Out of center sharpness of portrait lenses, esp. Jupiter 9

[pst]

Hi!

I'm looking for a reasonably priced portrait lens, and the Jupiter 9 is on the top of my list. I often frame my subject out of center so I need good wide open performance across much of the frame.

(I'm not a pixel-peeper, so simply "good" will suffice! )

I'm also considering sharper lenses, maybe the Orestor 100 F2.8?

Any hints?

[womble]

SMC Pentax-M 100mm f/2.8.

There is an A series version of this lens too but more expensive.

K.

[LucisPictor]

If you need M42, a Takumar 2.8/105 will be sharper than then J9.
But if you use a good hood with the J9, it will improve a lot, even its impression of sharpness.

[BRunner]

If you need lens in price range <100€, the Pentacon/Orestor 2.8/100 is hard to beat. Definitely better field sharpness than J9 at same aperture. Better contrast too and more consistent and neutral colors than most Jupiters (I tried about 6 copies and every had different color rendering).
Pentax-M 2.8/100 is often pricier and has more CAs IMHO.

If you want ultimate portrait lens <200€, get Rollei or CY Sonnar 2.8/85. Better wide-open than all above mentioned lenses stopped down. I even think that my Rollei copy resolves in center more at f2.8 than my APO-Macro-Elmarit 2.8/100, but quiet! Don't tell it anyone (of course, CAs and field sharpness is different story).

[Attila]

Usually you can't go wrong with any 85-105mm lenses no matter who made it Vivitar branded or Leica they are all good performer.
Just a few examples not a ranking order.
Nikon E 100mm f2.8
Pentacon/Orestor 100mm f2.8
Jupiter-9
Biometar 80
Vega 90
Minolta 105mm
Nikkor 85mm
Nikkor 105mm
Vivitar 85mm
etc etc

[RioRico]

The lenses in that vicinity that I use and like for portraiture on my Pentax K20D are:

Jupiter-9 85/2
Nikkor 85/2
Vivitar-Komine 90/2.8 macro
Meyer Trioplan 100/2.8
Super-Takumar 105/2.8

And also the Enna Tele-Sandmar and Isco Westar 100/4.5 lenses, slower but with character, and sharp. And various 75-90-110mm f/3.5-4.5 enlarger lenses on bellows, also very sharp throughout the field. I have yet to meet a lens in that range that I don't like!

I admit that my favorite general portrait MFL is an old zoom, an M42 Sears-Tokina 55-135/3.5. IMHO superfast lenses (like 85/1.5) often do not produce pleasing portraits. Stunning effects, yes. Accurate portraits, no. I think that faces are best rendered around 80/3.5 whether in 135/HF, 135/FF, 645/MF, or 6x6/MF. No matter the frame size, the vicinity of 80/3.5 produces the best roundness of adult human features. Note that the DOF of 80/3.5 is very close to 55/2.4 or 50/2.2, also excellent portrait settings.

[135/HF is half-frame, 24x18mm, about the size of APS-C sensors.]
_______________________________________________________

EDIT: Oooh, the next post reminds me that I have an MC Tele-Rokkor-PF 100/2.5 that I must modify for PK mount. When I get the courage...

[Minolfan]

[Attila]

[pst]

Thank you for the suggestions, but your not making my quest any easier!

I guess I'll just have to buy different lenses and find out which one I like best .
And I was hoping somebody could tell me the "one-and-only" lens.

So does anyone have a silver J9 or an Orestor 2.8/100 for sale? I guess that's where I'll start.

[ManualFocus-G]

Part of the fun is trying lenses for yourself, as people have different ideas about what is sharp, has nice bokeh and interesting 3D

[pst]

[estudleon]

[kuuan]

[nixland]

From my experience, the older silver Jupiter-9 is sharp enough, has more contrast than the black and black MC version.
Well, I don't know wheter I had a bad copy of the black MC version or that is its typical character.
My black non MC has some cleaning marks, so it might affect its contrast too.

From top : silver, black, black MC




I haven't tested for out of center sharpness yet. But below is the near center sharpness of the silver J9 if you are interested. Not bad I think.

[kuuan]

oh, thank you nixland to clarify, mine is black
( looks like SUPER bokeh in the full view )

[Nordentro]

Sankor made 105mm f2.5 is a good choice

It would be my favorit against the lenses mentioned in this thread, and the cheapest!

[IAZA]

I have black J9, its bokeh is really nice to me. like kuuan said, not sharp wideopen, but thanks to this, it definitely good for portrait (women like it a lot )
I had FD 100/2.8 ssc which is sharper @ wideopen than my pentacon 100/2,8 & meyer Trioplan 100/2,8
the FD is cheaper than J9.
I also have Vega 90/2,8 P6 mount which its performance almost same to my elmarit 90/2,8 but cheaper

nordentro; how much Cheap is sankor made? generally cheap or you got it bargain ?

my fave now is vega
my wife's fave is J9

[pst]

As kuuan pointed out, I must clarify: I'm using FF, so that doesn't make my search any easier...

I guess I have to buy all lenses and brick-wall-test them myself .

[BRunner]

[Attila]

[poilu]

[martinsmith99]

I have Jupiter 9 (m39 alu), Tamron 90, Vivitar (komine) 90 and Trioplan 100mm.

If you plan using it wide open and want sharpness, the Tamron is a clear winner as it's the sharpest of the lot especially wide open, the Vivitar is as good from F4 on; both have a modern look.

The Jupiter is the fastest and very reasonably priced, it's low in contrast, never becomes razor sharp, but it is good enough to use at any aperture. The Trioplan has crazy bokeh wide open but is very sharp at F5.6 and smaller. These too have a vintage look about them.

[pst]

I like sonnar bokeh, so that basically rules out modern lenses (eg. Canon EF 85/1.8 ) or Triplets (to crazy).

The Zeiss 85/2.8 seems like a real nice lens! I looked through some galleries, Attila has a lot of fun with it.

[RioRico]

Oh, if we consider cost, then the cheapest+sharpest will be enlarger lenses on extension. I use a scary-looking Industar-58 and a not-so-odd Vivitar-LU both 75/3.5 -- the Viv on bellows for maximum focus of about 2m, and the I-58 on tubes with a fixed focus of about 1.5m. My other 75-90-105-110's are f/4.5+ except the Novoflex Noflexar 105/3.5 and Industar-100U 110/4, which I use on bellows for general photography. All of these will cover FF, are very sharp wide open, give Tessar bokeh; and each cost about US$5 plus shipping,

[Nordentro]