35mm focal lens with the most micro contrast, BUT Compact...

[immortalblue]

thank you for existing, hello

I realize that since I have my sony a7II I take it less often with me than when I had my fuji hybrid.

I'm borrowing more and more of my friends' some super max ultra giga iphones even though I hate them, simply because I don't have a camera with one lenses < 40mm focal length on me often.

My conclusion: I would like to try to start again with one hybrid fuji after 8 years without, at least to see if I can build myself a new setup that I take with me more frequently than my sony. After a really quick check I found the FUJIFILM X-T30 II ... honestly I am not following the APS-C evolution...at all, all I want is a REALLY compact Hybrid, one BI Captor and one really good viewfinder.


My first problem is that i'm a zeiss fanboy and i love micro contrast.

My second problem is that if I go in this direction of a compact new setup I know that if the result is too large, I will not use it as often as I can.
With the crop factor 1.5 if I take a 35mm focal length it gives me a 50 effective (or just a bit more but ok for me) , for this setup i would like a focal between 40 and 55mm at the beginning ( in full frame).


Let's assume that in optics you can't have everything, so let's already forget the lenses that open a lot, and let's assume that I don't need to have a bright lens. Certainly I will use this gear between 5.6 and 11, if i need shallow depth of field i have my full frame...


I look at flickr galleries again and again since days and days and I can't find my happiness in one 35mm lenses really compact with tons of micro contrast.

Zeiss ZM, I took a look, I found the 1.4 (that i am in love with, but it is too big)
There is also the two Biogon, the 2.8 and the 2
IF I would not have care at all about the compactness I would have go for the ZF.2 f/2 Distagon ahahah

Leica, I found nothing I'm in love with.

Voigt, the nokton 1.2 ASPH III and ultron 1.7 ASPH are not enough compact unfortunatly
I still have theses 4 lenses in my list but for the moment I saw no pictures with the "wow" effect I'm looking for :
f/1.4 nokton VM II, I am even not sure I am in this type of look for the moment (I have other nokton already)
f/1.5 nokton aspherical I & II Vintage Line with 4 apsherical
f/2 ultron aspherical II Vintage Line
f/2.5 color skopar P-Type II, seems similar to biogon 2.8


So the question of the day, which compact 35mm focal length lenses do have the more micro contrast?

thx you in advance and thx you for reading me, you gave me your time and I'm grateful for that.

[caspert79]

Minolta MD 35mm f/2.8 is excellent.
https://lens.ws/comparison-minolta-md-35mm-sony-35mm/

[stevemark]

[immortalblue]

I am really happy to have some suggestion, thx a lot

I will try to classify them by size at first

and following I will try to found which ones does have the more micro contrast

thanks a lot, appreciate

[Doc Sharptail]

I'm currently on my 2nd nikon 35 that is yet another pre-A/I. It is the O.C. f2, and I like it a lot. No corner tests yet with it, but the basic imagery I've done with it is acceptable, or even better. The slightly newer "S" 2.8 is quite a bit smaller. I suspect my dented filter ring copy may be slightly decentered.
There are a ton of mixed reviews around on the nikkor 35's which leads me to suspect more than a bit of sample variation with them, especially the A/I variants.

Their images on the fast section of Stephan's 35mm lens review page are pretty poor.

Personally, the o.p. may be hard pressed to find a 35mm faster than f2.8 that will meet his size requirements.

In my experience, sometimes a 50mm can be a little too tight~ even on full frame.
So far, the 35mm experience for me has been a bit of a revelation.
I carried for years an A/I 3.5 28mm, but it rarely, if ever, got used. I found it a little too wide for the style of picture making that I do.

-D.S.

[RokkorDoctor]

From personal experience I can second the above recommendations of the Minolta MD 35/2.8

It is very good, and also quite small and lightweight if you get one of the later versions with 49mm filter thread; those are approx. 165-170g, 64mm diameter and 38mm in length, 5 elements in 5 groups so no optical cement issues to worry about.

Here's another test by Antony Hands of The Rokkor Files (scroll to the bottom; there are 3 pages to this review):

https://www.rokkorfiles.com/35mm%20Page%201.htm

[Oldhand]

For Fuji there are some excellent native lenses like the Fujifilm 35mm f1.4
For completely manual lenses, don't discount the Chinese products.
7Artisans 35mm f1.2 and TT Artisan 35mm f1.4 are both very good, and very compact.
The 7Artisans sits on my camera for walkaround photography for its compactness. It takes up little space in my bag.

