How about starting a 50mm/1.5 lens test?

[kross]

thanks for the great effort raid! this early "tasting" had me convinced that i must get another nikkor sc!

cheers...
kross

 

[raid]

Raid,

I can't speak for anyone else, but these shots are already helpful to me. Thank you.

William

William,

The test will certainly help us better understand the fact that there are differences between individual lenses from the same brand. It also shows that if you will encounter scenes where you shoot against a light source, then a multicoated new design lens will most likely have better flare control.

 

[raid]

Raid,I thought it interesting that the two Canon 1.4 lenses appear to exhibit a slight difference in contrast. Assuming that all other factors are the same, the "98" lens appears to render higher contrast. Of course, a miniscule sample doesn't say much- I just find it interesting.

I would bet that a good cleaning of the J-3 would cut down on the flare significantly- a bit of oil on the lens elements would contribute to the flare.

Also, agree with an earlier poster- I don't think that there are any focus issues with the test.

Looking forward to the rest of the pics.

Mark,

Both lenses are good, but they don't seem to give identical results. I used them back to back. My goal was to reduce differences due to having the end/start of a roll for one lens and the other lens getting a negative somewhere else on a roll. As for the J-3, I agree with you regarding the need for a cleaning job. I will send the lens to Eddy Smolov.

 

[raid]

thanks for the great effort raid! this early "tasting" had me convinced that i must get another nikkor sc!

cheers...
kross

Hi Kross,

The Nikkors did well, didn't they. I was not surprised. In my first test of 50mm lenses a couple of years ago, the Nikkor-H 50/2 did best for flare control. [my Summicron was not clean then]

 

[ampguy]

huh?

huh?

I'm not mentioning edge sharpness here. I'm noting that if the focus point is the white mark as mentioned, and the camera is accurately focused at that point, then the same lens(es) at varying apertures are either a) not showing that spot in focus at any aperture, or b) showing it only at certain apertures indicating a focus shift, which is a "focus issue" IMHO.

Raid, when you changed from 1.5 to 2.8, did you refocus, or leave focus constant, and just carefully move aperture ring / shutter dial?

"focus issues"

Respectfully, this is totally meaningless. The point of focus is apparent in every single one of the phootgraphs posted. Edge sharpness, or the lack of it at full aperature should not be labeled "focus issues", its pedestrian at best. In fact, based upon the photos posted, it doesnt appear as if any of the lenses have "focus issues" at all.

 

[raid]

I'm not mentioning edge sharpness here. I'm noting that if the focus point is the white mark as mentioned, and the camera is accurately focused at that point, then the same lens(es) at varying apertures are either a) not showing that spot in focus at any aperture, or b) showing it only at certain apertures indicating a focus shift, which is a "focus issue" IMHO.

Raid, when you changed from 1.5 to 2.8, did you refocus, or leave focus constant, and just carefully move aperture ring / shutter dial?

In the flare test, I checked most of the times except when the aperture ring smoothly moved on a given lens. Later [non flare test] test images had the target point in focus, as you will see. The flare test had as its main goal "flare testing" and not so much focusing.

 

[ampguy]

Ok

Ok

So by adjusting focus between tests, and if focused correctly each time, focus shift would be taken out of the equation. I understand that your goals for these first tests was flare testing.

During any future tests, is it possible that your tripod setup, or monitoring the focus scale could allow for a constant focus position between 1.5 and 2 or 2.8 to show the focus shift of a given lens?

In the flare test, I checked most of the times except when the aperture ring smoothly moved on a given lens. Later [non flare test] test images had the target point in focus, as you will see. The flare test had as its main goal "flare testing" and not so much focusing.

 

[raid]

So by adjusting focus between tests, and if focused correctly each time, focus shift would be taken out of the equation. I understand that your goals for these first tests was flare testing.

During any future tests, is it possible that your tripod setup, or monitoring the focus scale could allow for a constant focus position between 1.5 and 2 or 2.8 to show the focus shift of a given lens?

Could you please elaborate on the tripod setup. Do you mean that I somehow fix the distance setting? The tripod is firmly standing at one place, and I acrefully change lenses on the camera body that is firmly attached to the tripod without moving it.

