Minolta CE Rokkor 2.8/50 vs Fujinon-EP 3.5/50: canal capture

alex ph · Joined: 16 Mar 2013 Posts: 1674

After a closer inspection of two enlarger lenses by Fuji with different optical design, I proceed with an undirect comparison of two lenses constructed by different makers, Minolta and Fuji. Both lenses have Double Gauss design. The one is Minolta C.E. Rokkor 2.8/50, the other is Fujinon-EP 3.5/50.

Why the comparison is undirect? Just because the shots were made in different locations, with different light conditions. So, the result does not pretend to be considered as a rough test, but rather as a piece of observation based on rendering of similar (but not identic) subjects.

All shots are taken with the lenses wide open, put on Sony Nex, and with quick auto-contrast applied in IrfanView.

#1 Minolta C.E. Rokkor 2.8/50 at minimum (helicoid) distance

#2 Fujinon-EP 3.5/50 at minimum (helicoid) distance

#3 Minolta C.E. Rokkor 2.8/50, a close distance item

#4 Fujinon-EP 3.5/50, a close distance item

#5 Minolta C.E. Rokkor 2.8/50 focused at mid-distance subjects

#6 Fujinon-EP 3.5/50 focused at mid-distance subjects

#7 Minolta C.E. Rokkor 2.8/50 focused close to infinity

#8 Fujinon-EP 3.5/50 focused close to infinity

100% unprocessed crops from the above shots:

#9 Minimum (helicoid) distance Minolta

#10 Minimum (helicoid) distance Fujinon

#11 Mid-distance Minolta

#12 Mid-distance Fujinon

#13 Minolta at a distance close to infinity

#14 Fujinon at a distance close to infinity

In my eyes Fujinon is sharper WO, has less CA, with better corner performance. The difference in light conditions should also be taken into account: I presume that in better light Fujinon could show even better results. While Minolta's microcontrast looks finer and bokeh is smoother. It renders plenty small details, even being less sharp. In general terms Minolta behaves closer to a classic high quality Planar.

lumens pixel · Expire: 2021-06-25

It would be interesting to see results stopped down @5,6.
I suppose enlarger lenses were not optimised for wide open work. I also suppose there is no or little focus shift since it would be really detrimental to the enlarged photo. To be checked nevertheless.

Thank you for posting these.

blotafton · Joined: 08 Aug 2013 Posts: 1636 Location: Sweden

alex ph · Joined: 16 Mar 2013 Posts: 1674

Nice captures, Blotafton. You must be right about the curvature: you said it in a more scientific way, while I noticed about corner performance.

What is interesting, it seems to be a much more pronounced effect at distances close to infinit. While in close-up, even wide open, Minolta gives a very convincing result. For Fujinon that difference in not visible. Both at close and at far distance the corners of Fujinon-EP (as well as of the ES) arejust great, at least at APS-C.

Lumens pixel, I made some test shots at f5.6. It seemed to me less speaking that a comparison WO. As long as you are interested, I'll dig them and post here soon.

alex ph · Joined: 16 Mar 2013 Posts: 1674

Here is a demonstration of the lenses' performance with different aperture values.

First comes Fujinon-EP 3.5/50, unprocessed except resize. In fact, closing the iris does not change much in lens' sharpness and corner performance. They are very good from WO and at diferent distances, including long ones.

#1 Fujinon-EP 3.5/50 at f3.5

#2 Fujinon-EP 3.5/50 at f4

#3 Fujinon-EP 3.5/50 at f5.6

#4 Fujinon-EP 3.5/50 at f8

You can only say the difference looking at the OOF shapes that become better pronounced. The same is with crops: just a very slight difference, if any.

#5 A 100% crop at f3.5

#6 A 100% crop at f5.6

Here are crops from the central part of the shot:

#7 A 100% crop at f3.5

#8 A 100% crop at f5.6

Now some samples from Minolta C.E. Rokkor 2.8/50. Here the story is different. Corner performance (or field curvature) is clearly pronounced. And while you don't see it that strong at f5.6, at F2.8 it's pretty noticable when cropped.

#9 Minolta C.E. Rokkor at f5.6

#10 A 100% unprocessed crop at f2.8

#11 A 100% unprocessed crop at f5.6

Hope that gives an idea of how both 6-element Fujinon and Minolta enlarger lenses perform at various apertures.

I did not make close-up shots with the same intention. May try that when the outdoor light changes for better.

kds315* · Expire: 2021-03-09