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 | Canon T90 Pros: Multispot metering. Well, nearly everything Cons: Noise level Opinion: Bought in 1987 and it still works, unlike so many electronic contraptions. HP calculators from the seventies also work, but that's another exception. The biggest asset is the multispot metering, allowing to expose slides (dynamic range = +/- 2 EV, give or take) correctly under most difficult conditions. Also, the soft curves of the camera body and its grip (quite modern at the time) allow comfortable handling of a camera body that was massive at the time, but plain normal compared to any current DSLR. The only trouble is the relatively noisy film feed. If noise and size matter, get a Nikon F-something or a Leica M for instance, or maybe a Canon AT-1. Ah and by the way those Canon FD lenses are near indestructible and relatively cheap, as the FD mount was made obsolete long, long ago. sent on October 26, 2024 |
 | Nikon 500mm f/8 N Reflex Pros: Compactness, close focus, clean image Cons: monopod is badly needed, stabilized camera too. Max aperture is pretty dark. Opinion: If you can get the latest mirrorless with high ISO capability and in-body stabilization, then this lens becomes usable: maybe 50% keepers rather than 20% with a good DSLR (such as the Df). The "ring" bokeh is a feature, so is manual focus, so it is pointless to criticize them. Still, at long distances, the DOF is quite narrow and nailing the focus remains difficult, as the slightest movement on the focus grip will ruin the "messa a fuoco". And the ring bokeh is difficult to use properly: it is a special effect, no doubt, and can easily become tiring. Be careful about the backgrounds you shoot. On a mirrorless camera such as the Zf, the focussing aids are really helpful. sent on October 08, 2024 |
 | Nikon Zf Pros: Image quality, stabilization, overall handling Cons: ISO wheel could be more useful than it is Opinion: I bought this camera as a successor to the ageing Df, so the standard was very high. I sold back the Z6ii that was nice but not as endearing. Image quality is definitely better than with the Z6, and more or less at the level of the Df (best camera ever, I you ask me - I mostly use MF prime lenses). While I could use the Df up to 12800 ISO with sensible de-noising (25600 in B&W); the Z6ii was no better except that the stabilizer allowed you to use lower ISOs, sometimes. With the Zf I do not even care about de-noising any more. The noise just looks like "grain" from the film era and disturbs much less. I bought the camera online from Nikon and it came with a complimentary grip that I finally adopted, despite the slight increase in weight and bulk. My only (slight) disappointment is the ISO control wheel; it does not allow to engage or disengage Auto ISO. If it did, I'd wish use the ISO setting as the maximum value. For reference, and since D700 times, I set aperture for controlling depth of field (and aberrations), speed for subject freezing (or unfreezing), exposure compensation for general tonality, and auto ISO for correct exposure under the aforementioned constraints... hence my (minor) rant. Still, in this unperfect world, it's a 10 out of 10. P.S. while I mostly use manual lenses (Canon FD, Nikon F) on adapters, some Z lenses are cool, esp. the excellent 24-120 and the modest, but suprizingly good 40/2. I dared to shoot an entire graduation party with the latter, only using "digital zooming" on post-processing, with great success. sent on June 03, 2024 |
 | Leica Summicron-R 50mm f/2 Pros: Exquisite rendering, decent sharpness wide open, good bokeh, excellent manufacturing quality, excellent handling, good value for money, easy mount conversion. Cons: outdated coatings Opinion: I have the second version (with built-in shade). It was already converted to Nikon mount when I bought it, so there are no diaph nor electrical couplings. Conversion is rather easy (from my limited experience with a 180/4). The Summicron R has been my favourite 50mm lens on the Nikon Df, alongside the Zeiss Milvus 50/2 (macro). While the latter is better in every respect, the rendering of those two lenses is very different. The Summicron is able to produce exquisite images, with lots of details, little aberration, and intermediate contrast (compared with the Zeiss). One should not shoot against the light, that's all. On mirrorless bodies (Zf), the handling is slightly less comfortable, as the manual closing of the diaphragm will "darken" the image in the viewfinder (make it look noisy, that is). Of course you get DOF preview as a compensation. Also, the rotation direction of the focus ring is opposite, compared to Nikon lenses, so you'll have to get used to it. sent on May 21, 2024 |