#1

[Gatorengineer64]

Let me give you a couple you might laugh at but look at the shots with them and you decide. Canon 35 F2 LTM, and the Nikon 35 F2.5 LTM, or the Nikon 35 F2.4 Contax.......

Sweet little tiny lenses..... I am assuming size matters, I assume you are shooting it on FF.

I had the Nikon 35 F1.8, and that is a very very sweet little lens I am sorry I parted with. Again look at the shots taken.

[Alun Thomas]

I was quite happy with the results from this fairly compact Agfa 4 element rangefinder 35mm lens. Adapters can be found on ebay for this mount from users
rareadapterstx or RareAdapters.com for numerous different brand bodies

[Crazy Leica Fox]

[kypfer]

Have you tried a Jupiter-12 3.5cm f/2.8 ?
It works well on my Zorki 6 but I don't have a digital it'll fit (very protruding large rear element).

[BrianSVP]

The Pentax DA limited 35mm f/2.8 and its Tokina AT-X twins are tough to beat on APS-C and are capable of 1:1 macro. Not sure they have an X mount version, but hey, this is an MF forum afterall.

[sergun]

If for portraits , then no lenses with a 2.8 aperture should be recommended . Zeiss ZM is the most for portraits, but if you can live with 2.8, then I can recommend a modern tamron 35/2.8.

[BrianSVP]

[papasito]

[papasito]

[papasito]

I can add two lenses to the list.
Skoparex 35/3,4 and Ángulon. 35/2 8 (Schneider lens in QBM mount)

[blotafton]

Micro contrast is not the same as sharpness so many of the replies here are not that accurate.

Unfortunately most if not all of the well known micro contrast lenses are bigger than you want.

Canon and Nikon LTM are probably the best ones to research.

I'd personally get a Distagon 35mm f/2 and just enjoy the output over the size. And get another smaller 35mm for travel.

[jamaeolus]

If you can move a little narrowe FOV the Olympus OM 40mm F2 is crazy good. Unfortunately for the short term budget word is out and it commands crazy good prices as well, but in the longer term it will likely retain its value.

[visualopsins]

Anybody have clear examples of "micro-contrast" to post here or point at, please?

EDIT: nevermind! Found this https://lenspire.zeiss.com/photo/en/article/micro-contrast-and-the-zeiss-pop-by-lloyd-chambers/

[D1N0]

I think this is pretty good, but this is the more modern plastic fantastic SMC pentax-DA 35mm 1:2.4 Micro-contrast has greatly improved with modern coatings.

[kathala]

to see what exists in terms of compactness, here's the table of all pancake lenses:
docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1UGbXkrE5GqlD6Hoq8bFN9FEOZf37k0LrK6tN2moOuno
for proper compactness, you'll need rangefinder lenses, not SLRs.

scroll down for the dedicated aps section. as a zeiss fan, you might enjoy the 30 or 32.5mm, both 2.8 and 3.5, Zeiss Jena Tessars for Robot.

you are aware of the two (full frame) 35 2.8 Zeiss Jena Biogons f=3.5cm for Contax rangefinders? ditto 35 3.5 Zeiss Planar.
I second that you can forget about Voigtlander. I had half a dozen of them over the years and sold every single one in dissatisfaction.
otherwise, checked the 35 3.5 Leitz Summaron f=3,5cm? very nice stopped-down.

[paulhofseth]

The Leica M mount lenses are reasonably sharp and VERY compact. the Summicron and the Minolta equivalent for the CL might serve. The latest Minolta has a better coating (numbering at the rear rather bthan at the front).

p.

[immortalblue]

so first of all, I'm surprised at the number of replies.

I only really create post when I find myself helpless and unanswered

Thank you a lot

I apologize because I think I have been inaccurate, and that is my fault, I will try to fix this:

- so, it may take me a while to answer, sorry, it's usual and it will continue, BUT don't worry, when I'm available I come by and I read and when I have time I answer.
- I think I want a compact kit not only to take it with me more often than my sony full frame but also so that I can start street photography again AND above all that is discreet. I want to see if my behavior with a front lens that is compact on a small fuji allows me to be less fearful in practice, or maybe it won't have any impact. In any case I want a lens that is neither wide nor long nor imposing and I will define precisely the dimensions as soon as I have time. I apologize for not being specific on this point, it is my fault.
-you know I think I'm really looking for a high level of micro contrast for this setup


during the time I have, I go to flickr and look at pictures again and again and again

I will reply more specificaly about the size and mano propositions when I will have time asap

thanks a lot for the hlp

[iangreenhalgh1]

The Fujinon 1.7/35 c mount lens is superb, best of all, it's dirt cheap.