p.4 #3 · What was your sharpest lens, regardless of manufacturer or focal length?
Most of my lenses have been sharp enough to feel pretty sharp. Certainly the advances in optical engineering, manufacturing and coatings have improved what the older lenses used to be capable of.
Nikon 500 f/4 FL E
CV 35/2 APO Z mount
Nikon 50 f/1.8 S
Nikon 24-120 S silly sharp for a zoom.
I always thought my Zeiss ZM C-Biogon 35/2.8 was ridiculously sharp. I never got to test it on anything beyond film though so I don’t know how it would hold up on higher density digital sensors.
Several of my old NIKKOR AIS lenses were pretty sharp. 300/2.8 AI-S. The 35/1.4 AI-S at f/5.6 and 50/1.2 AI-S at f/5.6 are also very sharp although of course not quite up to modern standards. Same for the 28/2.8 AI-S, and 105/2.5 stopped down a bit. The 55/2.8 micro still holds up nicely.
I can’t say I ever owned any lenses that were not sharp enough for any practical use though.
p.4 #7 · What was your sharpest lens, regardless of manufacturer or focal length?
These days I only have Canon lenses but..
RF 50 1.2L Sharpest and also the best color and contrast I've seen
EF 600mm F4L II The newer versions are lighter with better electronics but not quite the image quality.
p.4 #8 · What was your sharpest lens, regardless of manufacturer or focal length?
Without scientific proof…
Voigtlander 65/2 APO
Sigma 135/1.8 ART
Before I have the Voigtlander 60, I might say Zeiss 100/2 MP and Nikon 60/2.8 Micro. The MP is sharp but the APO looks much cleaner without those CA and purple fringing .
p.4 #11 · What was your sharpest lens, regardless of manufacturer or focal length?
Voigtländer 65mm f/2 APO-Lanthar Macro, albeit I haven't used it on 60+ megapixel bodies yet, I no longer have access to it. I'd be interested in testing it against my unbelievable Schneider APO-Componon HM MC 45mm F4 which I have used extensively on an A7r4.
p.4 #14 · What was your sharpest lens, regardless of manufacturer or focal length?
Several of my Zeiss lenses are so sharp, that I cannot tell them apart, with my available monitors.
Carl Zeiss APO Sonnar 135mm f/2 ZE and ZF.2
Carl Zeiss Otus 85mm f/1.4 ZF.2.
Actually, some of the images captured on 24MP Leica M cameras, with my Carl Zeiss Distagon 35mm f/1.4 ZM, amaze me, too. I wonder what the result would be, when I use this lens on my higher-resolution M10 Monochrom, and use a tripod, rather than simply standing on my aging hind legs, holding a small rectangular with my aging hands.
I have not yet really put my CV APO Lanthar 50mm to the test, for sharpness. My mundane images, thus far, were torture-testing it for flare resistance, and, as with my Zeiss Distagon, were shot hand-held, while standing, with little rectangular boxes. Initial impressions are GOOD.
p.4 #16 · What was your sharpest lens, regardless of manufacturer or focal length?
My tripod is my sharpest lens. It makes each lens shine just a bit more in terms of when I value critical sharpness edge to edge.
Other than that I think most modern lenses have good sharpness, one just more than the other, especially in far corners.
I receintly purchased the Voigtlander 28mm APO. It is very sharp, maybe a bit too sharp for my personal liking.
I often reduce sharpness a bit by adding a bit of softness / grain. I seem to prefer that.
p.4 #17 · What was your sharpest lens, regardless of manufacturer or focal length?
100mm f/2.8 APO Elmarit R Macro
It was a friends, but he collected more than shot, and was always willing to share. It also was a beautiful lens to use, for almost anything. Quite unusual in that it took almost two full turns to cover the entire focus range. Focusing on the long end was not compressed into a very short throw, as it is for most macro lenses.
p.4 #19 · What was your sharpest lens, regardless of manufacturer or focal length?
Michel85 wrote:
My tripod is my sharpest lens. It makes each lens shine just a bit more in terms of when I value critical sharpness edge to edge.
Other than that I think most modern lenses have good sharpness, one just more than the other, especially in far corners.
I receintly purchased the Voigtlander 28mm APO. It is very sharp, maybe a bit too sharp for my personal liking.
I often reduce sharpness a bit by adding a bit of softness / grain. I seem to prefer that.
If I shoot landscapes I want sharpness, but for everything else…too sharp is a negative and I usually apply a little glow to the image to reduce that sharpness.
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