 | Nikon Z 40mm f/2 Pros: Good image quality. Compact and not showing off. Very useful focal length. Cons: Looks cheap (I hope it is robust) Opinion: For years I used my Nikon Df using the Voigtländer 40/2 and 58/1.4 as my standard lenses, rather than the classic 35 / 50 / 85mm. While 58mm remains my favourite focal length for casual portraits, I admit that 40 is much better for event coverage. On the Zf, the Nikon Z 40/2 would be a match made in heaven, but for the plastic construction of the latter. Optically, it is better than the Voigtländer, esp. wide open, also with less artifacts but still with a non-clinical look. The bokeh in particular is interesting, not busy but somewhat "vibrant", providing a nice backdrop to sharp foregrounds and very good subject separation. And for event coverage? I recently decided to make it my sole lens on a graduation party, all shot in B&W and using some significant "electronic" zooming (well, cropping in PP). With hindsight, I do not regret not having taken the classical 24-70/2.8 with me. Lots of keepers. The cropped shots are quite acceptable in B&W, with the Zf sensor providing an illusion of film grain, somewhat HP-5 like. Bottom line, while it is a lens with many compromises, it is a very good buy. The kind of lens to always keep in the bag, esp. when one needs a rest and shoot instinctively. Do not forget to purchase a short third party hood, as none is supplied and the front lens is a bit exposed, being close to the front of the barrel. sent on May 17, 2024 |
 | Nikon 55mm f/2.8 Micro AI-s Pros: Sharpness, low aberrations, pleasant bokeh Cons: does not work well against the light Opinion: A very good lens, allround. In the eighties, it was regarded as a valid alternative to the conventional fifties, and considered sharper than most. Nowadays, many fifties can compete, or simply outclass it, e.g. the Zeiss 50/2 (Milvus version). Still, it is a good match for high resolution sensors, up to D800 (36 Mpixel). Unlike some (not all) previous Micro Nikkors, the resolution remains high at long distances. As a walk-around lens, it is quite useful despite the rather dark viewfinder image, though preferrable to entry level zooms. The recessed front lens makes a hood superfluous in most cases. The only significant drawback is, it does not work well against bright light, as the contrast drops; on the other hand, this lens is not prone to ghosting. While not APO, shooting shiny objects at short distance delivers acceptable results, with little fringing. On the whole, a very good buy but before buying, check the aperture blades - some owners complain about oil smear. I never encountered that problem. sent on December 27, 2023 |
 | Voigtlander Nokton 50mm f/1 Aspherical Pros: Light transmission, usable full aperture, high contrast, low flare, low distortion and CA, overall sharpness. Top manufacturing quality and handling. Cons: coma, vignetting, no weather sealing, price Opinion: Light is never missing with this lens. Similar to the old Noct Nikkor 58/1.2, the contrast is already high at full aperture and rises after that, with very little flare. The full aperture is definitely usable but the vignetting is high and slowly decreases upon closing the diaphragm. A good way to avoid "clipped corners" and the effects of outward field curvature would be to crop to 4:3 ratio, systematically. The lens is well corrected, except for the coma (a pity for an otherwise well-designed night or low light lens). In particular, longitudinal chromatic aberration is present but not generally disturbing. Night shots look surprizingly but consistently clean and sharp Its relatively compact size and manageable weight make it a good allrounder. Having seen several reviews, may I warn against the nonsense of judging the lens by pixel-peeping the impressions on a 45Mp sensor? this lens is best paired with a 24Mp sensor, in which case it is a joy to use and results are quite good. The max aperture of f/1.0 may seem excessive, until you realize it provides you with one full stop more light than the conventional f/1.4 lenses, and possibly more because of excellent light transmission. Moving subjects can be frozen again. Also, focusing this lens is less hard than I thought because of smooth and precise mechanical action, coupled with a high contrast in the sharpness plane... not to mention that cameras such as the Zf provide efficient focusing aids. sent on December 05, 2023 |
