Most beautiful rendering

I think my favorite lens in terms of rendering might be the "Tomioka Copal-E66 75 mm f/2.8" (enlarging/minilab lens):

The images are absolutely gorgeous. I tried to find this lens, and could not find it. Is there a lens diagram anywhere? I was curious the first time you posted images about it.
Thank you! Unfortuntely I don't have any official specs or a lens diagram... and I've pretty much given up hope on ever finding one.

It seems like this lens is slightly different from the other Tomioka Copal E36/E90 minilab lenses, but I'm pretty sure it's also a 6/4 construction. It looks like a Double-Gauss design to me, pretty similar to the Agfa Color-Solagon DI 70 mm f/4.5:

Agfa Color-Solagon DI 70 mm f/4.5 (also no official diagram though... just based on a matching patent granted to Agfa)
Agfa Color-Solagon DI 70 mm f/4.5 (also no official diagram though... just based on a matching patent granted to Agfa)
Do you know which equipment hosted it? Some minilabs cost up of $100,000 so they can have very fine lenses.
I emphasize that it's only a suspicion but from my experience this lens renders quite similarly and is stopped down to f/4.5 deliberatly and would otherwise be close to a f/2.8 lens as well.

Here's how this lens renders:

On the road again?

On the road again?


Ugly duck and cover?

Ugly duck and cover?

Lovely photos!
 
I like ugly things, they are far more interesting.

In terms of lenses, it's the ugly ones, with harsh and distracting bokeh that are often appreciated the most by some photographers (Trioplan and harsh bubble bokeh lenses come to mind, as do lenses with mechanical vignetting and their swirly bokeh). These lenses create their own images in the way their bokeh draws attention to itself, and away from the subject. At the other extreme its the exceptionally smooth bokeh of cine lenses that are demanded for their very lack of attention to their bokeh, allowing the subject matter to shine. I suppose it is this later group that you consider beautiful but maybe you are using the wrong term in the first place and maybe terms like 'harsh' or 'smooth' night be more appropriate.

By the way, one of the smoothest lenses I've used is the Contax 135mm F2, very soft bokeh (behind the subject) but still very sharp, a great lens, If I find some pics I'll post them.
I would agree that "beautiful" is very subjective of course and also add that there isn't even one single rendering style per lens... as the result of the OOF look will depend a lot on the type and intensity of the light, the distance to the subject, the material/reflectiveness, the aperture and its shape, differences in background- and foreground-bokeh etc. so even within the images of one single lens you might find some where you love the rendering and others where you hate it.

Here's an example of different rendering styles from one simple Agfa "M 3525 6/3" (50 mm f/2.8 or thereabouts) triplet (another one of my all-time favorite lenses when it comes to rendering):

It can go from distinctively bubbly:

Light is key

Light is key


Dan Delight

Dan Delight


to a mixture of busy and smooth:

Winter is over... white everywhere!

Winter is over... white everywhere!


Open house in hell

Open house in hell


to quite smooth but glowy:

Feel the pain... and brush it off!

Feel the pain... and brush it off!


and finally very smooth:

Rad color!

Rad color!

https://flic.kr/p/2nqBfKF

Pearly gates

Pearly gates

https://flic.kr/p/2npZXk3

--
Experimenting manual lens enthusiast.
 
I don't use filters, and I don't see any signs of misalignment. I don't mind the slight softness.

I just got the 90mm F2.8 Macro G, and it is certainly sharper than the STF, but it is not the sharpest lens either.
Um, the 90mm macro is LITERALLY THE HIGHEST-RESOLVING LENS on Sonys by every MTF measurement I've ever seen. On the A7RIV DxO quotes it as delivering 61MP effective -- the maximum possible score. What lens are you seeing do better?
Even though it's not quite what we consider an 'adapted lens' in most cases, I would be very curious to see a couple more images (particularly high-res ones if possible) from the Sony FE 100mm F2.8 STF GM OSS. Have you perhaps posted some here or elsewhere? Thanks a lot!
 
I like ugly things, they are far more interesting.

In terms of lenses, it's the ugly ones, with harsh and distracting bokeh that are often appreciated the most by some photographers (Trioplan and harsh bubble bokeh lenses come to mind, as do lenses with mechanical vignetting and their swirly bokeh). These lenses create their own images in the way their bokeh draws attention to itself, and away from the subject. At the other extreme its the exceptionally smooth bokeh of cine lenses that are demanded for their very lack of attention to their bokeh, allowing the subject matter to shine. I suppose it is this later group that you consider beautiful but maybe you are using the wrong term in the first place and maybe terms like 'harsh' or 'smooth' night be more appropriate.

