Friday, June 01, 2012

Medium Format lens tests

Here is another page from my original "hevanet" website devoted to camera system/optics/film testing -


Medium Format Cameras - Testing Lenses
Copyright 1998/1999/2000 Christopher M. Perez/Kerry L. Thalmann/Mike McDonald - All Rights Reserved
Copyright 2002/2003/2004 Christopher M. Perez - All Rights Reserved
Last Updated: 19 April 2004 




Medium Format (120/620)
Camera / Lens Resolution Testing



Please note: there are four sections found on this page.  Each section represents a particular camera type.  There are sections for SLRs, TLRs, Coupled Rangefinder Cameras, and Folding Cameras (with coupled and non-coupled rangefinders).



 Single Lens Reflex (SLR)
Camera Model Lens cnt mdl edg (l/mm) f/stp Comments
Bronica SQA 80mm f/2.8 Zenzanon-PS 67 53 53 f/2.8
67 67 60 f/4
60 67 60 f/5.6
60 60 60  f/8
60 67 60  f/11
53 53 53 f/16
53 53 53 f/22		 very heavy
Bronica SQA 40mm f/4  Zenzanon-PS 60 50 50 f/4
60 52 60 f/5.6
52 52 66 f/8
52 60 66 f/11
60 60 60 f/16
60 54 54 f/22		 Big and Beautiful
Bronica SQA 200mm f/4.5  Zenzanon-PS 46 33 33 f/4.5
47 33 33 f/5.6
33 42 27 f/8
42 47 42 f/11
24 26 24 f/16
26 33 26 f/22		 Big - take special care for stability
Hasselblad 903 SWC 38mm f/4.5 Biogon T* 68 76 54  f/4.5
96 96 60  f/5.6
85 106 76 f/8
68 76 68  f/11
60 60 60  f/16		 Great optics!
Hasselblad 500CM (late 1980's) 80mm f/2.8 Planar CT* 68 68 38  f/2.8
60 60 34  f/4
96 96 54  f/5.6
96 107 60 f/8
85 76 60  f/11
68 68 60  f/16
54 48 48  f/22		 Great optics!
Hasselblad 500CM (late 1980's) 120mm f/5.6 Planar-S C (early) 85 85 48  f/5.6
85 85 54  f/8
76 76 60  f/11
76 68 68  f/16
54 54 54  f/22		 Nice, if not a little old, optics.
Hasselblad 500CM (late 1980's) 150mm f/4 Sonnar CT* 60 60 48  f/4
76 68 54  f/5.6
85 85 76  f/8
85 85 68  f/11
68 60 60  f/16
60 60 54  f/22
42 38 38  f/32		 Nice optics.
Mamiya RZ 65mm f/4 L-A
(floating element)		 76 76 68  f/4
76 68 68  f/5.6
96 85 76 f/8
96 96 68  f/11
68 76 60  f/16		 Big and Beautiful and very sharp
Mamiya RZ 110mm f/2.8 Z 68 60 60  f/2.8
60 68 68  f/4
76 85 68  f/5.6
76 76 68 f/8
76 68 76  f/11
68 68 68  f/16
54 54 54  f/22		 I was hoping that Mamiya's brochure was right and that these optics were "ultra high performance".  Oh well, the Hasselblad still wins the day... but you certainly can't tell from looking at the final prints!
Mamiya RZ 180mm f/4.5 W-N 54 54 42  f/4.5
60 68 60  f/5.6
54 54 60 f/8
54 60 60  f/11
60 68 60  f/16
Pentax 67 - Mirror Lock Up 45mm f/4 66 60 36 f/4
66 66 42 f/5.6
76 66 54 f/8
76 66 54 f/11
66 66 54 f/16
54 48 48 f/22		 Big and Beautiful
Pentax 67 - Mirror Lock Up 105mm f/2.4 54 34 19 f/2.4
60 42 19 f/4
76 67 21 f/5.6
67 67 33 f/8
67 67 48 f/11
60 60 60 f/16
48 48 42 f/22		 Big and Heavy


Coupled Rangefinder (non-folding)







