menos
Veteran
Yes Erik, I think more words have been written about "bokeh" than about distortion since the first digital Leica M has been introduced to market ;-)
I have not seen a tread dedicated to this aspect of lens characteristics, maybe I overlooked it and I personally rarely mind as I mentioned earlier (except when with some lenses distortion is very complex or bothersome).
As at some step all my photographs involve the use of Lightroom a touch up of distortion is never an issue though.
I do keep though any distortion and vignetting correction completely disabled in Lightroom except for the very few photographs I want to use them - I like my photographs to be unaltered and rather like to see a bit of lens character (also commonly known as optical imperfection).
I am truly surprised to hear the difference between the S vs LTM mount 50/2.5 Skopar in distortion levels - one would have thought Cosina just mounted an identical optical design in different lens bodies for the sake of cost saving during production.
Maybe a slight change in focal length was made between the versions to correct for possibly different lens register / focus mechanics between the internal fixed focus mount in the Nikon bodies vs the shorter throw Leica mount?
I could imagine that Cosina might have fine adjusted the lenses focussing behavior in the factory by altering focal length (but I could not know this as the 50/2.5 Skopar has not been be apart by my own hand).
The v4 and v5 Summicron lenses are as optically perfect as they come but they never really inspired me as I did not really like their imaging character.
I also found that one really should always use a proper lens hood with the Summicron v4/5 as they are very susceptible to flare and the flare characteristic is not beautiful.
I sold a beautiful silver chrome v5 (because it's imaging just didn't inspire me) but kept a black v4 as of it's lightweight barrel and focus tab and to have a modern Summicron around just in case. I rarely ever use it though.
Your scanning method resembles approximately what I do for final re-scans (if I can, I use one of my Minolta 5400 scanners without glass holder as these generally scan at higher quality, but if I must I use my Minolta Pro scanner with full glass holder).
With re-scans I also do scan individually with properly adjusted exposure to eek out as much detail from the negatives as possible. It is not a process I enjoy very much, hence my flickr photos are mostly done with just the quick pre-scan method.
It surprises me that you see a difference in grain between the Color Skopar and the Summicron v4 - I would first and foremost think this to be exclusively a factor of exposure + development and scanning method.
The Color Skopar does however come with it's very own peculiar contrast characteristic, which is the very main reason why I kept it although barely using it. It does have a very pretty way of handling contrast and I especially liked it's look with the Leica M9 CCD sensor.
This may have some influence on how grain can be perceived in the final image but it would not be the first thing that comes to mind ;-)
Yes, the many different confusing versions of the Leica 50/1.4 lenses ;-)
It is interesting to trace through the time line of the last 80 years how Leitz/Leica lens design philosophy has changed through the generations. Back in the 1950's those Leitz lenses indeed had high resolution and seem low distortion but very low contrast and truly indestructible mechanics combined with soft coatings.
Later generations threw some of those characteristics over board.
I am sure you would really enjoy the latest ASPH Summicron 50mm - such an optically perfect lens it is. I do not know for certain it's distortion characteristics though - only tested one briefly and found I have no interest in it whatsoever.
It is almost like completely removing the optical lens between your subject and the camera.
As of too much text and too little pictures, I insert two recent shots here.
Nikon SP + 50/1.1 Nikkor-N + TriX @800 in D-76 1:1
… by Dirk Steffen, on Flickr
… by Dirk Steffen, on FlickrCheers and smiles!
maryland_fotos
Well-known
menos
Veteran
Nice!
Listen to the music baby ;-)
Nikon SP limited + 50/1.1 + TriX @800 in D76 1:1:
… by Dirk Steffen, on Flickr
Listen to the music baby ;-)
Nikon SP limited + 50/1.1 + TriX @800 in D76 1:1:
… by Dirk Steffen, on Flickr
Erik van Straten
Veteran
Great shot, Dirk. This shot is stopped down to about f/2 I guess.
It is a mistake tho think that the Summilux 50mm f/1.4 v1 is of low contrast. The contrast is comparable to that of the v2. I have both. I very much prefer the v1 because of the total freedom of distortion. The coatings on mine are perfect.
Yes, I would like to try the Apo-Summicron 50mm, but that price ...
Erik.
It is a mistake tho think that the Summilux 50mm f/1.4 v1 is of low contrast. The contrast is comparable to that of the v2. I have both. I very much prefer the v1 because of the total freedom of distortion. The coatings on mine are perfect.
