Jim Nichols wrote:
> Moose,
>
> Thanks for looking, and for your frank comments. I was not surprised that my
> Zuiko lens provides greater sharpness than the older lenses. After all,
> design techniques and construction materials have made great strides in the
> years since they were produced.
I'm not sure it's generally that simple. Like the Zuiko 50/1.8s, I think
the Takumars varied in quality over the years. I know the 50/1.4s are
reputed to have improved up to a legendary series, then declined
somewhat as costs were cut. Close-up may also not be their strong point.
My first Zuiko 50/1.8 (#149,xxx) was not the sharpest lens in the box. :-)
Several people here have reported excellent sharpnesss with various OM
mount Zuikos on 4/3. The only decent screw mount lens I have is a 1950s
Zeiss Jena 50/2.8 Tessar T from my dad's old Praktica. I got some nice,
sharp results from it on the smallish sensor 300D. This was taken with
that combo, and I think the full pixel samples that follow show that the
50 year old lens does very well.
<http://galleries.moosemystic.net/MooseFoto/index.php?gallery=Miscellaneous&image=CRW_0127aii.jpg>
I think it's more than just age of lens design. That 50/1.8 that came
with my first OM will never be particularly sharp, but the older 50/2
Nikkor I had before it was sharper then, and still is, if it still exists.
> What I did appreciate, in some informal portraits that I chose not to post,
> was that the older lenses are much
> kinder to older faces, which I often encounter at my age of 78. The Zuiko
> just provides too much sharpness in such images.
>
That makes sense. As much as I feel many things can be done in editing,
there are certain, subtle, soft effects that come from lens
characteristics and are at least difficult, likely impossible, to
achieve any other way. The special lens is a lot less work, too. ;-)
Moose
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