MFlenses - A new life in a digital age
MFLenses 2026

Manual Focus Lenses Forum

Explore the world of vintage lenses through repair notes, real test shots, and detailed archive threads packed with images.

Explore the world of vintage lenses through repair notes, real test shots, and detailed archive threads packed with images.
logovectorizer.com
Spotlight

Featured partner placement for the forum front page.

spiratone 18mm 3.2 - surprise !!
Post new topic Reply to topic
View previous topic :: View next topic  


Post
Posted: Thu Sep 23, 2010 12:27 pm
Post subject: spiratone 18mm 3.2 - surprise !!
Reply
Post
Posted: Thu Sep 23, 2010 12:27 pm
Post subject: spiratone 18mm 3.2 - surprise !!
Reply
I bought this lens a while back and didnt check it afterwards. While going through my old stuff I stumbled upon this lens and thought-lets give it a try. I was really surprise to see how close it can focus. It was merely 6-7 inches giving me max magnification of 1:4 (approx) ! Even though it is not very sharp but I think I can find some really creative use for it . Very Happy





Smile Smile


Post
Posted: Thu Sep 23, 2010 12:29 pm
Post subject:
Reply
Post
Posted: Thu Sep 23, 2010 12:29 pm
Post subject:
Reply
Shocked Seriously cool closeness..3D pop as well??


Post
Posted: Thu Sep 23, 2010 12:41 pm
Post subject:
Reply
Post
Posted: Thu Sep 23, 2010 12:41 pm
Post subject:
Reply
sharp enough i woul say! i think these spiratones are very underrated as i recently picked up a 500mm mirror minitel T mount and ive found that it is just great.


Post
Posted: Thu Sep 23, 2010 12:50 pm
Post subject:
Reply
Post
Posted: Thu Sep 23, 2010 12:50 pm
Post subject:
Reply
nice compositions, my fav #1


Post
Posted: Thu Sep 23, 2010 12:50 pm
Post subject:
Reply
Post
Posted: Thu Sep 23, 2010 12:50 pm
Post subject:
Reply
Hmmm, I may be missing something. The bokeh is nice and smooth but IQ looks soft and flat to my eyes?


Post
Posted: Thu Sep 23, 2010 12:56 pm
Post subject:
Reply
Post
Posted: Thu Sep 23, 2010 12:56 pm
Post subject:
Reply
It is little soft wide open.. anyways i never expected it to be razor sharp wide open...


Post
Posted: Thu Sep 23, 2010 1:33 pm
Post subject:
Reply
Post
Posted: Thu Sep 23, 2010 1:33 pm
Post subject:
Reply
Spiratone 18/3.2 = Sigma 18/3.2


Post
Posted: Thu Sep 23, 2010 3:01 pm
Post subject:
Reply
Post
Posted: Thu Sep 23, 2010 3:01 pm
Post subject:
Reply
PBFACTS wrote:
Spiratone 18/3.2 = Sigma 18/3.2


The early Sigma (and Spiratone branded model) is f/3.5. The later version (Sigma-made) Spiratone f/3.2 and f/3.5 are the exact same lens. I have all of these, and will be posting photos of them and an example comparison later. (edit: The later F/3.5 and F/3.2 versions are NOT identical! See Spiratone 18mm Rectilinear -- Three Versions )

The later versions are surprisingly sharp at infinity, a little softer wide open, but by f/5.6 are as sharp as Tamron 3.5/17.

The Spiratones are rectilinear, not fisheye.

There are example photos (not mine) here: http://forum.manualfocus.org/viewtopic.php?id=13222

Last edited by visualopsins on Sun Sep 26, 2010 6:41 pm; edited 2 times in total


Post
Posted: Thu Sep 23, 2010 7:43 pm
Post subject:
Reply
Post
Posted: Thu Sep 23, 2010 7:43 pm
Post subject:
Reply
What's it like stopped down a bit? I have a 19mm Vivitar which isn't brilliant wide open, but even down one stop it changes quickly to something very usable.


Post
Posted: Fri Sep 24, 2010 7:20 am
Post subject:
Reply
Post
Posted: Fri Sep 24, 2010 7:20 am
Post subject:
Reply
stopped down it is sharp (at least what my a200 can resolve).. I will try to do some tests this weekend and will post some images..


Post
Posted: Mon Sep 27, 2010 2:23 pm
Post subject:
Reply
Post
Posted: Mon Sep 27, 2010 2:23 pm
Post subject:
Reply
Over weekend I did some crude tests with this 18mm. Posting a comparison at close focus (but not min focal distance) for different f stops. Sorry for difference in exposure. Below are the 100% crop of the images.

@f3.2


@f4.0


@f5.6


@f8.0


@f11


@f16



You can access full image @ http://picasaweb.google.com/ashutosh.srv/Spirantone18mmTest#

In my opinion it is sharp enough at @5.6 till f11 if no PP is used. If some PP is used one can use it at 3.2 !


Post
Posted: Tue Oct 05, 2010 8:53 am
Post subject:
Reply
Post
Posted: Tue Oct 05, 2010 8:53 am
Post subject:
Reply
some more samples at f8 infinity focus... center is pretty sharp but things are lost on borders and this is on APC-S camera.. full frame would be worse Crying or Very sad
ORIGINAL


Center 100% crop

Border 100% crop


Post
Posted: Thu Oct 07, 2010 4:06 am
Post subject:
Reply
Post
Posted: Thu Oct 07, 2010 4:06 am
Post subject:
Reply
Ash, the entire left side of original is soft focus compared to right side, as if the lens was tilted slightly on camera.
Post new topic Reply to topic
Page 1 of 1