lenses: Mamiya vs Hasselblad H vs Sinar/Schneider vs Contax

[Paratom]

A lot of dicussion regarding backs and systems here. If we let the back and system behind and just talk about lenses:

How would you guys rate overall the quality (or maybe better : character) of lenses ( I mean mainly the IQ they are able to deliever, resolution, tonality, microcontrast, color-rendering, bokeh) between those 4 brands?

How would a Contax 80mm compare to a Mamiya vs the Schneider vs the H-Hasselblad?
How would the lenses in the 100-120 mm range compare?
And how about in the wideangle range.

For someone who really likes the Leica 28/2.0asph and the Leica m 90/2.8 - which MF-lenses would come to closest to this well defined but still smooth look?

I fear the question is too wide and open, but maybe anybody can comment.

Thanks again,
Thomas

 

[jmvdigital]

This has been discussed ad nauseam. Please see this thread for all 108 responses in their glory: http://photo.net/medium-format-photography-forum/00R6lh

The moral of the story: "It depends", "their is no magic bullet only a set of compromises", and to a certain extent many of the MF lenses are very similar among the top manufacturers. Some prefer the look of Leica, Zeiss, Schneider, Rodenstock, Mamiya, Hassy, etc. There's not really a better and worse. It's up to you on what you like the look of.

EDIT: The holy grail search for the best lenses is a bit of a moot point if you don't consider the "system" they attach to. While Schneider and Zeiss glass may be sharper and more desirable than your run-of-the-mill Mamiya glass, the Sinar and Hassy systems didn't fit my needs and so their glass is automatically unusable (aside from adapters that handicap overall usability).

 

[Paratom]

This has been discussed ad nauseam. Please see this thread for all 108 responses in their glory: http://photo.net/medium-format-photography-forum/00R6lh

Ok, sorry, I should work on my search-skills

 

[jmvdigital]

No worries. It wasn't in this forum, I just happened to know people have been battling this very topic out over there.

 

[Jack]

Hi Thomas:

A fair question, but the simple answer is somewhat complicated to deliver

When you enter the MF world, there is no hard and fast answer for every shooter. Each has first a different set of equipment requirements which in large part will dictate which glass they use. OTOH, some shooters are so addicted to a specific manufacturer of glass, they will directly choose a system that uses it.

In the end, you will probably find broad support for all of them, as well as notations that they each have their dogs as well as kings.

The one truth that seems almost universally agreed upon, is that the Hassy F/FE 110 f2.0 lens is magic -- fortunately, this lens (or the Rollei version of it) can be adapted and used on almost every system out there!

Cheers,

 

[EH21]

Hi Thomas:

-- fortunately, this lens (or the Rollei version of it) can be adapted and used on almost every system out there!

Cheers,

Didn't know that.... How can you adapt a Rollei 110mm lens to say fit on a mamiya? The reason why I ask is because then you could use the mirex t/s adapter with it on Leica R or Canon EOS and that would be really fun!

(Mirex makes a straight hasselblad to EOS but I already have the Rollei 110/2 and would want to use the Mirex Mamiya adapter since I also have some of those lenses.)

 

[Jack]

You can't as far as I know, but you can adapt the Hassy F/FE versions easily to the Mamiya. The only "version" of that lens that will work on the Hy6 is the Rollei version.

To clarify, all I am saying is that optic in one of its forms is adaptable to most current and popular MF systems being used for digital capture...

 

[David Klepacki]

There are a couple of lenses that are universally considered as magic. In addition to the 110 as Jack points out, there is also the Hassy 38mm Biogon and the Hassy 300/2.8 Superachromat. The Biogon is basically distortion free and is unique in that it has a floating element that allows it to focus close (like 0.3m) and many people use it for copy/repro work. And, the Superachromat is perhaps the most highly corrected fast-telephoto lens in the world with this image circle size.

 

[Bill_Green]

This has been discussed ad nauseam. Please see this thread for all 108 responses in their glory: http://photo.net/medium-format-photography-forum/00R6lh

As per typical photo.net, there is far more posturing and chest thumping than useable information. Yes, Mamiya 7 is generally regarded as having the sharpest MF lenses (LF digital specific lenses excepted), but that is irrelevant for MF digital as most of us use it.

I think what Thomas is asking is what are some of the visual differences between lenses. Yes they are all sharp. Yes they are all good. But it is often the subtle differences that make the lens.

There are a lot of professionals on here, but also a lot of amateurs or pros that derive most of their income from print sales. If you are a commercial pro photographer or a stock photographer, you need a system that you can turn around images that are good enough RIGHT NOW. The rest of us have more time to enjoy the subtleties of a system or a particular lens. In fact, we might even pick a system for that purpose.

 

[PSon]

I love this topic but I got to run now and will come back to discuss more. Briefly, I can make the adapter for the Rollei 110mm to work on the Contax 645 but require another component.

Best Regards,
Son

 

[Paratom]

I think what Thomas is asking is what are some of the visual differences between lenses. Yes they are all sharp. Yes they are all good. But it is often the subtle differences that make the lens.

There are a lot of professionals on here, but also a lot of amateurs or pros that derive most of their income from print sales. If you are a commercial pro photographer or a stock photographer, you need a system that you can turn around images that are good enough RIGHT NOW. The rest of us have more time to enjoy the subtleties of a system or a particular lens. In fact, we might even pick a system for that purpose.

Bill, yes, that is exactly what I am interested in. For example there has been one thread comparing bokeh with the result that some of the Schneider lenses seem to deliever pretty smooth bokeh vs some of the Hasselblad H lenses with somewhat harsher bokeh?
The Zeiss 110 sounds great. I wonder if one would shoot with shallow DOF how good/hard it is to accuratly focus this lens. I wonder how the Hasselblad 100/2.0 would compare?
Regards,Tom