 | Nikon Z 50mm f/1.8 S Pros: Overall optical quality. Cons: Pricey. Long nose. Opinion: I have a dozen 50mm lenses. So far two stand out : Zeiss 50/2 (Milvus version) and Summicron-R 50/2, both manual focus. The Nikkor 50/1.2 AI(S) stands not far behind and, among the newer lenses, the Tamron 45/1.8 is also remarkable, especially at night (low coma, no flare). Well, this one is at least in the same league. Optical formula is probably similar with the Tamron (retrofocus design?) and results are comparable, but even sharper. Never has been the full aperture such usable for general photography. Also, I am not a fan of autofocus, but I have to admit it performs predictably well. Concerning color (criticized by others) and rendering : if you are looking for special effects, the old 50/1.2 is more fun. If you don't like the colors, you may have a problem with the camera (Z6ii in my case; I no doubt prefer the Df) rather than the lens. Bottom line, 9/10. sent on April 02, 2023 |
 | Nikon AF-S 28-300mm f/3.5-5.6 G ED VR Pros: Very useful all-rounder with impressive image quality Cons: No significant flaws, as long as you do not start pixel-peeping on a D850. High distortion at mid-range (around 110 mm), easily corrected though. Opinion: I used this lens on a D700 (12 MPix) for travel purposes. Paired with a fast lens (50/1.4 in my case), it makes a wonderful, compact setup. Picture quality is consistently high (at 28mm, better stop down a little). VR works well, so shooting sculpture details in dark churches at 300mm was not an issue. At first sight, the only obvious flaw is the pincushion distortion around 110mm. Distortion is barrel-shaped at 28, zero at 35, then turns to pincushion with a maximum around 110. The distortion is however regular and easily corrected. sent on May 16, 2022 |
 | Zeiss ZE/ZF.2 Makro-Planar T* 50mm f/2 Pros: Sharpness, bokeh Cons: Flare, warm colours Opinion: The ZF2 version is near perfect in terms of sharpness and bokeh, and aberrations are low (not however reaching APO level). The lens has some minor, but irritating quirks: a yellow cast (warm colours) requiring post-processing ; flare (minor at f/2 but growing on stopping down!) especially when shooting against bright backgrounds ; significant vignatting. Mechanically, it is perfect. The focus throw is very short between 5m and infinite, but this is overcome by smooth action (no dry friction, or "stick and slip"). The Milvus version is virtually the same lens, but has better coatings, thus getting rid of flare and cast - a dream lens. Price is acceptable if you get it second hand. sent on April 12, 2022 |
 | Zeiss ZE/ZF.2 Distagon T* 25mm f/2 Pros: Compact, sharp, contrasty, works well against the light, low distortion. And as usual with Zeiss, excellently built. Cons: High vignetting at f/2. Some field curvature. Price when new (fortunately, finding used ones is not difficult). And as usual with Zeiss, lens cap sucks. Opinion: My favourite travel wide angle. My copy (bought 2nd hand) is sharp from f/2. Some precautions are needed because of field curvature: centering the subject, focussing, then reframing is not a good idea. The framing should be done first, and focussing on an off-centre subject is something to get used to. Of course, stopped down, the field curvatire issue is no longer there. Bokeh is rather good for a WA, but not the best (slightly more nervous than Sigma 24/1.4 A at comparable apertures). Having the sun in or outside the frame is no issue. Vignetting, as often with Zeiss, is rather high but not unpleasant (no "clipped corners" effect). sent on February 20, 2022 |
 | Sigma 35mm f/1.4 DG HSM Art Pros: Sharpness Cons: Ugly bokeh. Size and weight. Opinion: Mixed feelings. Sharpness is outstanding, but I have been using the Zeiss 35/2 much more. Reasons are, Zeiss behaves better in low light situations (no loss of contrast...), has better bokeh, and is much easier to handle. The wide aperture of the Sigma should be a plus, but bokeh tends to be ugly because of double edging, a consequence of spherical aberrations being overcorrected. Bottom line, it is gathering dust. On stopping down (around f/5.6-f/8), the bokeh issue vanishes, but Zeiss and Sigma are on a par then (even with a D800), conclusion: see above. sent on November 11, 2021 |
