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CZJ Biotar 2/58 (not T) lens-M42
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PostPosted: Tue May 29, 2007 5:15 pm    Post subject: CZJ Biotar 2/58 (not T) lens-M42 Reply with quote

Hello,
I saw the Attila's review about this lens. Has anyone had a good experience with this lens?


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PostPosted: Tue May 29, 2007 5:44 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I do not have a direct experience but the Biotar 2/58 is the "father" of the Helios-44, which I know well.

The Helios-44 is a very good lens, with very good contrast and well saturated colours. Especially the first models did not have a great resolution, but it has improved with the latest releases.

Being the original, it is likely that the Biotar 2/58 is every bit as good as the Russian imitation, and maybe also better.


PostPosted: Tue May 29, 2007 6:35 pm    Post subject: Re: M42 - CZ Biotar 2/58 (not T) lens Reply with quote

iha wrote:
Hello,
I saw the Attila's review about this lens. Has anyone had a good experience with this lens?


See my page at http://galactinus.net/vilva/retro/eos350d_biotar.html , especially the full-size pics. A good lens, but it cannot be used with a 5D except for close range photography.

Veijo


PostPosted: Tue May 29, 2007 7:19 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I once owned this lens, but it had problems with most adapters. With most adapters I couldn't focus on infinity.
So, I sold it again. (Today I maybe would try to fix it...)
For portrait shots it was a very nice lens.


PostPosted: Wed May 30, 2007 8:17 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

My sample has focus on infinity. I use the AF confirmable adapter bought from Roxsen.
Vilva: I see that in your reviews the pictures are not contrast and not sharp yet. But this morning on the way to work I shot some pictures, at f8-f11 it performs normal quality picture.



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PostPosted: Wed May 30, 2007 2:56 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

iha wrote:
Vilva: I see that in your reviews the pictures are not contrast and not sharp yet.


The full-size photos haven't been sharpened at all. If you inspect the full scale version of the first cathedral photo near the clock and the statue, where the focus is more or less exact, the sharpness and contrast are about as good as with any of my lenses - whether SMC Takumar, CZJ, Contax or Leitz - within the focusing tolerance and especially given that the Biotar is only single-coated, which means it cannot have quite as high a contrast as the newer MC lenses. Usually even the slightest focusing error will mask any differences there may be between these lenses.
Stopping down to f/8 or f/11 will increase DOF, which makes focusing less critical, but with many lenses you must also focus at that shooting aperture because of the focus shift when stopping down from the full aperture. With many lenses the sharpness may improve at the edges but due to diffraction the center sharpness will be lower than at f/5.6. Usually f/5.6 is the optimum aperture, and e.g. Zeiss didn't use to publish the MTF curves for f/8 at all. Leitz publishes also the f/8 curves, and according to these curves the 40 lp/mm MTF value may drop quite a lot at the center at f/8 compared with f/5.6. Crop cameras are more sensitive to diffraction effects than FF cameras. For pixel peeping the available DOF ought to be estimated at a 3-4 stops wider aperture than the actual shooting aperture, i.e. at f/2 or f/1.4 for shooting at f/5.6.

Veijo


PostPosted: Thu May 31, 2007 7:48 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hello,
I am not really clear with MTF diagram. Trying more with outdoor shotting the pictures were not good Sad So I gave back to my friend.
I got Helios 58/2 from local shop, serial number 8130102 (I heard that in the case of Helios serial number, the first 2 number is the year of manufacture). It is in very good, like new condition. Outdoor pictures likely are better than the Biotar's.
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