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XR Rikenon 50mm F2 corners on full frame (K-1)
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PostPosted: Fri Apr 27, 2018 10:55 am    Post subject: XR Rikenon 50mm F2 corners on full frame (K-1) Reply with quote
Topic from a question in another topic about the corner sharpness of the xr Rikenon 50mm F2 (some claim this is one of the sharpest legacy 50 lenses but that may just be an urban legend).

This is the top right corner f/2 to f/16. I think it becomes workable at F8, best at F11 at F16 diffraction overcomes further improvement:


I made sure i didn't go in the shutter shock region.


PostPosted: Sat Apr 28, 2018 2:36 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Oooof...CA's are scary Smile, it's not a good lens for that!

Here a test I did a while ago including the Rikenon XR 50/2.
Sharpness is very good IMO, at least in the central areas.



PostPosted: Sat Apr 28, 2018 9:36 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
It's inescapable with a compact lens design. On the bright side. Swirley Bokeh.



PostPosted: Wed Jan 10, 2024 3:43 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
I was looking around the internet and found a Japanese blog where a XR Rikenon and a Summicron-R is directly compared.

Interesting to see how similar they are.

Here it is google translated to English.

https://sstylery-blog-jp.translate.goog/archives/85485469.html?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=sv&_x_tr_pto=wapp

Part of the conclusion:

"The XR RIKENON 50mm F2 is an attempt to sell a high-performance lens at a low price, and due to the impossible cost reduction, it has added a nostalgic atmosphere to the excellent resolution reminiscent of the Summicron. This interpretation might have been laughed at in the film era, but I think it's quite attractive as a depiction that adds to today's flawless digital images.

As a side note, even if you look at the XR RIKENON closely, it may not reach Summicron's image quality, but its image quality is in the same direction. If you are a beginner and want to learn about the high-performance 50mm F2, this lens will definitely serve as your guide. The focus is good anywhere on the screen, the blur is clear and clear, and there is little distortion for a single-lens reflex camera.

And, I repeat again, XR RIKENON, which is inexpensive but boasts precise resolution, is formidable! !"


PostPosted: Wed Jan 10, 2024 3:47 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
I did a test more recently with the Rikenon. Wide open it’s pretty weak with quite some spherical aberration. At smaller apertures it becomes very sharp, corners included.


PostPosted: Wed Jan 10, 2024 4:18 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
caspert79 wrote:
I did a test more recently with the Rikenon. Wide open it’s pretty weak with quite some spherical aberration. At smaller apertures it becomes very sharp, corners included.


Similar behaviour as the Minolta MD-III 2/50mm it seems (I haven't compared them directly)!

The Minolta patent for the MD-III 2/50mm clearly states "low cost" as a primary design goal, thus avoiding expensive glass with highest (nD=1.Cool refraction. As far as I remember they use glass with nD of around 1.72, with a pretty low dispersion of >50. Therefore CAs are quite well controlled, but the monochromatic aberrations are a bit stronger. The same seems to apply for the Rikenoon 2/50mm.

S


PostPosted: Wed Jan 10, 2024 5:19 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
I have tried one copy, the results were not outstanding, I put it down to having a bad copy. But, now hearing about the less than stellar results others have obtained, maybe not.


PostPosted: Wed Jan 10, 2024 5:39 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
stevemark wrote:
caspert79 wrote:
I did a test more recently with the Rikenon. Wide open it’s pretty weak with quite some spherical aberration. At smaller apertures it becomes very sharp, corners included.


Similar behaviour as the Minolta MD-III 2/50mm it seems (I haven't compared them directly)!

The Minolta patent for the MD-III 2/50mm clearly states "low cost" as a primary design goal, thus avoiding expensive glass with highest (nD=1.Cool refraction. As far as I remember they use glass with nD of around 1.72, with a pretty low dispersion of >50. Therefore CAs are quite well controlled, but the monochromatic aberrations are a bit stronger. The same seems to apply for the Rikenoon 2/50mm.

S


I compared both lenses. Warning: it involves a lot of hair splitting Wink
The Minolta does better wide open in terms of contrast, at least in the center. Despite the low contrast, there is a lot of detail in the Rikenon's image (more than the Minolta it seems).
ComparisonF2 by devoscasper, on Flickr

But look what happens once you stop down to f/2.8. The softness in the center is gone and has the best performance here IMO.
ComparisonF11 by devoscasper, on Flickr

Differences become smaller @ f/4, but the Rikenon still shows a hint of glow in the corners:
ComparisonF4 by devoscasper, on Flickr

Then, @ f/5.6, the Rikenon has the best corners of the bunch IMO:
ComparisonF56 by devoscasper, on Flickr

Still the case @ f/8:
ComparisonF8 by devoscasper, on Flickr

@f/11, it seems the Minolta and Rikenon are the same:
ComparisonF11 by devoscasper, on Flickr

Except for f/2, the Minolta and Rikenon are quite comparable.
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