Best 135mm

vivaldibow · Expire: 2021-03-09

A while ago I read about Jupiter 37A, which is said very sharp. People also agree Jena 135mm/3.5 is a very sharp lens as well. I also read Pentax/Takumar 135mm/2.5 is very sharp. People also say Vivitar Series 1 135mm/2.3 is even better than Takumar 135mm/2.5.

Certainly, nearly all 135mms are good. I have a bunch of them, including many presets. But just for the sake of comparison, of all the 135mms you've used, which one do you think stands out above others (if you think it is a meaningful comparison)?

Thanks.

Teemō · Joined: 07 Apr 2016 Posts: 586 Location: Australia

Well, although I don't think such a comparison is so interesting, I will put my vote towards the 6/5 Minolta Auto-Tele Rokkor PF, of 1962. Sharp on a digital camera with soft out of focus areas, very well-controlled CA. I sold it, though, because it didn't match the rest of my collection. Now I have the (1975) 4/4 MC and can't fault its performance either, besides the CA. The weight of both is basically the same. Actually, I pretty much never use this focal length anyway - always taking something shorter or longer.

As far as I know, pretty much all 135's are pretty good.

DigiChromeEd · Joined: 29 Dec 2009 Posts: 3462 Location: Northern Ireland

For me it's the Konica Hexanon AR 135mm f3.2. As you've already said, it's hard to find a bad 135mm.

aidaho · Joined: 29 Apr 2018 Posts: 456 Location: Ukraine

I've tried just three.

Jupiter 37A is sharp and comes with high quality bokeh on all focus distances. Flare resistance is very poor.
Olympus Zuiko 135/2.8 is not exactly sharp, but exceptionally beautiful on around waist up and closer distances. Unlike the Jupiter, bokeh magic falls apart with distance.
Minolta MD-III 135/3.5 is just one big (err, small) meh. Not exactly sharp and not exactly beautiful. Just bland.

luisalegria · Expire: 2018-01-18

Komura 135/3.5
Because of the color, "golden" tone.
And its otherwise as good as the Takumar 135/3.5

But it is a bit obscure.

Its tough to pick one out over another re sharpness.
All 135's are sharp enough in the center for any normal purpose one would want to use them for, even on modern dense sensors. Pixel peeping isn't really normal.

Edges and corners, even in 135's, are an issue, particularly if you are doing landscape work wide open. And 135's certainly have a role in landscape photo. But thats a very niche requirement, low-light landscape.

And then theres bokeh.

kypfer · Joined: 27 Sep 2017 Posts: 514 Location: Jersey C.I.

For me, "best overall" would be my Tamron Adaptall-2, it's slightly faster than most at f/2.5, it's close-focus is slightly better than most, at 4ft. and the image quality is as good as my Vivitar/Takumar/Fujinon/Zeiss etc. etc.

visualopsins · Expire: 2025-04-11

The best is the current f/2 Zeiss, followed closely by the Nikkor and the Canon.

My much more affordable choice is the M42 S-M-C Takumar f/2.5, the second version. Very interesting, however, are the Sonnars, such as Zeiss, and Pentacon.

KEO · Joined: 27 Sep 2018 Posts: 760 Location: USA

I doubt there's going to be any consensus on this topic, but...

AiS Nikkor 135 2.8

It edges out the competition (like the Steinheil Quinar 135 2.8 ) by virtue of being extremely small and light. Unfortunately it's also pretty expensive for a manual-focus 135.

visualopsins · Expire: 2025-04-11

Alex TG · Joined: 13 Oct 2019 Posts: 221 Location: Ukraine

papasito · Joined: 09 Jan 2015 Posts: 1658

Nikkor 135/3,5
The 4/3 first versión is sharper than the v.2 4/4 formula?

Zeiss 135/2,8

Tele Elmarit 4/135 (the best forme)

Canon 135/2

Mr.Bittacy · Joined: 16 Jun 2019 Posts: 76

I have used a lot of 135mm lenses, their value to cost is so much better than 85mm lenses so you can try a lot out cheaply.. Currently I have downsized a lot and the remaining ones so I guess I could say they are my top picks are:

Nikkor AI 135 f2 (great bokeh, sharpness, low light, bad CA)

Isco-Gottingen 135 2.8 exakta preset ( great CA correction, contrast and bokeh, has a special look)

Jupiter 11 135 f4, early 1951 KMZ ( sharp, interesting rendering but slow)

So many others to try, interested to try a nikkor AIS 2.8..then there is the way too costly Zeiss Contax 135 f2, Minolta f2, takumar k mount 2.5 and the holy grail the Pentax 135 1.8.

