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alex ph
Joined: 16 Mar 2013 Posts: 1571
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Posted: Fri Oct 11, 2019 3:44 pm Post subject: Best 50mm in real life: Topcor, Yashinon, Xenon, Planar |
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alex ph wrote:
I wished to revisit and softly confront the rendering of some best normal lenses I have in real life shooting. So I did not take systematically the same object with them all, but rather searched for someway similar shots in my files already made with different lenses. Please look at this "test" in a different way than at usual lens comparison, as it is composed of shots taken of different textures, light and distances. The idea behind is to propose some "spots" for perception that may put forward micro-contrast or glow in one case, global sharpness and colours in the another... All that has more of subjective than formal value. But this is finally what makes the impression coming from particular shots.
The lenses are:
Schneider-Kreuznach Xenon 1.9/50 on Exakta mount (many-bladed diaphragm)
Rollei Planar 1.8/50 (the older Carl Zeiss version, without HFT marking)
Auto Yashinon-DX 1.7/50 (silver nose)
Re.Topcor GN 1.8/50
Here are groups of people in a rather dim street light, I am mostly interested in the clarity of face rendering.
#1 Schneider Xenon 1.9/50
#2 Rollei Planar 1.8/50
#3 Re.Topcor GN 1.8/50
Here are fine structures, like bike wheels, and the background OOF completing them.
#4 Schneider Xenon 1.9/50
#5 Re.Topcor GN 1.8/50
#6 Yashinon-DX 1.7/50
Here is I am interested in how artificial light (neon, halogen) is rendered, with sharper shapes or with more haloing.
#7 Yashinon-DX 1.7/50
#8 Schneider Xenon 1.9/50
#9 Rollei Planar 1.8/50
And finally architectural structures taken at mid-large distances.
#10 Re.Topcor GN 1.8/50
#11 Schneider Xenon 1.9/50
#12 Yashinon-DX 1.7/50
#13 Rollei Planar 1.8/50
While Topcor and Planar seem to have best micro-contrast thus rendering faces and generally fine details with highest resolution, Yashinon and Xenon do not fall long apart from them, adding more character with colours and OOF rendering. |
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vivaldibow
Joined: 23 Jun 2018 Posts: 835
Expire: 2021-03-09
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Posted: Fri Oct 11, 2019 4:47 pm Post subject: Re: Best 50mm in real life: Topcor, Yashinon, Xenon, Planar |
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vivaldibow wrote:
Nice comparison. My copy of Xenon 50mm/1.9 displays very cool and gloomy color, a little in contrast to German lenses. |
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blotafton
Joined: 08 Aug 2013 Posts: 1534 Location: Sweden
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Posted: Fri Oct 11, 2019 5:19 pm Post subject: |
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blotafton wrote:
A good list of contenders. I agree the Planar and Topcor photos looks the best here.
I've been looking for a Xenon but ended up with a Heligon 50mm 1.9 instead. I've seen incredible photos with both of these at portrait distance.
Speaking of 6 element lenses. After trying many different lenses for me it seems there are more 6/4 designs among the most interesting ones, instead of 6/5.
Sharpness is about equal, but the biggest difference is bokeh and micro contrast. 6/4 design lenses have a tendency to have more "busy" bokeh, or so called character. Unless focused very close untill a certain point where they become super smooth instead (Meyer Optik Görlitz Oreston 50mm 1.. In return they have a way of isolating a close subject in a special micro contrasty way. (Pancolar 50mm 1.8 serial number 85xx and below). This is just a random thought. |
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kypfer
Joined: 27 Sep 2017 Posts: 513 Location: Jersey C.I.
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Posted: Fri Oct 11, 2019 5:31 pm Post subject: |
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kypfer wrote:
I think this series of photographs simply proves one thing ... you don't need the latest wizz-bang autofocus auto-aperture image-stabilised glass to produce stunning images!
Once again, the eye behind the viewfinder is as important as the lens in front of the camera |
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Lightshow
Joined: 04 Nov 2011 Posts: 3669 Location: Calgary
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Posted: Fri Oct 11, 2019 11:16 pm Post subject: |
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Lightshow wrote:
kypfer wrote: |
I think this series of photographs simply proves one thing ... you don't need the latest wizz-bang autofocus auto-aperture image-stabilised glass to produce stunning images!
Once again, the eye behind the viewfinder is as important as the lens in front of the camera |
Perhaps that explains the absence of any AF lensesin my collection and my most modern lens is my Voigtlander 15.
