80mm, 85mm, 90mm, and 58mm

[koji]

Hi there. Here comes some quick comparison shots of 85mm-sh focal
length lenses I own. Camera used is (mirror shaved) EOS_5D on the
manfrotto tripod 055 with free head (good one), ISO 400, AWB, and
developed with Capture One 4 ver. 1 and its default USM setting of
130,1.3,1.0, and all at F2.8. And make them to 600x900 and saved as WEB jpeg.

1. Pancolar 80/1.8 only 80mm lens I have (104K)


2. Nikkor AF 85/1.8 (104K)


3. C/Y Sonnar 85/2.8 (96K), sorry for Sonnar 85/2.8 fan I goofed this shot (blurred)


4. Planar 85/1.4ZF (104K)


5. MC Rokkor-PF 85/1.7 (modified to EF mount) (100K)


6. Zuiko 85/2 (104K)


7. Elmarit-R 90mm (104K)


8. Contax G-Sonanr 90/2.8 (modified to M42 mount) (108K)


9. Tamron macro 90/2.5 (52BB) (104K)


10. Odd ball MC Rokkor-PG 58/1.2 (modified to EF mount) (108K, cropped to make same frame for comparison)


My feeling is that G-Sonnar, Pancolar 80 and Elmarit-R is doing pretty well, and ZUIKO 85/2 close behind.
(Maybe I should put 100% crops in here, but hard to see any big difference.)
MC Rokkor-PF 85/1.7 has less contrast than others, it was expected. Anyhow there is
not much difference among them, that is my conclusion. Of course subtle difference
is VERY important for some, since this tiny difference makes the winner at 100m dash
in Olympics, so I was told once.

Surprisingly PG58/1.2 is doing well (biggest file size), this lens is a pretty sharp beast.

Please do not take this seriously, I just wanted to shoot with them today. Boring shots indeed,
these some what controlled situation every lens is doing neck and neck, that is my experience.

Shooting scene.

Old Minolta 3X eyepiece magnifier (hard to find today, diopter adjustable too)


So stick to your lens, and happily shoot away.

[koji]

But we have to make real photos in order to see lens' characters,
so here is some recent (today's) shots with MC Rokkor-PF 85/1.7.
(This lens was modified to EF-mount, and now can focus infinity on my EOS_5D.)

[Larger photos on Pbase have better colour than on these 600x900 photos.]

@f2 (larger one -> http://www.pbase.com/kkawakami/image/106973502)


@f1.7 (larger one -> http://www.pbase.com/kkawakami/image/106973505)


So my take is this, those comparison shootings do not give us any good information
about the lenses, you have to make photo yourself to see their characters.

The above shots are relatively speaking pleasant, yes less contrast, but
they look alright to me and sharp enough for a portraiture I guess, even this
old lens can kick a$$ sometimes.

[Attila]

I see no difference , looks all same to me. All are simple just great! Thank you for sharing! I look forward your report in field action!

[koji]

No much chance, Attila.

Toronto is getting colder, and I do not use tele-lenses much.
I do not know why I have so many 85mm lenses,
nor I can easily access to BEAUTIFUL models like you, Sigh.

Oh well, life is full of ..... (you insert the word here).

By the way, I have never succeeded to put up the large photos on
"Oversized Gallery", what did I wrong? (I did enter max size to
what I was sending, but no avail. I should do more? or file size MB
limit? not pixcel size)

[Attila]

[yalcinaydin]

I felt like Atilla, all look similar
I have 2(MF) and 3 and they look really good, well Pancolar is Pancolar, it looks a little more sharper

[kds315*]

Thanks Koji,

interesting test for me! Maybe I should send you the Pentax SMS 1.8 / 85mm...

Cheers,

[loksi67]

hi,

how you can use Contax G-Sonanr 90/2.8 (modified to M42 mount) on a digital body?

how you can focus the sonnar (has only autofocus) ???

greetings

loksi

[koji]

See here > http://www.pbase.com/kkawakami/g90_mods

It is pretty easy (for me).

[loksi67]

interesting

[LucisPictor]

I completely agree on the very subtle differences.
There might be some differences in sharpnes and contrast but they are negligible, really.

Great set of lenses!

(Corrected)

[peterqd]

[patrickh]

Thanks koji. A fine set of comparisons. Agreed they are all very close, but I can see some fairly strong differences in edge sharpness(?)



patrickh