 | Olympus OM-D E-M1 Pros: Handy, good EVF, good IQ, stabilizer, silent, remote control with an iPhone, nice built-in effects, and a wide choice of excellent optics Cons: Battery life, limited ISO compared to FF (which was expected), continuous AF Opinion: I had my honeymoon with that camera, after having used the E-M5. This one shows signs of maturity; for instance, the EVF is much better, and good enough for a FF camera fan. Image quality is generally very good, but compared to FF cameras such as the Nikon Df, the pictures look slightly "engineered" or "overprocessed". Also, I set the high ISO limit to 2200 for acceptable results. That's the natural consequence of having a significantly smaller sensor, which is partly compensated by the existence of stellar, fast optics (Olympus 75/1.8 comes to mind). The main positive consequence however is, handling and portability are much better. Using an iPhone for remote control, though not essential, is a treat. Battery life is limited. I systematically carried two full spare batteries with me, when on photographic trips. Another bonus is the ability to use "legacy" lenses (such as old Canon FDs) and to tune the stabilizer for using them. E.g. the Nikkor 1802.8 ED, which then acts the stabilized 360mm equivalent: quite useful for paparazzo work. sent on June 12, 2021 |
 | Nikon 105mm f/2.5 Ai-S Pros: sharpness, bokeh, size, weight, handling, construction, price, robustness... Cons: absolutely nothing... well, minimum focus distance could have been a bit shorter maybe. Opinion: This lens consistently yields good to excellent pics, if I may say so. Of course, photographers make good pics (or not), but this lens sure helps a lot. I have three version (105/2.5 AI, 105/2.5 AIS and the very similar, but obviously bigger 105/1.8 AIS). They are +/- equally excellent, with following nuances: - 105/1.8 has a flatter field and is best against bright lights, but full aperture is rather weak (sharpness and bokeh) so it is in reality a f/2.5 - 105/2.5 AI has a slightly better bokeh (rounded blades) - 105/2.5 AIS is most convenient for street/travel (sliding hood) All three are quite sharp at f/2.5, so handheld shooting in low light is an option (e.g. details inside churches). Top sharpness is provided from f4 already, until f/11 (included). Very nice range. The version I do not have is the earlier sonnar version (the above all have a 5-lens xenotar formula, AI and AIS sharing exactly the same); the sonnar has a good reputation for portraits but is less of an allrounder. Of all manual focus lenses, this one is maybe easiest to focus on modern camera bodies. Nikonians, and especially Df huggers, complain that those Nikkor 105/2.5 never come off their cameras. sent on June 08, 2021 |
 | Tamron SP 45mm f/1.8 Di VC USD Pros: Sharpness, bokeh, stabilization. Cons: Relatively big Opinion: An excellent all-rounder, both optically and mechanically. Image quality is outstanding, with even sharpness and good bokeh. A good night performer too: no flare, moderate coma. Stabilization works well, down to 1/8s handheld, or 1/4s with a bit of luck (hold firmly, take several shots and keep the best one). Close-focus is very useful. Moderate distortion.AF is slow but very precise. Cherry on the cake, manual focus is decent (unlike many other AF lenses). sent on May 15, 2021 |
 | Helios 44M 58mm f/2.0 Pros: Center sharpness, low distortion, price Cons: Everything else Opinion: A speciality lens. I bought a lens that was adapted to Nikon F mount. Sharpness in the center is good to excellent. Far from the center, the lens is mushy at wide apertures (field curvature may also play a role here), but gets very sharp on stopping down, which is the least you would expect from a planar lens. Chromatic aberration is low, but there is some purple haze wide open. Contrast is average. Do not shoot against the light, the coatings are primitive. Colors are rather dull. Best results are obtained in B&W. The bokeh is very special indeed, which the photographer can use as a "special effect". Overall, it is not a "good" lens but, as demonstrated by the galleries here, a talented photographer will get "good" images with it. See for instance "Down" by Sergio Derosas, and its remarkable "depth" effect. So far I have not been that successful... sent on April 15, 2021 |
