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Author Topic: Fast lens question  (Read 8101 times)

padey

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Fast lens question
« on: September 06, 2006, 05:26:34 am »

Is there such a thing as medium format fast glass, ie f1.4 primes?

If not, why?
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Graham Mitchell

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Fast lens question
« Reply #1 on: September 06, 2006, 06:37:40 am »

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Is there such a thing as medium format fast glass, ie f1.4 primes?

If not, why?

Good question.

I assume it's due to size, weight and cost considerations.

Here is a summary of MF lenses at f2.8 or faster. I'm making this up as I go along so don't rely on it 100%.

The Contax 645: 80mm f2, 45mm f2.8, 140mm f2.8

Bronica ETR (645) has a 50mm f2.8, 60mm f2.8, 75mm f2.8.

Bronica SQ series (6x6): 80mm f2.8

Hasselblad V: f/2.8 80 mm 'C' lens. The rest of the C series is slower. The F lenses were faster: f/2 110 mm, f/2.8 50 mm, f/2.8 80 mm and f/2.8 150 mm

Hasselblad H: HC f/2.8 80 mm and HC f/2.2 100 mm

Rollei PQ/S: 50mm f2.8, 80mm f2, 80mm f2.8, 110 f2, 180mm f2.8

Mamiya 645: 80mm f1.9, 80mm f2.8, 45mm f/2.8, 55mm f/2.8, 150mm f2.8, 200mm f2.8, 300mm f2.8

Mamiya 67: 110mm f2.8

Pentax 67: 75 mm f2.8, 90mm f2.8, 105 mm f2.4, 165mm f2.8

Pentax 645: 45mm f2.8, 75mm f2.8, 150mm f2.8

Result: the fastest lenses are: Mamiya 645 80mm f1.9, Contax 80mm f2, Hass V 110mm f2 (F), Rollei 110 f2, Rollei 80mm f2

Did I miss any?
« Last Edit: September 06, 2006, 09:53:26 am by foto-z »
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pss

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Fast lens question
« Reply #2 on: September 06, 2006, 01:24:31 pm »

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Good question.

I assume it's due to size, weight and cost considerations.

Here is a summary of MF lenses at f2.8 or faster. I'm making this up as I go along so don't rely on it 100%.

The Contax 645: 80mm f2, 45mm f2.8, 140mm f2.8

Bronica ETR (645) has a 50mm f2.8, 60mm f2.8, 75mm f2.8.

Bronica SQ series (6x6): 80mm f2.8

Hasselblad V: f/2.8 80 mm 'C' lens. The rest of the C series is slower. The F lenses were faster: f/2 110 mm, f/2.8 50 mm, f/2.8 80 mm and f/2.8 150 mm

Hasselblad H: HC f/2.8 80 mm and HC f/2.2 100 mm

Rollei PQ/S: 50mm f2.8, 80mm f2, 80mm f2.8, 110 f2, 180mm f2.8

Mamiya 645: 80mm f1.9, 80mm f2.8, 45mm f/2.8, 55mm f/2.8, 150mm f2.8, 200mm f2.8, 300mm f2.8

Mamiya 67: 110mm f2.8

Pentax 67: 75 mm f2.8, 90mm f2.8, 105 mm f2.4, 165mm f2.8

Pentax 645: 45mm f2.8, 75mm f2.8, 150mm f2.8

Result: the fastest lenses are: Mamiya 645 80mm f1.9, Contax 80mm f2, Hass V 110mm f2 (F), Rollei 110 f2, Rollei 80mm f2

Did I miss any?
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you made a great list! thanks for the research....
it is much harder to get fast MF lenses, because coverage is obviously much larger...
the real stunners are the rollei lenses, they accomplish f2 WITH a built in shutter!
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narikin

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Fast lens question
« Reply #3 on: September 06, 2006, 03:35:29 pm »

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Did I miss any?
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useful list, but just to add:

Plaubel Makina 67/670 80mm Nikkor f2.8
Rolleiflex Zeiss Planar 2.8 / Xenotar 2.8

both great cameras.


For LF, the fastest modern ones were:

Zeiss Planar 135mm f3.5 (amazing lens in its later version)
Schneider Xenotar 150mm f2.8

and of course some aero-ektars for specialist use.
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Fritzer

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Fast lens question
« Reply #4 on: September 06, 2006, 06:48:29 pm »

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Is there such a thing as medium format fast glass, ie f1.4 primes?

If not, why?
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=75661\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]


What do you need it for ?
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padey

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Fast lens question
« Reply #5 on: September 06, 2006, 09:06:39 pm »

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What do you need it for ?
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In an average session I will shoot 40% of the shots at or below f2. For my shooting edge sharpness isn’t the highest priority all the time.

Plus I’d rather drop a stop on the glass then bump the ISO for quality reasons, when boxed in by a shutter speed.

andrew
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Graham Mitchell

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Fast lens question
« Reply #6 on: September 06, 2006, 09:23:53 pm »

The available DOF at f1.4 would be tiny. Not really useable. That might also help to explain the lack of very fast lenses.
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padey

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Fast lens question
« Reply #7 on: September 06, 2006, 10:16:56 pm »

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The available DOF at f1.4 would be tiny. Not really useable. That might also help to explain the lack of very fast lenses.
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=75740\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

I guess it come down to your style of photography.

I find it very usable in the 35mm world and would love an 80mm or 150mm f1.4 in the MF world.
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James Russell

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Fast lens question
« Reply #8 on: September 07, 2006, 12:03:55 am »

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I guess it come down to your style of photography.

I find it very usable in the 35mm world and would love an 80mm or 150mm f1.4 in the MF world.
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A 80mm 1.4 in 645 pretty much equals 1.0 in 35mm.  If you've ever use the Canon F1.0 50mm lens you would realaize that the only thing in focus is one eyelash, 5 eyelashes at 1.2 two eyes at 1.4.

If you really want wide open then buy a contax and use the 80 F2 and get the adapter for the blad FE 100 F2 lens.

That will equal anything in the 35mm world for falloff.

JR
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rljones

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Fast lens question
« Reply #9 on: September 07, 2006, 12:46:33 am »

padey,

James and foto-z have it correct: the larger sensor/film size of MF means the DOF is about 1 f-stop more shallow than stated f-stop as compared to 35mm film. An f2.8 has the DOF of the equivalent f2. So not only would an f1.4 lens be much more expensive and heavy, but they'd be difficult to focus.
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Sheldon N

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Fast lens question
« Reply #10 on: September 08, 2006, 03:08:13 am »

And LF has about 4 stops less depth of field compared to 35mm. So that 150mm f/2.8 Xenotar on 4x5 works about the same as a 40mm f/0.7 lens on 35mm.
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padey

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Fast lens question
« Reply #11 on: September 08, 2006, 04:38:13 am »

Thanks for the answer to my newbie question.
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