Camera Model Lens cnt mdl edg (l/mm) f/stp Weight
Fuji GW690III 90mm f/3.5 Fujinon 60 53 47 f/3.5 
60 53 47 f/4
67 67 47 f5.6
67 60 53 f/8
60 67 47 f/11
53 60 60 f/16
53 47 60 f/22
47 47 47 f/32		 1460 grams
Mamiya 7 50mm f/4.5 68 76 68 f/4.5
107 96 42 f5.6
107 107 48 f/8
96 96 68 f/11
85 85 68 f/16
54 54 60 f/22
 .
Mamiya 7 80mm f/4 120 120 60 f/4
120 120 68 f5.6
120 107 68 f/8
107 107 76 f/11
76 76 68 f/16
60 60 60 f/22
 1210 grams 
Mamiya 6 MF 75mm f/3.5 76 76 53 f/3.5 
76 67 53 f/4
95 76 53 f5.6
95 85 53 f/8
85 85 60 f/11
76 67 67 f/16
60 60 53 f/22		 1150 grams
Plaubel Makina 67 80mm f/2.8 Nikkor 54 48 60 f/2.8 
60 60 60 f/4
48 60 67 f5.6
48 60 76 f/8
60 67 67 f/11
76 67 67 f/16
67 67 67 f/22

Focused approx 5 inches 'closer' (acording to scale) at 61 inch distance from target-
67 48 48 f/2.8 
76 54 48 f/4
67 60 60 f5.6
85 76 67 f/8
85 76 67 f/11
85 67 60 f/16
60 60 60 f/22

Focused approx 6 inches 'farther' (acording to scale) at 61 inch distance from target-
19 19 19 f/2.8 
24 19 24 f/4
17 19 24 f5.6
21 27 42 f/8
30 36 54 f/11
54 60 67 f/16		 ?
Twin Lens Reflex (TLR)







Camera Model Lens cnt mdl edg (l/mm) f/stp Weight
Mamiya C220 Pro 80mm f/2.8 48 24 33 f/2.8
60 48 42 f/4
67 60 48 f/5.6
60 67 60 f/8
67 67 60 f/11
67 60 54 f/16
54 54 48 f/22
42 38 38 f/32		 3 pounds
Mamiya C220 Pro 55mm f4.5 34 42 21 f/4.5
42 38 21 f/5.6
48 48 21 f/8
60 48 24 f/11
48 48 27 f/16		 .
Mamiya C220 Pro 135mm f4.5 42 30 21 f/4.5
48 42 34 f/5.6
60 54 34 f/8
60 54 34 f/11
54 54 38 f/16
48 48 38 f/22
34 28 24 f/32		 .
Mamiya C220 Pro 180mm f4.5 38 38 24 f/4.5
42 42 24 f/5.6
54 54 24 f/8
54 54 38 f/11
54 48 38 f/16
38 38 30 f/22
32 30 30 f/32		 .
Rolleiflex 2.8E Model 1 US 
(serial #1,62x,xxx)		 80mm f/2.8 Schneider Xenotar 54 30 13 f/2.8
107 96 13 f/4
120 68 17 f/5.6
107 96 27 f/8
85 68 48 f/11
76 76 54 f/16
54 54 48 f/22		 1280grams - without meter
Rolleiflex 2.8E Model 1 US 
(serial #1,66x,xxx)		 80mm f/2.8 Zeiss Planar 68 68 42 f/2.8
76 96 68 f/4
68 76 68 f/5.6
96 96 76 f/8
96 85 68 f/11
68 76 60 f/16
54 60 48 f/22		 1200grams - without meter
Rolleiflex 3.5E Model 1 US 
(serial #1,7xx,xxx)		 75mm f/3.5 Schneider Xenotar 48 48 24 f/3.5
85 96 42 f/5.6
96 96 68 f/8
76 85 60 f/11
68 68 54 f/16
54 54 42 f/22		 1120grams - with meter
Rolleiflex
3.5F Model 3 US 
(serial #2,29x,xxx) 		 75mm f/3.5 Zeiss Planar 76 85 48 f/3.5
96 85 60 f/5.6
85 85 60 f/8
76 68 60 f/11
60 68 54 f/16
60 54 48 f/22 		 1120grams - with meter
Rolleiflex 3.5F 
(serial #2,2xx,xxx)		 75mm f/3.5 Schneider Xenotar 42 38 34 f/3.5
60 60 34 f/4
67 67 34 f/5.6
76 60 60 f/8
67 67 60 f/11
60 54 42 f/16
54 54 38 f/22		 1120grams - with meter
Rolleiflex 3.5T
(serial #2,199,xxx)		 75mm f/3.5 Zeiss Tessar 54 68 21 f/3.5
68 68 27 f/5.6
68 68 42 f/8
68 60 68 f/11
60 60 48 f/16
48 48 42 f/22		 1000 grams (approx)
Rolleiflex
***(please see note)		 Rolleiflex 75mm f/3.5
Schndeider Xenar		 31 56 39 f/3.5
22 22 31 f/4
35 39 63 f/5.6
35 35 70 f/8
22 35 70 f/11
39 50 70 f/16
50 50 50 f/22		 1100 grams (approx) - This camera must have been out of alignment.  There is no way the Xenar can be this much worse than the other three Rolleis I tested.
Yashica Yashicamat 80mm f/3.5 Yashnon 67 60 53 f/3.5
42 67 53 f/4
53 60 53 f/5.6
38 76 60 f/8
38 67 67 f/11
53 60 60 f/16
47 47 47 f/22		 ?
Koni-Omega RF system