On the follow up tests, I used a straw [painted black] on which I could easily focus in good light. I checked the focus each time. There, the straw always was in focus. I did not see any focusing problems for any lens used.

 

[ampguy]

explanation

explanation

Is it possible with your setup to simply move the aperture dial on the lens and corresponding shutter speed, without touching the focus dial or changing the distance between from film plane to subject of focus when testing a single lens, changing only aperture (and corresponding shutter speed)?

Could you please elaborate on the tripod setup. Do you mean that I somehow fix the distance setting? The tripod is firmly standing at one place, and I acrefully change lenses on the camera body that is firmly attached to the tripod without moving it.

On the follow up tests, I used a straw [painted black] on which I could easily focus in good light. I checked the focus each time. There, the straw always was in focus. I did not see any focusing problems for any lens used.

 

[raid]

Is it possible with your setup to simply move the aperture dial on the lens and corresponding shutter speed, without touching the focus dial or changing the distance between from film plane to subject of focus when testing a single lens, changing only aperture (and corresponding shutter speed)?

That should be possible for most lenses, even though some lenses have a stiff aperture ring, resulting in a distance change as I change the aperture. The distance between film plane and subject of focus should be the same since I do not move camera or target.

 

[ampguy]

OK, so here's what I see, the Canons examples (both) are pretty good wide open, but the bottom left of the image changed when you went to the 2nd sample.

The Nikkors are soft wide open or need cleaning/focusing.

The J3's and to some extent, the Nikkors have flare issues.

This is all just IMHO.

I'll take modern glass anyday.

 

[raid]

I forgot to post the images from the Summilux M.

At 1.4:

At 2.8 (last frame on the film):

The right half of the the frame is lost.

The Summilux-M is sharp and has good flare control. This particular Summilux belongs to Fred.

I have just completed a portrait session at available light indoors and outdoors. I covered twelve LTM/M lenses that way. So far, all film used was Kodak Portra 160NC exposed at ASA100, except one roll of Reala 100. I have completed eleven rolls of film.

 

[raid]

One of the difficulties is matching negatives with lenses. Most of the time, there are no problems, but once in a while it is a puzzle. I have on paper 34 exposures, and only 32 appear developed. Which two exposures for which lenses have I lost? This has been my work for the past hour. I am still unsure about Roll # 6,and tomorrow I will go over each negative on that roll to find out where the start is on the roll.

 

[ampguy]

3" x 5" card in a corner

3" x 5" card in a corner

Raid, try putting a 3x5 index card with a number from 1 to X on it in one of the corners of every photo, then keep track of the numbers with the setup on a notepad on a desk or table behind the tripod setup.

One of the difficulties is matching negatives with lenses. Most of the time, there are no problems, but once in a while it is a puzzle. I have on paper 34 exposures, and only 32 appear developed. Which two exposures for which lenses have I lost? This has been my work for the past hour. I am still unsure about Roll # 6,and tomorrow I will go over each negative on that roll to find out where the start is on the roll.

 

[raid]

Raid, try putting a 3x5 index card with a number from 1 to X on it in one of the corners of every photo, then keep track of the numbers with the setup on a notepad on a desk or table behind the tripod setup.

I used a piece of paper with information on lens and aperture in past lens tests, but I got lazy when the number of lenses started to exceed twenty lenses. I think that I may have resolved the puzzle regarding Roll 6 by inspecting the negatives.

 

[raid]

I want to post at least one image from each lens tested. There were two Nikon S mount lenses :

Nikkor S 1.4 at 1.4:

Nippon 1.4 at 1.4:

 

[raid]

I also had a few Contax mount lenses: (all shot wide open)

J-3 Nr. 46:

J-3 Nr. 63;

Zeiss Jena Nr. 64:

Zeiss Opton at 1.4:

Prominent Nokton at 1.5:

I have used John's idea and ftp'd him and Roland six rolls for further analysis.
I also have five more rolls for the second batch.

 

[raid]

The Nr. for the lenses are the last two digits of the serial number. The owners of the lenses know which lens is theirs.

 

[raid]

Robin: Your J-3 is the J-3 Nr.90. Take a look.

 

[raid]

The Opton was adjusted by Brian and I bought the lens from him. It is doing very well in the flare test, as you can see.