Topic: Hit parade of the sharpest 35mm lenses (NEW RANKING) (Read 43536 times)

Glenn NK · « **Reply #20 on:** October 12, 2012, 08:43:23 pm »

I would also suggest the Canon 24TSEII.

Funny, when I first read the post title, I thought it was about 35 mm FL lenses only.

Glenn

DaveCurtis · « **Reply #21 on:** October 13, 2012, 12:28:35 am »

Zeiss 35mm f1.4 ZE.

Have you seen the MTF on that new Zeiss 135 APO

hasselbladfan · « **Reply #22 on:** October 13, 2012, 08:07:16 am »

Quote from: hasselbladfan on October 12, 2012, 06:45:35 am

NEW LIST (following some excellent suggestions)

ONCE IN A LIFETIME (hopefully, you can own 1 of these in your life)
. Coastal Optics 60mm Macro f4 (the reference lens according to DigLloyd)
. Leica 50mm APO f2 (the new one - my hope he comes in 2nd place
. Zeiss UP 55mm f1.4 (as per photos seen at Photokina)
. Leica 180mm APO f2.8

THE LOVE OF YOUR LIFE (expensive, but so good, so irresistable)
. Leica 90mm APO f2
. Nikon 200mm f2 II / Canon 200mm f2
. Zeiss 100mm f2 Macro
. Zeiss 50mm f2 Macro
. Zeiss 21mm / 28mm f2.8
. Leica 28mm f2 Asph.
. Canon 135mm L f2 / Zeiss 135mm APO f2

A FRIEND FOREVER (loyal and never disappointing)
. Nikon 14-24mm f2.8
. Canon 24-70mm L f2.8 II
. Nikon 24mm f1.4 / Sigma 35mm HSM A f1.4 / Zeiss 35mm f1.4
. Nikon 60mm Macro / Canon 100mm L Macro
. Nikon 85mm f1.4 / Sigma 85mm f1.4
. Nikkor Micro 200mm f4
. Canon 24mm 3.5 L II / Canon 90mm L TS-E f2.8
. Fujinon 35mm f1.4 (X-Pro)
. Sony Alfa CZ 135mm f 1.8
. Voigtlander APO Lanthar 90mm f2.8

This is really becoming a very nice Xmas list

.

rogan · « **Reply #23 on:** October 13, 2012, 10:55:15 am »

This is a really odd list. First of all any good lens list that has the Canon 24-70 on it is immediately disqualified. Terrible lens. The vII is suppose to be better. The Nikon 24-70 kills the canon. The Nikon 200f2vII is one of if not the sharpest nikon lens made and not on the list. The Nikon 24 1.4 is good, but the Nikon 35 1.4 is great. The canon 35 1.4 is great as well.

Petrus · « **Reply #24 on:** October 13, 2012, 11:26:44 am »

Re new Canon 24-70mm: here is a quote from LensRentals blog after they tested it:

"This is short, sweet, and simple. The resolution absolutely, positively kicks butt and takes names. It is way better than the lens it replaces. It’s better at 70mm than the best Canon zoom I know of, the 70-200 f/2.8 IS II. It’s even better at 24mm than the sharpest 24mm prime we have, the Canon 24 TS-E. In the center, in the corners, it doesn’t care. We only had 5 copies to test, but they were all very similar with little copy-to-copy variation."

Things are certainly getting mighty interesting if Nikon can make a 14-24mm fast zoom which beats most primes, and Canon can make a 24-70mm which also beats great primes and longer zooms. What is coming when somebody really puts all the modern design power behind a fast prime design effort? (well, Fujinon XF 35mm is a good example, but it is not FF).

hasselbladfan · « **Reply #25 on:** October 13, 2012, 11:34:44 am »

Quote from: rogan on October 13, 2012, 10:55:15 am

... the Canon 24-70 vII is suppose to be better. ... The Nikon 200f2vII is one of if not the sharpest nikon lens made and not on the list. .....

Sorry. I forgot to mention it was vII in both cases.

hugowolf · « **Reply #26 on:** October 13, 2012, 12:07:02 pm »

There are an awful lot of excellent macro lenses out there, and while the 70 mm Sigma offers very good resolution and general sharpness, the minimum working distance of just 6.5 cm makes it less than an ideal macro lens. Compare this with the Tamron 60 mm f/2 at 10 cm and the Canon 60 mm f/2.8 at 9 cm.

