List of MF lenses on Fuji GFX

kathala · Joined: 13 May 2022 Posts: 61

Hi all,

I just mentioned it in another thread, but thought I'd start a new one for easier search-find-ability:
my reference list of all lenses I could find (SLR, RF, projection, military, X-ray and even weirder) and how they behave on larger than full frame sensors (GFX, IQ, FF with focal reducers):
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1uxvvpxJ9QVFFyh0pW2rs9KBmUW9vlh-d-VnbcLDCTn8/edit#gid=0

If you use any larger-than-FF contraption with lenses not listed there, I always appreciate any input!
(My own approach is currently a full frame evil + a speed booster, emulating a sensor even larger than GFX. Cheap, compact, easy, and very satisfying in my preferred 1:3 format)

[url=http://forum.mflenses.com/userpix/20225/big_12143__CS_4535_1.jpg][img]http://forum.mflenses.com/userpix/20225/12143__CS_4535_1.jpg[/img][/url]

Gatorengineer64 · Joined: 26 Oct 2017 Posts: 213

Thanks much for the list. Would like to get your take on two things

1) two of my favorite lenses Canon 50 1.2 ltm and Canon 35 f2 aren't on the list what are your thoughts or speculation on how they would perform at 6k square?

2) what are your thoughts on fuji medium format IQ versus FF? I know what the specs say but what I seem to see in people's images is a different story... Your experience?

kathala · Joined: 13 May 2022 Posts: 61

Going by all other fast Canon 5os, both R/FL/FD and M39, the 1.2 won't cover much more than FF Sad

The 35/2 is there and won't cover either. The FD version easily covers at least 1:1 and 1:3.

Any camera image quality discussion reminds me of FF adapters to camcorders 2o years ago: Avid discussions were held which adapter would resolve a line or two more. What a waste of time, when the camcorder could only resolve 576 lines, i.e. o.8 MPix.
DPreview has a comparison tool showing the GFX 50 to be roughly on par with the 60 MP FF cameras. This was to be expected academically, since GFX is only marginally larger than FF.
Sony has just disappointed again with the 7r5 having the same old 60 MP sensor, so for highest MPix resolution, you'd currently need the GFX 100. But I'll also say that despite my liking for Canon lenses, the 5o/1.2 won't resolve 1oo nor 5o MPix Wink

Pancolart · Expire: 2013-11-18

Great work, valuable info, i've been wondering this from the beginning of GFX series.

KEO · Joined: 27 Sep 2018 Posts: 692 Location: USA

KEO · Joined: 27 Sep 2018 Posts: 692 Location: USA

I got some more testing in this morning.

The Nikkor 85mm f2 AiS version is perfect on my GFX - no vignetting whatsoever. I'd give that one a top rating for GFX owners.

The same goes for my Nikkor 105mm f2.5 K version, which seems to be at odds with your poor rating for the Ai version.

The Nikkor 200mm f4 AiS version works great, but (like a lot of lenses) it has some vignetting at longer focus distances and smaller apertures. It's much better at closer focus distances and open apertures.

The early silver Leica Elmarit 90mm f2.8 has vignetting ranging from soft and not bad at close focus distances and open apertures (such as for portraits), to rather hard and unpleasant at small apertures and long focus distances (such as for landscapes).

Surprisingly, my Zeiss Jena 120mm Biometar 2.8 has some minor vignetting. I wasn't expecting that in a lens designed for Pentacon-6, however mine is Exakta-mount. It's possible the design of the mount is responsible for the vignetting. I'd like to see results from the Pentacon-6 version.

The Meyer 50mm Primotar E f3.5 in Exakta works very well, with only minor vignetting at small apertures and focus distances near infinity. Happily this lens is very usable on the GFX.

Finally, the 120mm Super-Multi-Coated Takumar f2.8 works very well with only minor vignetting at long focus distances and small apertures. At closer focus distances and open apertures the vignetting is very minor or non-existent This lens works very well.

KEO · Joined: 27 Sep 2018 Posts: 692 Location: USA

I should take notes; I feel like I'm forgetting something. Let's see...

Pentacon 200mm f/4 - some vignetting, worse at or near infinity with smaller aperture settings. Still usable, and the images look nice.

58mm Biotar - another top pick for GFX use, no vignetting at all.

105mm Nikkor f/1.8 AiS - excellent, with only slight soft vignetting at longer distances and smaller apertures.

And some of my beloved Contax RF lenses...

Zeiss-Opton 85mm Sonnar f/2 - quite usable, but some vignetting at all apertures and distances.

Zeiss 50mm Sonnar f/1.5 - some vignetting at all apertures, but very usable.

KMZ 8.5cm Jupiter-9 f/2 w/ 1957 serial number - usable, but slightly worse vignetting than the Sonnar. The high levels of distortion near the edge of the projection circle are interesting.

KMZ 5cm Jupiter-8 f/2 w/ 1954 serial number - another top pick for the GFX - no vignetting at all. I wonder whether the f/2 Sonnar is the same?

