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What is your favourite portrait lens ?
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PostPosted: Wed Mar 25, 2009 7:34 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I vote, at this time, for the pre-war uncoated Meyer Primoplan 1:1,9 f=7,5cm.



PostPosted: Wed Mar 25, 2009 7:37 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I agree. Primoplan design is possibly not the sharpest one, but its characteristic bokeh is astonishing...


PostPosted: Wed Mar 25, 2009 8:04 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I cannot give an exact hierarchy for my portrait lenses . I use often Helios-40-2, J-9, Smc-Takumar 1,8/85 , Meyer Orestegor 2,8/135 preset (zebra) , Angenieux 2,5/90, hacked Zeiss Triotar 6,3/135mm , Berthiot-Lacour 100 mm , Feinmess Bonotar (very soft) , Schneider Tele-Xenar . I use other 100-135mm time to time . May be my preferred are smc-takumar 1,8/85 , helios-40 , J-9 .

Helios-40-2 : (Dslr, f/4)






Berthiot-Lacour Eurygraphe 100mm f/6 : (Film, Spotmatic F , f/11)











Very Happy


PostPosted: Wed Mar 25, 2009 8:19 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Attila wrote:

Quote:
Pentacon 135mm f2.8 any variant is superb for portraits especially on Nikon , effective focal length will be lot shorter around 75-85mm.


Excuse me, if I ask again, but with regard to the combination of 42mm lenses with Nikon bodies I'm still a freshman: Does this mean that with this lense and a 42mm-adapter on my D700 I can't focus to infinity, but will be able to shoot full portraits?
With my Jupiter 9 I can only shoot partial portraits. The lense is extraordinary, but I don't feel (and don't have the money) to buy another digital body like the Canon 5D.

Thanks
Thomas


PostPosted: Wed Mar 25, 2009 8:30 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Yes, exactly Thomas, 135mm will be long enough for head and shoulders portraits.


PostPosted: Wed Mar 25, 2009 8:46 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks, Attila.

How is the Tele Ennalyt 135mm f2.8? Is 40€ a good price, if it is in good shape and comes with the original box?
And how about a Jupiter 11 M39 for 40€?


PostPosted: Wed Mar 25, 2009 9:28 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Jupiter-11 is one of the sharpest 135mm lenses with really nice bokeh. There are two M39 versions: For rangefinders (slim) - on DSLR you can use it only as close-up lens. And for SLR (fat), which can hit infinity if you have proper adapter. €40 is not bad price, but with a bit of luck you can find it cheaper. For this price you can find faster version of this lens - Jupiter 37A (135/3.5). This one can be find even in MC version, but it's very rare.


PostPosted: Thu Mar 26, 2009 4:48 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Dear no-X, thanks for your detailed remarks.

Can anybody tell me something about the Enna-lense, 135mm f2.8?
I checked Attilas pictures in the mf-gallery, but I'd prefer some remarks about usage and IQ. 40€ OK for this lense?

Thanks
Thomas


PostPosted: Thu Mar 26, 2009 4:56 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

madamasu wrote:
Dear no-X, thanks for your detailed remarks.

Can anybody tell me something about the Enna-lense, 135mm f2.8?
I checked Attilas pictures in the mf-gallery, but I'd prefer some remarks about usage and IQ. 40€ OK for this lense?

Thanks
Thomas


I have no experience with this lens, 40 EUR fine for any 135mm lens in my opinion. Take it, test it and share with us Wink


PostPosted: Thu Mar 26, 2009 5:14 pm    Post subject: Orestor 1.8/50 snapshots Reply with quote

Orestor 1.8/50 snapshots portraits




PostPosted: Thu Mar 26, 2009 5:17 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Good idea, Attila. I guess I'll do this. Not that I really need it, with all the Nikon goodies I have got,but somehow it makes fun to be a little crazy, when your daily activities require you to be rational all the time.

Cheers
Thomas


PostPosted: Thu Mar 26, 2009 5:33 pm    Post subject: Re: Orestor 1.8/50 snapshots Reply with quote

mflex-on wrote:
Orestor 1.8/50 snapshots portraits

Thanks for these nice photos!


PostPosted: Thu Mar 26, 2009 5:34 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Yes , I bought many lenses also just for fun and share information! Many thanks!


