Which lens ~ 100mm?

BRunner · Joined: 29 Jul 2009 Posts: 705 Location: Czech Republic

I'm thinking about getting new "ultimate" macro/portrait/short tele lens in long term. I already have Tamron 2.8/90 AF, so 1:1 isn't necessary.
After experiences with APO Lanthar 180 and APO-TELYT I highly prefer real APO lens. The lens will be used on Pentax system.

There is plenty of possible options:

Zeiss Makro-Planar T* 2/100
++ fastest - f2
+ new
+ native Pentax mount
-- not APO
--- price 1600� Sad

Zeiss Makro-Planar T* 2.8/100 for C/Y
+ 1:1
++ price ~ 500�
+/- I don't know if it is possible to convert it to Pentax K mount.
-- not APO
-- there isn't much of them floating around

Voigtl�nder APO Lanthar 2.5/125 SL
+ 1:1
+ native Pentax mount
++ APO
--- price ~ 1500�
-- almost impossible to get (and probably impossible to get it cheaper)

Voigtl�nder APO Lanthar 3.5/90 SL/SL II
++ APO - i don't know, how it compares to 125 Lanthar or Lecia Macro-Elmarit
+ native Pentax mount
+ new or used
++ price <500�
- relatively slow

LEICA APO-MACRO-ELMARIT-R 2.8/100
++ APO
+ prices around 850� used in mint condition
+ I really like Leica colors for portraits
+ plenty of them on used market (in comparison to Voigtlanders or Zeisses)

I must say that I incline towards Leica. According to different options I get at least the same quality (and maybe in some areas even better performance) at half the price of 125 Lanthar or Makro-Planar.
But the 90 Lanthar is half the price of Leica... Confused

Please post your opinions, experiences and suggestions. Or propose another comparable lens (even AF). Some members own almost all from above mentioned lenses. I'll be very glad if you can post some comparison, especially between Leica and 90 Lanthar.

Scheimpflug · Expire: 2011-11-18

Arctures · Joined: 10 Jul 2009 Posts: 295

I believe Macro Planars are awesome according to shots I have seen. The same I may tell about Voights. 90 Lanthar is really awesome lens for a really reasonable price. After I've got my Lanthar I have the same feelings to APO lenses as you Very Happy

And yes I am looking for APO lenses for all possible focal distances Twisted Evil

Reality shows us 90 Lanthar is the cheapest of all those big brothers. But we couldn't state the same in the terms of picture quality. 90 Lanthar pictures are brilliant but yes I do miss faster apertures some times. That is why I have Planar 85/1.4 Cool

james · Expire: 2011-12-28

I have the Leica 100 APO and while a superb lens, it has a very long focus throw that renders it less practical as a short tele but highly accurate for macro. It does display subtle field curvature and perhaps ever so slight barrel distortion at longer distances. Ergonomically, it is somewhat cumbersome. The Leica 90 Summicron, which I've shot several times is small and compact, has great ergonomics but as you know, is not macro. The CV 90, one of my favorite possessions, is sharp, compact, renders colors vividly and focuses close but the bokeh, though pleasing, remains underdeveloped because of the max aperture of 3.5. Dramatically isolating objects and people at that aperture cannot really be achieved. The Zeiss 100, another lens I passingly tried, is ergonomically great, amazingly sharp, native to the Pentax mount (as you mentioned) and its shorter focus throw lends to its use as a tele/portrait lens in addition to other applications, such as landscapes or stitching (true planar) but beware of the serious CA in the OOF areas. If you're sensitive to CA, it can be annoying when shooting @ f/2-2.8. I think you can find it used for far less than 1600 euros. As for the CV 125, the 90 SL II just shipped so if that's next, I doubt it will be out before mid-2011.

After all is said and done, I would recommend the Leica 100 APO; a 3-cam version probably can be had for ~750-850 euros (again, as you noted) and a Leitax mount for Pentax, another 80 euros. It's the happiest compromise.

Here's a great article on the CV 125 vs. Zeiss 100 vs. Leica 100 APO:
http://slrlensreview.com/web/benchmarks-resources-131/134-macro-challenge/521-macro-challenge-part-1.html

...and another on the Leica alone:
http://slrlensreview.com/web/leica-slr-lenses-133/macro-slr-lenses-141/418-leica-apo-macro-elmarit-r-100mm-f28-leica-apo-macro-elmarit-r-100mm-f28-e60-lens-review.html

...and yet another on the Zeiss 100:
http://slrlensreview.com/web/carl-zeiss-slr-lenses-51/macro-slr-lenses-96/287-carl-zeiss-makro-planar-t-100mm-f20-zf-lens-review.html

DSG · Joined: 04 Mar 2007 Posts: 544 Location: London, UK.

