lens tests for you Leitz lenses,Pentax Takumars and Nikkors

peterm1 · Joined: 06 Dec 2007 Posts: 224

I though that the following might interest members of this forum. Some years back I lived near to a group of antique stores and in one little bric a brac store I found a batch of old 1960s and 70s photo magazines. I bought a few that had interesting articles. (All had interesting ads.) I have found these again recently and scanned a few lens tests for you to read. There are some Leitz lenses, some Pentax Takumars and some Nikkors. If I find some more as I go thru this pile of old magazines I will scan and upload them too. Knock yourselves out guys. Sorry about the quality a but this is the best I could do - the paper is pretty old.

Orio · Expire: 2012-12-04

These are very interesting, thank you!!

Attila · Expire: 2025-11-18

Hey please keep continue to post them! Thank you so much!

peterm1 · Joined: 06 Dec 2007 Posts: 224

My pleasure. Check out the curves on the 21mm Super Angulon and the 135mm Tele Elmar. HoochiMumma!

peterm1 · Joined: 06 Dec 2007 Posts: 224

And now for a little porn - camera porn that is......

Orio · Expire: 2012-12-04

Uhmm... the Summicron 35 shows a quite sad performance at the edges until f/4.
And the Elmarit 90 is sad at the edges practically until f/8
These must be the first versions of these lenses.
I don't have the Summicron 35 but I have the Elmarit 90 second version, and it's sharp wide open even at the edges.

peterm1 · Joined: 06 Dec 2007 Posts: 224

Uhmm... the Summicron 35 shows a quite depressing performance at the edges until f/4.

Very true. I will check when I get a chance to see what the date of this test was. I suspect it was slightly earlier rather than later as the 35mm summi is one lens that was progressively updated in several versions.

peterm1 · Joined: 06 Dec 2007 Posts: 224

This appears to be the last batch of lens tests. But I will work thru the articles to see if there is anything of interest in those. But this will have to do for now. The wife is giving me dark looks that suggest I should be doing something else. :^)

By the way. Has anyone used this lens. It looks impressive but its probably as soft as butter on a hot day.

Attila · Expire: 2025-11-18

Thank you again !!

Orio · Expire: 2012-12-04

That Nikkor 24mm has frigging impressive figures. Mine used to be good but sincerely I don't think it was THAT good. Those figures beat the Leicas and Contaxes. But while we know that Zeiss is about the only one company who makes MTF tests on actual production lenses, most other companies makes MTFs with the prototypes. So one should always take these tests carefully, as between prototypes and production models there may be even significant differences.
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peterm1 · Joined: 06 Dec 2007 Posts: 224

That Nikkor 24mm has frigging impressive figures.

Yes I was just thinking that myself. My 24mm is later - AIS and it is a sweet lens. Like you I had no idea it had such great numbers. I think these are production lenses as they come from the old Popular Photography Magazine and my impression is they were using off the shelf stuff. But you never know - the companies could provide them with highly controlled examples that are well within spec. and in this respect differ from full production models which can produce the occasional dud if QA is not up to par.

patrickh · Expire: 2011-11-18

What a treasure trove and thank you so much for sharing it.

My 24/2 nikkor is certainly a very sharp lens indeed and I love it.

patrickh

Richard_D · Joined: 21 Oct 2007 Posts: 2378 Location: Faversham Kent UK

Thanks for those, my 24mm 2,8 and 35mm f2 Nikkors are both AIS so I can't comment on how accurate the findings are for these lenses. I've got the 200 Q and the cross-aperture consistency is certainly true in my limited experience.

LucisPictor · Expire: 2013-12-03

ChrisLilley · Joined: 01 Jan 2008 Posts: 1767 Location: Nice, France

Quick question about those tests - since the MTFs say 'far edge' not 'far corner' can we assume they are measuring at 6, 12 and 18mm from centre and that the corner (21.63mm) was not evaluated?

Those figures for full frame of course given the vintage of the tests.

Its nice to see they evaluated at mutiple apertures, not just wide open and 'two stops down'.

peterm1 · Joined: 06 Dec 2007 Posts: 224

Chris
I recall years ago seeing an explanation of how they conducted these particular tests in Popular Photography and how to interpret them. But now I cannot recall the specifics. Some of the tests present a little differently to modern MTF curves which makes it harder. But I would assume as you do about the descriptions (e.g. far edge)

LucisPictor · Expire: 2013-12-03

BTW, this is a nice text: http://www.imx.nl/photo/technique/26_how_to_read_mtf_graphs.html

Laurence · Expire: 2016-06-19

That Nikkor-O 35/2 is ALSO impressive! Wow!

I love looking at these old tests. Somehow, they seem more "true" because they keep it to the basics, and ALSO because they show relationships between wide open and stopped down n the 50-line targets.

And now I am also looking forward as I've said before, to my upcoming Super-Tak 105. The lens testing shows VERY consistent contrast numbers for each f:stop, with f:5.6 being dynamite! Hope it "lives up" to what I see on the old pages!

VERY appreciated information!

peterm1 · Joined: 06 Dec 2007 Posts: 224

Yes after re reading the test for the 35mm f2 I got mine out and took a few shots mounted on a digital. The color just blew me away. It was really very nice indeed.

LucisPictor · Expire: 2013-12-03