Highest Sharpness & Resolution

[Mirumir]

Is there, among RODENSTOCK, SCHNEIDER, NIKON and FUJINON lenses for 4x5"
camera, the one (probably 150 - 180 mm focal length), wich can deliver HIGHEST POSSIBLE resolution and sharpness in every microdetail, not only in the center of the image, but on the whole 4x5" film sheet, from corner to corner?
Thanks much for help.

[chilihead]

Fujinon A 180mm f9

[paulr]

no. they're all sharper in the middle than at the edges. they're all sharpest at one aperture, and at one magnification. some are a bit sharper than others at their peak settings, some are more consistently sharp over a range of settings.

most reasonably modern lenses are so sharp that you'll have a hard time telling the difference in real life. issues like depth of field and wind and vibration and focus error will more than make up for any difference in lens sharpness most of the time. every once in a while when things are close to perfect you'll get a chance to see how good your lens really is.

[Bruce Watson]

no. they're all sharper in the middle than at the edges. they're all sharpest at one aperture, and at one magnification. some are a bit sharper than others at their peak settings, some are more consistently sharp over a range of settings.

most reasonably modern lenses are so sharp that you'll have a hard time telling the difference in real life. issues like depth of field and wind and vibration and focus error will more than make up for any difference in lens sharpness most of the time. every once in a while when things are close to perfect you'll get a chance to see how good your lens really is.

What Paul said. Lens design is compromise. Perfection is not possible. But with modern lens design and manufacturing techniques lenses are pretty darn good. And when conditions are just right, they can be scary good, as Paul says.

[Edwin Lachica]

What application would you be using the lens for?

[Bill_1856]

Q:

Is there...among lenses for 4x5"
camera, the one...wich can deliver HIGHEST POSSIBLE resolution and sharpness...?

A: Yes there is, and it's on my Technika right now.

[Jack Flesher]

The sharpest lenses I have seen that fully cover 4x5 and stayed sharp corner to corner in the 150 - 180 range are the Rodenstock APO S's and the Schneider APO L's.

As you go longer, surprisingly, one of the sharpest lenses I ever tested was a Schneider Kern 360 Gold-Dot Dagor. That lens covers 8x10 and stayed laser sharp to the corners...

Cheers,

[Brian Ellis]

No. Among other things, different lenses are optimized for different mag ratios, so while one lens might produce the "highest possible resolution and sharpness" at one ratio it wouldn't necessarily do so at another ratio. And even if one lens did produce the "highest possible resolution and sharpness" everywhere all the time, all the other things in the chain from the subject of the photograph to your output are so compromised, and the competing lenses are so good, that I don't think it would matter, at least not for any normal application. Better to buy any good modern lens of a given focal length and design from any of the major manufacturers and then worry about your tripod, your film holders, the alignment of the front and back standards on your camera, the focus point of your scanner or the alignment of your enlarger, etc. than to try to find the lens that produces the "highest possible resolution and sharpness" as measured on an optical bench.

[rob]

I bet the 180mm makro symmar or 210mm Nikkor am ed are super sharp corner-to-corner at 1:1.

[JPlomley]

Rob, cannot comment on the macro lenses you mention, but the 120 AM ED Nikkor is a solid performer.

Agree with Jack on the Sironar-S series. I started with the 135mm, loved it so much I added the 210 and 300mm. All stellar performers. 55mm APo Grandagon is extremely impressive as well, but the IC is a PITA.