Beyond those, I have an Angulon 210mm f/6.8 that I really love as a wide angle for 8x10 & 11x14 and an APO-Ronar 480mm f/9 that's incredible for the same. And of course my Xenotar 135mm f/3.5 for 4x5.
Top 3 of all-time:
Contax Zeiss 28mm f2.8 MMJ: The best lens I have ever used hands down, I just wish they made something in m-mount similar to it, the ZM doesn't have the same magic.
Leica Summicron 40mm f2: A stellar lens for daily shooting that is as tiny as it gets.
Either ZM 50 sonnar or Contax 50mm f1.4: Both stellar fast mid range lenses.
To be honest, I have quite a few excellent lenses, but if you forced me to choose 3, I guess it would be the list below.
Zeiss Loxia 21 f/2.8 (so small compared to my old ZE 21)
SMC Pentax 28mm f/3.5 K
Voigtlander 125mm APO-Lanthar Macro f/2.5 (haven't shot my CV 110mm enough to fully knock the 125 off my list...yet)
I've gotten so comfortable (4+ years of shooting) with the Pentax as my 28mm lens (a focal length I love to shoot), that only the Leica Elmarit-R 28mm f/2.8 II tempts me.
One from the Pentax taken a couple of months ago, it's hard to believe this lens is from the mid 1970's.
Oh, maybe I should post some examples. This is Leica Elmarit-M 28/2.8 ASPH v1 on Sony a7S with close-focus adapter. By all accounts except for my own (apparently) it is terrible on digital. I have film ones, but thought I'd post these first.
Sticking with the "kid" theme, all wide open at f/2.8.
Olympus OM 180mm f/2 ED
[url=https://flic.kr/p/QG1QzV]https://live.staticflickr.com/502/31957948143_549981dba3_h.jpg
[/url]Happy Baby by Mike Aubrey, on Flickr
Beyond those, I have an Angulon 210mm f/6.8 that I really love as a wide angle for 8x10 & 11x14 and an APO-Ronar 480mm f/9 that's incredible for the same. And of course my Xenotar 135mm f/3.5 for 4x5.
* Loxia 21, for all the obvious reasons
* Contax G 90/2.8
I haven't seen the Contax G 90 mentioned yet. I used to use it on Fuji APS-C but was totally blown away when I first used on a full-frame 42mp A7RII. I just love the bite, I guess microcontrast, and rendering holistically but it's a joy to pixel-peep with this lens stopped down imo, don't know what is different but I like it. A bit of CA wide open but stopped down it's great. I don't love the 90mm FL so sometimes don't use it for a while but then I do and I'm happy. And then there's the focusing, but I found even Chinese adapters ok after disassembly and there's the techart ga3 when I want AF.
Sort of tied for #3 but don't stand out as much: Zeiss 135/2 APO Sonnar (amazing res and general rendering), Loxia 35 (flawed but great in a way), Fuji XF 90/2 (often looks better on a 24mp sensor than many lenses on 42mp FF and I like the rendering), XF 35/1.4, CV 15/4.5.
All great, but that volcano shot is amazing! The RX1 seems to have really been something special, the shot of the leaves also shows some serious 3D look. Beautiful!
Well, you can always find some very expensive and/or very rare lenses and post them here as favorites.
My interest lies in what lenses, while technically decent, deliver "characterful", appealing images beyond being just "sharp" or having "good bokeh" and at the same time are light/compact plus affordable.
At this time these are for me:
Pentax-K 28mm 3.5 - gorgeous color rendering while being plenty sharp enough
Minolta MD 35-70mm f3.5 Macro - yes, I also have the CY 35-70 f3.4 which has even better IQ, but it's just a bit too heavy and has worse handling than the Minolta, so the Minolta gets the vote, and probably I will sell the CY.
CV 21mm f3.5 FE - absolutely superb and easy handling, so small and light, at the same time great rendering - a "keeper magnet".
Tough question, but I'll name three that I still own and like for different reasons:
#1: Zeiss 50/1.4 Planar ZF – Classic rendering with modern contrast and spectacular colors. A dual personality lens that is dreamy with chaotic bokeh close up and wide open, or extremely sharp with the smoothest bokeh I've ever seen, stopped down and/or focused at 1.5 meters or so.
The only problem is that I hate the 50 mm focal length, but luckily I can use it in square mode (33x33 mm) or panorama (16x44 mm) on my Fuji GFX. I use it as an f/2.4 lens that can be opened further if absolutely needed.
