Closeuphotography.com Lens Test Schedule Update incl. Printing Nikkor Test

[RobertOToole]

This is the up to date project schedule for my site. I'm hoping that sharing this here will give me more incentive to finish everything on the list before 2025.

Most of these tests below just happened, I didn't set out to do a Printing Nikkor test right now (with 8 copies!), but I had the opportunity so I jumped at it. I'm pretty sure a test that will never happen again, at least in my lifetime. Most of the other tests, like the 4/60 and 4/80 lens tests, on the other hand, are really a case of sharing personal test results. These are being tested as a process of cleaning out my lenses collection. I did not go out and buy 10 lenses, I already have all these, I just need to find the one that fits my needs so I can sell the rest, and I'm sharing the results. Especially with the 60mm test, there are some superb optics in that group!

Any questions or comments post them below.


Printing-Nikkor 1x Test: Ultimate Edition

• Nikon Printing-Nikkor 150mm F2.8 IMAX
• Nikon Printing-Nikkor 150mm F2.8 Float Ring
• Nikon Printing-Nikkor 150mm F2.8 Early
• Nikon Printing-Nikkor 105mm F2.8A
• Nikon Printing-Nikkor 105mm F2.8 Early

Note: Total of eight PN copies! Shooting completed. Sharpness, CAs, and LoCAs. Very interesting results.

Componon vs Xenon vs M-Componon 2x Shootout page
Note: all lenses are in the office, shooting started

Zeiss S-Sonnar 2.5/62 review page
Note: Lens is in the office

Rodagon vs Rodagon-P vs APO-Rodagon iris housing types page
Note: all lenses are in the office

APO-Rodagon-N 4/105 - Sinaron Digital 4/105 review
Note: all lenses are in the office, page started

Schneider Makro-Symmar 5.6/180 page
Note: all shooting done, page started. Awesome lens!

Moritex F90C page
Note: Shooting complete, page started

Printing-Nikkor 105 review page
Note: start after 1x test

Printing-Nikkor 150mm F2.8 review page
Note: start after 1x test

Polaroid-SprintScan 120 Scanner Lens page
Note: all photography completed, webpage in progress

Nikon LS-3510 Scanner Lens page
Note: all photography completed, webpage in progress

Lasergraphics High MTF Scanner lens page
Note: all photography completed, webpage in progress

Sigma 105 Art Macro lens review page
Note: lens is in the office

Laowa 100mm 2x APO review page
Note: lens is in the office

Rayfact MJ90 4/90 0.05x - 0.5x line scan lens page
Note: lens is in the office

60mm Shootout page

• Linos Inspec. xL 4/60 (Rodenstock 60mm f/4 HR Digaron-S)
• Sinar Sinaron Digital HR 60mm f4 (Rodenstock 60mm f/4 HR Digaron-S)
• Schneider APO-Componon 4/60 Makro-Iris
• Schneider APO-Digitar 4/60

Note: all lenses are in the office

90mm Shootout page

• Schneider APO-Digitar 4.5/90
• Schneider APO-Componon 4.5/90

Note: all lenses are in the office

80mm Shootout page

• Schneider APO-Digitar 4/80
• Schneider APO-Rodagon 4/80
• Rodenstock Rodagon 4/80
• Rodenstock Rodagon-P 4/80
• Sinar Sinaron Digital 4/80
• Schneider Componon-S 4/80

Note: all lenses are in the office

50mm Shootout page

• Lecia Photar 4/50 late model
• Schneider Componon-S 2.8/50 Makro-Iris
• Rodenstock APO-Rodagon N 2.8/50
• Tominon 4.5/50

Note: all lenses are in the office

[Scarodactyl]

Oooooh, this is going to be fun!
I just remembered I still need to lend you my thorlabs 2x, though it looks like you have plenty to keep you busy.

[chris_ma]

wow, that's going to be a feat to follow!

very much looking forward, but make sure you don't burn yourself out - I know how much time it takes to get all the details right and published.
the benefit is that it's a good reference to one self. I often don't have the energy to write things down clearly after I made a test, thinking I know it now. then a couple of years later things start to become fuzzy in my memory and I wish I had a better record.

[RobertOToole]

Oooooh, this is going to be fun!
I just remembered I still need to lend you my thorlabs 2x, though it looks like you have plenty to keep you busy.

Yes, Lets do that when I have more time in 2023

Some of the lenses in the list are much better performers than I expected, like the PNs and the Makro-Symmar 180, just awesome.

Some of the others I have no idea what mag I will end up testing these at, the 4/60 APO-CPN and 4/60 inspec.x HR for example are rated at for 1:10 - infinity and optimized for something like 1:30 so for best results I will try these two in stacked configurations on a 120mm lens I'm guessing.

Best,

Robert

[lothman]

THANKS Robert :-) this will be lots of interesting stuff to read.
regards
Lothar

[JKT]

Some of the lenses in the list are much better performers than I expected, like the PNs and the Makro-Symmar 180, just awesome.

...and there goes the last chance of finding that 180 for reasonable price.

