90/2 APO Photo Request

[robmac]

Having just sold my 180/2.8 APO (1st version), I was resigned to the fact that my 80/1.4 wouldn't sell and I'd mapped out a lens portfolio. However, some guy by the name of J Milich (yes, that Milich) popped out of the blue this a.m. between coffees, offered to take it off my hands for asking price and (being caffeine-deprived) I agreed ;> That is one lens I WILL replace at some juncture.

So - I need to do some re-thinking in the 80-100 ish range.

I tested my 80 against the 90/2 non-apo and the 80 won hands-down. The 90 was ok, but really didn't didn't wow me until about 5.6 - then it sang.
That being said, for the $$$, a older 90/2 is a nice deal.

I'd had my mind set on my 80 for low light and a 100M for a uber-sharp close-range critter shots. Now (high on caffeine) I am thinking maybe a 90/2 APO would be a nice hybrid. I played with one briefly a year or so ago - softesque WO then uber-sharp from 2.8 onward. I know where I can get a mint one for ~$1800, soo.. They are also harder to come by 2nd hand than a 100M.

That being said I can't seem to find my 90 shots (one of the hazards of no exif on Canons). Even if I do, I know the focus point will likely be off given the @#$ problems I had with my @#$% 5D (I was saddled with at the time) getting the @#$% camera to focus properly (vs my 1ds2). I wonder if someone could be so kind as to post (or email me) some larger tiffs (or jpegs) of a close-up shot using the APO with and w/o the 2x APO?

WRT to this last point, just how badly does the 90 perform extended?

Long post, short request, but thanks.

 

[Maggie O]

What's "APO" mean?

 

[robmac]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apochromat

 

[Maggie O]

Ah, fantastic! Thank you!

 

[PeterA]

We have to remember that unless you are shooting film - on the DMR you aren't getting the perspective that the lenses were designed for and therefore a lot of compromises are made regarding composition...

this is why I have gone to the expense of buying the 35-70 and the 70-180 - both sharp enough and fast enough to use on the DMR with the flexibility required because of the crop factor. Yes these lenses are large and relatively heavy - but you have to have that 'cost' in order to get that 2.8 and teh quality of rendition they deliver..

The only fixed focal length lenses I have bought ( both new) I require to round out the kit are the 19 and the 80 lux..

Anyway you have made th decision to sell the 80 ...regarding the 90 Apo and the 100 - they are both great lenses very sharp..but neither give you the out of focus rendition that the 80 gives you.

 

[PSon]

The Leica Apo-Summicron-R 2.0/90 is a very sharp lens wide open. It is somewhat compact but there were two points I found in my comparison with the Zeiss 1.2/85 50th and 60th Jahre and the Canon 1.2/85L EF: a) Distortion is noticeably high at very close working distance and b) chromatic aberration at wide open with adapter on the Canon body is less controlled compared to the Zeiss; the culprit could be the adapter. I did not have the opportunity to use this lens on the DMR.

Since the 100 mm focal length is your focal length which also happens to be mine as well, there are a few lens to considered: a) Contax Carl Zeiss Planar T* 2.0/100 C/Y Mount, b) Hasselblad Carl Zeiss Planar T* 2.0/110 F or FE and c) Nikon Carl Zeiss Apo-Makro 2.0/100 which is supposed to be more a cinematic lens and the other lens would be the Leica Apo-Macro-Elmarit-R 2.8/100 but you already have this lens. My choice was the Hasselblad 2.0/110 FE since I like the extreme shallow depth of field of this lens, how close I can get to the subject and how the skin tone and texture is rendered. I use this lens on the medium and 35 mm format systems. Here is the sample on the DMR:

 

[robsteve]

(high on caffeine) I am thinking maybe a 90/2 APO would be a nice hybrid. I played with one briefly a year or so ago - softesque WO then uber-sharp from 2.8 onward. .

Rob:

I have the 90mm APO as well as the 100mm Macro. The 90mm APO is as sharp as the 100mm macro with the exception of shooting macros with an extension tube (on the 90).

If the copy you had was soft at f2, you probably had a focusing issue.

Here are a couple of images shot with the 90mm:

Click on this one for a larger and then click on that one for a 2000pixel image.

I think this one was f2.4. I don't have the original RAW handy to check.

 

[robmac]

Gracias

RobS - Judging from what I'm seeing. I suspect it was a focusing issue - my 5D was one of 'those' that would have required a trip to Canon for calibration with their precision matte screen. I think I had a hit rate of maybe 1:5 (vs. 4:5 with the Ds2). My patience ran out and I moved to the Ds2.

PeterA - I'm shooting on a Canon 1Ds2, so crop factor isn't an issue. Performance (judged depending on what the lens was designed for) WO to say F4 (practical limit for hand-held focusing) is an issue.

As for the 80 - it can always been replaced. It's not rare, I got it for market price and sold it for same. In short, I tried it, like it, passed it on and may come back to it. If I were to buy one again it would be a ROM unit - likely to hold value better with the advent of an R10. Damn fine piece of glass - if used for what it was intended.