 | Nikon AF-S 85mm f/1.4 G Pros: Sharpness, bokeh, overall clean and lively images, acceptable MF Cons: Some longitudinal CA wide open; moderately fast AF; some coma wide open. Expensive. Opinion: The focal length is somewhat odd (I feel more at ease with either 58 or 105), and is traditionally used for (shoulder) portraits. In this roles, it is an excellent lens, with adequate sharpness wide open already. Widest aperture is however not very useful for shoulder portraits, depth of field being insufficient in most cases. I found this lens particularly useful at f/2.2, where the blur is less pronounced and the bokeh still excellent. Full aperture may be useful in very low light, or for "creative" shots. Another interesting area is night shots, where this lens performs well thanks, inter alia, to its coatings. There is some visible firefly-like coma wide open, which is acceptable because it is not "smeared". Handling is quite good: this lens is biggish but not very heavy, and acceptable as a walk-around lens if you do not mind drawing attention (or if you *seek* attention). On the negative side, this lens costs an arm and a leg. Please note that for portraits, you could as well use an old 105/2.5 wide open and get nice, though not identical, results. sent on April 14, 2021 |
 | Voigtlander SL II 58mm f/1.4 Nokton - S Pros: Sharp, well corrected for chromatic aberration and geometric distortion, ideal focal length (for me), useful minimal focus distiance, perfect construction, perfect handling, does not flare. Cons: Slightly busy bokeh, full aperture lacks contrast. Some coma at f/1.4-f/2. Opinion: That lens is extraordinarily good. In absolute terms, the Zeiss 50/2 "Milvus" might be slightly better (while not providing f/1.4 of course). The Noct Nikkor (old version, 58/1.2) has more contrast at f/1.4, but is not so well corrected, esp. at short distances. Also, the Noct Nikkor has smoother bokeh and is better corrected for coma. That being said, this lens is the cheapest of the lot, and most convenient for general photography. Its flare resistance is such that I use a short metallic shade, acting as a "bumper" for protecting the front lens, but that's it. Used at short distance, the magnification ratio is interesting for close-ups, but the lens did not receive any special correction for very close distances: consequently, you should stop down to f/5.6 or narrower in order to get sharp shots; at 1.4, nothing is really sharp, even in the focus plane. At longer distances (say, one meter or more), sharpness is decent wide open, but the contrast is mild. The focal length (58mm), while still usable for general photography, is much better for portraits than the "standard" 50mm. Those eight extra millimeters make a big difference indeed. Paired with a 28mm, you get an excellent travel kit. sent on April 03, 2021 |
 | Nikon 50mm f/1.2 AI-s Pros: Sharpness from f/2.0, dreamy pics wide open, size and weight, manual focus, "3D pop" Cons: Coma, modest sharpness and contrast wide open, distortion, vignetting wide open Opinion: Probably the most interesting "50" in the Nikon lineup. This lens is schizophrenic : dreamy wide open, very sharp from f/2. The rendering, when stopped down, seems to present this elusive "3D pop" effect. The AI (7 blade diaph) and AIS version (9 blades) are equivalent; I use the AI version more often, for some reason. The coatings are pretty good and the lens does not flare much, which is remarkable given its age. Barrel distortion is stronger than with other Nikkor fifties, but regular and easily corrected if need be. Vignetting is a bit annoying wide open ("clipped corner" effect). If you want low coma at wide apertures, get a Noct instead of this one. This is a low light lens rather than a night lens. The 50/1.2 AI happens to be my favourite for street shots (esp. demonstrations or similar events), where its relatively small size does not attract attention, and the "lively" rendering is very contributive. sent on February 20, 2021 |