[dickb]

Souds like a fascinating challenge once again..

Componon vs Xenon vs M-Componon 2x Shootout page
Note: all lenses are in the office, shooting started

I guess these are stacked lenses? Please include working distance data in your lens comparisons, that can be a dealbreaker for whether a lens (or lens combination) is suitable for a given task.

Sigma 105 Art Macro lens page
Note: lens is in the office

Laowa 100mm 2x APO page
Note: lens is in the office

Are you redoing these tests or did you not yet publish the tests I saw?

Rayfact MJ90 4/90 0.05x - 0.5x line scan lens page
Note: lens is in the office

Interesting I remember reading on your site:
The MJ, and IL series are designed for general inspection and not for high resolution imaging purposes, so I would avoid these two series of lenses.

Always nice to know whether your predictions are correct or whether it is a sleeper (until your publication that is).

Just let me know when you want me to do some more proofreading.

[RobertOToole]

Some of the lenses in the list are much better performers than I expected, like the PNs and the Makro-Symmar 180, just awesome.

...and there goes the last chance of finding that 180 for reasonable price.

Yes, I know what you mean JKT. I have to worry about the same thing with loaner lenses that I don't own already. At some point I might keep some tests behind a password for maybe 6 months or so keep the information from being available to the public. There are some password protected pages on my site now but thats just because I'm just lagging getting proofreading, or additional images finished up.

BTW, you can see the page now: https://www.closeuphotography.com/makro-symmar-180
Same pass as before. I planned to add more in-the-field photos but I got behind schedule, as usual.

BTW, FYI, there was a big batch of blue-ring MS180s that hit Japan, China and Korea a few months ago, early summer, and only now are hitting eBay USA. I see auctions now from sellers in Japan for $500-600. Thats a steal. I'm not even going to tell what the original prices were. Chendata also had a batch for sale for $500 in special industrial MS180s, optically identical but using v-mount. I bought one from him, and when I tested it I wish I would have bought a few copies. The lens is something else. Anyway it took Chendata a long time to sell his stock.


Best,

Robert

[RobertOToole]

Souds like a fascinating challenge once again..

Componon vs Xenon vs M-Componon 2x Shootout page
Note: all lenses are in the office, shooting started

I guess these are stacked lenses? Please include working distance data in your lens comparisons, that can be a dealbreaker for whether a lens (or lens combination) is suitable for a given task.

Will do. These are all going to be short WD to very short WD

I ended up testing a batch of CPN 28 and M-CPN 28s on extension (on A7R4) since I made a mistake and
mixed up the a batch of keepers and units to sell. So I ran a quick test and ended up throwing different lenses on and to my surprise the M-CPN 28 and the Xenon 2/28 looked best. But I was shooting a metal ruler and decided it would make a nice test for the website, on a wafer and extension on full frame. I don't remember the Xenon doing so well before. I glad the lenses didnt sell even though I tried a few times.

Sigma 105 Art Macro lens page
Note: lens is in the office

Laowa 100mm 2x APO page
Note: lens is in the office

Are you redoing these tests or did you not yet publish the tests I saw?

These is just web pages, or reviews. I plan to include with lots of in-the-field pics using the lenses. I'll include the test results from the last 1x test.

Rayfact MJ90 4/90 0.05x - 0.5x line scan lens page
Note: lens is in the office

Interesting I remember reading on your site:
The MJ, and IL series are designed for general inspection and not for high resolution imaging purposes, so I would avoid these two series of lenses.

This is a loaner. I'm told this is a nice lens when used in the right range. I did a quick test and it seemed to be pretty good. I'll test it as a macro lens and a tube lens once I get time to use it.

Always nice to know whether your predictions are correct or whether it is a sleeper (until your publication that is).

Yes, I should mention this when I test the MJ90!

Just let me know when you want me to do some more proofreading.

Thank you Dick, you are a HUGE help with this, more than anyone I really owe you a nice lunch and a few beers sometime!

Best,

Robert

[dickb]

You're welcome Robert.

Is the 90mm Apo Digitar a lens you're impressed by? I came across a camera with that lens and I'm trying to convince myself that I shouldn't bid more for it.. At what magnifications will you test them? Isn't one of your favourite Mejiro tube lenses a 90mm as well? Maybe a comparison with that one is informative, either on their own or as tube lenses.

Also, a nice set of 60mm f/4 lenses. If intercontinental shipping weren't such a hassle you could include my S-Orthoplanar

[simplejoy]

Very ambitious and highly impressive list of work as always! Thank you so much for all the information. The images made with the Makro-Symmar 180 mm really look beautiful with a very pleasent rendering and they show great detail - seems like an excellent lens.

Also, a nice set of 60mm f/4 lenses. If intercontinental shipping weren't such a hassle you could include my S-Orthoplanar

I agree - that would be very interesting indeed. Do you think it would stand a chance compared to any of these (more recent) lenses? And if so, at what magnification do you think it works best from your experience?

[RobertOToole]

Hi Dick,

You're welcome Robert.