Zeiss-Opton 85mm Triotar f/4 - this is the worst lens I've used so far on the GFX - horrible vignetting. I'd be surprised if this lens didn't have vignetting even on FF cameras. It has vignetting even with the image ratio set to 1:1. I still have to try out the early pre-war version of this lens, which has a slightly different design.

Arsenal 53mm Helios-103 f/1.8 - Very good with only slight vignetting. This (or the 5cm Jupiter) would be a great choice to try out for street photography. They're tiny and the images are full of character.

jamaeolus · Expire: 2015-08-20

Very useful info. I have been considering the GFX cameras. The IQ of images I see si quite compelling. But the very limited list of mostly quite expensive glass was a big checkmark in the "con" portion of the evaluation. More options and lower prices keep adding to the urge. On the other hand the a7riv's have been coming down at a decent rate so I'm torn. Plus I can't justify either in my current financial situation. Maybe when I retire in January I can get my act together and sell a whole bunch of lenses and cameras to make one of the other happen.

KEO · Joined: 27 Sep 2018 Posts: 692 Location: USA

kathala · Joined: 13 May 2022 Posts: 61

[quote="jamaeolus"]sell a whole bunch of lenses and cameras to make one of the other happen.[/quote]
Don't Wink

. Either camera will last you 2, 5, maybe 1o years. Any lens will last you a lifetime, even if, like me, you're still far from retirement...

kathala · Joined: 13 May 2022 Posts: 61

[quote="KEO"]Let's see...
[/quote]
Thank you for your input!
Vignette tolerance is definitely a broader topic, depending on format (I only use 1:3, for example), focus distance, subject and personal tolerance. My intention with the list was to create a starting point to evaluate whether a closer look into a specific lens is worth the while. I personally had high hopes for one of the very fast 5os, but no...

KEO · Joined: 27 Sep 2018 Posts: 692 Location: USA

jamaeolus · Expire: 2015-08-20

Kathala, A man after my own heart! Unfortunately I don't have the spare $ to make it happen without selling some stuff. Fortunately I have way too many lenses and a few too many cameras. I probably have something like 1500 lenses, SLR lenses, enlarger lenses, macro lenses, projector lenses. Probably close to a hundred cameras. Folders, rangefinders, SLR's view cameras. Its crazy. It becomes a storage issue. And a "too many options to make a good choice" issue. But as you say they last pretty well if you take good care of them. Which I do! I clean them, evaluate them. Rating for optics, function and cosmetic. Good ones I try to fit in a hard case. Lesser ones may go in bubble wrap in a zip lock. All of them will have the little dehumidifier packets. I figure they are unlikely (in general) to plummet in price and some will gain notoriety and be "jewels" on the collector or amateur cine market.

Arutemu · Joined: 16 Oct 2014 Posts: 61 Location: US/Japan

jamaeolus · Expire: 2015-08-20

Impressive lists of trials. Those Pentax 67 shots kinda make me regret selling most of my Pentax 67 lenses.

kathala · Joined: 13 May 2022 Posts: 61

[quote="Arutemu"]Some of my own tests of vintage 35mm & Medium Format lenses on GFX[/quote]

What a lovely cat!

Thanks for all the input, I added it to the list.
Can I just clarify, the Nikkors are all manual AiS, especially the 5o 1.4 and 85 1.4?

If you'd like to, feel free over on fujix-forum to point to my little table, or even ask people for possible results with lenses not on it yet Smile

kathala · Joined: 13 May 2022 Posts: 61

[quote="jamaeolus"] Happy Dog

Kathala, A man after my own heart! [/quote]

Haha Smile

Very good
Just use or at least move them from time to time Smile

I once inadvertently melted the back of an iconic Canon T90 when trying to get its clumped-up lubricant flowing again. The camera had been pristine, and would have worked, had the previous owner not left it to sit for years without actuating the shutter.
Now there's a perfectly functional T90, but with molten back buttons and lettering...

KEO · Joined: 27 Sep 2018 Posts: 692 Location: USA

I tested a few more this morning...

Industar-50-2
This one is surprisingly good, with only faint vignetting at landscape distances and almost none at closer distances. It's was also reminded how sharp it is, which is to say it's very sharp.

MOG 50mm Oreston f/1.8 zebra
Very nice. Only faint vignetting - very usable. I won't have any problem using this one. The least-vignetting lens tested this morning.

CZJ 50mm Pancolar f/1.8 (radioactive version w/8 aperture blades)
Very slightly worse vignetting that the Oreston, but only slightly. Another very usable lens.

MOG 50mm Domiplan f/2.8 zebra
Definite vignetting, worse at longer focus distances. Still perfectly usable, of course.

ISCO 50mm Westagon f/2
Definite vignetting, worse at longer focus distances, but very faint at closer distances. Nice.

55mm Auto Sears f/1.4
Definite vignetting in the corners. Not too bad, and perfectly usable especially at closer distances, but not great for landscape-type shooting.

MOG Orestegor 200mm f4
Interestingly, this one is slightly better than the Pentacon 200. Soft vignetting, but nice.

