Mamiya 150mm AF lens sharpness

[synn]

Hello folks,

I got myself a Mamiya 150mm AF lens (The old one) for a pittance. Did some basic tests and it seems like the lens is softer than my 210mm and certainly softer than the 80mm LS. (Tried f/5.6, 8 and 11. Same story).

Now, I can get the images up to spec with some careful processing, but I want to know if this lens has always been known for being a tad soft in its output or if I have myself a dud.

Thanks!

[eronald]

Synn,

 As I recall, this lens is razor sharp.
 On the other hand, there are zillions of possible focus issues on any Mamiya/Phase combo, as indeed on every SLR.

Edmund

Hello folks,

I got myself a Mamiya 150mm AF lens (The old one) for a pittance. Did some basic tests and it seems like the lens is softer than my 210mm and certainly softer than the 80mm LS. (Tried f/5.6, 8 and 11. Same story).

Now, I can get the images up to spec with some careful processing, but I want to know if this lens has always been known for being a tad soft in its output or if I have myself a dud.

Thanks!

[synn]

Thanks, Edmund. That's good to know that the lens is known to be a sharp one.
It's not an AF issue. None of my other Mamiya lenses are this soft, in AF or MF mode. The image is just consistently softer.

Guess I'll try to sell this off and try to find another copy.

[eronald]

Thanks, Edmund. That's good to know that the lens is known to be a sharp one.
It's not an AF issue. None of my other Mamiya lenses are this soft, in AF or MF mode. The image is just consistently softer.

Guess I'll try to sell this off and try to find another copy.

Mine was a good lens; I think you know how particular I am
As you state, it's a bargain. I think mine was $250.
I don't know if the current Mamiya has micro focus adjustment - this makes a huge difference on all my SLRs.
I do remember repeatedly having issues getting the thing to focus though, in daylight, when trying to do portraits; it was really hit and miss. I took some night images in Tokyo, by streetlights handheld and they were all dead-on amazing, I enlarged them to poster size.

I would really check the focusability of any lens, the Mamiya is not the only camera I've had issues with, Phase-contrast seems to be inherently a capricious process depending on good interactions of the AF sensor and the lens. I remember my Canon 85/1.2 being particularly frustrating, always slightly less than perfect. After two trips to CPS, I had the brilliant idea of removing the *Canon* protection filter from the huge front element - the result was like buying a new camera!

Edmund

[synn]

Good points, all of them.

While the DF+ does have AF microadjust, I don't think it's going to help. I got the same results using manual focus and furthermore, at f/8 and f/11, there must be some parts int he image where maximum sharpness is achieved (My test scene was a city scene from high up).

p.s. I never use UV filters on any of my lenses for that particular reason. No extra glass in the optical path if I can help it.

[Ken Doo]

The old Mamiya 150mm AF was good in its time, particularly with film and earlier generation MFDBs. (Yes, I had the old 150mm for many years also).  It's age shows dramatically with newer generations of MFDBs---it's not even a close call in comparison to the venerable Phase 150mm f/2.8 D series or the Phase Schneider 150mm LS. I don't think the old 150mm AF is up to snuff when used with the latest MFDBs, imho.

If you have a more recent MFDB (IQ140 is it?) and are using the Phase DF body, than you owe it to yourself to have either the Phase 150mm D series or the Phase SK 150mm LS in your bag.  Really.   

ken

[synn]

The old Mamiya 150mm AF was good in its time, particularly with film and earlier generation MFDBs. (Yes, I had the old 150mm for many years also).  It's age shows dramatically with newer generations of MFDBs---it's not even a close call in comparison to the venerable Phase 150mm f/2.8 D series or the Phase Schneider 150mm LS. I don't think the old 150mm AF is up to snuff when used with the latest MFDBs, imho.

If you have a more recent MFDB (IQ140 is it?) and are using the Phase DF body, than you owe it to yourself to have either the Phase 150mm D series or the Phase SK 150mm LS in your bag.  Really.   

ken

Thanks, Ken. Yes, I have a Credo 40. I've found the 210mm AF working rather well on this back, but the 150 as you can see, has disappointed me.
The 150 LS is definitely an interesting option I have been thinking about for a bit. It's a very nice focal length for portraiture on the 44x33 sensor!

[Ken Doo]

You can't go wrong with the 150mm D series or the 150mm LS.  The 150mm D series is slightly sharper than the 150mm LS imo, but differences are probably negligible around f/8. If you need the leaf shutter for the faster flash sync, you'll pay a premium for the LS version.  150mm LS version is more compact and lighter than the D series version, which can also be a factor for some.  I had the 210mm years ago and as I recall it was a sharper lens than the old 150AF.  The 150mm LS (had the D series but needed the flash sync) is definitely my favorite focal length for portraits, followed by the 110mm LS.

ken

[synn]

Yep, environmental portraiture is the desired application, so LS is more or less a given. Interesting to knwo that the D is actually sharper than the LS.

The 110 interests me too, but it's very close to the 80mm LS, which I already have. 150 slots neatly in between the 80 and the 210.

[bpepz]

Hello folks,

I got myself a Mamiya 150mm AF lens (The old one) for a pittance. Did some basic tests and it seems like the lens is softer than my 210mm and certainly softer than the 80mm LS. (Tried f/5.6, 8 and 11. Same story).

Now, I can get the images up to spec with some careful processing, but I want to know if this lens has always been known for being a tad soft in its output or if I have myself a dud.

Thanks!

I used to have one back when I was using a mamiya AFDIII and leaf aptus 6-II. It can be very sharp, even wide open, but it has ALOT of CA and purple fringing, even stopped down to f/8.

[RomanN.]

Hi,
I my practical use the old Af 3,5/150 mm is a very sharp lens and used at f/8- f/16 cannot be better. I tested it against the AF 120 mm Macro that should be the sharpest mamiya lens and cant see any differances at portrait use ( used with Leaf 12). The new 2,8/150 mm is a dream lens and will be better at 2,8- 5,6 but not at parctical use at f8-16. The 2,8 have better close distance: 1 meter where the 3,5 ave 1,5. So for faces macroring must be used. But for this cheap price the 3,5/150 mm is a best deal- where the 2,8 ofcourse is superior.
When your 150 is not sharp you should try another copy. My 3,5/150 is also much, much sharper that the old non-AF A 2,8/150 mm.

[sbernthal]

I had a couple of 150/3.5 and they were fine.
I've compared the old one to one copy of 150/2.8 and there was no difference.
I'm pretty sure it was a bad copy of the 2.8 - the newer ones labeled Phase One should be better I believe, but since the old one is fine as far as sharpness, it's not worth the price for me to upgrade.
It's true the old one is prone to optical problems if you stress it, but under normal use with the hood on, I am not having any problems - the pictures look fine and in fact I like it's bokeh very much.
It is not sharp at f/22 and the new ones are sharper there, but I don't use these apertures with this lens.
The 120AF is much sharper than this one, especially under stress conditions such as closed aperture.