Luminous Landscape Forum
Equipment & Techniques => Medium Format / Film / Digital Backs – and Large Sensor Photography => Topic started by: synn on August 25, 2015, 04:45:44 am
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With the current used prices, I am facing a serious urge to add one to the kit. What is the general opinion on this lens? Is it sharper than the 35mm AF?
The intended use is with a 645DF+ and a Credo 40.
Thanks in advance!
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Over the past 5 years, I have owned 2 of them.
Both were OK on center, P45+ DF setup, but when shifted, only OK and this is at F11. No tilt only shift and I have found that tilt can be as important with MF as shift.
The actual lens is well built all metal design and has nice contrast.
The 35mm AF 3.5 I have was a better solution for me. Some of them are also better than others.
Paul
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There have been positive comments by members in the forum e.g. http://forum.luminous-landscape.com/index.php?topic=94442.msg771185#msg771185
Try also the search; this lens has appeared in a few discussions in the past.
I am happy with mine!
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Thank you, both.
I find my 35mm to be a very good copy and quite sharp (Except for the very edges of the frame). The 50mm shift would give me a good lens to do panoramas with, hence the interest.
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If you visit Berlin and want to test the lens, let me know.
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It's an okay lens. I seem to remember some color fringing when it's shifted beyond 6mm. The contrast and color are good. I used mine for stitching when I had a 36 X 36 Ixpress 384C.
My copy of the 35mm lens was sharp in the center, but could not handle infinity along the edges on a 36 X 48 sensor. It performed well for interiors.
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If you visit Berlin and want to test the lens, let me know.
Thank you for the offer. This might actually be possible for me. I will drop you a PM when I am around there next.
:)
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So, I bit the bullet and ended up buying one off ebay. Did a quick (And admittedly, unscientific) test. Please find it here (http://www.sandeepmurali.com/blog/2015/9/mamiya-50mm-f/4-shift-lens-review).
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I had a 50mm shift, and it was never too sharp, but many other users say their samples are good - so I guess your mileage may vary.
One nice thing was the price, I think $300 or thereabouts.
For what it matters, I did a test with my P45+ vs the Nikon D3x and a 24mm Nikon shift; viewed on the screen the Nikon was subjectively sharp, but in fact the Mamiya outresolved it by a wide margin. There was simply no contest that the MF system was *far* better.
Edmund
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Thanks for the feedback, Edmund. In my initial tests, I agree with you that it is not the sharpest lens out there, but it is quite consistent.
What I really like about this lens is how it renders. Definitely feels like a lens from a different era compared to the newer Mamiyas and the clinical Schneiders. For the lack of a better word, it feels very filmic.
For the type of work I want to do with it, I think it will be a good match.
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(https://farm1.staticflickr.com/672/21170327195_251661b760_o.png)
Here is a screenshot at 100% to show the rendering quality I am talking about. Straight from Capture One Pro. (Right click, view image)
Nikon D800 and 16-35 VR on the left, Mamiya 645 DF+, Credo 40 and Mamiya 35 f/3.5 in the middle, Mamiya 645 DF+, Credo 40 and Mamiya 50mm f/4 shift on the right.
Look at how the bark of the tree renders in the right image. I really love it.Much less digital than the others.
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There is one participant in this forum whose posts I have chosen not to read.
Edmund