63/2.8 El-Nikkor Test -2nd image added

[NikonUser]

Just received a used 63/2.8 El-Nikkor enlarger lens. Ran a quick test with a Deer Fly face.
With my current set up this lens will give me from about 2.4 - 4.8 x mag on the D90 sensor.
At present I have no time to run a full test but will do so later this year.
Anyone know what the optimum f-stop is for this lens at this mag. range?

D90 ISO 100, 63/2.8 @ f8, 0.05mm frames, ZS PMax of fine large JPG's.
Top image: full frame height, sides cropped
Bottom: 800 px selection of actual pixels.

Quality good but lens appears not to be quite as sharp as the 50/2.8 @ f/6.7.

[Charles Krebs]

NU,

I never did a rigorous test, but my 63/2.8 seems to have nearly identical performance to the 50/2.8. I doubt that I could tell them apart from the results.

As with the 50/2.8 the f5.6 to f8 range seems to be best. (At at 4.8X I'd use it closer to f5.6, f8 is getting a little small for best resolution at this mag).

Great eyes on that critter!

[NikonUser]

Thanks Charles.
I forgot to mention that the full face image is about a 3.5x mag on the D90 sensor.
I did do a re-shoot of the face with the 50/2.8 @ about f/6.7 (1/2 way between 5.6 & 8) but didn't manage to get the lighting identical.
800 px selection below; you can see that the pollen grains and the "fur" are a bit sharper.
I like the little bit of extra WD I get with the 63/2.8 and will try it in the future @ f/5.6.

This is Chrysops mitis a very common and wide ranging NA species.