 | Nikon Df Pros: Best ergonomics with manual focus lenses (Nikkor, Zeiss, Voigtländer...). Excellent sensor. Reasonable size and weight. Endless battery life with MF lenses. Cons: Expensive. Relatively small AF zone. One-handed exposure compensation operation is not easy. Opinion: When I bought it in 2014, it was supposed to be my backup camera, flanking the D800. Within months, it became my main, and most of the time my only camera. It is my *daily* companion since then (we are in 2021). This preference coincides with my other preference, namely for compact manual focus lenses. Being able to operate the aperture ring keeps the left hand busy; besides, the aperture wheel (on the front right) is a bit too small and stiff, which hurts your fingers. Ergonomics aside, the main reason for the preference over the D800 is, the sensor delivers better images (better color balance, lower noise at equal viewing size; about 1 EV advantage). I can be safely used up to 12800 ISO (color) or 25600 ISO (B&W). To feel comfortable, the Df should be used with a DK-17M magnifying eyepiece; it does not restrain the field of view if you do not wear glasses. The "Quiet" mode is sure not very quiet compared to a Leica, but still very useful (less noise of course, and a gentler mirror slap). sent on February 17, 2021 |
 | Nikon 20mm f/2.8 Ai-S Pros: Sharp from about f/5.6. Small and unconspicuous. Cons: Flare, wavy distortion Opinion: This lens is best used in the f/8-f/11 range; wider apertures are there essentially to ease focussing, it seems. Nevertheless, this lens performs rather well at close-ups (!). The wavy distortion can be nasty on architectural shots; fortunately, software such as Adobe LR provide a correction profile (AF and non-AF being optically identical). Beware of sunlight; if it cannot be avoided, the older 20/3.5 UD (non-AI) may be the better alternative. Every now and then, I mount this lens for street shots where people are not aware that they are in the frame: that lens looks like an ordinary fifty, but... sent on February 15, 2021 |
 | Voigtlander SL-II Ultron 40mm f/2.0 Pros: Compact, sharp on stopping down, excellent color and "pop", close focus ability magnified by close-up lens, "streetsweeper" focal length Cons: Barrel distortion, halos on night shots, odd bokeh and low peripheral sharpness at f/2 Opinion: A good, and extremely useful lens in a very small package. There are some optical compromizes esp. wide open, but the pictures are good and do not lack character. Manufacturing quality and handling are, as usual with Voigtländer, top level. Despite the small size, operating the aperture and focus ring is not troublesome (beware of thick gloves though). On Nikon, best paired with a 105/2.5 AI for a nice, light, high quality travel kit. sent on February 15, 2021 |
 | Voigtlander SL II Nokton 58mm f/1.4 Pros: Excellent allrounder. Sharp. Close focus. Well corrected (distortion, CA, etc.). Insensitive to flare. Perfect manufacturing and handling. Ideal focal length (see explanations). Cons: Bokeh could be better (tends to be nervous on stopping down). Low contrast wide open. Some coma at f/1.4-f/2.0. Opinion: For those who can live without autofocus, this is probably the perfect lens. For those who prefer manual focus, you'll be delighted by the focus throw and action. The "odd" focal length makes it more usable if portraits are part of the menu; as a matter of fact, a 28 + 58 tandem may be all you need when in town. Those extra 8mm make a huge difference, while still allowing "general purpose" photography. Besides (and this is a nice coincidence), the combination of Nikon Df + magnifying eyepiece DK-17M + this lens allows to shoot with both eyes open; the viewfinder will just put a frame around what you see. I could not fault this lens except coma-wise, where you have to stop down to f/2.8 to get rid of it. Close focus (1:5.8) is a bonus, but you'll have to stop down to typically f/5.6 to get a sharp subject when at minimum focus distance - this is quite normal behaviour. At wider apertures, the close focus pics will look "dreamy", similar to the Nikkor 50/1.2 wide open (that would be dreamy at all distances though). sent on February 15, 2021 |
 | Nikon 105mm f/1.8 Ai-S Pros: Excellent for stage shots (shooting against the light). Mostly comparable to, or better than, the legendary 105/2.5. Cons: Full aperture (f/1.8-f/2) is rather soft and bokeh is not nice at such apertures. Opinion: This lens is at least as sharp as the 105/2.5 at comparable apertures. It also has less field curvature. Full aperture is not very useful, due to insufficient sharpness and, sometimes, ugly bokeh; I rarely use it except for B&W, or for isolating distant subjects. This lens is especially good at handling backlit subjects, so it is part of my standard setup for stage shots. sent on February 15, 2021 |
