Bokeh and wide open performance of Heliars, Planars, Tessars, Triotars

[jett]

What are the bokeh qualities and wide-open performance of these lenses? On most accounts I hear Planars are better than Tessars on Rolleis and Heliars are better than Tessars (Skopar) on Bessa's (120 folder bessa), but better is subjective. I've heard that triplets, although less desireable, display swirly bokeh. I'm also curious to know how Heliars compare to Planars too.

Different lenses render images differently, so can someone describe the different qualities or show me some examples?

It's hard to search on flickr because everyone has a different shooting/developing/printing technique.

 

[f16sunshine]

I have a few samples all wide open. Some front Bokeh some back. You can decide what you think. These are not conclusive. It depends very much on each lens. Some DG scenes can swirl very much like a Tessar or triplet.

Trioplan 100mm f2.8 (triplet) 135mm film

Color Skopar (Tessar) 105mm f3.5 120 film

Yashinon 80mm f3.5 (Tessar)120 film

Heliar 105 f3.5 120 film

Double Gauss 90mm f3.5 (Planar) 120 film

 

[chris00nj]

Tessar on Rolleiflex at f/4

Heliar 50/2 (new Voigtlander lens):

 

[rogerzilla]

The Leitz Elmar is basically a Tessar design and the bokeh is superb.

 

[Roger Hicks]

The Leitz Elmar is basically a Tessar design and the bokeh is superb.

Say twelve Hail Bereks and go to Wetzlar three times on Sunday.

YOU might think it's a Tessar-type. I might think it's a Tessar-type. But the Party Line is that it's a simplified version of the 5-glass Anastigmat.

Besides, it was computed before bokeh was invented, so it can't have any.

Cheers,

R.

 

[goamules]

Since bokeh is subjective, it's hard to answer what lens has "good bokeh". For every person who wants smooth, unobtrusive blur, there is another who wants wild swirls and a moire effect. Is there a definition of good bokeh? I haven't seen one. We cannot answer this question any more than "what is the best beer?" But we can answer:

What lens has more coma/swirl?
What lens has a round aperture, vs a polygon, contributing to round out of focus highlights?
What lens has more spherical aberration?
etc., etc.

 

[jett]

I think my post was misinterpreted. I didn't use the words "good bokeh" nor did I ask which one was best. I just wanted to know how they compared. That's all.

 

[f16sunshine]

Do you see how they compare? There will be crossovers in basic IQ characteristics from one optical scheme to another depending on the lens and the situation. Can you tell what optical scheme took each of these?

A

B

C

D