Jorgen Udvang
Subscriber Member
So, I bought a new lens today, an old, new lens, the 135mm f/1.8 that I have been waiting for. Normally, I don't test lenses, I just start using them, hoping for the best. But in this case, the seller wanted me to try it out properly before I made up my mind.
Unfortunately, I have neither a backyard nor a dog, a cat or a neighbour with an interesting antenna on the roof. So, I had to take a walk downtown and take a couple of snapshot of people I saw on the street instead. I know that this is not the correct testing procedure according to you-know-which-forum, and I didn't even bring a tripod, but that's what you get when you deal with amateurs.
What was important for me to check, was sharpness, colours, contrast and bokeh. That would be the photo of the lady with the vegetables and flowers, which is without post processing except USM 80%/radius 0.4 on the crop. I also wanted to see the ability to isolate a subject from the background when the main subject is a few meters away, which is the photo of the couple. I've enhanced contrast and colours slightly on that one.
All photos with Fuji S5 at 6MP, converted from RAW.
The crop isn't 100%, probably around 80% of full size.
Conclusion:
I have a Nikkor 85mm f/1.8. I thought that was a portrait lens. Wrong :lecture: This is a portrait lens. Focusing between 1 and 2.5 meters is a piece of cake, even wide open. From there and up to 5 meters is ok if I concentrate. Anything beyond 5 meters is tricky since 90% of the focus throw was spent on the first 5 meters, but with a better focusing screen, that will hopefully improve.
Do I like this lens? I love this lens. Look at the photos. The portrait was taken within minutes of mounting the lens on the camera, in the big, dark shadow behind a shopping mall without flash.
Unfortunately, I have neither a backyard nor a dog, a cat or a neighbour with an interesting antenna on the roof. So, I had to take a walk downtown and take a couple of snapshot of people I saw on the street instead. I know that this is not the correct testing procedure according to you-know-which-forum, and I didn't even bring a tripod, but that's what you get when you deal with amateurs.
What was important for me to check, was sharpness, colours, contrast and bokeh. That would be the photo of the lady with the vegetables and flowers, which is without post processing except USM 80%/radius 0.4 on the crop. I also wanted to see the ability to isolate a subject from the background when the main subject is a few meters away, which is the photo of the couple. I've enhanced contrast and colours slightly on that one.
All photos with Fuji S5 at 6MP, converted from RAW.
The crop isn't 100%, probably around 80% of full size.
Conclusion:
I have a Nikkor 85mm f/1.8. I thought that was a portrait lens. Wrong :lecture: This is a portrait lens. Focusing between 1 and 2.5 meters is a piece of cake, even wide open. From there and up to 5 meters is ok if I concentrate. Anything beyond 5 meters is tricky since 90% of the focus throw was spent on the first 5 meters, but with a better focusing screen, that will hopefully improve.
Do I like this lens? I love this lens. Look at the photos. The portrait was taken within minutes of mounting the lens on the camera, in the big, dark shadow behind a shopping mall without flash.