Yes, I would like to try the Apo-Summicron 50mm, but that price ...
Erik.
maryland_fotos
Well-known
Checking out the smoothness of the 5cm f2 HC background bokeh on the Leica IIIf with Ektar 100.
41890021 by Maryland Photos, on Flickr
41890021 by Maryland Photos, on Flickr
menos
Veteran
Thanks Erik - the shot with the young man listening music was slightly stopped down as I was actually quickly walking towards him while taking that frame, so I closed the aperture 1 stop to not spoil the focus (I think this was at f1.4 as I deliberately used the lens wide open all day long where I could with the
pushed film I was using to get a feel how the lens would look wide open) and flipped the shutter speed down a stop and took the picture.
I did two similar shots that day on two different rolls, you can see both in the 5cm f1.1 Nikkor-N photo thread.
The portrait of the young lady was done more up-close and wide open so the difference is exaggerated compared to the gentleman with the headphones.
What impressed me the most about the lens with these shots is how much detail there really is even wide open - I have to scan these at higher res than ~2000ppi to find out though but I would guess eye detail will be well defined.
The background rendering compared to other superfast lenses that were designed a few years later than the 50/1.1 Nikkor is more busy, a Noctilux is smooth as silk by comparison but that makes all of these lenses so interesting, having so different characteristics ;-)
Now that is the famous Sonnar smoothness we all love our Sonnar lenses for don't we ;-)
I wish I had a Carl Zeiss Jena 5cm f1.5 Sonnar in Nikon mount - the queen of Sonnar 50's in my opinion
ChrisLivsey
Veteran
A most interesting discussion, I own neither the f1.1 nor the Micro-Nikkor, another of the legends, although one of the latter is on the market locally to me and I'm dithering over it in the hope someone buys it quickly and saves me the cash, however the Zeiss Sonnar f1.5 in the re-issue S mount is in the arsenal.
This wide open on S2 Acros 100 with Pyrocat HD, it does indeed melt away but has that sharpness on the place of focus that so many fast lenses fail to nail wide open. Of course the contrast difference in the subject helps.
On sharpness this was bounced from a Flickr film group as it was obviously digital said a mod:
S2 again, best 50mm body IMHO, Neopan 100 in TD-201. Not spotted so the proof is on zoom.
Finally yet another fim/developer combo this being FP4+ in XTOL on an S3 being a full frame test shown full frame:
This scanned on the Epson flatbed V850 which as internet lore would have it is rubbish for 35mm so I did a crop and re-scanned:
Never mind the scanner look at the detail that lens resolves moving to the frame edge where again internet lore would have you believe a milk bottle bottom performs better.
This wide open on S2 Acros 100 with Pyrocat HD, it does indeed melt away but has that sharpness on the place of focus that so many fast lenses fail to nail wide open. Of course the contrast difference in the subject helps.
On sharpness this was bounced from a Flickr film group as it was obviously digital said a mod:
S2 again, best 50mm body IMHO, Neopan 100 in TD-201. Not spotted so the proof is on zoom.
Finally yet another fim/developer combo this being FP4+ in XTOL on an S3 being a full frame test shown full frame:
This scanned on the Epson flatbed V850 which as internet lore would have it is rubbish for 35mm so I did a crop and re-scanned:
Never mind the scanner look at the detail that lens resolves moving to the frame edge where again internet lore would have you believe a milk bottle bottom performs better.
Erik van Straten
Veteran
I wish I had a Carl Zeiss Jena 5cm f1.5 Sonnar in Nikon mount - the queen of Sonnar 50's in my opinion
I have a prewar nickel Sonnar 50mm f/1.5 with beautiful glass, really pristine, Contax mount, fits also the Nikon. I've never seen a sharper lens, but it is unusable because of the vignetting it has on both Contax and Nikon cameras, even stopped down.
Nikon S2, Zeiss Sonnar 50mm f/1.5 prewar nickel (about f/8), 400-2TMY, Perceptol.
Erik.
This is a close-up with the Contax I:
Contax I, Sonnar nickel 50mm f/1.5 @ f/1.5, 400-2TMY, Perceptol.
Erik.