 | Nikon Noct 58mm f/1.2 Ai-s Pros: High contrast even wide open. Small size for a f/1.2 lens. A better allrounder than one may think. Cons: Price. Modest performance at large aperture AND short distance. High barrel distortion. Opinion: A multi-faceted lens. Its maximum aperture is way more usable than what the 50/1.2 would provide, contrast being rather high and central sharpness decent. However, at short distance (1m or less), the Voigtländer 58/1.4 will provide better images ; the Noct was obviously not optimized for close-ups. At f/2.8-f/4, it is a stunning portrait lens. At f/5.6-f/8.0, it is quite usable for cityscapes (beware of barrel distortion though). Bokeh is much better than with other Nikkor fifties. For night shots, modern lenses (e.g. Zeiss 35/2, Tamron 45/1.8) are more adequate. The Noct is rather a low-light lens. sent on February 15, 2021 |
 | Nikon 50mm f/2 Pros: Good sharpness from 2.8, nice handling and focus, good color, protected (recessed) front lens, moderate barrel distortion Cons: Some purple fringing and lesser contrast wide open, but still quite usabe at f/2. Opinion: Maybe my favourite 50mm in the Nikon lineup. "Interesting" bokeh with lots of character; people may like it or not. The straight six-blade diaphragm produces nice sunstars at night. Good color, dense and saturated. Moderately prone to flare. Extremely sharp at f/5.6-f/8 with average contrast. In most cases, the barrel distortion does not require correction. sent on February 15, 2021 |
 | Nikon 35mm f/2.8 PC Ai Pros: Good allrounder. Good night shots. Cons: Microconstrast not at the level of top 35mm lenses (Zeis, ...). Low barrel distortion, but noticeable on architectural shots. Opinion: Good resolution over the whole field from f/2.8. Stopped down, other "leading" 35mm lenses (Sigma A, Zeiss...) are a tad better than this lens (unshifted). Shift is quite usable, even handheld with some precautions. While its optical qualities are good, the key advantage of this lens is, it invites to "slow shooting" and carefully studied composition. Also, it provides good quality images at night. Note : it is NOT an AI (auto-indexing) lens... there is no coupling whatsoever through the mount. sent on February 15, 2021 |
 | Nikon SC Auto 50mm f/1.4 Pros: Sharp when stopped down. Good portrait lens at f/2.8. Solid manufacturing. Cons: Usability of full aperture is disputable. Nervous bokeh. Not a night lens. Opinion: Colors are a bit muted, which can be good or bad according to the situation. Wide open, images are rather soft with a distinct "glow", which can be interesting (esp. in black & white). Also, background highlights tend to coalesce into "liquid" blobs, which can see some creative usage. It seems at its best at f/2.8, where the contrast between sharp center and blurred background provides the best balance for portraits. sent on February 15, 2021 |
 | Zeiss ZE/ZF.2 Distagon T* 35mm f/2 Pros: Very good image quality. High contrast from f/2, even in bad lighting conditions. An excellent lens for night shots. Cons: Some barrel distortion and some CA, both easily fixed in post-processing. Opinion: This lens may be less sharp at f/2 than the Samyang 35/1.4 wide open, but contrast is higher, yielding more usable images in my opinion. High contrast and saturated colors are maintained even in poorest lighting conditions, making it a perfect street/night/stage lens. Price is high (as usual with Zeiss) but good copies can be found second hand (as usual too), as these lenses are nearly indestructible. So: excellent value! sent on February 15, 2021 |
 | Zeiss ZE/ZF.2 Apo Sonnar T* 135mm f/2 Pros: Exceptional quality (both manufacturing and image). Wide open, it is already near top performance. Close-up capability (1:4). Cons: None. Opinion: Size and weight are impressive; then again, it is a f/2.0 lens, and the full aperture is very useful. Acquiring focus is quite easy, given the image clarity and perfect mechanics. Color is slightly warm. Sharpness is near-perfect over the whole field at f/2.0 already. Bokeh is also very good, making it an excellent portrait lens. Close-up performance is also very good. sent on February 15, 2021 |
