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Phase 110mm LS / Having bad thoughts

Guy Mancuso

Administrator, Instructor
Okay I need to see some images from this lens. My 80 LS comes today but the 110 sounds very interesting to me. So who has it and can we see some images from it. Your chance to make my bank account go up in smoke. :ROTFL::ROTFL::ROTFL:
 

Guy Mancuso

Administrator, Instructor
Certainly hope so. I am knitting my ski mask as fast as possible for my visit to the bank. It's purple this time with triangle holes for seeing and breathing. LOL
 

Bill Caulfeild-Browne

Well-known member
I don't own the 110 LS but I have used one courtesy of Kevin Raber/Phase One. Others who shot with it more extensively than me said that it rivaled the 120 macro D for sharpness. I saw nothing in my shots to contradict them tho' I did no direct comparisons.

.02,
Bill
 

narikin

New member
I have used two samples for quite decent number of days, and both had serious focusing errors at mid-distance. They are fine for studio work, and maybe infinity, but mid-distance had a huge number of mis-focused images - usually front focus completely missing the subject. Unfortunately I am not alone in this conclusion, and I hear that Phase are investigating.

If you work close up go ahead, but for middle distance work (20-100ft) at wide apertures using AF - then beware.
 
B

Ben Norton

Guest
I used all three of the LS lenses on a job on Tuesday just gone and had absolutely no issues whatsoever. Great results and the customer was very happy!
 

narikin

New member
I used all three of the LS lenses on a job on Tuesday just gone and had absolutely no issues whatsoever. Great results and the customer was very happy!
What distances were you shooting at though? Makes all the difference. It is a known issue with Phase, but of course YMMV...
 

Bob

Administrator
Staff member
Just got mine and looked at the focus at 7 and 14 feet.
I think it is pretty well behaved, in that wide open it has a touch of front focus but at one stop down it begins to shift back but keeps the focus point in the dof, at two stops down it evens out nicely.
7 feet f/2.8
View attachment 34653

14 feet f/2.8
View attachment 34654

14 feet f/4
View attachment 34655

14 feet f/5.6
View attachment 34656

not bad at all and well behaved, but it does exhibit a bit of focus shift which is not unexpected with that design.
-bob
 

narikin

New member
Yes, but if you read my post (...) I agreed it works ok-ish at studio distances, but not at mid distance. Try it at 30-40 ft, at f2.8 - f3.5, and see what you get over 100 shots in the real world, (not a test chart in a studio on a tripod!)

In those conditions, I barely get 20% in focus.
 

Bob

Administrator
Staff member
Yes, but if you read my post (...) I agreed it works ok-ish at studio distances, but not at mid distance. Try it at 30-40 ft, at f2.8 - f3.5, and see what you get over 100 shots in the real world, (not a test chart in a studio on a tripod!)

In those conditions, I barely get 20% in focus.
Well I shot a dozen in a row in the yard at mid distances and got 100% in focus (exposure was another matter LOL)
Tomorrow I will take it out for a more extensive shoot; I will report back.
-bob
 
B

Ben Norton

Guest
What distances were you shooting at though? Makes all the difference. It is a known issue with Phase, but of course YMMV...
10 shots - 500-550 frames altogether at distances between 6 feet to 40-50 feet. Only frames that were out of focus were due to motion blur with the photographer not shooting at a fast enough shutter speed. Otherwise everything was pin.

Were you using a pre production model perhaps?
 
B

Ben Norton

Guest
This was with a DF body and an Aptus II 8 if it makes any difference.
 

Bob

Administrator
Staff member
I took the 110LS on a morning tour around town.
Sudbury River

I liked the smooth and calm bokeh

In the vicinity of the Central Massachusetts Railroad Freight House

Autofocus works well, front focus at f/2.8 with target just about at the limit of DOF at f/4 it slides back as the ruler test shows

Leaves, Wayland Library

The color rendition is just a touch less green than the 120 Macro and this is very slight

Mums the word

another f/2.8 example

Hartwell Tavern vertical stitch


Over a three hour period, I had no particular problem with focus at any distance as long as I minded the f/2.8 front focus tendency.

It is in many ways reminiscent of the 120 Macro in appearance but with an additional stop, autofocus and leaf shutter. With a set of tubes in my kit, the 120 macro will go on the block.
-bob
 
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Jack

Sr. Administrator
Staff member
Bob, you might want to actually test this new lens with the tubes behind it before offing your 120 -- just a thought.
 

Bob

Administrator
Staff member
One annoying thing with the 110LS is that when in MF mode the lens focus drifts under the lens' own weight when pointed straight upward or downward. It is pretty annoying watching the focus ring turn under the force of gravity.
Looks like it is focus then nail it down with a bit of gaffer tape.
-bob
 
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