Why not consider the Nikon 105mm f2.5 Ai-S?....It is legendary for its great bokeh, its razor sharp and it has great contrast too. Build quality is first rate and the focus dial is smooth and silky to use.
Its a lot cheaper, and a bit sharper than the much dearer and not a whole lot faster 105mm f1.8 Ai-S.
OK, so its not an APO lens or even a macro lens...Its just a great lens but it can sometimes be found at bargain basement prices on ebay...Mint for less than �150!
Heres one going for less than �120 on a buy it now auction:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Nikon-105mm-f2-5-Lens-Ai-S-manual-focus-160mm-w-digital-/180247028418?cmd=ViewItem&pt=Camera_Lenses&hash=item29f78f62c2

Another one really worth considering is the Nikon Micro Nikkor 105mm f2.8 Ai-S, which of course also offers razor sharp macros...Its not as cheap as the 105/2.5 Ai-S, typically �250 plus and the average for a mint one can be about �500...However, I managed to find this one on a buy it now auction for under �240!:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Nikon-105mm-f2-8-Nikkor-AI-S-AIS-micro-macro-/380147357584?cmd=ViewItem&pt=Camera_Lenses&hash=item58828c5790

Best of luck.

trifox · Expire: 2014-05-29

Makro-Planar 2.8/100 C/Y, of course Smile

it;s not APO but ... it;s great ..

tf

nemesis101 · Expire: 2015-01-22

And you don't fancy the brilliant 100mm f2.8 A series macro lens from Pentax themselves because???

Doug

Orio · Expire: 2012-12-04

Apo and fast enough for typical portrait use (f/2), I think there's only the Apo Summicron-R 90/2, but surely not cheap.

Attila · Expire: 2025-11-18

james · Expire: 2011-12-28

Orio: the last Leica R 90 Summicron APO i saw on eBay went for $2900. painful option.

hinnerker · Expire: 2015-08-09

Whats about the Zuiko Makro 2/90mm with floating elements?

Should be another reference in his class. As far as i know not APO but excellent and fast . Dont try the lens by myself , but we have a presentation in our german forum for this glas. And as i did read, Attila did own one copy.

Here a short link (sorry, only in german language.. use online translation)

http://www.digicamclub.de/showthread.php?12456-Olympus-Zuiko-Auto-Macro-50-und-90mm-f2

I know, its very rar..

Cheers
Henry

F16SUNSHINE · Expire: 2011-11-18

Henry the Zuiko is fantastic.
It is not Pentax compatical as the OP needs.

hinnerker · Expire: 2015-08-09

upss.. didnt realized that.. sorry. Embarassed

Cheers
Henry

BRunner · Joined: 29 Jul 2009 Posts: 705 Location: Czech Republic

DSG · Joined: 04 Mar 2007 Posts: 544 Location: London, UK.

timo832000 · Joined: 09 Jun 2008 Posts: 544 Location: Germany / Cologne

I have the non Apo 90`cron, wide open it produces a lot of CA`s.
But stopping down to F2.8 almost solves this problem.
Its a very beautyful lens with enogh sharpnes, a woundeful Bokeh and nice colours.

Here you can find samples

http://forum.mflenses.com/portraitworks-with-leitz-summicron-2-90-in-bandw-t25980.html

F2

100% crop no sharpening

F2.8

100% crop no sharpening

Timo

BRunner · Joined: 29 Jul 2009 Posts: 705 Location: Czech Republic

Time to update. I carefully did my home works and examined lots of images from all above mentioned lenses (Zeiss Planars, Leica 90 'crons and Elmarit, Nikkor, Pentax DFA 100).

All of them shows LoCAs and CAs in harsh light conditions. See here:
CZ Makro-Planar 2/100
Nikkor 2.5/105
CZ Makro-Planar 2.8/100 and here. It is very hard to find full size samples from this lens on the net. It looks to me, that it is better corrected for CAs than it's younger cousin. But I'm not sure it is convertible to Pentax mount (Leitax doesn't provide any info).
Pentax D-FA 2.8/100

So the next lens will be definitely APO. Don't get me wrong, all above mentioned lenses, are definitely great and the examples I selected are worst case scenarios.

APO-Summicron 2/90 shows flawless performance, but is disqualified by it's price - hey, it's still only a hobby!
Same for APO Lanthar 2.5/125 Sad

This finally leaves me two options (and I'm at the beginning again):
APO-Macro-Elmarit 2.8/100 and APO Lanthar 3.5/90

I saw lots of photos from the second, but not so much from Leica. I would appreciate some portraiture comparison of the two lenses. I like Leica, but the price of Lanthar is just too tempting.

By the way I decided to give a chance to my Pentacon 2.8/100 (see here).
It's not in the same league as Planars, but i think that for it's price is hard to beat.

In the end I will stay with my Pentacon 100/Tamron 90 Macro combo, until I sell some of my other lenses and spare money for one of the two APOs.
Maybe I'll find one under the Christmas tree Cool

(if anyone want to sell original APO Lanthar 90 SL in P/K mount for 350� the trouble is resolved Twisted Evil

)

integrale · Joined: 04 Sep 2009 Posts: 136 Location: Denmark

I have recently converted a Leica APO-100, and here is a quick snap of my oldest son (on a Nikon D700). It is not completely focused correctly, though, and this hurts the sharpness.

womble · Joined: 28 Sep 2009 Posts: 987 Location: Hertfordshire

If you already have macro covered the Pentax-M 100mm f/2.8 is a lovely lens. Deliberately a little soft wide open (it was designed for portraits) but sharpens up quickly when you stop down. I use it with extension tubes for macro work. Small, light, cheap and lovely Very Happy

K.