I prefer the Topcor and Schneider-Kreuznach. Interesting pics too. _________________ A Manual Focus Junky...
One photographers junk lens is an artists favorite tool.
My lens list
http://www.flickr.com/photos/lightshow-photography/
Last edited by Lightshow on Sat Oct 12, 2019 12:04 am; edited 1 time in total |
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papasito
Joined: 09 Jan 2015 Posts: 1658
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Posted: Fri Oct 11, 2019 11:52 pm Post subject: |
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papasito wrote:
I like the planar.
I prefer the MC lenses rendering in most situations.
The Topcor is nice too but the high lights...... |
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noddywithoutbigears
Joined: 13 Jan 2010 Posts: 215 Location: Leek, Staffordshire
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Posted: Sat Oct 12, 2019 8:42 am Post subject: |
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noddywithoutbigears wrote:
Planar for me, non technical term but it seems to more “punch”. _________________ Sony A7
Super Takumar 55mm F18, Helios 44-2 58mm f2, Super Takumar 85mm f1.9, Pentacon 50mm f1.8, Zenitar 16mm f2.8 Fisheye, Carl Zeiss Vario Prakticar 35-70mm f2.7-3.5. Carl Zeiss Prakticar 35mm f2.4 |
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alex ph
Joined: 16 Mar 2013 Posts: 1571
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Posted: Sat Oct 12, 2019 10:36 am Post subject: |
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alex ph wrote:
Thank you, fellows, for you kind words and valuable thoughts. It is sometimes difficult to distinguish important details in a flow of shots, so your input is really stimulating.
Blotafton, you have an interesting observation as for 6/4 design vs. 6/5. I think there is a flagrant exception from your scheme which is Hexanon 1.7/50. It is 6/5 and still having a very smooth bokeh. I feel a bit guilty not to include it in the "best" list (at least my preferred). But I did not wish to overcharge the list of examples and event deleted some already loaded shots.
There is another great lens that enters in the same class of contenders and which has optical design evolving in time from 6/4 to 6/5, without a considerable change of image character. It's Pancolar. I find it especially well balanced in both sharpness and OOF, giving this particular "airy" punch in some cases similar to Sonnars. It concerns even more the older non-MC versions.
I add here four shots following the same typology, just to add this lens to the counterpoint.
#1 Group of people in a dim light
#2 Bikes
#3 Artificial lighting
#4 Architecture at mid-far range
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blotafton
Joined: 08 Aug 2013 Posts: 1534 Location: Sweden
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Posted: Sat Oct 12, 2019 6:10 pm Post subject: |
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blotafton wrote:
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kds315*
Joined: 12 Mar 2008 Posts: 16497 Location: Weinheim, Germany
Expire: 2021-03-09
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Posted: Sat Oct 12, 2019 8:08 pm Post subject: |
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kds315* wrote:
to the Pancolar indeed, although I also like the Planar and the Xenon.
But again, as has been said above, it is what happens behind the camera, not in front of it (the glass on it I mean)... _________________ Klaus - Admin
"S'il vient a point, me souviendra" [Thomas Bohier (1460-1523)]
http://www.macrolenses.de for macro and special lens info
http://www.pbase.com/kds315/uv_photos for UV Images and lens/filter info
https://www.flickr.com/photos/kds315/albums my albums using various lenses
http://photographyoftheinvisibleworld.blogspot.com/ my UV BLOG
http://www.travelmeetsfood.com/blog Food + Travel BLOG
https://galeriafotografia.com Architecture + Drone photography
Currently most FAV lens(es):
X80QF f3.2/80mm
Hypergon f11/26mm
ELCAN UV f5.6/52mm
Zeiss UV-Planar f4/60mm
Zeiss UV-Planar f2/62mm
Lomo Уфар-12 f2.5/41mm
Lomo Зуфар-2 f4.0/350mm
Lomo ZIKAR-1A f1.2/100mm
Nikon UV Nikkor f4.5/105mm
Zeiss UV-Sonnar f4.3/105mm
CERCO UV-VIS-NIR f1.8/45mm
CERCO UV-VIS-NIR f4.1/94mm
CERCO UV-VIS-NIR f2.8/100mm
Steinheil Quarzobjektiv f1.8/50mm
Pentax Quartz Takumar f3.5/85mm
Carl Zeiss Jena UV-Objektiv f4/60mm
NYE OPTICAL Lyman-Alpha II f1.1/90mm
NYE OPTICAL Lyman-Alpha I f2.8/200mm
COASTAL OPTICS f4/60mm UV-VIS-IR Apo
COASTAL OPTICS f4.5/105mm UV-Micro-Apo
Pentax Ultra-Achromatic Takumar f4.5/85mm
Pentax Ultra-Achromatic Takumar f5.6/300mm
Rodenstock UV-Rodagon f5.6/60mm + 105mm + 150mm
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visualopsins
Joined: 05 Mar 2009 Posts: 10463 Location: California
Expire: 2021-06-22
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Posted: Sun Oct 13, 2019 12:20 am Post subject: |
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visualopsins wrote:
Thank you for sharing your long-time learning experiences assembled into a comprehensive set of real-world techniques to use for comparing lens performance (and making photographs in general!). Quite a lot about photography can be learned by anyone who makes such comparison testing! Beyond test charts; beyond portrait and landscape examples; these comparisons show how to work the light with the lens.
