Your suggestion for a MF lens in the range 85-100mm

[wolan]

Hi,
I am looking for a MF lens with focal length between 85mm and 100mm and aperture f<2>=5.6 or at least f>=8

Any ideas?
Cheers from Europe

[rybolt]

depending on what mount you can use I'm a big fan of the 85mm f2.8 Steiheil Culminar. I use one in L39 on my Fuji X cameras as well as the M9.

[wolan]

Hi,
anything that can be adapted on the Fuji mount, but preferably L39 and M42 as I can use helicoid adapters.
Thanks.

[rybolt]

lots of choices for you. As I said, I like the out of focus rendering that the Culminar gives. The 75mm f1.5 Helios gets good reviews, too. Plus all of the Nikon, Canon, Olympus and Minolta options.
I have 12 different adapters for the Fuji camera and probably 8 different lenses in the range that you are asking about. Some are great and some are boring.

[Lightshow]

Quite a few options, X-Fujinar EBC 100/2.8 to keep it in the family.
Leica R or M 90/2 (pre APO Asph is still good and much cheaper)
SMC Pentax K 85/1.8 or either 85 Takumar(1.9 or 1.
Topcor RE 85/1.8
Helios 40 or CZJ 75/1.5
Jupiter 9

[Lloydy]

Tamron SP 90 / 2.5 Macro. it takes some beating.
Minolta Rokkor X 100 / 2.5 is very nice.
Minolta Rokkor Macro 100 / 3.5. This is a big heavy lens and has a X2 converter to get 1:1 macro, but it's sharp!
Soligor 105 / 2.8. Cheap and surprisingly good.

That's what I have, and the Tamron, although it has some issues with the blue spot sensor reflection, is certainly my most used lens, followed by the Rokkor X which is plenty sharp and renders beautifully. The Macro Rokkor is by far the best macro lens I have, but it is a big heavy lens.
The Soligor is cheap, tiny and often goes in a pocket when I go for a walk and don't want to carry a bag full of lenses.

[Oldhand]

As Lloyd has said - don't rule out the 105mm lenses. There are some very good ones around.
Canon FD 100/2.8 and Vivitar 105/2.8 by Tokina (serial 37........) are lenses that I have used. Both are very good
OH

[guardian]

[jamaeolus]

Olympus OM 100mm 2.8 or Topcon RE 100mm 2.8 are my current faves in that range for relatively low money. Zeiss Pancolar 85 1.8 or Pentax SMC 85 1.8. if you intend to spend a bit more.

[stevemark]

I have tested several vintage MF 1.7/85mm, 1.8/85mm and 2/85mm lenses, using the Sony A7/A7II FF camera:

Canon FD 1.8/85mm
Canon new FD 1.8/85mm
Minolta MC-X 1.7/85mm
Minolta MD 1.7/85mm
Minolta MD 2/85mm
Nikkor Ai 1.8/85mm

All the f1.7 and f1.8 lenses had nearly identical center and corner sharpness. The Canons may have a bit less contrast than the Minolta MD 1.7/85mm and 2/85mm. The Minolta MD 2/85 was slightly sharper than the rest, and it had a bit less CAs.

Stephan

[wolan]

Hi,
sorry, just noticed that a piece of my post went lost because of the special HTML characters in the text.

The requirements for such a lens are:
- very beautiful to exceptional bokeh
- sharp enough WO
- sharp to very sharp from f5.6 or at least from f8

I already have a few good lenses in that range, I am really looking for something original.
NB: yes, 105mm would also be ok.

Thanks.

[Lightshow]

Canon 100/2 LTM/R
Rokkor 100/2

[newst]

As has been stated repeatedly there are many lenses available to meet your requirements.

I like a lot of the lenses already recommended but I advise you to look into the Canon LTM 100mm f3.5. Small, very sharp, excellent rendering and not expensive. I would avoid the earliest, Serenar, version but only because it is considerably heavier than the later Canon version.

I have copies of some of my shots somewhere on the forum but can't find them now. No problem as these are much better than I can do.

http://forum.mflenses.com/a-walk-with-canon-100mm-f-3-5-omd-t66195,highlight,%2Bcanon+%2Bltm+%2B100mm.html

[DConvert]

[Lloydy]

[guardian]

Lloydy, thanks. That is a sweet 105 preset, the quintessential manual focus lens. What sparked my inquiry was your mention of small size to where you actually could pocket the lens. I agree your lens is a small lens when compared with automatic 105 MF lenses. You have for certain presented a lens worthy of consideration. Offered two lenses otherwise equivalent in all other respects, I would choose the smaller lens as well. And the very nearly round aperture of your lens is a nice bonus.

[stevemark]

[tomasg]

I would suggest the Samyang (or any other name) 85 f1.4, i don t know if the bokeh can be defined as exceptional, but sure it s one of the strenghts of the lens. Sharpness WO is very good too, stopped down sharpness could be a weak point in your criteria. The lens has another advantage, is very simple to CLA, i did it on mine, i wouldn t hasitate to buy a second hand one, i saw the prices are very low.
Maybe it s only me but the lens has a good "separation", i don t wont to call it 3D, even at mid to long distance, see the examples (all WO):



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Tomas

[wolan]

[wolan]

[Lightshow]