#2: Fujinon GF 45/2.8 – For years and years I've wanted the perfect 35 mm lens for the 24x36 format, without finding it. Once stepping up to 33x44, I got it straight away. The 45 does everything that even the largest or most expensive 35's didn't. It's almost perfect, just a trace of LoCA and onion rings if you really look for it.
#3: Ricoh 18.3/2.8 GR lens – Not what you'd expect, but this lens is probably the nicest rendering wide angle (28 mm equivalent) I've tried. Sharp but still smooth, nice bokeh and great colors. And tiny! Unfortunately, the GR II sensor is pretty noisy and the new GR III lens doesn't seem as good. So you'll have to live with an oldish camera if you want to try.
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There are two other lenses that fought for the top three: Zeiss 35/2 Distagon (best "3D") and Zeiss 85/2.4 Loxia (best compromise between "character" and aberration control).
Bohemien wrote:
All great, but that volcano shot is amazing! The RX1 seems to have really been something special, the shot of the leaves also shows some serious 3D look. Beautiful!
Thank you! The RX1 has ruined 35mm land for me. That's how good it is. Like it better than the ZM 35 1.4 and 35 Lux ASPH I owned, easily.
Hard to argue against the RX1 Sonnar. I haven't participated yet because I couldn't think of many lenses than were head and shoulders above the rest, but that would have to be #1 on my list. Unfortunately its on a body that would rank within the last 3 favorite cameras. Still I own one so, I guess that's a testament to its quality.
I'm surprised somewhat though going through these without seeing even a mention of the Contax 35/1.4. We used to have a whole thread dedicated to it. Some interesting lenses here as well, especially the new Fuji MF lenses.
Jun 25, 2019 at 04:57 PM
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hiepphotog wrote:
I'm surprised somewhat though going through these without seeing even a mention of the Contax 35/1.4. We used to have a whole thread dedicated to it. Some interesting lenses here as well, especially the new Fuji MF lenses.
Nehemiahphoto mentioned it and had a couple of nice shots with it.
It is hard for me to make a list, as there is an "emotional" attachment to lenses; at least for me. I don't usually buy a ton of lenses, so the ones I find that I like I keep for years.
For example, the Tokina 17mm 3.5 RMC I had for years, and I grew a ton with that lens, as far as getting better. Is is a superb lens? No. But I shot a LOT of good images with it. Some of the most memorable adventures/light I have witnessed with a camera in hand. at the right place.
The Nikon 14-24 is another lens. I had this lens as my only lens for 3-4 years, so lots of images with it as well. This one happened to be a sharp lens.
Contax 35-70 3.4 - lens that took me a while to find, and had to fight with the seller/ebay to get it. Captured amazing stuff with it. So far exceeds the ridiculous cheap price it goes for. Easily 3-4 times.
Leica 35-70 3.5 - The best of the bunch I listed, and is even more fun to shoot with then my Contax was. And even sharper, but 4 times the price, which I still think this one way exceeds the price.
My personal list (not advocating these as top 3 for anyone else) are:
RX1, ZM 50/1.5, Panasonic Leica 25/1.4 (m4/3)
The RX1 delivered proportionally way more keepers than any other lens despite the crappy AF and MF and generally sluggish operation and poor ergonomics.
The ZM 50/1.5 didn't get a ton of use, and had a very specific, narrow use case for me but produced maybe a half dozen of my favorite shots of my kids of all time that I'll treasure for a lifetime. I'd like to buy again, but then I think the VC 50/1.2 might make more sense.
And the PL 25/1.4 was my most productive lens on m4/3 and made me forget about the small sensor (I moved from Canon crop and FF cameras in the digital era after the 5DII to m4/3)
Dustin Gent wrote:
It is hard for me to make a list, as there is an "emotional" attachment to lenses; at least for me. I don't usually buy a ton of lenses, so the ones I find that I like I keep for years.
For example, the Tokina 17mm 3.5 RMC I had for years, and I grew a ton with that lens, as far as getting better. Is is a superb lens? No. But I shot a LOT of good images with it. Some of the most memorable adventures/light I have witnessed with a camera in hand. at the right place.
The Nikon 14-24 is another lens. I had this lens as my only lens for 3-4 years, so lots of images with it as well. This one happened to be a sharp lens.
Contax 35-70 3.4 - lens that took me a while to find, and had to fight with the seller/ebay to get it. Captured amazing stuff with it. So far exceeds the ridiculous cheap price it goes for. Easily 3-4 times.
Leica 35-70 3.5 - The best of the bunch I listed, and is even more fun to shoot with then my Contax was. And even sharper, but 4 times the price, which I still think this one way exceeds the price. ...Show more →
The RX1 seems to have really been something special, the shot of the leaves also shows some serious 3D look. Beautiful!
