Luminous Landscape Forum

Equipment & Techniques => Medium Format / Film / Digital Backs – and Large Sensor Photography => Topic started by: etrump on June 23, 2008, 02:36:08 pm

Title: Long Mamiya Glass for Landscape
Post by: etrump on June 23, 2008, 02:36:08 pm
I have the manual 300mm and AF 110-200mm mamiya glass but they seem really soft.

Is it just my technique or are you using something else?

I should mention, that is with a P30+ back.
Title: Long Mamiya Glass for Landscape
Post by: Guy Mancuso on June 23, 2008, 02:53:21 pm
Quote
I have the manual 300mm and AF 110-200mm mamiya glass but they seem really soft.

Is it just my technique or are you using something else?

I should mention, that is with a P30+ back.
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=203149\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]


Hmmm I have the 300 4.5 Ed and this puppy is sharp as a tack even wide open. Might want to think about a monopod for it. Really helps
Title: Long Mamiya Glass for Landscape
Post by: Ken Doo on June 23, 2008, 02:53:30 pm
Quote
I have the manual 300mm and AF 110-200mm mamiya glass but they seem really soft.

Is it just my technique or are you using something else?

I should mention, that is with a P30+ back.
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=203149\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]


The Mamiya 300mm AF lens is very good.  I've used it for landscape, including a two shot pano with a Phase P30.
Title: Long Mamiya Glass for Landscape
Post by: Guy Mancuso on June 23, 2008, 02:54:30 pm
Sorry I screwed up this post . Not sure how to delete
Title: Long Mamiya Glass for Landscape
Post by: etrump on June 23, 2008, 03:03:14 pm
I guess I will have to pick one of the 300mm AF lens.  I have the older MF.
Title: Long Mamiya Glass for Landscape
Post by: free1000 on June 25, 2008, 04:37:47 am
Quote
I have the manual 300mm and AF 110-200mm mamiya glass but they seem really soft.

Is it just my technique or are you using something else?

I should mention, that is with a P30+ back.
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=203149\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

I find that critical focus is difficult with these long focus lenses (the APO 200 2.8 and the manual 300).

I was using these as long distance landscape lenses.

So I simply shot  a bunch of tests at different focus points from infinity downwards. I found that just setting the lenses on infinity gave me the best results with the Aptus 75. Attempting to find  a better focus point just seemed to result in a softer image.

With digital I just seem to endup shooting at infinity a lot of the time... lazy or what!
Title: Long Mamiya Glass for Landscape
Post by: Don Libby on June 25, 2008, 12:02:20 pm
I used to have the 300 manual and found that while it was sharp it was also very heavy.  I had a chance to compare it with a 300 AF and found that the IQ was very similar so decided to get the 300 AF (thanks Ken) and sell the older manual lens.  I love the new 300 AF as it’s easy to take on a hike and not be exhausted by the time you set up.  The 300 AF is just about the same physical size as the Canon 70-200.

don
Title: Long Mamiya Glass for Landscape
Post by: etrump on June 26, 2008, 09:52:09 am
Quote
I used to have the 300 manual and found that while it was sharp it was also very heavy.  I had a chance to compare it with a 300 AF and found that the IQ was very similar so decided to get the 300 AF (thanks Ken) and sell the older manual lens.  I love the new 300 AF as it’s easy to take on a hike and not be exhausted by the time you set up.  The 300 AF is just about the same physical size as the Canon 70-200.

don
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=203604\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]


Are we talking about the same lens?  The MF 300 I have is about the size of a cucumber f/5.6 and weighs less than 2lbs.  Substantially smaller than canon 70-200 f2.8L.
Title: Long Mamiya Glass for Landscape
Post by: Jack Flesher on June 26, 2008, 10:25:44 am
Your 300/5.6 MF is not the same. The manual 300/2.8 is all white, stellar, but a tank. The 300 AF is also all white, f4.5 lens and phenomenal performer, being laser sharp even wide open.  The 105-210 seems hit or miss. Most I have seen are acceptably sharp stopped down a stop or two, though a buddy has one that is quite good wide open --- but not as good as my 210 f4 AF prime, which is another lens that's a laser wide open...

Hope this helps,
Title: Long Mamiya Glass for Landscape
Post by: etrump on June 26, 2008, 02:04:23 pm
Quote
Your 300/5.6 MF is not the same. The manual 300/2.8 is all white, stellar, but a tank. The 300 AF is also all white, f4.5 lens and phenomenal performer, being laser sharp even wide open.  The 105-210 seems hit or miss. Most I have seen are acceptably sharp stopped down a stop or two, though a buddy has one that is quite good wide open --- but not as good as my 210 f4 AF prime, which is another lens that's a laser wide open...

