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Tulips with Rollei Distagon 1.4/35
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PostPosted: Wed Apr 18, 2012 9:48 pm    Post subject: Tulips with Rollei Distagon 1.4/35 Reply with quote



PostPosted: Wed Apr 18, 2012 10:55 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

It's interesting, but is it actually in focus? Or is the dof just so tiny at 1.4?


PostPosted: Wed Apr 18, 2012 11:04 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

iangreenhalgh1 wrote:
It's interesting, but is it actually in focus? Or is the dof just so tiny at 1.4?


DOF is extremely shallow with f/1.4 at this close focusing distance (only a few cms away from the subject)
The focus is on the tip of the nearest petal
I posted it large because only at a large size it is possible to appreciate how shallow it is.
I am going to print this one large for the wall Smile

P.S. note the complete absence of any type of chromatic aberrations. Smile


PostPosted: Wed Apr 18, 2012 11:11 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks for the explanation, I can see it now. The lack of CA is impressive.

Are these Rollei lenses the inbetween point from Contarex to Contax?


PostPosted: Wed Apr 18, 2012 11:24 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

iangreenhalgh1 wrote:

Are these Rollei lenses the inbetween point from Contarex to Contax?


Yes. This is why I am so happy to have these two lenses
(three actually, as I also have the 1.8/50)
The Planar 1.4/85 comes directly from the Contarex line and it's not clear if it is optically
like the Contax or like the Contarex predecessor
(remember that Marco Cavina showed that the two lenses Contarex and Contax do perform differently)
For sure the Rollei lens has the same triangular iris as found on the Arriflex lenses for cinema.
The same triangular iris is also in the 1.4/35 Distagon, and this is the major difference with the later Contax model
The 1.4/35 is also a cinematic-derived lens because it features a floating element, a device that Zeiss
introduced in the 60s in the Arriflex lenses.
(The Contarex line instead featured a slower 2/35 Distagon)
So the Rolleis are, on one side, the trait d'union between Contarex and Contax, and on the other side, also
a trait d'union with Zeiss cinematic lenses.


PostPosted: Wed Apr 18, 2012 11:38 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Very interesting. I had a later Rollei-made 1.8/50 and sold it because I felt my Hexanon 1.7/50 was better and I could make a nice profit on it.

I wish I hadn't passed up on a 2.8/85 Rollei I saw, that one was German made and earlier, so a proper Zeiss one.

I don't see many of these Rollei Zeiss lenses for sale on ebay, less than I see Contax ones, but now I shall keep an eye open.


PostPosted: Wed Apr 18, 2012 11:44 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Rollei versions are rather rare and quite more expensive than Contax versions.
The Rollei 1.8/50 is actually a special lens, it is a design by Erhard Glatzel and quite an innovation
compared to the Contarex predecessor (the famous 2/50) and to the classic Planar scheme.
It is less sharp than the Contax 1.7/50 but it is virtually free from axial CA even on dense sensors
so this makes of it a very good lens to have in a digital camera roster.
Plus it's a pedigree lens so it's going to keep and probably increase it's value.
A few months ago I was able to finally find a Zeiss branded version of the lens.
Previously I got a Rollei Singapore version and a Voigtlaender branded version (renamed as Color-Ultron,
but it's the same Glatzel Planar as in Rollei's line - at the time, Rollei did buy the Voigtlaender trademark
from Zeiss).


PostPosted: Wed Apr 18, 2012 11:58 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

An example of the triangular bokeh of the Rollei 1.4/85:



PostPosted: Thu Apr 19, 2012 12:48 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hmm, maybe I should have kept that Rollei Planar then. It wasn't as sharp as the Hexanon 1.7/50 and I felt the contrast was slightly lower, perhaps I was too quick to pass judgment.

I like the cat shot, the bokeh is unusual but not unpleasant.


PostPosted: Thu Apr 19, 2012 10:50 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

That's one creamy bokeh with a 35mm lens ... Smile little envious

the 85mm looks great too ...

Cheers
Tobias


PostPosted: Thu Apr 19, 2012 11:16 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

It must look even better when printed big.
Beautiful capture, amazing performance by the lens.


PostPosted: Thu Apr 19, 2012 11:13 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Stunning lenses well presented


patrickh