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300mm CA test
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PostPosted: Sat Jun 05, 2010 10:20 pm    Post subject: 300mm CA test Reply with quote

One of the biggest problems I have with my 300mm lenses is the amount of CA visible when shot wide open. Although usually recoverable, it's annoying to have to fix every time. So I thought I'd run a basic test to see which were the worst offenders (it's usually Tamron for me!).

Please remember this is not a scientific test, some shots are overexposed and different shutter speeds were needed for different lenses. All were shot at ISO 100 and all focused using liveview on the Canon EOS 40D mounted on a tripod, apart from the Rubinar 300/4.5 mirror which I needed to mount on my 5D because of the sheer size of the damn thing! Laughing I threw in the Tamron Adaptall 2 104A just for fun at f4.5 and f8.

Hopefully my neighbour doesn't mind me using his lovely car as a subject Smile

Sankor 300/4.5 @ f4.5



100% crop



MC Rubinar 300/4.5 mirror @ f4.5 (full frame)



crop



Sankor 300/4.5 @ f5.6



Crop



Tamron Adaptall 2 75-250/3.8-4.5 @ 250mm @ f4.5



Crop



Soligor 300/5.5 @ f5.5



Crop



Chinon 300/5.6 mirror @ f5.6



Crop



Tamron SP 60-300/3.8-5.4 @ f5.4



Crop



Tamron SP 300/5.6 @ f5.6



Crop



Sankor 300/4.5 @ f8



Crop



Soligor 300/5.5 @ f8



Crop



Tamron Adaptall 2 75-260/3.8-4.5 @ f8



Crop



Tamron SP 60-300/3.8-5.4 @ f8



Crop



Tamron SP 300/5.6 @ f8



Crop



Conclusions

The Sankor is a lovely collectors item, but ultimately is too heavy and soft to be of any real use. All my telephotos tested here showed CA wide open, with the Tamrons the worst offenders. But then, they are also the most contrasty and sharp! The 104A shows less CA at f4.5 than f8...very odd!

The real winners wide open in this test were the mirror lenses, in particular the Rubinar 300/4.5 which is sharp, contrasty and CAless! The Chinon 300/5.6 mirror lens also performed well, although is not quite as sharp as the Rubinar. For info - the Chinon looks the same as my Super Travenon and Mitakon lenses of the same style.

The Soligor (H serial) put in a good show throughout, and wins the award for least amount of CA wide open among the 300mm lenses, but has a huge minimum focusing distance, so may need to be used with a short extension tube (thanks for the tip Luis!). Very impressive either way for a lens of its age!

Once stopped down to f8, most of the lenses do well. The Tamron SP 60-300mm excels at f8!


Last edited by ManualFocus-G on Sat Jun 05, 2010 10:58 pm; edited 1 time in total


PostPosted: Sat Jun 05, 2010 10:45 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I'm impressed with how sharp that 300mm mirror is. Everyone knocks mirrors, but I think that shot proves a lot.


PostPosted: Sat Jun 05, 2010 10:57 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Yep, seriously impressed by the Rubinar! Here is the results of the last test I did with that one...need to start using it more!

http://forum.mflenses.com/mc-rubinar-300-4-5-test-t26894.html

The Chinon mirror does well too, and in hindsight looks sharper than the Super Travenon. I should test them together to be sure.

The Soligor 300/5.5 is the same as this one:

http://forum.mflenses.com/caspeco-old-tokina-300-5-5-preset-t2-mount-t12261.html


PostPosted: Sat Jun 05, 2010 11:31 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

ManualFocus-G wrote:
Yep, seriously impressed by the Rubinar! Here is the results of the last test I did with that one...need to start using it more!

l

+1


PostPosted: Sun Jun 06, 2010 8:54 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thank you for this test! I was just looking for some decent mirrors and this shines more light to it. Smile


PostPosted: Sun Jun 06, 2010 9:40 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

once again, i am not convinced by the 300 5.6 SP


PostPosted: Sun Jun 06, 2010 9:54 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

The result of MC Rubinar 300/4.5 is impressive. Very Happy


PostPosted: Tue Jun 08, 2010 3:43 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

@ManualFocus-G: just wondering what is the approximate distance to the subject?


PostPosted: Tue Jun 08, 2010 4:03 am    Post subject: Re: 300mm CA test Reply with quote

ManualFocus-G wrote:
One of the biggest problems I have with my 300mm lenses is the amount of CA visible when shot wide open. Although usually recoverable, it's annoying to have to fix every time. So I thought I'd run a basic test to see which were the worst offenders (it's usually Tamron for me!).


This is a great test, but I have two questions that you're probably not going to like... Embarassed
1) Which lens has the best image after the CA is corrected? (Do the rankings change?)
2) Are any lenses particularly easy or particularly hard to correct? (Complex CA, lens decentering, etc?)


PostPosted: Tue Jun 08, 2010 2:21 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

The tamrons really suffer from fringins...
Mirrors, as expected...


