Need for 180~210mm MC lens for close-up work
OK. I need a multicoated lens with a focal length around 180-210mm for close up work. I see that almost all of the lenses that i have tested get perfectly sharp at apertures like f16~22. So sharpness is not the issue. The two issues those still remain are
1) Standard taking lenses are prone to chromatic abberation at close up distances. So I need a lens designed for Magnification Ratios like 1:2
2) Single coated lenses produce noticibly lower contrast compared to MC ones (this is a big group of lenses including almost all process lenses such as G Clarons, Konica Hexanon GR-II, Graphic Kowa etc etc)
OK I can not rise a $750 for a second hand Macro Sironar, Nikkor AM ED or Macro Symmar right now. Fujinon A 180 seems to be a choice here. Any other ideas?
Re: Need for 180~210mm MC lens for close-up work
the Fujinon A sounds a good bet, but if this is studio work I am surprised that the G Claron does not meet your needs.
Re: Need for 180~210mm MC lens for close-up work
G Clarons are low in contrast . I have tested both 150 and 210.
Since i shoot with a scanback i don't need a shutter at all. A barrel lens provided it's MC should do my job just as perfect. How about this 210mm JML process lens. Are they MC?
Re: Need for 180~210mm MC lens for close-up work
What about an enlarger lens? With all the people leaving darkroom, they should be reasonably affordable.
Re: Need for 180~210mm MC lens for close-up work
yes you are right. enlarger lenses are an option however yet most enlarger lenses are either not coated or single coated. rodagon d for instance is perfect for this job. but the longest one is 120mm and it is not coated afaik. the el nikkor 210 on the other hand seems like a fit but i am not sure for what m ratio it is optimized and how much coverage would it give.
Re: Need for 180~210mm MC lens for close-up work
What about a multicoated APO ronar? I don't have experience with them but maybe someone else can comment; however, if you are shooting digital, is it not an option to tweak contrast digitally?
What is your task/objective?
Re: Need for 180~210mm MC lens for close-up work
I know the 150mm APO Ronar but is there any between 180-210. I have a 120 Macro Symmar that i can utilize for certain objects but for some larger ones i need something longer. Ideally 180.
I run a company in which we sell TV Broadcast / Movie gear. Nowadays there is a huge demand for PL Mount Cinematographic primes and zooms. Delivery times went up to 6+ months shortest. Some special ones even longer than a year. So I have started working with the Russians. They make real great lenses but haven't got the marketting at all. So I have to shoot the PL Mount Cinematographic lenses those i import from Russia regularly. The first one will be a 300mm T3 prime. 35cm in length and 6.3kg haha..!
Re: Need for 180~210mm MC lens for close-up work
redu, why are you hung up on multi-coating?
Re: Need for 180~210mm MC lens for close-up work
Dan Hi, It is best noticed on the histogram. When i shoot with a MC lens such as a Macro Symmar the whole available dynamic range of the scanback (even beyond it's capacity) is used. At correct exposure the whole histogram axis is full of information. However when i shoot i.e. with a G Claron for instance, regardless how good i expose, the information is more concentrated in the mid values and almost nothing shows at the far ends of the histogram (extreme blacks and whites) This i can of course correct at photoshop but thats just rearranging of the available limited data.
Re: Need for 180~210mm MC lens for close-up work
180mm Apo Macro Sironar is a current lens. The 210mm Makro Sironar is a discontinued lens. Both do exactley what you want to do. Especially if you will be shooting 3 dimensional objects vs flat art. For flat art an Apo Ronar would be best.