Highway 61
Revisited
I have a prewar chrome Sonnar 5cm f/1.5 T with beautiful glass and coatings, some wear on the barrel, Contax mount, fits also the Nikon. I think I've seen as sharp lenses, but it has no vignetting on both Contax and Nikon cameras, was it wide open or stopped down.
stedge
Newbie
well, I have a wee gift to myself in the mail - a vintage SP (titanium) and 35/1.8! So I am gonna join the group supporting these cool machines. It will be a while before I can post anything, and I am not near the caliber of the others here, but will give it my best!
Cheers!
Cheers!
maryland_fotos
Well-known
The SP's fun, you will enjoy it, a bit less hassle mounting viewfinders. Here's one with the SP, 10.5cm f4 T, and CineStill 50.
000467760019 by Maryland Photos, on Flickr
000467760019 by Maryland Photos, on Flickr
menos
Veteran
Normally I use a SLR and long lenses on a stick to go to the races. Last weeks was so much work and hardly a minute to breathe so I decided to spend last weekends WEC endurance race with a few rolls of film and a Nikon SP and a Nikon S3 with a couple of lenses just to relax and enjoy the Sunday.
I never shot the race with film before so this was just fun for me.
Too bad I couldn't find that 13.5cm lens hood I have stored away before going - turned out I really should have had one that day.
Nikon SP + 5cm f1.1 + Portra 160
… by Dirk Steffen, on Flickr
Nikon SP + 13.5cm f3.5 + Fuji 100 "for business / industrial" (that is one strange film)
… by Dirk Steffen, on Flickr
Nikon SP + 13.5cm f3.5 + TriX
… by Dirk Steffen, on Flickr
I never shot the race with film before so this was just fun for me.
Too bad I couldn't find that 13.5cm lens hood I have stored away before going - turned out I really should have had one that day.
Nikon SP + 5cm f1.1 + Portra 160
… by Dirk Steffen, on FlickrNikon SP + 13.5cm f3.5 + Fuji 100 "for business / industrial" (that is one strange film)
… by Dirk Steffen, on FlickrNikon SP + 13.5cm f3.5 + TriX
… by Dirk Steffen, on FlickrTheHub
Well-known
I just got a Nikon S from fleabay, and of course the seller lied through their teeth. The slow speeds stick, the shutter is so dry it sounds like 2 bricks being rubbed together and the curtains need changing.
Rather than return in, I'm currently looking for a repair person to bring it back to life.
menos
Veteran
Aston Martin has just announced the new Vantage GTE race car for the next season, so this is the last time I saw the old Vantage in action:
Nikon SP BP 2005 + 13.5cm + Portra 160 @ ISO400:
Untitled by Dirk Steffen, on Flickr
Nikon SP BP 2005 + 13.5cm + Portra 160 @ ISO400:
Untitled by Dirk Steffen, on Flickr
maddoc
... likes film again.
Reminds me of the Contax I that I received a couple of month ago from the auction site. Actuated the shutter once and had to return it immediately because after that the shutter kept stuck open.
Did you try Don Goldberg?
Did you try Don Goldberg?
TheHub
Well-known
No, I wasn't aware that DAG did Nikons. The S is out now for a repair estimate.
menos
Veteran
Flying that flag with a vintage chrome Nikon SP courtesy of our good man in Japan and the wizards of Kiitos married to a Millennium Nikkor 50/1.4:
The Millennium Nikkor is an amazing piece of glass, always a welcome change after shooting some older lenses for a while. It is the lens design Nikon brought back from the future in the 1950's when Leitz optical engineers were still experimenting with their Summilux designs ;-)
… by Dirk Steffen, on Flickr
The Millennium Nikkor is an amazing piece of glass, always a welcome change after shooting some older lenses for a while. It is the lens design Nikon brought back from the future in the 1950's when Leitz optical engineers were still experimenting with their Summilux designs ;-)
… by Dirk Steffen, on Flickr
menos
Veteran
menos
Veteran
I know at least of two guys are are flying the Nippon Kogaku flag - rangefinder and otherwise ;-)
camera and coffee by Dirk Steffen, on Flickr
camera and coffee by Dirk Steffen, on Flickr
menos
Veteran
I am still rallying 2/3 of the flag for Nikon RF and 1/3 of the flag for a Nikon F ;-)
2x Nikon SP 2005 + Millennium Nikkor + TriX and
1x Nikon F + Noct-Nikkor + TriX
triptych by Dirk Steffen, on Flickr
2x Nikon SP 2005 + Millennium Nikkor + TriX and
1x Nikon F + Noct-Nikkor + TriX
triptych by Dirk Steffen, on Flickr