_________________ ☮☮☮☮☮☮☮☮☮☮☮☮☮☮☮☮☮☮☮☮☮☮☮☮☮☮☮☮☮☮☮☮ like attracts like! ☮☮☮☮☮☮☮☮☮☮☮☮☮☮☮☮☮☮☮☮☮☮☮☮☮☮☮☮☮☮☮☮
Cameras: Sony A7Rii, Spotmatics II, F, and ESII, Nikon P4
M42 Asahi Optical Co., Lenses:
Takumar 1:4 f=35mm, 1:2 f=58mm (Sonnar), 1:2.4 f=58mm (Heliar), 1:2.2 f=55mm (Gaussian), 1:2.8 f=105mm (Model I), 1:2.8/105 (Model II), 1:5.6/200
Tele-Takumar 1:5.6/200, 1:6.3/300
Macro-Takumar 1:4/50
Auto-Takumar 1:2.3 f=35, 1:1.8 f=55mm, 1:2.2 f=55mm
Super-TAKUMAR 1:3.5/28 (fat), 1:2/35 (Fat), 1:1.4/50 (8-element),
Super-Multi-Coated Fisheye-TAKUMAR 1:4/17
Super-Multi-Coated TAKUMAR 1:4.5/20, 1:3.5/24, 1:3.5/28, 1:2/35, 1:3.5/35, 1:1.8/85, 1:1.9/85 1:2.8/105, 1:3.5/135, 1:2.5/135 (II), 1:4/150, 1:4/200, 1:4/300, 1:4.5/500
Super-Multi-Coated Macro-TAKUMAR 1:4/50, 1:4/100
Super-Multi-Coated Bellows-TAKUMAR 1:4/100
SMC TAKUMAR 1:1.4/50, 1:1.8/55
Other lenses:
Carl Zeiss Jena Flektogon 2.4/35
SMC PENTAX ZOOM 1:3.5 35~105mm, SMC PENTAX ZOOM 1:4 45~125mm
Nikon Micro-NIKKOR-P-C Auto 1:3.5 f=55mm, NIKKOR-P Auto 105mm f/2.5 Pre-AI (Sonnar), Micro-NIKKOR 105mm 1:4 AI, NIKKOR AI-S 35-135mm f/3,5-4,5
Tamron SP 17mm f/3.5 (51B), Tamron SP 17mm f/3.5 (51BB), SP 500mm f/8 (55BB), SP 70-210mm f/3.5 (19AH)
Vivitar 100mm 1:2.8 MC 1:1 Macro Telephoto
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alex ph
Joined: 16 Mar 2013 Posts: 1571
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Posted: Mon Oct 14, 2019 10:46 am Post subject: |
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alex ph wrote:
Dear fellows, I thank you really much for your evaluation and remarks. You raise my spirits! This is not just for any nice feedback. I follow for years your work of high precision and of wonderful quality, so your appreciation is especially precious.
As for photographer's eye, I globally agree with you when it comes to geometry of a shot. Meanwhile I think that it would be really difficult for example to get the same clear rendition in a dim light with a triplet. I don't only mean the higher speed of double Gauss lenses and thus an easier hand held shooting. Triplets also give a typically less clear, a bit messy transition from in-focus to OOF areas, so that shapes are not as well distinguished as compared to double Gauss. I may be wrong speaking about triplets in general, that is just my uncomplete experience of evening street shots. |
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