 | Zeiss Milvus 50mm f/2M Pros: Excellent image quality for all purposes : High sharpness at all apertures and distances. Weather sealing. Good to excellent bokeh. No distortion. Cons: Not quite APO, although close to it. A bit heavy and bulky. Opinion: Probably my best "fifty" on all counts. It is suitable for all sorts of assignments, and corrects the few slip-ups of the previous version (ZF2), namely the yellow cast and the contrast loss on stopping down when shooting against the light. Focussing action is relatively short at long distances, but very precise. The hood is a big piece of metal that can fortunately be dispensed of in most cases, since the front lens is deeply recessed. Suitable for day and night, macro an non-macro (long distance IQ is excellent too). sent on February 15, 2021 |
 | Leica PC-Super-Angulon-R 28mm f/2.8 Pros: Good image quality and good color when used without shift Cons: excessive distortion for a shift lens; price Opinion: I was looking for an alternative to the nice, but not overwhelming Nikkor 28/3.5 PC. The Super Angulon can be found in Nikon F mount, at twice the price. Manufacturing quality is excellent. Image was a bit more appealing, especially the colors. However, distortion was apparently worse, which is annoying for a lens supposed to be used for architectural shots. sent on February 14, 2021 |
 | Leica Elmar-R 180mm f/4 Pros: Size, weight, manufacturing quality, handling, usability Cons: Optical performance is lower than most other Leica R, and lower than competitors. Subject to flare. Opinion: I use it on Nikon, having converted it with a Leitax kit (highly recommended : well done and well documented). The lens is most pleasant to use. However, direct confrontation with other lenses such as Nikkor 180/2.8 ED AIS is not quite favourable: a bit less sharp, bokeh not quite as good, more longitudinal CA, less neutral blacks. Performance is in general fair enough though, and a "pocketable" 180 is certainly attractive. The other pocketable one is the Cosina/Voigtländer Apo Lanthar 180/4, which is even two classes above, but rare and expensive. Beware of flare, the coatings are not very effective. This is the only trouble that could seriously limit its usability. sent on February 14, 2021 |
 | Zenit MC Helios-81H 50mm f/2 Pros: Well-rounded lens, reasonably sharp, mechanically OK, interesting bokeh Cons: Not very good at night (halos), marked barrel distortion Opinion: I use a Nikon (native) version. It is much easier to use than the famed HE 44 because it has auto indexing. Manual focus is smooth and easy. A good allrounder lens, with less "character" than the HE 44 but less quirks too, and better color saturation. Barrel distortion is significant, but easily corrected in post processing. Overall, it is well worth the money. sent on February 14, 2021 |
 | Voigtlander Apo-Lanthar 180mm f/4 SL Pros: - Very sharp at all apertures - Diffraction when stopping down remain moderate - No longitudinal CA - Smooth bokeh - Small size and reasonable weight - Excellent manual focus action - Close-up capability (1:4) Cons: - Somewhat difficult to focus, compared to f/2.8 lenses - Beware of contrast loss when shooting with lights slightly off the frame Opinion: A rather long lens with excellent IQ in an astonishingly small package. Outclasses the similarly small Elmar 180/4, and a tad better than e.g. Nikkor 180/2.8 AIS ED. While very sharp, it has a rather "mild" rendering: contrast is average, and may drop in case of backlighting. Make sure you use a lens hood (not having an original one, I use a step-up ring 49/52 plus a Nikon HS-2 snap-on hood originally intended to be used with 105 or 135mm lenses). The APO character reveals itself by the absence of longitudinal CA, which contribues to the smoothness of bokeh (no lousy greenish fringes) although the max aperture is only f/4. This lens would be best paired with a Summicron-R 50/2 (II) in terms of rendering. I am currently using it on a Nikon Df (with magnifying eyepiece!) where it must be handled with care: nailing the focus is not that easy, e.g. compared with the 180/2.8. Results are quite rewarding though. This lens will probably be even more usable on mirrorless cameras, given the stabilization and focus peaking. With this in mind, I did not hesitate too long about "investing". sent on February 12, 2021 |
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