Topic: New Mamiya 150 f2.8 lens (Read 18800 times)

Jack Flesher · « **on:** August 12, 2008, 01:07:40 pm »

Just in case anybody is curious, I just received my copy of this new lens and did a very quick, informal handheld comparison between the 150/2.8 and 150/3.5. (I did hand-held first because that's often how I'm shooting the 150, and wanted a real-world comparison between the two.)

Backing up a bit, I should comment that the 150/3.5 is excellent at f5.6 and up, and slightly softer wider open, making it actually pretty nice for people portraits when you want to camouflage some wrinkles along with limited DoF. The 150/3.5 does show some light CA and purple fringing at apertures wider than f5.6, but for the most part the "purple fringe" and "CA" tools in C1 remove these.

By way of comparison, the 150/2.8 at 2.8 is even sharper than the 150/3.5 at f5.6. Then pretty much all you see as you stop the 150/2.8 down is more DoF. FWIW, it's even a bit better than the 210 ULD, so I'd say yes, it is that good!

Noteworthy is there is no CA or purple fringe that I can see, even along high-contrast edges wide open. Moreover, it is an IF design optic and focuses closer than the 150/3.5 (1 meter), and even more importantly, this new lens appears to nail focus perfectly wide open at f2.8! In summary I'll say it is one of the best lenses I've ever seen from a technical standpoint. Kudo's to Mamiya!

But for all of its operational perfection, there are a few drawbacks... First is it's pretty big. It has the more robust, higher-quality build of the newer Mamiya lenses (a good thing), but is perhaps twice as long, wider and half-again as heavy as the f3.5 version. IOW it's no featherweight and more on the scale of its competitor's similar focals. Next is the price. The 150/3.5 new at B&H is $1189 (and good copies can be had used for around $400 on the boards), while this new lens retails for over $3,000 -- or now basically the same realm as it's primary competition.

Here are some shots comparing the sizes side-by-side (with a standard 12 ounce can), click them if you want bigger:

I'll get some actual image comps up later.

Graham Mitchell · « **Reply #1 on:** August 12, 2008, 01:17:50 pm »

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By way of comparison, the 150/2.8 at 2.8 is even sharper than the 150/3.5 at f5.6. Then pretty much all you see as you stop the 150/2.8 down is more DoF.

Do you mean "Then pretty much all you see as you open the 150/2.8 up is less DoF. "?

Jack Flesher · « **Reply #2 on:** August 12, 2008, 04:50:17 pm »

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Do you mean "Then pretty much all you see as you open the 150/2.8 up is less DoF. "?
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=214629\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

No, I meant what I said:

An image captured with the new 150/2.8 using aperture f2.8 is sharper than the same image captured with the older 150/3.5 using aperture f5.6. Then, as you stop the 150/2.8 (newer lens) down to smaller apertures, all you see is more DoF --- meaning it is essentially sharper than the sensor even wide open....

Hope that clarifies ,

RobertJ · « **Reply #3 on:** August 12, 2008, 06:11:23 pm »

Looks good. Love that big focus ring.

Is the new 80mm any different at all? It *looks* much better, but are the optics the same?

Wonder if they'll bring out a new 55/2.8, not that they need to, but it would be a nice lineup of newly designed lenses (and more expensive): 55, 80, 120, 150....

Jack Flesher · « **Reply #4 on:** August 12, 2008, 07:00:11 pm »

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Is the new 80mm any different at all? It *looks* much better, but are the optics the same?

It is actually. My old 80 was no slouch and very good optically, but this new one seems even better. Unfortunately I sold it before realizing this and cannot test them side-by-side.

Quote

Wonder if they'll bring out a new 55/2.8, not that they need to, but it would be a nice lineup of newly designed lenses (and more expensive): 55, 80, 120, 150....
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Agreed! My most used lenses are the 55, 80 and 150 and I would love it if the 55 got a re-design a la the new 80. While the new build quality is certainly more desirable, my current version is a stellar performer. The biggest benefit for me would be the ease of switching to MF via the lens instead of the body...