Brian A

hasselbladfan · « **Reply #27 on:** October 13, 2012, 12:53:34 pm »

Brian,

General sharpness is not what we are looking for. I will take the Sigma out then.

EricWHiss · « **Reply #28 on:** October 13, 2012, 01:07:40 pm »

Surprised to not see Leica 100mm apo and Leica 60mm elmarits in this list. I had the latest 50mm summicron but would have put the macros ahead of it.

Also a rare lens but Leica 35-70 f/2.8 elmarit is amazing
And the 80mm summilux -

Olympus macros are quite good too. 50mm f/3.5 is really a great lens especially good value.

hasselbladfan · « **Reply #29 on:** October 13, 2012, 01:39:54 pm »

Agree, Eric. This are 2 fantastic lenses, unfortunately not in production anymore.

I will add them.

Not so sure about the 80mm Lux. I was a great portrait lens in the 80's when they were launched, but the APO 90mm f2 surpassed the 80mm by far.

Dustbak · « **Reply #30 on:** October 13, 2012, 01:49:25 pm »

The sharpest 35mm lens I have ever used was a beaten up AI 55/3.5 Nikkor Macro. Sharper than any other Nikon Macro I have owned which is everyone of them with the exception of the 105vr.

2 of the nicest lenses are the Voigtlander Apo-Lanthars, the 125/2.5 and the 180/4 not sure if they are amongst the sharpest but they just render gorgeous.

Peter McLennan · « **Reply #31 on:** October 13, 2012, 08:57:46 pm »

Quote from: Dustbak on October 13, 2012, 01:49:25 pm

The sharpest 35mm lens I have ever used was a beaten up AI 55/3.5 Nikkor Macro.

I'll second that. I bought one off ebay on spec and was astounded at its resolving power. I immediately bought another as a backup. On my D800 it's just amazing. Unlike some macros, it's great at infinity.

Dustbak · « **Reply #32 on:** October 14, 2012, 10:10:41 am »

Did you also notice it seems to simply snap into focus? Very noticable. This is IMO the real forgotten gem, can often be bought for under 100USD (if you can find one).

JohnBrew · « **Reply #33 on:** October 14, 2012, 11:01:10 am »

Nikon 105 2.5 Ai

Peter McLennan · « **Reply #34 on:** October 14, 2012, 12:49:01 pm »

Quote from: Dustbak on October 14, 2012, 10:10:41 am

Did you also notice it seems to simply snap into focus?

I hate to take it off the camera.

langier · « **Reply #35 on:** October 15, 2012, 10:12:34 am »

When man invents a sharper lens, nature will always create a fuzzier subject.

That being said, no matter how sharp the lens, there are still lots of fuzzy concepts being created. Though great lenses and cameras help, it's still the photographer and mastery of the craft!

kers · « **Reply #36 on:** October 15, 2012, 11:21:04 am »

I think you can leave the sigma 1,4 85mm out- no corner sharpness...
Photozone.de corners nikon 1,4-3100 Sigma-2200 at d4 nikon-3750 sigma-2540

I very much like the PCE-lenses of nikon the 45PCE renders very nice

maxgruzen · « **Reply #37 on:** October 15, 2012, 12:57:57 pm »

Boy I must be totaly out of touch. I love my Canon 85 1.2. Tack sharp wide open. The only reason I still own a Canon Camera. My 200L prime is as good as the 135 I feel.

TMARK · « **Reply #38 on:** October 16, 2012, 03:38:45 pm »

Quote from: maxgruzen on October 15, 2012, 12:57:57 pm

Boy I must be totaly out of touch. I love my Canon 85 1.2. Tack sharp wide open. The only reason I still own a Canon Camera. My 200L prime is as good as the 135 I feel.

I like the 50 1.2 and 85 1.2 very much, which is why I also kept my 5d2 and made work buy a 5d3. Very special lenses for lifestyle/fashion/catalogue. Anything even remotely portrait like.

T

Hening Bettermann · « **Reply #39 on:** October 16, 2012, 05:29:50 pm »

Has anybody compared any of these lenses to digital lenses? In the book "Digitale Highend-Fotografie" (2005), the authors present a comparison between a Sinaron W 4,5/65, a Macro-Elmarit-R 2,8/60 and a Sinaron digital HR 4,0/60, with the latter as the clear winner, resolution-wise.
Edit: Oh well. Not quite so clear. The Elmarit and the HR are almost undistinguishable.

Author Topic: Hit parade of the sharpest 35mm lenses (NEW RANKING) (Read 43536 times)