Hope this helps,
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=203796\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

Thanks for all the feedback.  I will pick up the 300 AF.  

I think I will wait until I can get my hands on the newly announced zooms before deciding on the 210 prime.   My 105-210 is definitely on the soft side.
Title: Long Mamiya Glass for Landscape
Post by: Don Libby on June 26, 2008, 07:28:41 pm
Quote
Are we talking about the same lens?  The MF 300 I have is about the size of a cucumber f/5.6 and weighs less than 2lbs.  Substantially smaller than canon 70-200 f2.8L.
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=203792\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

Ed – Sorry for the delay buy we’re in Alaska at present and was out this morning shooting eagles in Anchor Point.  I was going to attempt a capture with my 300 however the shot was ruined by a passerby then I decided to switch back to the 1Ds II 400DO combo.  The 300 AF lens is white and tack sharp and just about the same size as the Canon 70-200.  While I liked the 300 2.8 it was just too darn heavy to haul around for any length of time.  I feel that the 300 AF is a great compromise in that you still get stellar results but with a lens you can easily have with you all day.  I used a combo of the newer 75-150 and 300 AF on a 12 hour day a couple weeks ago while we were in Denali and was please with both.  Just a side note but I used the 75-150 (along with a Canon 1Ds II and 24-70) with very good results.

There’s a guy on ebay that Ken Doo and I use who sells Mamiya stuff for much less than anywhere else and it is high quality.  I have limited internet access and can’t recall his name but I think Ken wrote about him a short while ago.

Good luck with the 300 AF I know you’ll like it.

don
Title: Long Mamiya Glass for Landscape
Post by: DolphinDan on June 28, 2008, 03:52:45 pm
Hi,

I have the 105-210mm and 300mm AF lenses.  I find that they are not as sharp as the 75-150mm lens.  I have experimented with different apertures like f11 and f22 with the 300mm lens, and the images I get still seem soft.  The other lenses I usually shoot at f11.

I keep reading posts about how these 2 lenses (105-210mm and 300mm AF) are sharp, but do not understand why I cannot seem to get sharp images.  I shoot with a MAMIYA M645 AFD-II and PhaseOne P45+ on a tripod, using a cable release, activating mirror up, then waiting a couple of seconds before slowly pressing the cable release button to shoot.  I attach the 300mm lens (not the camera) to the tripod.  I would appreciate any help or suggestions on how to improve my technique to get sharper images.

On a related note, does anybody have any knowledge on how the 500mm f5.6 MF lens compares in sharpness to the 300mm AF and/or 75-150mm lens?

Daniel
Title: Long Mamiya Glass for Landscape
Post by: Guy Mancuso on June 28, 2008, 06:24:29 pm
Quote
Hi,

I have the 105-210mm and 300mm AF lenses.  I find that they are not as sharp as the 75-150mm lens.  I have experimented with different apertures like f11 and f22 with the 300mm lens, and the images I get still seem soft.  The other lenses I usually shoot at f11.

I keep reading posts about how these 2 lenses (105-210mm and 300mm AF) are sharp, but do not understand why I cannot seem to get sharp images.  I shoot with a MAMIYA M645 AFD-II and PhaseOne P45+ on a tripod, using a cable release, activating mirror up, then waiting a couple of seconds before slowly pressing the cable release button to shoot.  I attach the 300mm lens (not the camera) to the tripod.  I would appreciate any help or suggestions on how to improve my technique to get sharper images.

On a related note, does anybody have any knowledge on how the 500mm f5.6 MF lens compares in sharpness to the 300mm AF and/or 75-150mm lens?

Daniel
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=204226\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]


 Interesting I can nail it almost every time with the 300 af even handheld and wide open. Not bragging but something maybe wrong.
Title: Long Mamiya Glass for Landscape
Post by: DesW on June 28, 2008, 10:55:45 pm
Quote
There’s a guy on ebay that Ken Doo and I use who sells Mamiya stuff for much less than anywhere else and it is high quality.  I have limited internet access and can’t recall his name but I think Ken wrote about him a short while ago.

Good luck with the 300 AF I know you’ll like it.

don
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=203874\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]


Hello there,

This the Mamiya  Ebay guy--top bloke--give him a call

Ing Y

camerakid@hotmail.com

D
Title: Long Mamiya Glass for Landscape
Post by: Ken Doo on June 29, 2008, 12:16:12 am
Quote
Hello there,

This the Mamiya  Ebay guy--top bloke--give him a call

Ing Y

camerakid@hotmail.com

D
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=204263\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]


...on Ebay, his profile name is: Ahmuay

I just picked up the new 75-150 recently----the new Mamiya D lenses are really really nice.

ken