Yashica ML 100mm F3.5 Macro

koji · Expire: 2012-12-27

I vaguely remembered someone on this site mentioned this lens
recently(?), so I dusted off the lens and shot our old map on the wall.

This lens is a rather rare item as you can see Luis Lam's Yashica lens page.
(http://louislam.photopage.org/Yashica/Yashica.htm)

I had a little time today, so I checked its wide open performance.
Surprisingly it performed better than Makro-Planar 100mm F2 at first,
and it took me 10 more shots to get a good result by MP100/2, whew..

My target is an old Tokyo map (about 350 year ago, called EDO), it is a flat object.
It look like this:

Upper left corner 100% by ML100/3.5 Macro @3.5 every case including MP100/2

Upper left corner by MP100/2 @f3.5

Right lower corner by ML100/3.5 @f3.5

Right lower corner by ML100/2 @f3.5

Centre by ML100/3.5 @f3.5

Centre by MP100/2 @f3.5

The conclusion is that when you see it, get it without thinking. Very Happy

(I bought this lens from KEH, was $180 at 2004. hehe)

Of course this is only one sample, so you have to be careful to choose from many macro lenses.
The lens goes to 1:2 without an extension ring, with rings of 20 & 27mm it can go 1:1.

kds315* · Expire: 2021-03-09

Thanks for that Koji - very impressive test. I wondered how it perfomed against the Zeiss in a true macro test, say at 1:2 or so.

There was one listed on German ebay with right of return, just hit BIN right away "without thinking" after I read that test of yours.... Wink

koji · Expire: 2012-12-27

hahaha

I will do the 1:2 test near future, hope did not make you spent too much. Very Happy

kds315* · Expire: 2021-03-09

I'll make some tests and then decide if I keep it
or return it...no risk involved!! Wink

Btw. I have the Macro 60mm too and it its an
excellent lens too!

Cobalt60 · Joined: 01 Mar 2007 Posts: 544 Location: Central Europe

Here's a small article which "slightly" compares the ML 55/2.8 with the S-Planar Macro 60mm...

http://yashica.org/289-2-Macro-Planar-or-ML-Macro.html

kds315* · Expire: 2021-03-09

Compares - yes the weight differences of the lenses seems to be about all that author cared about...."The Zeiss is soooo heavy..."
Well, I guess I need not comment on that.... Wink