The Ultimate 30-35mm lens

DanielT74 · 11-21-2010, 03:36 AM

DanielT74 · 11-21-2010, 03:41 AM

DanielT74 · 11-21-2010, 03:49 AM

DanielT74 · 11-21-2010, 03:52 AM

DanielT74 · 11-21-2010, 04:00 AM

31ltd:

DanielT74 · 11-21-2010, 04:03 AM

DanielT74 · 11-21-2010, 04:06 AM

DanielT74 · 11-21-2010, 04:09 AM

Eagle_Friends · 11-21-2010, 04:46 AM

man, the 31mm look way out of focus or blurred at f2.

i'm surprised!

DanielT74 · 11-21-2010, 05:57 AM

Yeah, looks like I backfocused that one! I've just found another one and replace the backfocused pics.

And not to worry - there will be more. I terms of corner-to-corner sharpness I am planning to do the famous brick wall test. Then there might be a bokeh test and then the lenses go to the highest bidder as I pack in this whole photography thing! (joking)

The surprise for me so far is how well the cheap Carl Zeiss which is reputed to be soft wide open actually performs. They are all very good. Leica 35/1.4 is very sharp wide open (and probably even sharper when the focus is spot on which it wasn't completely. The brick wall will be easier - I was focusing on an image below the centre and the split image circle.)

I will print off the images and compare them side by side. Of course the Summilux is the fastest lens in the line-up, so it's image at f1.4 has a more 3-d feel to it. Here's the 31ltd at f1.8, lets see how it compares:

DanielT74 · 11-21-2010, 04:49 PM

Yes, to me the Summilux image is punchier and crisper - you can see it on the orange for example - there is more contrast. The 31ltd also shows more CA along the highlit edges of the cloth and also on the tip of the apple stalk, but it also has much better resistance to flare and more detail in highly lit areas.

GhoSStrider · 11-22-2010, 07:22 AM

Interesting results, especially the CZJ. The lens has a really good reputation on the net, but there's also a fairly vocal minority that claims it's overrated. Thus far I'm inclined to believe more of the good. I look forward to more comparison shots. Thanks for taking the time to do this!

DanielT74 · 11-22-2010, 08:35 PM

Here's my attempt at the brick wall. Looks like I butchered the focused on the Summicron again... The pic I attach is f2.4, the rest are fully open (Zeiss (f2.4), followed by the 31Ltd (f1.8), Summicron 35mm (f2.4) and Summilux 35 (f1.4):

DanielT74 · 11-22-2010, 08:51 PM

Well, the surprise is the Summilux, which is out of alignment. I guess I must have moved the tripod when I mounted it and at f1.4 it doesn't take much not to be parallel to the wall surface, so the corner crop is OOF.

Another thing is that I guess Zeiss is not f2.4, more like f2 judging from the exposure time.

Hmm...I don't think these will convince anyone to fork out the extra grand over the 31ltd for the summilux (and lose AF and AE).

m8o · 11-22-2010, 08:59 PM

Originally posted by Super A-wesome

What about the Sigma 30mm f1.4?

Don't misunderstand and think I'm dis-respecting Sigma; have a look at my lens collection and you'll see I'm got a special place in my heart for Sigma. But I've read enough on this forum and many others to say the Sigma 30/1.4 doesn't appear to belong in the same category as the lenses the OP plans on evaluating.

11-21-2010, 03:36 AM	#16
DanielT74 Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Australia Photos: Albums Posts: 1,377 Original Poster	Leica Summilux-R 35/1.4 at f1.4

11-21-2010, 03:41 AM	#17
DanielT74 Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Australia Photos: Albums Posts: 1,377 Original Poster	Carl Zeiss Jena 35/2.4 M42 mount at f2.4

11-21-2010, 03:49 AM	#18
DanielT74 Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Australia Photos: Albums Posts: 1,377 Original Poster	Apologies for misfocused summicron, here it is again

11-21-2010, 03:52 AM	#19
DanielT74 Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Australia Photos: Albums Posts: 1,377 Original Poster	And the Summilux 35/1.4 at f2

11-21-2010, 04:00 AM	#20
DanielT74 Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Australia Photos: Albums Posts: 1,377 Original Poster	And now all four lenses at f5.6 which made fr a long exposure around 1/6 31ltd:

11-21-2010, 04:03 AM	#21
DanielT74 Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Australia Photos: Albums Posts: 1,377 Original Poster	Summicron-r 35/2 (at f5.6; exposure 1/5)

11-21-2010, 04:06 AM	#22
DanielT74 Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Australia Photos: Albums Posts: 1,377 Original Poster	Summilux-r 35/1.4 (f5.6, exposure 1/4)

11-21-2010, 04:09 AM	#23
DanielT74 Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Australia Photos: Albums Posts: 1,377 Original Poster	Carl Zeiss Jena 35/2.4 M42 mount at f5.6, 1/6sec

11-21-2010, 04:46 AM	#24
Eagle_Friends Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2010 Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 971	man, the 31mm look way out of focus or blurred at f2. i'm surprised!

11-21-2010, 05:57 AM	#25
DanielT74 Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Australia Photos: Albums Posts: 1,377 Original Poster	Yeah, looks like I backfocused that one! I've just found another one and replace the backfocused pics. And not to worry - there will be more. I terms of corner-to-corner sharpness I am planning to do the famous brick wall test. Then there might be a bokeh test and then the lenses go to the highest bidder as I pack in this whole photography thing! (joking) The surprise for me so far is how well the cheap Carl Zeiss which is reputed to be soft wide open actually performs. They are all very good. Leica 35/1.4 is very sharp wide open (and probably even sharper when the focus is spot on which it wasn't completely. The brick wall will be easier - I was focusing on an image below the centre and the split image circle.) I will print off the images and compare them side by side. Of course the Summilux is the fastest lens in the line-up, so it's image at f1.4 has a more 3-d feel to it. Here's the 31ltd at f1.8, lets see how it compares: Last edited by DanielT74; 11-21-2010 at 04:43 PM.

11-21-2010, 04:49 PM	#26
DanielT74 Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Australia Photos: Albums Posts: 1,377 Original Poster	Yes, to me the Summilux image is punchier and crisper - you can see it on the orange for example - there is more contrast. The 31ltd also shows more CA along the highlit edges of the cloth and also on the tip of the apple stalk, but it also has much better resistance to flare and more detail in highly lit areas. Last edited by DanielT74; 11-21-2010 at 07:37 PM.

11-22-2010, 07:22 AM	#27
GhoSStrider Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: 14er Country Photos: Gallery Posts: 323	Interesting results, especially the CZJ. The lens has a really good reputation on the net, but there's also a fairly vocal minority that claims it's overrated. Thus far I'm inclined to believe more of the good. I look forward to more comparison shots. Thanks for taking the time to do this!

11-22-2010, 08:35 PM	#28
DanielT74 Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Australia Photos: Albums Posts: 1,377 Original Poster	Brick wall Here's my attempt at the brick wall. Looks like I butchered the focused on the Summicron again... The pic I attach is f2.4, the rest are fully open (Zeiss (f2.4), followed by the 31Ltd (f1.8), Summicron 35mm (f2.4) and Summilux 35 (f1.4):

11-22-2010, 08:51 PM	#29
DanielT74 Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Australia Photos: Albums Posts: 1,377 Original Poster	Well, the surprise is the Summilux, which is out of alignment. I guess I must have moved the tripod when I mounted it and at f1.4 it doesn't take much not to be parallel to the wall surface, so the corner crop is OOF. Another thing is that I guess Zeiss is not f2.4, more like f2 judging from the exposure time. Hmm...I don't think these will convince anyone to fork out the extra grand over the 31ltd for the summilux (and lose AF and AE). Last edited by DanielT74; 11-22-2010 at 08:56 PM.

11-22-2010, 08:59 PM	#30
m8o Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: 40°-55'-44" N / 73°-24'-07" W [on LI] Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 3,092	Originally posted by Super A-wesome What about the Sigma 30mm f1.4? Don't misunderstand and think I'm dis-respecting Sigma; have a look at my lens collection and you'll see I'm got a special place in my heart for Sigma. But I've read enough on this forum and many others to say the Sigma 30/1.4 doesn't appear to belong in the same category as the lenses the OP plans on evaluating.

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