The Nikon 19mm PC-E f/4 Tilt/Shift Lens

[Michael Erlewine]

As shown above the lens outperforms the 36MP sensor of the d810 by far. It can do 100MP
Also it is highly corrected.
This means that at 36MP we cannot fully see the quality of the lenses we are talking about and some issues are sensor related.
It also means that if you can see that the lens is less sharp than the Otus is has to do with other qualities than sharpness.
The so called microcontrast perhaps.

However we want to spell it, all I had to do was take a series of shots with the 19mm PC-E to see that the acuity was not up to what I am looking for. Of course, we are are all different. And when I took the same kind of shots with the Otus 28mm APO, all the clarity I sought was right there. I tried for a couple days to find ways around what I saw, so that I could keep the 19mm PC-E, but I could not see the basic sharpness (or whatever) that I sought. Just my opinion.

[kers]

However we want to spell it, all I had to do was take a series of shots with the 19mm PC-E to see that the acuity was not up to what I am looking for. Of course, we are are all different. And when I took the same kind of shots with the Otus 28mm APO, all the clarity I sought was right there. I tried for a couple days to find ways around what I saw, so that I could keep the 19mm PC-E, but I could not see the basic sharpness (or whatever) that I sought. Just my opinion.

I can understand; although it is difficult to compare the two lenses, i have always found the Zeiss coatings very special and the lenses render often beautifully.
Yes the term acutance is probably a nice term to describe it.
I remember the term often used in the 'old' days of BW developing.
The developer Rodinal ( AGFA) had a very high acutance they said - in some way it exaggerated the micro contrast and gave a very coarse grain, but every grain seemed to be placed and formed perfect to make the image.
I liked it and used it often.
There is also some discussion on the internet about that sharp lenses have less contrast and less depth. That in general older lenses have more 3d than the sharper new ones...

[Michael Erlewine]

Unfortunately, “sharpness” does not have a standard definition. It seems to be a combination of acutance, resolution, and perhaps micro-contrast. When you mix all that with focus-stacking, as I do, then it really gets difficult to sort out. I like the idea of the PC-E 19mm, enough to purchase it, but with close-up focus-stacking with this lens I find that I depend on a certain base “sharpness,” micro-contrast, acutance – whatever we want to call it. With the PC-E 19mm, when I looked past my in-focus areas, I found that the base-sharpness was just a little more blurry that what I want to see. It messes (IMO) with the rest of what is in sharp focus or in bokeh... lessening the overall effect I am trying to achieve. 

[kers]

I guess what you need is not a PCE lens nor an Otus, but a dedicated macrolens with the image quality of Otus...
Zeiss could make such a thing half the price of the Otus if it was a f2.8;  4 times less lens surface to make and polish...

[Michael Erlewine]

I guess what you need is not a PCE lens nor an Otus, but a dedicated macrolens with the image quality of Otus...
Zeiss could make such a thing half the price of the Otus if it was a f2.8;  4 times less lens surface to make and polish...

I don't need a macro lens. I do just fine with the El Nikkor APO 105mm f/5.6, mounted on the Cambo Actus, with shift, tilt, etc. For me the 19mm PC-E just was not able to give me what other lenses can.

[kers]

In a test in which i looked at the quality of a rotational panorama vs the 19mm shift lens the outcome is clear.
The 19 mm wins hands down. it is the best lens for the shifted job.
I think you can beat it only by using a 35mm lens for rotational stitching to get the quality at the borders of the shifted image.
In that case you need a lot of images... instead of one.
Diglloyd comes to the conclusion that the 19mm PCE never shines like an 18mm Zeiss Milvius, but it is just a different type of lens.
If you use the Milvius for rotation stitching, the quality beyond the 18mm is inferior to the 19mmPCE.
The 19mmPCE is a high quality PCE lens with very little distortion and a usuable 50mm image circle.
It is also an uncomplicated lens to use to get good results.