I use the Yashica 55/2.8 ML in preference to the CZ S-Planar 60/2.8. The latter has a massive barrel to reach 1:1 and a "shark fin" that catches the Canon mirror box. The Yashica is dainty, well built, renders beautifully, and is $100 cheap. Samples below taken with 1Ds and studio lights.
LightShow wrote:
Anyone have the ML 55/2.8 macro? Opinions about it vs others?
There are some examples on page 3 of this thread.
I can't compare it to other 50-60mm macro's because I simply don't have any, but I do like the ML55/2.8 as a lens, macro or otherwise.
It vignettes way too much and needs to be stopped down to about F8 to eliminate it, but I find this works for me most of the time. Not sure most people would like it.
The Bokeh can be a bit on the harsh side, not particularly smooth. It will tend to make itself know and grab your attention. Of course this can be a bad thing but I use it to my advantage, I quite like it. It really depends on the background and I have samples with quite nice smooth Bokeh and other images where it's quite harsh.
It's not the sharpest tool in the shed, but not bad. Sharpness is actually fine, just not stunning.
I think it's quite a nice lens and I tend to use it quite a lot these days, for work.
I have the Yashica ML 55/2.8.
It vignets a bit at 2.8. Quite a difference while going to f/4. A bit of CA easily corrected.
I recently acquired a 55/4. The odd thing about this one is that it has an outer rim that I have yet to see on any other Yashica ML 55/4 copy.
Here is a link to the pictures - thank you for following it
Thanks. I use it quite regularly for work so thought I'd post a few pics,again.
sorpa wrote:
I have the Yashica ML 55/2.8.
It vignets a bit at 2.8. ...
I don't know if it vignettes any more than similar lenses, probably as it seems quite severe, but I think of it as a positive trait and use it for effect. The problem however is that you tend to be forced to compose centrally or symetrically, which is fine in most cases. Interestingly, I shot most of the above images at F8 as well (so there was no vignetting) and I sent those off for publication, but I prefer the wide open images in virtually every case.
