Three portrait lenses around 85mm

woodrim · Joined: 14 Jan 2010 Posts: 4060 Location: Charleston

I've wanted to make this comparison for a while, and although it is not comprehensive by far, it is one small comparison. I had started the test with four lenses, one being the Cyclop, but leave that out here because this series is comparing the first common aperture - f/2.8. I'll just post the images now and identify the lenses later after folks have had a chance to comment, although those that have seen my posts will have some idea of the lenses I have. These are 100% crops with no processing other than what the camera does internally. For the record, my exposure is set at -.3.

Lens A

Lens B

Lens C

ellepi · Joined: 07 Aug 2010 Posts: 486 Location: Treviso - Italia

I really don't know but I prefer the 3rd.

SonicScot · Posted: Sun Sep 23, 2012 4:16 pm Post subject:

I have no clue what the lenses are but I'll fight ellepi for No. 3 Laughing

maxcastle · Joined: 14 Apr 2012 Posts: 492

SonicScot · Posted: Sun Sep 23, 2012 4:37 pm Post subject:

Tervueren · Expire: 2014-11-08

Number 3 reminds me of Minolta colours etc but I don't think you have one so I'll go for the Konica for that one

ForenSeil · Joined: 15 Apr 2011 Posts: 2726 Location: Kiel, Germany.

Also #3 for me

zenit55 · Joined: 16 Sep 2012 Posts: 18 Location: USA

#3 looks best to me

SonicScot · Posted: Sun Sep 23, 2012 6:54 pm Post subject:

I can see I'm gonna have to fight a lot people for number 3 Rolling Eyes

Excalibur · Expire: 2014-04-21

#3 for me too.

Aanything · Expire: 2014-05-30

fermy · Joined: 17 Feb 2012 Posts: 2877

I think I have a very good idea what the lenses are. #1 is the fastest, #3 is a clear winner for me, but that's not too surprising in this shot considering that it's a great macro (if I am not mistaken on lenses). The pecking order might change if one tries a portrait or a distant shot as a test target.

hoanpham · Expire: 2015-01-18

The first one might be the Hexanon, due to hexagon shape
The last one might be the J9, still perfect circle.

There are different bokeh rending for different distances.
Shot 2 might have different result in other cases.
More photos from all 3?

ForenSeil · Joined: 15 Apr 2011 Posts: 2726 Location: Kiel, Germany.

agent_cooper · Joined: 06 Oct 2010 Posts: 139 Location: Germany

i prefer '3. But none is really in focus

fermy · Joined: 17 Feb 2012 Posts: 2877

woodrim · Joined: 14 Jan 2010 Posts: 4060 Location: Charleston

Sorry to keep everyone hanging; I was out all day today. Well, there are some good guesses and fermy should not have second guessed as he had all correct. I said portrait more because of the focal length than any other intended purpose. hoanpham correctly identified the first as Hexanon 85/1.8, but fell down on the J-9. I do agree, hoanpham, that other shots are required for a fair comparison. ForenSeil recognized the J-9 by color tone - good work! And while he is also right about number 3 being newer, it certainly isn't new; after all, the J-9 is 1961.

agent_cooper: I was pretty confident that I had them in focus, but I will admit there was a breeze and I too have some doubt, so please consider this series as bokeh test.

I do believe I need to do this in different settings. For these I chose a busy background with plenty of specular highlights, but the next ones will be a more stable subject and at different distances. I could do some at wide open, but since they're all different, it may not prove much.

A- Konica Hehanon 85/1.8
B- Jupiter-9 85/2
C- Vivitar Series 1 90/2.5 Macro (Bokina) Focal length is reported to be really 87mm.

IAZA · Joined: 16 Apr 2010 Posts: 2587 Location: Indonesia

hoanpham · Expire: 2015-01-18

Funny about the Jupiter-9 bokeh.
I went through all photos taken by the J9, and found my bokeh is quite soft, none of my photos look like yours.
I had both close range and portrait distances.

The Hexanon is sharp too, but the Vivitar is very good.

woodrim · Joined: 14 Jan 2010 Posts: 4060 Location: Charleston

Bokeh is just so dependent on distance to subject, distance behind subject, etc. I'll do more of this and also make sure I have a perfect focus.

Nordentro · Expire: 2015-01-29

martinsmith99 · Expire: 2013-11-18

Nice result from the Vivitar and that's about what I expect from the J9; it's a good lens but I've never seen anything I'd consider sharp from it.

ForenSeil · Joined: 15 Apr 2011 Posts: 2726 Location: Kiel, Germany.

fermy · Joined: 17 Feb 2012 Posts: 2877

Well, maybe on film there are issues with J-9 colors, on digital I am quite happy with them. I acquired J-9 ( Black, Contax RF, made in 82) quite recently, so I am still learning it. My observation is that it's not the sharpest lens at large apertures and will probably lose on resolution charts to most good Japanese 85mm. However, it is a completely different animal for portraiture: very nice smooth rendering, not too sharp and not too soft, just right for portraits. Perhaps colors are also optimized for skin tones.

What I definitely don't like about it is an aperture ring and filter thread rotating on focusing.

hoanpham · Expire: 2015-01-18

I read that russian lenses have mixed quality. My copy is ok. Sharp enough for my uses.
One thing that can affect the focus is few 1/10mm focus play; it's not precise as japanese or zeiss.
Close range should not affect the focus, but a bit longer range than portraits would result in misfocus due to that minor movement in the helicoid.

Anyway, I am looking forward to see more samples.