By the way, one of the smoothest lenses I've used is the Contax 135mm F2, very soft bokeh (behind the subject) but still very sharp, a great lens, If I find some pics I'll post them.
I would agree that "beautiful" is very subjective of course and also add that there isn't even one single rendering style per lens... as the result of the OOF look will depend a lot on the type and intensity of the light, the distance to the subject, the material/reflectiveness, the aperture and its shape, differences in background- and foreground-bokeh etc. so even within the images of one single lens you might find some where you love the rendering and others where you hate it.

Here's an example of different rendering styles from one simple Agfa "M 3525 6/3" (50 mm f/2.8 or thereabouts) triplet (another one of my all-time favorite lenses when it comes to rendering):

It can go from distinctively bubbly:

Light is key

Light is key


Dan Delight

Dan Delight


to a mixture of busy and smooth:

Winter is over... white everywhere!

Winter is over... white everywhere!


Open house in hell

Open house in hell


to quite smooth but glowy:

Feel the pain... and brush it off!

Feel the pain... and brush it off!


and finally very smooth:

Rad color!

Rad color!

https://flic.kr/p/2nqBfKF

Pearly gates

Pearly gates

https://flic.kr/p/2npZXk3
I think you could one day (starting any moment you want) teach how you get inspired, plan, imagine and do these shots. They are of course not the run of the mill macros or images.
 
Is there such thing? What lenses, really the one you think best represent beautiful rendering, are your most precious glass? Pictures of the lens encouraged along with some sample image.
Hi!

For me, most beautiful rendering is provided by Rokkor MD 45/2. "Beautiful rendering" is, of course, matter of taste. For me, I love MD 45/2 because it's "vintage" results, not being too smooth by bokeh, for example.

Sorry for not providing any good examples: I'm limited with phone right now...

A s l a

3468f17f6a4f4231b4df8ec4fbab95a0.jpg
Love the look of that second image - excellent work!





--
Experimenting manual lens enthusiast.
 
Is there such thing? What lenses, really the one you think best represent beautiful rendering, are your most precious glass? Pictures of the lens encouraged along with some sample image.
Good topic. I guess it is location/lighting and other shooting conditions dependent. So far, for my backyard bushes, whenever I include them in the background, somehow, I have yet to find a lens that can render them well. I had high hope for Nikon 105mm/1.4g, but it didn't do it after I tested it. :(
 
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Is there such thing? What lenses, really the one you think best represent beautiful rendering, are your most precious glass? Pictures of the lens encouraged along with some sample image.
Good topic.
It's a great topic, we are asking "What do lens does "beautiful". Underling it, is the concept of beauty.
I guess it is location/lighting and other shooting conditions dependent. So far, for my backyard bushes, whenever I include them in the background, somehow, I have yet to find a lens that can render them well. I had high hope for Nikon 105mm/1.4g, but it didn't do it after I tested it. :(
Have a sample? Bushes are the absolute worst nightmare for most lenses but one of the most beautiful sights if one is there in person.

Only simple-joy mentioned, but I see a similar thing, a lens will react different to the presence of difference light, by aperture, by focal distance, even by how the light or wavefront enters the lens (of course)...impacts a lot more than normal sample shots would tell.
 
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Is there such thing? What lenses, really the one you think best represent beautiful rendering, are your most precious glass? Pictures of the lens encouraged along with some sample image.
Good topic. I guess it is location/lighting and other shooting conditions dependent. So far, for my backyard bushes, whenever I include them in the background, somehow, I have yet to find a lens that can render them well. I had high hope for Nikon 105mm/1.4g, but it didn't do it after I tested it. :(
I can see two immediate solutions; but, because I am not there these solutions may not be appropriate.
  1. Use a Nikon AF-D 105mm 1:2 DC or Nikon AF-D 135mm 1:2 DC and set the DC (Defocus Control) to background. As long as the DC control is less than the aperture setting, the background is smoothed out more and more. The result would be like soft-focused when the DC setting and the aperture setting agree. Another possible solution, which really depends on the environment and your taste, is the use of a Nikon AF-S 200mm 1:2 ED IF and leave the brushes a bit farther away from your main subject. The AF-S 105mm 1:4 ED IF does not have a long enough focal length to blur a busy background properly.
  2. The Sony 100mm 1:2.8 STF can do a good job for this environment. In terms of sharpness at the center, it may not be as good as the Nikon lenses mentioned above. Well, it may be sharper than the Nikon AF-D 135mm 1:2 DC, though.
CK
 
Thank you! I don‘t know the exact machines but it seems to be confirmed that some of the E18 and E36 lenses were used in Noritsu minilabs (I suspect earlier QSS series, before the QSS801).

Interestingly enough the E90C series seems to also have been used in some Agfa minilabs.

