The AL 90/4 looks like a great idea, particularly if it's a strong performer throughout its focus range. Fingers crossed for a flat field and no distortion.
Fred Miranda wrote:
The really neat thing about the new CV 75/2.8, aside from being an APO lens, is that it comes with a focusing tab...something extremely rare for a 75 mm M lens. It might even be the first 75 mm M‑mount lens with a tab, though I could be mistaken.
Yes, I am really drawn to the new 75/2.8. The size, weight and ergonomics all look great, and the APO-Lanthar designation is very promising. I just wish it had the same .5m minimum focus distance as the 90/4. Then again, I'll probably be using it on a helicoid L-mount adapter, so I will be able to see how close it can go before the image quality starts to fall apart. I also hope that the induced field curvature is kept to a minimum. Of course I know where to look for a review that addresses that issue. :-)
rscheffler wrote:
Thanks for the dose of reality, Juha. Just wishful thinking on my part. I suspect there will be more than enough to tempt me as it is.
Looking forward to your impressions about these lenses (75 & 90), if you have the chance to try them at CP+!
Thanks! I will try to get some hands-on time with those lenses too when I go to CP+ on Friday (and possibly for a 2nd round during the weekend). I hope Cosina will allow using them more freely around their demo area and not only over the counter. As usual, I can only try them on my Sony A7CII though so can't make too many conclusions about IQ since they might not work optimally when adapted.
dan98 wrote:
Yes, I am really drawn to the new 75/2.8. The size, weight and ergonomics all look great, and the APO-Lanthar designation is very promising.
Apo Skopar – not Lanthar.
The new 90 will be a Lanthar.
gammarART wrote:
Apo Skopar – not Lanthar.
The new 90 will be a Lanthar.
Good point. I wonder how much the 75/2.8 will inherit from the 90/2.8, which I feel has gotten somewhat mixed reviews. I guess it will depend on what one expects from the lens.
With the 90 being an APO Lanthar, Cosina should publish its MTF performance.
freaklikeme wrote:
The AL 90/4 looks like a great idea, particularly if it's a strong performer throughout its focus range. Fingers crossed for a flat field and no distortion.
I just do hope, that it adapts well to e-mount.
At 90mm I might have a chance…
gammarART wrote:
Apo Skopar – not Lanthar.
The new 90 will be a Lanthar.
But yes, 0.5m MFD as well would be nice.
Thanks for the correction. I wonder if the Skopar designation indicates that the design emphasizes compactness at the expense of ultimate performance. It will be interesting to see what compromises might have been made in the design.
dan98 wrote:
Thanks for the correction. I wonder if the Skopar designation indicates that the design emphasizes compactness at the expense of ultimate performance. It will be interesting to see what compromises might have been made in the design.
Cosina isn't exactly consistent with their APO naming. In general, the APO-Lanthar lenses tend to have 10 or more elements, and that line seems to represent what they consider their highest possible image quality with minimal compromise. That pattern mostly holds true, but not always. The 50/3.5 and 90/4 APO-Lanthars only have 8 elements, and the 90/2 APO has very high IQ also has 8 elements yet it's labeled APO-Ultron.
The only APO lens from Cosina that didn't really impress me at the same level as the others is the 90/2.8 APO-Skopar. It is optically very good, no question, but it doesn't quite match the performance standard set by their other APO designs. I am hoping the new 75/2.8 APO-Skopar breaks that pattern, but time will tell.
freaklikeme wrote:
I think the focal length and speed bode well for its performance on the thicker stack.
The new CV 90/4 APO is practically guaranteed to perform beautifully on the Sony sensor stack. The slower CV 50/3.5 APO-Lanthar is already flawless on Sony, meaning I couldn't see any difference in performance across the frame on a 61MP sensor.
Apo Lanthars are characterized not only by their strong performance but also by the use of lanthanum glass elements. That’s what a Voigtländer representative once explained to me. It’s not about how many elements are in the optical design.