Cheers,

Guy Mancuso · « **Reply #5 on:** August 13, 2008, 09:02:42 am »

This lens is very similar to some Leica APO lenses like the 75 f2 cron and 90 F2 Cron on the M side . They are very sharp wide open from corner to corner but when you stop down you really are gaining just DOF. This is a very sharp lens and since getting mine a couple weeks ago i have already shot about 3k in images with just this lens and I have yet to be disappointed with it. It is very sharp and the bokeh is extremely nice. But your going to pay for it in cost and some weight but right now this is a permanent fixture in my bag. You need 2.8 it delivers it in spades. No vignetting wide open , have yet to see any CA and easy to focus on manual and pretty darn fast on AF. Like Jack my three favorites are the 55mm, new 80mm is also better from my use but have not compared to the older 80mm but certainly better in my mind and this new 150mm. I have had a zillion lenses in every flavor and brand and these just flat out perform extremely well. I agree the 55mm needs a redesign with push pull AF?Manual focus or the lense switch from AF/MF like the 35mm lens. This is something that HAS to be done to the 55mm. Going for the manual body switch is a royal PITA. It NEEDS to be on the lens

eronald · « **Reply #6 on:** August 13, 2008, 06:28:55 pm »

what does the aperture look like ?

why can't Mamiya sell me a 110 f/2 or something like that ?

Edmund

Jack Flesher · « **Reply #7 on:** August 13, 2008, 07:33:33 pm »

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what does the aperture look like ?
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8 blades, rounded on the inside sweep -- if that makes sense.

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why can't Mamiya sell me a 110 f/2 or something like that ?

They can sell you an adapter that allows you to attach a Hasselblad 110 f2 F or FE lens to your AFD body...

Cheers,

Anders_HK · « **Reply #8 on:** August 14, 2008, 01:19:35 am »

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what does the aperture look like ?

why can't Mamiya sell me a 110 f/2 or something like that ?

Edmund
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Eronald,

Check out the 80mm f/1.9, which has similar shallow depth of field and indeed very very good optics.

Frank Doorhof writes of it here [a href=\"http://www.doorhof.nl/blog/index.php?topic=1390.0]http://www.doorhof.nl/blog/index.php?topic=1390.0[/url]. I concur with his observations... and indeed it is dirt cheap in comparison. Also low weight . Found mine new here in HK last year

Regards
Anders

Jack Flesher · « **Reply #9 on:** August 14, 2008, 12:11:01 pm »

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why can't Mamiya sell me a 110 f/2 or something like that ?

then

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Check out the 80mm f/1.9, which has similar shallow depth of field and indeed very very good optics.

FTR, if all one is after is thin DoF please note that:

1) f3.5 on the 150 has essentially identical DoF to the 110 at f2;

2) Correspondingly, f2.8 on the 150 is even a bit more shallow still;

3) the 80/1.9 at f1.9 has about twice the DoF as the above #1 options...

Here is a pretty good online DoF calculator if you want to play around with different combinations: http://www.dofmaster.com/dofjs.html

Cheers,

eronald · « **Reply #10 on:** August 14, 2008, 02:04:51 pm »

I'm lazy, I just want auto-aperture, auto-focus, auto-smile detection and auto-model-on-time.

Edmund

Quote

then
FTR, if all one is after is thin DoF please note that:

1) f3.5 on the 150 has essentially identical DoF to the 110 at f2;

2) Correspondingly, f2.8 on the 150 is even a bit more shallow still;

3) the 80/1.9 at f1.9 has about twice the DoF as the above #1 options...

Here is a pretty good online DoF calculator if you want to play around with different combinations: http://www.dofmaster.com/dofjs.html

Cheers,
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=215018\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

Jack Flesher · « **Reply #11 on:** August 14, 2008, 04:35:26 pm »

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I'm lazy, I just want auto-aperture, auto-focus, auto-smile detection and auto-model-on-time.