PostPosted: Tue Jun 08, 2010 3:44 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

calvin83 wrote:
The result of MC Rubinar 300/4.5 is impressive. Very Happy


I am also blown away by the sharpness and IQ of this lens. If only it didn't have the dreaded donut bokeh(arg)!!!! I would be all over that like white on rice...

Would make an amazing birding lens too


PostPosted: Tue Jun 08, 2010 7:42 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Apparently we should not be quite so amazed given the manufacturer's pedigree?


* One of the main Russian military force device producers.

* One of the main Russian producer of all optical devices for space investigations and space ships.

* One of the main Russian producer for astronomy.

Primary mirror of 2m telescope for the Royal Greenwich Observatory (Great Britain)

Set of astronomical mirrors for Chinese Academy of Space Technology

Primary mirror of 1.23m telescope for Max Plank Institute in Heidelberg (Germany)

Primary mirror of 2.6m telescope for VST project (Italy)

Primary mirror of 2.3m telescope for the National Observatory in Athens (Greece).




Doug

JohnBee wrote:
calvin83 wrote:
The result of MC Rubinar 300/4.5 is impressive. Very Happy


I am also blown away by the sharpness and IQ of this lens. If only it didn't have the dreaded donut bokeh(arg)!!!! I would be all over that like white on rice...

Would make an amazing birding lens too


PostPosted: Tue Jun 08, 2010 8:47 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Great test. I only have the 300 Tamron and CA is shocking but fixable. Softness isn't.

Watch the prices of Rubinars rocket now. And see how many hate the bokeh and offload them. Laughing


PostPosted: Tue Jun 08, 2010 10:05 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

That Rubinar really impressed me. I want one now, haha.


PostPosted: Thu Jun 10, 2010 5:48 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Is it just me or is the leading contender of the pack the SP 60-300...
I am truly impressed with this lens tbh, especially since it's a zoom lens(Shocked).

I read in another post where someone called the 60-300 a zoom that thinks its a prime :p - which holds true here because it's practically neck in neck with the SP 300mm(with less CA).


PostPosted: Thu Jun 10, 2010 11:03 am    Post subject: CA and 300mm Reply with quote

All quite good, although the softness of the non-Russian mirrors was a little disappointing.

I understand that all mirror lenses cannot attract CA, but that most software can overcome it. Still relevant for those who insist on film! I am glad I have the Tamron zoom.

Useful test. I still prefer the mirror lens in the field as it is so light and useable compared to the others. On a tripod though ......


PostPosted: Tue Aug 03, 2010 6:59 pm    Post subject: Re: 300mm CA test Reply with quote

Scheimpflug wrote:
ManualFocus-G wrote:
One of the biggest problems I have with my 300mm lenses is the amount of CA visible when shot wide open. Although usually recoverable, it's annoying to have to fix every time. So I thought I'd run a basic test to see which were the worst offenders (it's usually Tamron for me!).


This is a great test, but I have two questions that you're probably not going to like... Embarassed
1) Which lens has the best image after the CA is corrected? (Do the rankings change?)
2) Are any lenses particularly easy or particularly hard to correct? (Complex CA, lens decentering, etc?)


OK, to address the CA correction issue I have taken crops and done my best to fix with Adobe RAW. I then took the "fixed" image and post processed again by turning saturation of blue and magenta down to zero. This completely removes fringing, but also loses some detail and of course is dangerous if you actually need blue in your image Smile

Sankor with RAW CA correction @ f4.5



Sankor with RAW CA correction and de-saturated @ f4.5




Soligor with RAW CA correction @ f5.5



Soligor with RAW CA correction and de-saturated @ f5.5



Tamron 104A with RAW CA correction @ f5.6



Tamron 104A with RAW CA correction and de-saturated @ f5.6



Tamron SP 300/5.6 with RAW CA correction @ f5.6



Tamron SP 300/5.6 with RAW CA correction and de-saturated @ f5.6



Tamron SP 60-300 with RAW CA correction @ f5.4



Tamron SP 60-300 with RAW CA correction and de-saturated @ f5.4



Chinon mirror lens with no post-processing @ f5.6



The last photo should indicate whether any detail is missing after processing the other images.


PostPosted: Tue Aug 03, 2010 7:28 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I have never had any luck with the lens correction in ACR so I just pull the magenta and purple down a bit.

A CPL seemed to help but the tip of UV has not had an effect so far.


PostPosted: Tue Aug 03, 2010 7:40 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Nice test.

Could you please take one of the worst (e.g. SP 300 @ 5.6) of the crops and show how well the defringe option works?

BR
Tobbe


PostPosted: Tue Aug 03, 2010 8:23 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

OK, this is the SP 300/5.6 with the definge option enabled. Makes a slight difference on some of the lenses, but not so much with this one...



Note: At f8, the lens behaves much better. The 60-300 @ f8 is faultless.


PostPosted: Tue Aug 03, 2010 9:30 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanx.

That lens certainly needs bigger ammo for defringing. But the sharpness is very good at least.

BR
/Tobbe