Peter_S
Peter_S
Hi!
I am aware of the much debated OOF/bokeh/focus shift differences between the ZM Sonnar C 50 (which I own and use a lot for portait/people/reportage) and Planar ZM (which I am thinking about buying) when shot wide open.
Now - what about performance at f/8-f/11? I am primarily interested in across-field sharpeness, crispeness, and microcontrast (and resulting 3D rendering) for landscape when used with fairly high-resolution film like Delta 100, Acros, ATP or Chrome Elite slide film and large prints. I am missing some "bite" in my Sonnar C landscape photos, but that may also have its source elsewhere (film development, light, metering, etc).
Seems, from what I have seen, that the Planar has the edge, but then, shots had different photographers, situations, light, etc.
Any practical experiences?
I was very happy in that respect with the 2.8/25 Biogon (well, the reference I suppose) and 2/35 on both M6 and M8.
I am aware of the much debated OOF/bokeh/focus shift differences between the ZM Sonnar C 50 (which I own and use a lot for portait/people/reportage) and Planar ZM (which I am thinking about buying) when shot wide open.
Now - what about performance at f/8-f/11? I am primarily interested in across-field sharpeness, crispeness, and microcontrast (and resulting 3D rendering) for landscape when used with fairly high-resolution film like Delta 100, Acros, ATP or Chrome Elite slide film and large prints. I am missing some "bite" in my Sonnar C landscape photos, but that may also have its source elsewhere (film development, light, metering, etc).
Seems, from what I have seen, that the Planar has the edge, but then, shots had different photographers, situations, light, etc.
Any practical experiences?
I was very happy in that respect with the 2.8/25 Biogon (well, the reference I suppose) and 2/35 on both M6 and M8.
Araakii
Well-known
Planar is for you if you are mainly interested in doing landscape work. Sonnar is not meant for that.
BobYIL
Well-known
Peter, around f5.6-11 you can not tell which is which as long as you shoot film.
redisburning
Well-known
are you speaking from experience? and on the films the OP mentioned?
because on delta 400 I can see a resolution difference at f5.6 between two modern double gauss lenses, and I suspect the difference between the planar and the sonnar would be even more pronounced. I don't have a sonnar to test though.
BobYIL
Well-known
Yes.. I have two C-Sonnars, one is chrome and the other one black. With the Summicron V4 (tabbed but latest formula) I was able to see just a little difference on the corners with Acros, but not with the 50/2 Planar. Larger apertures than f5.6 Planar was sharper and f2.8 on was far sharper.
Jockos
Well-known
are those sonnar shots compensated for focus shift? Otherwise you'll be "in DoF", but not at critical sharpness right?
Peter_S
Peter_S
Peter_S
Peter_S
Hm. Never thought about that. If my Sonnar is optimzed for f/2.8. OK, focus shift at f/1.5...but would there be focus shift at f/8 as well, but here covered by DOF?
BobYIL
Well-known
Between f2.0 to f5.6, all apertures the Planar is sharper at the edges and corners than the C-Sonnar. Since the focus shift continues up to f4 with the C-Sonnar I would not state something concrete about the center sharpness; however @5.6 I could not see any difference worth to mention.
Peter_S
Peter_S
Ok thanks!
Perhaps I should clarify. The Sonnar C photos are sharp, they just seem to miss a bit of crispeness. Again, this may have several reasons.
Perhaps I should clarify. The Sonnar C photos are sharp, they just seem to miss a bit of crispeness. Again, this may have several reasons.
BobYIL
Well-known
The Planar 50 is indeed a Summicron class lens as far as sharpness and optical corrections are concerned. The only difference (which is not important for you as you shoot rather B&W) Leica colors are toward cooler spectrum whereas almost all Zeiss lenses toward warmer.
Planar bokeh is not also like the C-Sonnar (overly smooth, exaggerated but abrupt OOF due to one ton of chromatic aberrations). It's better than all Summicrons, rather a balanced bokeh. You may love it too (If you were able to test your C-Biogon then it's closer to it..)
Peter_S
Peter_S
OK. Thanks guys. I should perhaps give the Planar a shot after all.
mfogiel
Veteran
The C Sonnar will be as sharp as the Planar only by f 8.0. In any case, it will always have smaller microcontrast, in other words, the image will look smoother, this is why C Sonnar is such a fantastic portrait lens. For landscape, unless you want to make it really impressionistic in appearance, I would definitely go with the Planar.