PostPosted: Sat Apr 04, 2009 8:28 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

What do you think with CZJ Tessar 80/2.8 and Biometar 80/2.8 in M42?


PostPosted: Sat Apr 04, 2009 8:29 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

dekiller wrote:
What do you think with CZJ Tessar 80/2.8 and Biometar 80/2.8 in M42?


Great and rare lenses!


PostPosted: Sun Apr 05, 2009 2:34 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I noted that nobody chose to CZJ 135/3,5.

I know that can be too long for portrait, but Am I loosing anything about this lens?

I tried it and seemed to be very sharp with very good bokeh, zeiss colors, focus from 1 m.

Now, please, tell my the truth. Crying or Very sad

Rino.


PostPosted: Tue Apr 07, 2009 3:27 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I personally don't believe 135mm is too long for portraits. The slight compression it provides can even be flattering for some folks.

I'll admit my Nikkor 105/2.5 is a sweet optic, but I'll also have to admit that my favorite for casual portraits has been a Nikkor 135/2.8. I especially like it for shooting candids, because I can stand off a bit from my subject. A scan of a slide (Fujichrome 100) I shot of my wife 20 years ago with the 135 wide open:



Best,

Michael


PostPosted: Tue Apr 07, 2009 7:49 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Vivitar 105 f/2.5


Pentax SMC M 50 f/1.7



Pentax DA 18-55 kit lens.


Last edited by Big Dawg on Wed Apr 08, 2009 10:17 pm; edited 1 time in total


PostPosted: Tue Apr 07, 2009 8:20 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I just bought a Helios-81M via ebay Germany for 25€ (and another 10€ for a 49mm lense-cap, which I didn't have). I took a few pictures in our market-hall last saturday, when two guys filmed a boy with a polar-bear outfit. I asked, if I also could take a few shots of him, and here are two. After having a look at them at home on the screen, I was pleasantly surprised by the colours, especially the ski-tones, and the bokeh is also not bad at all. So I guess I can say it is a very good portrait-lense. I won't be able to shoot more than that anyhow, as I cannot focus on anything farther away than 5-6m. The description says, I can use it with Nikon F and Kiev 19, but infinity is obviously not possible.

Both pictures @f2, ISO 320





The second pictures was problematical because of the light-situation: lots of light through the windows at the right side, and a lot of other smaller lights and reflections from the food-stands.




Last edited by madamasu on Tue Apr 07, 2009 12:41 pm; edited 2 times in total


PostPosted: Tue Apr 07, 2009 8:53 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

nice portraits everybody!
Helios-81M look wow!


PostPosted: Tue Apr 07, 2009 10:24 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

estudleon wrote:
I noted that nobody chose to CZJ 135/3,5.

I know that can be too long for portrait, but Am I loosing anything about this lens?

I tried it and seemed to be very sharp with very good bokeh, zeiss colors, focus from 1 m.

Now, please, tell my the truth. Crying or Very sad

Rino.

I've got this lens and it is sharp wide open but very sharp at F5.6. In fact it's my sharpest MF lens. I've not tried it for portraits yet but if you like sharp portraits (I do) then it's worth a look.

One lens I tried was the 2.4/35 CZJ Flektogon. On a crop body it worked well for longer than head shots. Again, one for sharp portraits

I used to have a Volna-3 but got rid of it as it wasn't used much, but a great lens for saturation and sharpness after F4. Sometimes I regret getting rid of it but I needed to fund my Tamron Adaptall-2 90mm macro which gets a lot more use as well as being a better build. Again a lens that is supposed to be good for portraits.


PostPosted: Tue Apr 07, 2009 1:13 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

By the way: who says you can't do portraits with a 15mm lense?

This one is cropped, @3.5 ISO 1250






PostPosted: Wed Apr 08, 2009 10:07 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Well, you can, but you get distortion when you stand so close. As shown in that photo.


PostPosted: Wed Apr 08, 2009 12:38 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

It is surprise for myself but lens which I believed is soft and only average performer becomes one of my favorites. Polaris 1.8/135 is an incredibly sharp lens with great bokeh.







PostPosted: Thu Apr 09, 2009 11:27 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

CZJ 135/3.5 is pretty good too.

Wide open