Lenses that are magical at some other aperture than WO

[Pontus]

A continuation on the subject "Why is performance wide open important?" where I question the logic of only using fast lenses wide open when these lenses usually are meant to be used slightly stopped down.

Please list lenses that are spectacular (better than other lenses) at what they do at a certain aperture other than wide open. I can start with two very special lenses:

- Minolta Rokkor 58/1.2 which is fabulous at f2. Still shallow DOF but sharp, contrasty and bokeh to die for. Shoot this lens wide open and you get a much busier bokeh, less sharp images and less contrast. Also, the ultra short DOF is hard to handle. This lens can be used to great effect wide open as well but the special magic is at f2

- Contax Zeiss Vario-Sonnar 35-70/3.4 which is good at all apertures and focal lengths but the magic is at f5.6 at the wider end. 3D, POP, colours you name it.

I would welcome more suggestions on this subject as I haven't seen such a list before.

[iangreenhalgh1]

Jupiter-12 - soft and glowy wide open but sharp, 3d pop, excellent all round when closed 1 stop.

[Attila]

Carl Zeiss Planar 85mm f1.4 at f2.0 is my favorite and CZ Opton Sonnar 50mm f1.5 at f2.0

[RSalles]

Jupiter-9 at f5.6 or f8,

Cheers,

Renato

[Pontus]

Thanks guys, keep them coming

And for those who don't know:
Jupiter-9 is a 85mm f2 lens and Jupiter 12 is a 35mm 2.8 lens. Both Russian lenses, copies of Carl Zeiss Jena designs.

[hoanpham]

OM zuiko 55/1.2, at f2.0, not mc, but delivers contrast, sharpness, 3d-pop, better than most lenses.

Planar 85/1.4 is also best at f2.0, but I don't have mm, and mine gives ninja star bokeh a little bit.

Planar 100/2 is also best at f2.8, buttery bokeh.

Most lenses give the best compromise between sharpness, contrast, and pop at 0,5 - 1 stop down.

[Pontus]

I'd like to add Contax S-Planar Macro 60/2.8 which is a lens that seems to be optimized for sharpness wide open at 1:1 macro, something that is quite unusual. This is not in line with the topic but it is an interesting exception as most macro lenses are meant to be used stopped down several steps. While off topic I'd like to add a couple of more lenses that can be used for (1:2) macro with short DOF and those are Olympus OM Zuiko 50/2 Macro and Olympus OM Zuiko 90/2 Macro.

[buerokratiehasser]

Minolta 50/3.5 Macro 1:2

I think it needs f5.6 at least.
Not sure this counts since it's basically a defect WO. Don't know if it's the fabled field curvature but landscape isn't nice WO.

[Pontus]

[buerokratiehasser]

It's supposed to be one of the sharpest lenses ever (stopped down).

Of course, at f8 most lenses are somewhat agreeable.

Minolta colors going for it, too.

But well, you have a point there, Sigma UC 50/2.8 beats it, useful wider open, does 1:1, f5.6/8 resolution insane too, colors a bit cooler though.

[duckrider]

Of course the 3angled blades of Distagon 1,4/35 & Planar 1,4/85 for Rolleiflex SL 35 (and the leeeeeeeeeeeeegendary Contaflex version, who in the world owns one?) make a unique bokeh!

scroll down to have a look at that krazzy ligths:
http://www.marcocavina.com/articoli_fotografici/Zeiss_Planar_85mm_1,4/00_pag.htm

[Pontus]

Yes, obviously you would have to stop down to get those triangular highlights.

[padam]

I think the Jupiter-3 50/1.5 and Canon 50/1.5 LTM look nicest at f2