Is the 90mm Apo Digitar a lens you're impressed by? I came across a camera with that lens and I'm trying to convince myself that I shouldn't bid more for it..

So far the APO-Componon 4.5/90 is good all around performer, I need to compare that lens to APO-Digitar 90mm I have. SK sells a few different versions of the same lens, but my contact at SK says they are all the same optically, even though the lens data sheets list different mag numbers. SK data says the APO-Digitar is exactly the same as the APO-Componon 4.5/90. Its really not clear what the real story is so I'm just going to test the two lenses and decide for myself. Should be interesting.

The APO-CPN 4.5/90 is a really nice lens but terrible as a tube lens due to hard vignetting.

At what magnifications will you test them? Isn't one of your favourite Mejiro tube lenses a 90mm as well? Maybe a comparison with that one is informative, either on their own or as tube lenses.

The Mejiro 90mm is magic as a tube lens, the IQ is super clean, the best short FL tube lens in all of my TL testing. Mejiro mentioned that they have some other OTH 90mm versions I've never tried but thats going to have to wait til 2023 at least.

Also, a nice set of 60mm f/4 lenses. If intercontinental shipping weren't such a hassle you could include my S-Orthoplanar

That would be nice to try!

I've always had interest in the S-Orthoplanar lenses, I've had opportunities to hit buy-it-now on a few 60mm and 32mm versions over the years when they sold for really decent prices, like $300 or so, but I never hit the button for some reason. They do turn up on industrial salvage sites now and then as equipment pulls from scanning machines if I remember correctly.

FYI, I just tested the S-Sonnar 2.5/62 over the last few days. Nice lens. Too bad they sell for such crazy collector prices. The lens mount threads are a close match for the Thorlabs SM1 threads adapters that I have in the office. Same OD/ID but pitch is slightly off.

Best,

Robert

[RobertOToole]

I agree - that would be very interesting indeed. Do you think it would stand a chance compared to any of these (more recent) lenses? And if so, at what magnification do you think it works best from your experience?

There are Zeiss Lens Data sheets, one for the 5.6/105 S-Orthoplanar is floating around the internet, I have a saved copy someplace if you are interested. I think the 105mm was designed to be stopped down two stops. Dick probably knows better than me maybe so I'm sure he will correct me if I am wrong. So I think the crazy resolution figures people quote for for the lenses is probably overly optimistic but I think they are probably wonderful lenses in any case I'm sure.

There is another Zeiss doc floating around, I have that saved someplace also, that lists all the S-Orthoplanar and S-planars FL and corresponding Repro ratios with ICs. I think the 32mm was something like 1:5.

Edit: I was way off the 60mm is 1:10-1:30 and best one stop down. The 105 is 1:6-1:20 and best one stop down also. Both Vis light.

Maybe Dick has the S-Orthoplanar docs?

Best,

Robert

[simplejoy]

There are Zeiss Lens Data sheets, one for the 5.6/105 S-Orthoplanar is floating around the internet, I have a saved copy someplace if you are interested. I think the 105mm was designed to be stopped down two stops. Dick probably knows better than me maybe so I'm sure he will correct me if I am wrong. So I think the crazy resolution figures people quote for for the lenses is probably overly optimistic but I think they are probably wonderful lenses in any case I'm sure.

There is another Zeiss doc floating around, I have that saved someplace also, that lists all the S-Orthoplanar and S-planars FL and corresponding Repro ratios with ICs. I think the 32mm was something like 1:5.

Edit: I was way off the 60mm is 1:10-1:30 and best one stop down. The 105 is 1:6-1:20 and best one stop down also. Both Vis light.

Maybe Dick has the S-Orthoplanar docs?

Best,

Robert

Thank you very much! Klaus Schmitt has spec sheet for several S-Orthoplanar versions on his site: http://www.macrolenses.de/objektive.php?lang

I‘m particularly curious about experience with regular shooting though.

[dickb]

I've always had interest in the S-Orthoplanar lenses, I've had opportunities to hit buy-it-now on a few 60mm and 32mm versions over the years when they sold for really decent prices, like $300 or so, but I never hit the button for some reason. They do turn up on industrial salvage sites now and then as equipment pulls from scanning machines if I remember correctly.

Any day you get to buy an S-Orthoplanar for $300 is a very good day, I did that once or twice. There is also a less valued S-Planar 60mm f/4. The 32mm you mention is an S-Planar. I have seen both these S-Planars with a variable aperture starting from f/4.0 or with a fixed one at f/5.6, those tend to be pulled from scanning machines and the like. $300 is a reasonable price for those fixed ones.

FYI, I just tested the S-Sonnar 2.5/62 over the last few days. Nice lens. Too bad they sell for such crazy collector prices.

Although collector prices can cut both ways, they sometimes allow me to buy yet more weird and wonderful optics if I were to sell some collector stuff.

The lens mount threads are a close match for the Thorlabs SM1 threads adapters that I have in the office. Same OD/ID but pitch is slightly off.

Indeed, they fit some of my M25 adapters. I take it you have tried it both reversed and in standard orientation? Should be easy to do with the Thorlabs system.