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60mm performance

Started Feb 13, 2020 | Discussions thread
Peter Jonas Veteran Member • Posts: 4,053
Re: 60mm performance
1

Resoman wrote:

I bought a used 50mm f2.4 a few years ago, and it's always worked fine. I'm embarking on a project where I'll be copying b/w negatives and will be using the lens near its closest focus distance.

My results today weren't encouraging: good sharpness in the center, poor at the edges. I put my extension tubes on my 50mm f2 and got results that were just as good, but not any better.

I'm pretty familiar with copy work; I spent thirty years as an art museum photographer and realize the importance of alignment in an application like mine.

I"m wondering if my copy of the 60mm isn't quite right. Has anyone on the forum used the 60 in the kind of application I'm describing? How did it do?

I trust you have your negatives between glass sheets. With close focusing distances such as what you use (0.270 m), it's critical that your subject is flat.

Stopping down to lens to f/5.6 will not only optimise its performance, but also increase your depth of field from about 1.8 mm to about 4.4 mm, which should help.

Although sample variation with this lens is possible, it is not one that is known for this.

Are you able to perform a sharpness test with that lens at that subject distance? That might help answering your question about the quality of your copy of the lens.

Good luck with your project.

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Cheers,
Peter Jonas

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