55 · Expire: 2022-06-15

vivaldibow · Expire: 2021-03-09

Thanks everyone for your detailed comments. It looks like there are a couple of lenses on my wish list. For me, although all 135s are good, I found Vivitar s1 135mm 2.3 is a joy to use along the CF 135mm 2.8.

itsfozzy · Expire: 2021-04-14

135mm lenses used to be a bit of an obsession of mine and there are so many out there that are worthy of recommendation for one or more reasons.

The Samyang in my experience is the sharpest by some margin and that MFD makes it a versatile lens. For me, it's let down by indifferent build quality and handling.

My dented and fungus filled Canon FD 135/2 is a lens I tend to pick up more than the Samyang as it's still exceptionally sharp from wide open, but it handles much better than the Samyang.

I want to give some love out to the humble Jupiter-11 because if you find a great one, it's as good as anything as long as you can live with f/4. I have a preference for the M42 version as I can use it with a helicoid.

An honourable mention needs to go out to the 15 blade Meyer Optik 135/2.8 as I like to look at it's iris...

A 135 that slips under the radar and can be found without it's correct description (therefore under-priced) is the Vivitar 135/2.8 Close Focussing. It's possibly the best all round 135mm out there based upon value and capability. The shot below is a straight RAW to jpeg conversion and taken with the Vivitar and a Sony A7 II.

y · Joined: 11 Aug 2013 Posts: 304 Location: EU

Canon FD 135/2.5 can be obtained for less than $50. It's an amazing lens for given price if you like big lenses.

D1N0 · Joined: 07 Aug 2012 Posts: 2491

For me The S-M-C Takumar 135mm 1:2.5 v2 (also available as SMC Pentax) and for it's Bokeh the Amazing Tair 11 133mm 2.8 The Jupiter and CZJ Sonnars are also very nice. There is a Tamron AD2 135mm 2.5 in de mail somewhere but it has gone missing for now. I want to see how it compares with the Takumar.

Manichaean · Joined: 03 Oct 2013 Posts: 68

My vote goes for X-Fujinon 135mm f2.5 in Fujica X-mount. Do not mix it with X-Fujinar 135mm f2.8 outsourced to Komine, which is still a very capable lens, but the 2.5 is still quite a bit better nevertheless.

I also like silver Jupiter-11 both in M39 LTM and in M39 SLR (Zenit) mounts. Both are very good.

I've heard many very good things (and saw the images) about Tair-11 but did not have a chance to try it yet. Waiting for a good copy to snatch.

The beauty contest it definitely won by Isco-Gottingen Westanar 135mm f3.5 (I have the preset red and zebra version whose picture is sadly missing from the following link). http://forum.mflenses.com/different-faces-of-isco-goettingen-westanar-3-5-135mm-t67009,highlight,%2Bisco+%2Bwestanar.html
It's not the sharpest lens and the MDF is quite long but with a focusing helicoid it can produce good portraits. And it looks stunning IMO.

And the last but not least Olympus 135mm f4.5 - it's a macro bellow lens but with a 65-116 Olympus tube it can be quite a versatile tool.

tb_a · Expire: 2019-08-28

I have more than 10 135mm lenses but I haven't seen any lens up to now which would be able to beat my old Leitz Elmar 135mm/F4.

calvin83 · Joined: 12 Apr 2009 Posts: 7553 Location: Hong Kong

I have the Vivitar 135/2.3. It is a sharp lens that can focus close, CA is a bit more than the other F2.8 lenses. The 135/2.8 CF is very good too with the same weakness as the F2.3.

The silver Steinheil Quinar 135mm F2.8 had great build quality, sharp enough of its time with smooth bokeh.

Rollei HFT Sonnar 135mm F2.8 is an excellent lens too, sharp with good contrast and typing sonnar bokeh, MFD is a bit long.

stevemark · Joined: 29 Apr 2011 Posts: 3754 Location: Switzerland

The best MF 135mm lens i know is the Leica M APO Telyt 3.4/135mm - i've been using it on 43 MP FF. I don't know, however, lenses such as the Zeiss 2/135mm APO, or the corresponding Samyang.

