus OM-System G. Zuiko Auto-S 1:1.2 f=55mm image by Marcello Sokal (Image rights)	Voigtländer Nokton 50mm F1.1 image by moto44 (Image rights)	Yashica Yashinon-DX 1:1.4 f=45mm image by Peter Tjallinks (Image rights)
Cosina Cosinon Auto F=1.4 f=55mm image by nippoletano (Image rights)	Fuji Photo Film Co. EBC Fujinon 1:1.4 f=50mm image by Yumi Abe (Image rights)
Pancolar 1.4/55 image by carum20 (Image rights)
Tomioka Auto-Chinon 1:1.4 f=55mm image by René Maly (Image rights)	Minolta MC-Rokkor 1:1.2 f=58mm image by René Mens (Image rights)	Yashica Lens ML 55mm 1:1.2 image by Adrian Gee (Image rights)
Auto Rikenon 1:1.4 f=55mm image by Raúl Sá Dantas (Image rights)	MS-Mode-S 1.3/50 image by Stephen Lee (Image rights)	Canon Lens EF 50mm 1:1.4 image by Almeida100 (Image rights)
Konica M-Hexanon 1:1.2/50 & Konica Hexanon 1:1.2/60 & Canon Lens 50mm 1:1.2 & Leica Noctilux 1/50 image by fotograf@flickr (Image rights) Leica Summilux-M 1:1.4/75 & Carl Zeiss ZM Sonnar 1,5/50 & Leica Summilux 1:1.4/35 image by fotograf@flickr (Image rights) Leica Noctilux-M 1:0.95/50 asph. image by Haoming Wang (Image rights)
Carl Zeiss Planar 1.4/85 T* image by ja1vbn (Image rights)	Voigtländer Nokton 35mm 1:1.2 image by LNEB (Image rights)	Minolta AF 50mm 1:1.4 image by Vagn Sloth-Madsen (Image rights)
AF Nikkor 50mm 1:1.4 D image by Derek Ross (Image rights)	Leica Summilux 1:1.4/25 & Leica Summilux-M 1:1/50 image by fotograf@flickr (Image rights)	Canon Lens 50mm 1:1.4 image by Anderson Colla (Image rights)
Canon Lens FL 58mm 1:1.2 image by wolf4max (Image rights)	Zeiss-Opton Sonnar 1:1.5 f=50mm image by Rick Oleson (Image rights)	Minolta MC-Rokkor-PF1:1.4 f=58mm image by Willi Winzig (Image rights)
Pentax SMC A* 1.4/85mm image by wolf4max (Image rights)	Canon Lens EF 50mm 1:1.2 L USM & Canon Lens EF 50mm 1:1.0 L Ultrasonic image by fotograf@flickr (Image rights)	Canon Lens 85mm 1:1.5 image by Kevin-Xu (Image rights)
Taron Taronar 1:1.6 45mm image by Dirk HR Spennemann (Image rights)	Carl Zeiss Jena Biotar 1.6/70 image by mflenses (Image rights)	SMC Pentax-F 1:1.4 50mm image by phollectormo (Image rights)
Canon Lens FD 50mm 1:1.4 image by Geoff Harrisson (Image rights)	Tokyo Kogaku RE.Topcor 1:1.4 f=5.8cm image by edjpgcom (Image rights)	Tanaka Kogaku Tanar 1:1.5 f=5cm scanned by rebollo fr  (Image rights)
Rolleinar-MC 1:1.4 f=55mm image by Rachel Rayns (Image rights)	Hexanon 1:1.4 f=52mm image by Alan Myers (Image rights)	Auto Mamiya/Sekor 1:1.4 f=50mm image by Voxphoto (Image rights)
Samyang 1.4/85mm image by Cybersetan (Image rights)	Kowa 1:1.4 f=50mm Prominar image by Johnny Rogers (Image rights)	Hexanon F/1.2 f=60 m/m scanned by rebollo fr  (Image rights)
Canon Lens 35mm 1:1.5 and Canon Lens 50mm 1:0.95 and Canon Lens 50mm 1:1.2 image by Aldo Navoni (Image rights)		Canon EF 85 mm f/1.2 L image by Patrick Mayon (Image rights)
Sonnetar f1.1 58mm image by Film&PhotoArchivist (Image rights)	Helios 1.5/85 image by Siim Vahur (Image rights)	Jupiter-3 1.5/50 image by Warren Yee (Image rights)

APS-C and µ4/3 format

adapted C-mount lens Fujinon ITV 1:1.2 f=50mm image by Paulo Moreira (Image rights)
two µ4/3 cameras with fast lenses, the lower with a very fast Leica DG Summilux 1:1.4 25mm asph. image by try...error (Image rights)	Fujinon Aspherical Lens Super EBC XF 56mm 1:1.2 image by Patrick Braun (Image rights)

average "fast lens" samples

9x12cm large format, Meyer 150mm 1:3.5 lens image by Inspiredphotos (Image rights)	medium format, C.Z. Jena Tessar 2,8/80 image by in2classics (Image rights)
35mm film leaf shutter SLR, Schneider-Kreuznach Retina-Xenon 1:1.9/50mm image by Primo Iglesias (Image rights)	35mm film SLR, Pentax 135mm 1:1.8 image by rst12 (Image rights)
35mm film SLR: Olympus OM-System Zuiko Mc Auto-W 1:2 f=21mm image by Carlos Santisteban (Image rights)	35mm film SLR, Konica Hexanon AR 50mm F1.7 image by Vagn Sloth-Madsen (Image rights)
35mm film rangefinder camera, Kodak Ektar f:2 47mm image by Casual Camera Collector (Image rights)
	Kodapak film viewfinder camera Rodenstock Trinar 1:2.8/38mm image by Tony Kemplen (Image rights)
35mm half-frame, Olympus F. Zuiko 1:2 f=35mm image by Denny Narciso (Image rights)	µ4/3 system, Olympus M.Zuiko 45mm 1:1.8 image by fotograf@flickr (Image rights)