mjm6 wrote:
Maybe I'm not understanding what you comment is... how exactly is this lens showing shortcomings in what is essentially a very difficult and contrasty lighting situation?
I'm saying the adapted lens used is performing very well in the difficult lighting situation – better than what I'm used to getting with GF lenses.
Thanks for the info. I like the wide shots even better. Do you find it easy to focus at infinity with the C/Y 100-300? Do you find you need a tripod to do so? I have the SMC Pentax 645 A* 300mm ED (IF) and it's a bear to focus perfectly at infinity.
Yes, I don't trust the infinity mark with any adapted lens. I meant the process of focusing at 300mm at infinity using magnification was still difficult on the Pentax. I'm thinking the Contax 100-300 may snap into focus more clearly based on how easy the other Contax C/Y lenses are to focus.
ALL of the GFX lenses have pretty great bokeh in my mind, although the 110 is probably the best. The all feel like they were designed to be unassuming and creamy for the purposes of commercial photography. There's really no nervous bokeh in the group, and this specifically was a reason that I decided to jump into the GFX system. If they rendered like some of the modern Leica ASPH lenses, I would have stayed far away.
I do get the desire for a specific aesthetic in the OOF areas at times, but my general preference is to not favor the wacky and certainly not the nervous bokeh.
mjm6 wrote:
ALL of the GFX lenses have pretty great bokeh in my mind, although the 110 is probably the best. The all feel like they were designed to be unassuming and creamy for the purposes of commercial photography. There's really no nervous bokeh in the group, and this specifically was a reason that I decided to jump into the GFX system. If they rendered like some of the modern Leica ASPH lenses, I would have stayed far away.
I do get the desire for a specific aesthetic in the OOF areas at times, but my general preference is to not favor the wacky and certainly not the nervous bokeh....Show more →
Although I don't like "nervous", I do maintain a specific set of lenses for what I call "wonky bokeh", which I use for flowers and foliage. I generally shoot landscape all-in-focus as much as possible, but flora is the reverse for me. I shoot the latter wide open or close to it, and I like a variety of bokeh to add interest. Sometimes fairly calm, sometimes wild, the latter category including things like the Trioplan 100 and my much-loved Zeiss 50/1.4 Planar ZE. One thing I've noticed is that my agent isn't all that interested in licensing "standard" flowers (by "standard" I mean with smooth bokeh, not "garden catalogue" compositions that I avoid like the plague), but he siphons up all the wonky stuff that I send him. So, you might say that I have a good incentive to keep feeding that side of my taste.
I'd never call the GF 110 "wonky", but it does have texture, which I like. I generally dislike mushy bokeh and avoid it, although the very soft-bokeh Zeiss Milvus 35/1.4 has an arty quality that I like, despite being very smooth.
mjm6 wrote:
ALL of the GFX lenses have pretty great bokeh in my mind, although the 110 is probably the best. The all feel like they were designed to be unassuming and creamy for the purposes of commercial photography. There's really no nervous bokeh in the group, and this specifically was a reason that I decided to jump into the GFX system.
Not sure I agree. I have the 45 and 63, and both can get pretty funky towards the edges and corners. Only at a bit of distance though. One thing that isn't great is the transition zone, especially on the 63, that is pretty harsh. I suppose that is unevitable to get as high sharpness as possible.
I don't have the 110 but I've seen the same thing there; a harsh transition zone but nice blur farther behind the focus plane.
I have very specific taste here though, since I'm interested in bokeh properties at much larger distance than most people. Interestingly, the dirt cheap Samyang 135/2 has a really smooth transition zone, AND smooth bokeh, AND great sharpness. But not the best colors...
But not the best colors...