No less a source than Zeiss stated the threshold focal length for M>E sensor issues was 50mm - longer FLs being acceptable, according to them. AI tells me some older lens users have made some grumblings, mostly about curvature. Both parties to the issue - lens designers and camera makers - have made some quiet improvements in recent years.
It might bother 'perfection photographers' that immediately search for issues on file opens before looking at the image on its own merits. But many of the rest of us see it as a non-issue, considering the huge advantages to be gained.
'..using M-mount lenses on Sony cameras is generally seen as a viable, high-quality compromise, though not technically perfect due to sensor design differences.'
gammarART wrote:
Apo Lanthars are characterized not only by their strong performance but also by the use of lanthanum glass elements. That’s what a Voigtländer representative once explained to me. It’s not about how many elements are in the optical design.
The idea that their modern APO lenses need 10 or more elements to carry the Lanthar name comes from a recent Cosina video. However, the slower APO-Lanthar lenses like the 50/3.5 and new 90/4 APO-Lanthar may be exceptions, since they achieve their correction and high IQ goals with fewer elements.
There has also been speculation that lanthanum is used in their special glass, but when I asked Cosina directly, they did not confirm it. As far as I know, Cosina has never formally stated in specs, brochures, press material, or official videos that their modern APO-Lanthar lenses actually contain lanthanum or lanthanum oxide in the elements. At this point, it seems more like heritage branding than a documented material claim.
Fred Miranda wrote:
The new CV 90/4 APO is practically guaranteed to perform beautifully on the Sony sensor stack. The slower CV 50/3.5 APO-Lanthar is already flawless on Sony, meaning I couldn't see any difference in performance across the frame on a 61MP sensor.
freaklikeme wrote:
If we're right, the AL 28/2, 50/3.5, and 90/4 could make a killer landscape hiking kit for either mount.
For sure. And when it comes to compact M lenses for landscapes adapted to Sony, I did consider the CV 35/3.5 as well, but then I remembered it didn't perform that well on the Sony sensor stack, even with its slower maximum aperture. The 35mm focal length just seems to be much pickier on Sony.
Due to weight and bulk, a lot of people find it hard to fit a lower usage telephoto FL lens in their bag, and many don't need f2. Kudos to Cosina for going this way, and giving us more choice. The MTF will be very solid, probably will be a lovely lens.
Bokeh would have been a big design consideration given the MFD. And with a bit of breathing, there will be plenty of it at f4 for near focus images.
Fred Miranda wrote:
Cosina isn't exactly consistent with their APO naming. In general, the APO-Lanthar lenses tend to have 10 or more elements, and that line seems to represent what they consider their highest possible image quality with minimal compromise. That pattern mostly holds true, but not always. The 50/3.5 and 90/4 APO-Lanthars only have 8 elements, and the 90/2 APO has very high IQ also has 8 elements yet it's labeled APO-Ultron.
The only APO lens from Cosina that didn't really impress me at the same level as the others is the 90/2.8 APO-Skopar. It is optically very good, no question, but it doesn't quite match the performance standard set by their other APO designs. I am hoping the new 75/2.8 APO-Skopar breaks that pattern, but time will tell....Show more →
The last two released lenses, the Skopar 50mm f/2.2 and Skopar 35mm f/3.5, are optically perfect. From the 75mm APO, I expect nothing less than a top-tier performance.
Im here! Opens in 2 hours, so will post a lot of coverage today, not sure if should make a separate thread for all of CP+ stuff for more than Cosina as there a ton of booths here of interest.
ftllens wrote:
Im here! Opens in 2 hours, so will post a lot of coverage today, not sure if should make a separate thread for all of CP+ stuff for more than Cosina as there a ton of booths here of interest.
A new thread with all the brand's info would be interesting for anyone attending.
ftllens wrote:
Im here! Opens in 2 hours, so will post a lot of coverage today, not sure if should make a separate thread for all of CP+ stuff for more than Cosina as there a ton of booths here of interest.
Yokohama is so beautiful and modern. Enjoy your stay!