I‘m planning to publish an article on a related subject (Noritsu) soon, where I‘ll include some more information and lots of images taken with various minilab lenses. As far as the Tomioka ones go, I‘m still looking for someone who has actually used or seen these lenses in the original machines.
 
These are among the first few photos I have taken with the camera and I have months before I probably get to know it fully but this lens is BETTER for AF in some ways on the Nikon Z6 than it is on my Sony A7s (not that hard really since the A7s is a CDAF only camera).

The thin silver ring is the adapter.













 
Probably one of the cleanest 85mm in existence. Funny thought that while relatively new, you are using it as an adapted lens. The sky's the limit!
 
Is there such thing? What lenses, really the one you think best represent beautiful rendering, are your most precious glass? Pictures of the lens encouraged along with some sample image.
Good topic.
It's a great topic, we are asking "What do lens does "beautiful". Underling it, is the concept of beauty.
I guess it is location/lighting and other shooting conditions dependent. So far, for my backyard bushes, whenever I include them in the background, somehow, I have yet to find a lens that can render them well. I had high hope for Nikon 105mm/1.4g, but it didn't do it after I tested it. :(
Have a sample? Bushes are the absolute worst nightmare for most lenses but one of the most beautiful sights if one is there in person.

Only simple-joy mentioned, but I see a similar thing, a lens will react different to the presence of difference light, by aperture, by focal distance, even by how the light or wavefront enters the lens (of course)...impacts a lot more than normal sample shots would tell.
Will need to dig out, as I start to lose track of which photo is taken by which lens.
 
Is there such thing? What lenses, really the one you think best represent beautiful rendering, are your most precious glass? Pictures of the lens encouraged along with some sample image.
Good topic. I guess it is location/lighting and other shooting conditions dependent. So far, for my backyard bushes, whenever I include them in the background, somehow, I have yet to find a lens that can render them well. I had high hope for Nikon 105mm/1.4g, but it didn't do it after I tested it. :(
I can see two immediate solutions; but, because I am not there these solutions may not be appropriate.
  1. Use a Nikon AF-D 105mm 1:2 DC or Nikon AF-D 135mm 1:2 DC and set the DC (Defocus Control) to background. As long as the DC control is less than the aperture setting, the background is smoothed out more and more. The result would be like soft-focused when the DC setting and the aperture setting agree. Another possible solution, which really depends on the environment and your taste, is the use of a Nikon AF-S 200mm 1:2 ED IF and leave the brushes a bit farther away from your main subject. The AF-S 105mm 1:4 ED IF does not have a long enough focal length to blur a busy background properly.
  2. The Sony 100mm 1:2.8 STF can do a good job for this environment. In terms of sharpness at the center, it may not be as good as the Nikon lenses mentioned above. Well, it may be sharper than the Nikon AF-D 135mm 1:2 DC, though.
CK
CK, thanks for the info. I tried to find some sample photos of the Sony 100mm GM. Some of them are pretty nice in terms of blurry background; some of them I feel look like the background taken by modern smart phones. I guess it really depends on the situation and how to use the lens. Certainly, different people have different opinions of what looks good and what doesn't in terms of background.
 
Rollei Planar 50mm 1.8 is a gem.





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I like these. The Zeiss 50/1.8 is a very unique lens and the gem of the SL35 line.
 
I like these. The Zeiss 50/1.8 is a very unique lens and the gem of the SL35 line.
Yes and SL-Xenon 50mm 1.8 seem like a great one too but I have never tried one. Only an old Retina Xenon 50mm 1.9 and that one is also top notch of the 6/4 design.
Great shots and indeed, that looks fantastic!
Thanks! That Primoplan is one of those I'd also want to try out. Nice shots!
 
I like these. The Zeiss 50/1.8 is a very unique lens and the gem of the SL35 line.
Yes and SL-Xenon 50mm 1.8 seem like a great one too but I have never tried one. Only an old Retina Xenon 50mm 1.9 and that one is also top notch of the 6/4 design.
I have one SL-Xenon in very good condition, but 50/1.8 is a very odd Ultron-inspired lens comissioned exclusively for Rollei by Zeiss, the first lens for 35mm film after Ikon's collapse and bankruptcy. Marco Cavina wrote about it, and highlights how suprised he was there were like 7 prototypes, and that it's a 7 element lens but it's not that fast, guessing it was over-engineered and likely not so cheap to make. It's also a strong deviation from past Zeiss (west) lens, it kicks off a departure from traditional optimization to a new one. You can see the departure in goals by comparing MTFs of Contarex vs C/Y lenses.
Great shots and indeed, that looks fantastic!
Thanks! That Primoplan is one of those I'd also want to try out. Nice shots!
 
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