apoglass wrote:
Top three lenses of all time is a tough decision, but would have to consider (1) the Jenoptik CoastalOpt 60mm f/4, UV-VIS-IR SLR APO Macro; (2) the Leica 280mm f/4 APO-Telyt-R; and (3) the Cosina Voigtländer Macro APO-Lanthar 125mm f/2.5 SL.
I like your choices maybe I should use mine more often and they would be my top 3. Though I answered based on my frequency of usage maybe I should have included the 125 since I have both an EF and F mount.
I tried but just no way I can list 3. Have to give up.
Maybe I can put 50mm summilux ASPH here at least. It is my top scored lens if I score all the lenses with performance include sharpness, CA, size, rendering and focal length etc.
Nearly a year has gone by since my original non-committal post. Interesting to see all various opinions and options of the many fine photographers here.
In that year, I've picked up a few new lenses that probably warrant being in a "Top Three", even with a little hedging on my part.
1) Loxia 21 (tied with Loxia 25) -- these lenses can almost be used interchangeably, depending on AOV desired. They always come through with beautiful shots and very amenable to PP in LR.
2) CV 40/1.2E -- I wish this was a 35mm, but there is no denying it always makes great images. Like the Loxias above, the color and contrast are perfect for my needs.
3) Zeiss ZE 28/2 -- I have yet to find a better 28mm image-maker for landscape, gardens, and buildings when it comes to rendering and softer color palette. I'm hoping for either a CV 28/2 E-mount (or faster) to match with the CV 40.
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For zoom, my top choice at the moment is the Canon EF 24-70/2.8 L II either on Sony bodies via Sigma MC-11, or Canon EF and RF mounts (EF-RF adapter). Canon RF 24-105/4L IS is a close second, but only on Canon R body.
Runner-up is Canon EF 16-35/4L IS, again on both Sony and Canon FF platforms.
This is tough. What criteria to use? Best overall? One I loved to use the most? Lens I have a soft-spot for? Hmmm.... Using somewhat of a combination of all of those: In no specific order:
- Fujifilm 56mm f/1.2 - I've since sold this lens and have the Fuji 50/2 for my Fuji kit now, since I use it as my small kit, but there was something about this lens I simply adored. I know it wouldn't get nearly as much use if I were to re-buy it, but it's still up there for me among my favorites. http://www.jordansteele.com/2014/bria.jpg
- Voigtlander 40mm f/1.2 Nokton -The third spot was hard...there's the sentimental favorite (my Canon EF 80-200mm f/2.8L), the 'outstanding optic' in the Sony FE 90mm f/2.8, but I think I have to go with the Voigtlander. Just something special about this lens, and it works great for portraits and for stopped down work...lovely color...just a great look. It came down to 'what lens would you have a really hard time selling if you had to.' and the CV 40 is that lens. http://www.jordansteele.com/2018/columbus_night.jpg
I would also have to include lenses that gave me some of my very favourite shots and those that I have enjoyed the most, regardless of optical excellence or otherwise. But no way I could list 1-3 or even 1-10 in order
Pentax 77/1.9 Ltd
Carl Zeiss 100 Makro-Planar f/2 ZE/ZF.2 (when I look back many of my very favourite shots were taken with this lens)
Sigma 35/1.4 Art (ditto)
Hasselblad XCD 80mm F/1.9 (I only tried this on a Hasselblad X1D but it absolutely blew me away)
Laowa 12/2.8 Zero Distortion + the Adapter to turn it into a 17/4 shift : both 12mm + 17mm are incredibly engaging lenses I love to find a reason to use (even if it/they are on the heavy side).
Cosina 55/1.2 = such an imperfect lens but great fun to use.
Nikon 300/2.8 VR
Also a dream lens : any modern 400 mm f/2.8 plus converters (I'll have the Sony please if you're feeling generous) !
1. Leica Noctilux-M 50mm f/0.95 ASPH (A beast of hefty glass for a tiny 0,95 M lens--this one comes out for all important family events. Who knew I could focus moving targets with a Rangefinder at f0,95!)
2. Leica Summilux-M 24mm f/1.4 ASPH (Anything wider than this gets a little strange to my eye--this lens is wide angle perfection)
3. Carl Zeiss 100 Makro-Planar f/2 (The MTF legend--I no longer own, if I do it again going for the Milvus version I rented for a weekend)
Runner up: The humble version 1, Tamron 150-600 along with the Sony A77II thrust me into the addictive action world of BIF for just about $2K USD all in, brand new. WOW!
nehemiahphoto wrote:
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.
I have two sets of three. I couldn’t drill down to only one set. :-)
Zeiss Distagon 35mm f2 T* ZF.2
Coastal Optics for Nikon 60mm f4 UV VIS IR APO Macro
Tokina AT-X 90mm f2.5 Macro
Cosina Voigtlander Close Focus for Nikon APO-Lanthar 180mm f4 SL AI-S
Leica R 280mm f4 APO Telyt
Nikon Nikkor AF-S 500mm f5.6 E PF VR IF ED
Damn! One lives for an opportunity like this. Bravo !
Yeah, it was really special. Everything lined up so well--photography reminds me of fishing often. You need the skill, experience all the conditions to line up, but also a fair bit of luck.
C/Y 35-70 f3.4. Photographing with that thing feels like "capturing how I saw it with my eyes".
C/Y 28-85 f3.3-4. Wide end is not that great, but at 85mm this one has the most gorgeous rendering and the smoothest out-of-focus backgrounds I have encountered. Painterly lens!
Tokina AT-X 90mm f2.5. This thing is just SUPERsharp. Bokeh also really nice, but the bokeh of the C/Y 28-85 is significantly nicer.
nehemiahphoto wrote
I would love to see some samples of the ZM 35/1.4 on the X1D
Here are two samples. The rainbow is stitched from 2 vertical images. The rhododendron image shows a very nice 3D rendering.
With aspect ratio 4:3 there is some hard vignetting in the far corners. Any other aspect ratio is fine and needs only minor correction at larger f-stops.
Thought provoking question. I've used Canon, Contax, Fuji, Sony lenses but have not used Leica or Nikon. So a large hole in my experience. Having said that I'd have to say:
Voigtlander 40/1.2 - Love the colours and the sharp soft look
Fuji 32-64/4 - A great all around performer
Fuji 35/1.4 - A magic lens. No longer own it.
I do have the Contax 35-70 but it's slightly mis-aligned and that frustrates me. But I do like the results from it. I also really like the Sony 135/1.8. It's a beauty.