Most of the well known vintage 135mm lenses are good, but not excellent. They usually have a fair load of lateral CAs, the faster ones (Canon nFD 2/135mm, Minolta MD 2/135mm, Nikkor 2/135mm) are soft wide open, and resolution may drop quite a bit towards the corners. A good, reasonably fast 135mm vintage lens is the Zeiss CY 2.8/135mm. On 24MP FF, it has a good resolution wide open, even in the corners, and less lateral CAs than the more common Canon nFD or MD 2.8/135mm lenses.

Modern 135mm primes certainly are way ahead. Look at Roger Cicalas remarks on the Sony GM 135mm, for instance: https://www.lensrentals.com/blog/2019/03/sony-fe-135mm-f1-8-gm-early-mtf-results/

Steve

cooltouch · Joined: 15 Jan 2009 Posts: 9097 Location: Houston, Texas

I don't have a lot of experience with 135s. It's a focal length that has never held much interest for me. Too long for some situations and too short for many others. But the few times I've used them, I've had really good performance out of a couple.

First one was a Nikon AI 135mm f/3.5. Surprisingly sharp with great color and contrast. Second was the Vivitar 135mm f/2.8 Close Focus -- the one with the 62mm front filter thread. Again, surprisingly sharp with great color and contrast.

Nikon FM, Nikon AI 135/3.5, Kodachrome 64

NEX 7, Vivitar 135/2.8 CF, ISO 100

Paulius · Joined: 25 Nov 2014 Posts: 321 Location: Connecticut

My best 135 mm on FF Sony cameras are:
Hexanon f3,2
Vivitar Ser.1 f2,3
Tele Tessar from Rolley SLR f4
Pentacon Electra f2,8
Rokkor-x f2,8 (4-4)

However enlarger's Rodenstock Rodagon f5,6 is a special.

tromboads · Expire: 2015-10-01

Yeah as all have said, these threads are better served with what the 135's to avoid, as really.. its not a complex design so everyone pretty much gets it right.

As to avoid;
- Soligar 135 Teli-Auto; It's shit side open.

/ the end.

Mir · Expire: 2017-09-30

I've owned and used all of these 135mm, some i've loved and yes, some should be avoided ....
And I've kept only one :

a 1973 Carl Zeiss Sonnar HFT 2.8/135 in QBM from West Germany, with 55∅, 6 blades and a MFD of 160 cm.

L39 Leica Hektor 4.5/135 (1953) 15b
M42 CZJ Sonnar 1Q 4/135 (1962) 8b
M42 aus JENA S 3.5/135 (1968) 6b
M42 Voigtlânder Color-Dynarex 4/135 (1976) 6b (CZ Tele-Tessar) MFD 160
M39 Jupiter 11 (Silver) 1962 KOMZ 12b
M39 Jupiter 11 (zebra) 1969 KOMZ 12b
M42 Jupiter 11 (silver) 1969 KOMZ 12b MFD 140
M42 SCHACHT MUNCHEN TRAVEGON 4.5/13,5 cm (1954) 16b
M39 AETNA Actinar 4,5/135 16b
Tokyo Kogaku RE Auto-Topcor 3.5/13,5 cm (1963) 6b MFD 120 (x2)
M42 Pentacon GDR 2,8/135 1972 15b MFD 150
M42 Schneider-Kreuznach Tele-Xenar 3.5/135 1968 6b
M39 Minolta Rokkor-TC Macro Bellows 1961 12b
M42 CZJ Triotar 1Q 1952 14b MFD 120
M42 CZJ S (DDR) 3.5/135 1975 6b MFD 100cm
Minolta MC TELE ROKKOR PF 2.8/135 1966 6b MFD150
M39 Tair 11 Silver 2.8/133 KMZ 20b MFD 150
Minolta MC TELE ROKKOR 2.8/135 1975 6b MFD150
M42 EBC FUJINON-T 2.5/135 6b MFD 150
*M42 ASAHI PENTAX S-M-C TAKUMAR (V2) 4/150 (1971-75) 6b MFD180
*M39 Schneider-Kreuznach Componar 4.5/135 Enlarger lens