Keeping with the last post and exploring the bench depth of what the C/V lenses can do: Here are some snaps with the C/V 50/3.5 Heliar LTM in brushed nickel, adapted in various ways to the Z8 (LTM to M adapter, clicked into a FotoDiox helical adapter). Set up looks mildly ridiculous (but fun to my eye).
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Kids, if you try this at home: DO NOT collapse that nickel Heliar while it is on the camera. I only eyeballed it, but broke out into a sweat when I did so. When this lens came out, Cameraquest quoted Herb Kepler saying something like "This wild but fascinating super classically styled camera comes in four delicious flavors and has what may be the best lens we have ever tested." Yikes! And yes, the thing screams quality in manufacture. But how does it play with the Nikon Z8?
Turns out, pretty nicely:
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My only quibble is with the minimum focus distance, but the Fotodiox helical adapter takes care of that:
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The obligatory 100% crop:
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Now here's another surprise: look on the right side of the picture between the forsythia bloom and the stalk. See that gossamer strand? That's a bit of spiderweb that is thinner than a human hair. Not an important compositional element of this image, but YOIKS the resolving power of this thing is pretty amazing.
In the provisional analysis: I am REALLY going to enjoy using the Cosia/Voitlander lenses on this thing. Mr. Kobyashi has some really solid designs out there, that seem to prioritize image quality over pure speed. The Z8's noise handling properties pretty much mean that what seemed like a moderate-to-slow lens 10 years ago, can now be used in many, many natural light situations.