Edmund
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=215031\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

Well either of the Mamiya 150's will give you the first two... For the third one you need to buy a P&S... For the last one you'll maybe need to see a makeover artist

Anders_HK · « **Reply #12 on:** August 14, 2008, 10:44:21 pm »

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I'm lazy, I just want auto-aperture, auto-focus, auto-smile detection and auto-model-on-time.

Edmund
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=215031\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

Edmund,

The 80 f/1.9 @1.9 will get you closer to the model, a small misstep will...

Regards
Anders

PLLove · « **Reply #13 on:** January 18, 2009, 10:33:09 am »

Any new shots with the Mamiya 150 2.8 "D"??

Jack Flesher · « **Reply #14 on:** January 18, 2009, 11:12:57 am »

Quote from: PLLove

Any new shots with the Mamiya 150 2.8 "D"??

Here's one from a shoot a few months ago, f8 and studio lighting:

And a thubmnail link to the fairly large actual pixel crop due to the reduction on this site -- and yes, you can see the relatively thin DoF of just a few mm even in this f8 crop!:

PLLove · « **Reply #15 on:** January 18, 2009, 09:34:58 pm »

Quote from: Jack Flesher

Here's one from a shoot a few months ago, f8 and studio lighting:

And a thubmnail link to the fairly large actual pixel crop due to the reduction on this site -- and yes, you can see the relatively thin DoF of just a few mm even in this f8 crop!:

Nice Jack!! What background did you use? Is that paper?

mtomalty · « **Reply #16 on:** January 18, 2009, 10:37:07 pm »

Hi Jack,

What's going on in the crop image you linked to?

To the right of the models right eye (screen left) there seems to be a patch of hair that extends partially down the side of her face
between the cheek and eye.
You can quite clearly see hair strands that end in a fairly hard line where the 'patch' meets the skin of her upper cheek

Mark

Jack Flesher · « **Reply #17 on:** January 19, 2009, 01:59:08 am »

Quote from: PLLove

Nice Jack!! What background did you use? Is that paper?

Thanks! That's a black psych wall lit with an orange gel over the strobe

Jack Flesher · « **Reply #18 on:** January 19, 2009, 02:04:38 am »

Quote from: mtomalty

Hi Jack,

What's going on in the crop image you linked to?

To the right of the models right eye (screen left) there seems to be a patch of hair that extends partially down the side of her face
between the cheek and eye.
You can quite clearly see hair strands that end in a fairly hard line where the 'patch' meets the skin of her upper cheek

Mark

Mark:

If I understand what you are referring to, it is another furl of hair behind the right edge-outline of Jennifer's face. Note her head is turned to her right and that is a cluster in front of her right ear, but behind her right eye-socket -- her sideburns if that makes sense. Also, if you look at the full image, you can see the twin furl in the same spot on her left side, but here you can reference its position better

dwdmguy · « **Reply #19 on:** January 20, 2009, 11:56:21 pm »

Quote from: Jack Flesher

then

FTR, if all one is after is thin DoF please note that:

1) f3.5 on the 150 has essentially identical DoF to the 110 at f2;

2) Correspondingly, f2.8 on the 150 is even a bit more shallow still;

3) the 80/1.9 at f1.9 has about twice the DoF as the above #1 options...

Here is a pretty good online DoF calculator if you want to play around with different combinations: http://www.dofmaster.com/dofjs.html

Cheers,

Jack, just want to make sure we are on the same page. I'm looking into the 80mm 1.9.... What you say the 1.9 has about twice the DoF I am assuming you mean that at 1.9 (as you state) has more DOF in focus, i.e., not soft backgrounds, as the f3.5 at 3.5?

Thank you.

Author Topic: New Mamiya 150 f2.8 lens (Read 18800 times)

PLLove

PLLove