MOG 30mm Lydith f/3.5 zebra
Definite vignetting in the corners at long focus distances; a bit better up close. Usable.

150mm Super-Multi-Coated Takumar f/4
Very good. Interestingly, the vignetting gets worse as you focus closer with this one. It must be because the rear element is so far up inside the tubular body, and the vignetting is caused by the edges of the camera-side opening. Still, it works very well.

MOG 58mm Primoplan f/1.9
Only very faint, very soft vignetting at longer focus distances. I don't have any problem using this one.

KEO · Joined: 27 Sep 2018 Posts: 692 Location: USA

I had a chance to try a few more this morning, with some good results. FWIW, it's easier to test for vignetting with an overcast sky.

52mm f/2.8 Industar-61 Panda
Pretty good. Some vignetting, with small, dark corners at landscape settings. Better wide open and close up.

Auto Chinon 55mm f/1.7
Very, very good. I found no visible vignetting except at infinity and f/8; even then it was only a slight darkening in the corners. You wouldn't even notice unless you were looking for it. Makes me wonder how the faster Auto Chinons perform. I liked this lens a lot on my X-T2; I love it on the GFX.

Carl Zeiss 135mm Super Dynarex f/4
Some vignetting, but quite a bit better than I expected, maybe because it's a Deckel-mount lens with a re-designed body so the rear element is way at the end near the sensor instead of far up inside the tube.

Fuji Photo Film Co. 50mm EBC Fujinon f/1.4
I crossed my fingers and hoped this one would have no vignetting, but of course it does. Much darker corners at landscape settings. Wide open and close-up it's pretty good though, and the rendering is really nice. No perfect, but usable.

MOG 100mm Orestor f/2.8 zebra
SCORE! This one is awesome on the GFX. I see no vignetting at all, even at f/8 and infinity focus. I wonder how big the projection circle actually is? Anyway, this lens is super small, super light, and super cool-looking to boot. I'm going to have to try it out against the 105mm f/2.5 Nikkor.

Arutemu · Joined: 16 Oct 2014 Posts: 61 Location: US/Japan

Pancolart · Expire: 2013-11-18

KEO · Joined: 27 Sep 2018 Posts: 692 Location: USA

I tried out a few more yesterday. Unfortunately it's supposed to rain all weekend, so I probably won't get a chance to do any more until next week.

200mm Takumar f/3.5, the early preset aperture version.
A little vignetting unfortunately. Usable of course, but I was hoping it would be perfect.

135mm Super-Multi-Coated Takumar f/2.5, version 2 (the one with 8 aperture blades).
Spectacular. This is the best old 135 I've tried on the GFX so far. No vignetting at all.

MOG 135mm Orestor f/2.8 zebra version.
Pretty good. Soft vignetting in the corners at long focus distances. Works well on the GFX, although not quite perfect.

135mm EBC Fujinon-T f/2.5
For vignetting, a bit better than the Orestor but not as good as the Takumar. Faint, soft vignetting at infinity focus, but none at short and medium distances. Still extremely good.

100mm Fujinon-T f/2.8, old silver aperture ring version.
No significant vignetting. The images look really good. 100-105mm seems to be a sweet spot for adapting lenses on the GFX.

CZJ 50mm Tessar f/2.8, Altix mount version.
Another winner - no vignetting at all. I was a bit surprised because this lens is so tiny - smaller than the M42 and Exakta versions. Looks great though, and it seems to have less distortion than my M42 version. I'll have try that one and see if it performs as well as the Altix does.

visualopsins · Expire: 2021-06-22

KEO · Joined: 27 Sep 2018 Posts: 692 Location: USA

I tried out a few more this morning...

Leica 9cm Elmar f/4, and old pre-war black version.
Really bad vignetting at all apertures and focus distances, still present even at 1:1 aspect ratio. If you can live with that, the images look very nice (this lens is surprisingly sharp wide open for an ancient triplet).

1957 KMZ Jupiter-9, Zorky
Small vignetting at infinity focus, much less at close ranges. Better than the Contax/Kiev RF version I tried, presumably because there's less mechanical stuff at the mount to get in the way.

Steinheil 135mm Culminar f/4.5
Some hard vignetting, softer at closer focus distances. Not too surprising considering this is one of the old 135s with all the elements way up in the front. The diameter of the tube restricts the size of the image circle.

ISCO 100mm Isconar f/4.5
Very faint, soft vignetting at infinity focus, hardly noticeable really. Otherwise this one works very well. I wonder whether the f/4 does performs as well.

105mm Super-Takumar f/2.8
No noticeable vigetting. Works great with excellent image output, continuing the roll of 100s and 105s being good choices for GFX use.

55mm Fujinon f/1.8, early silver aperture ring version
This one was a nice surprise: no vignetting. If I stare at the corners I might see the faintest hint of a shadow, but it's so soft I can't decide whether or not it's real. I wasn't expecting such a good result. This might be a good option for street shooting or something like that. Landscapes look nice too.

calvin83 · Joined: 12 Apr 2009 Posts: 7104 Location: Hong Kong