Focal Length Lens type cnt mdl edg (l/mm) f/stp
58mm f/5.6 Hexanon serial number 7210xxx 42 48 42 f/5.6
54 60 42 f/8
76 76 67 f/11
67 67 60 f/16
60 60 54 f/22
48 48 42 f/32
58mm f/5.6 Wide Omegon serial number 501xxx 67 67 54 f/5.6
67 67 54 f/8
67 76 54 f/11
67 67 60 f/16
54 60 54 f/22
42 42 32 f/32
58mm f/5.6 Hexanon serial number 721x7xx 67 60 30 f/5.6
67 76 30 f/8
67 76 54 f/11
76 67 60 f/16
67 67 60 f/22
90mm f/3.5 Hexanon serial number 37xx71 60 60 19 f/3.5
67 76 24 f/4
76 67 24 f/5.6
85 95 33 f/8
85 95 38 f/11
76 76 48 f/16
67 60 54 f/22
48 42 38 f/32
90mm f/3.5 Hexanon serial number 37xx68 60 60 38 f/3.5
54 60 38 f/4
67 67 38 f/5.6
67 67 42 f/8
67 76 48 f/11
76 76 60 f/16
67 60 54 f/22
48 48 42 f/32
135mm f/3.5 Hexanon serial number 513xxxx 54 54 42 f/3.5
54 48 48 f/4
33 33 60 f/5.6
76 76 76 f/8
76 76 67 f/11
67 67 67 f/16
54 54 54 f/22
42 48 42 f/32
180mm f/4.5 Tele Omegon serial number 901xxx 48 54 30 f/4.5
54 60 34 f/5.6
67 54 42 f/8
67 67 48 f/11
67 60 48 f/16
60 54 42 f/22

Folding Camera


Camera Make Shutter Lens cnt mdl edg (l/mm) f/stp  Weight
Balda Enna Werk Munchen  Prontor-SV B, 1 - 1/300 Ennagon 7.5cm f3.5 33 30 30 f/3.5 
48 42 42 f/4
42 30 34 f5.6
34 30 38 f/8
42 30 42 f/11
53 53 48 f/16
60 43 48 f/22		 505 grams
Kodak Special Six20  Compur-Raplid 100mm f/4.5
Kodak Anastigmat		 21 19 15 f/4.5  at approx 7'
19 17 17 f/5.6
12 19 19 f/8
14 19 19 f/11
19 24 33 f/16
24 33 43 f/22
42 42 38 f/32

Re-tested at 12 feet:
57 50 36 f/11 at 12' on scale
40 63 45 f/11 at 13' on scale
63 57 31 f/11 at 11' on scale
57 63 36 f/16 at 12' on scale
63 57 50 f/22 at 12' on scale 		 Less than 800 grams
Muscova Zeiss Super Ikonta C - like camera made in  Russia ? 11cm f/4.5 16 16 16 f/4.5
19 16 16 f/5.6
13 13 19 f/8
13 12 17 f/11
17 17 19 f/16
26 24 19 f/22
48 38 38 f/32		 Less than 900 grams
Graflex Corp. Pacemaker Crown Graphic- RH8/120 rollfilm back (ie: film 'bows' in the middle and needs be compensated for) Supermatic 800 101mm f/4.5 Ektar 17 19 19 f/4.5
54 76 30 f/5.6
76 76 53 f/8
76 85 60 f/11
85 76 60 f/16
67 67 67 f/22		 System weight is heavier than other folding cameras, but much less than a TLR or SLR
Graflex Corp. Pacemaker Crown Graphic - RH8/120 rollfilm back (ie: film 'bows' in the middle and needs be compensated for) Rapax 3 1/2"(90mm) Wollensak Wide Angle Raptar 15 30 42 f/6.8
17 15 60 f/8
26 54 67 f/11
54 54 60 f/16
42 54 42 f/22		 .
Graflex Corp. Pacemaker Crown Graphic - RH8/120 rollfilm back (ie: film 'bows' in the middle and needs be compensated for) Linhof-Compur Schneider 65mm Angulon f/6.8 19 24 48 f/6.8
34 42 48 f/11
34 54 60 f/16
60 60 42 f/22		 .
Voigtlander Perkeo I Pronto B, 1/25 - 1/200 Vaskar 75mm f/4.5 13 24 24 f/4.5
13 24 21 f/5.6
19 30 30 f/8
33 42 42 f/11
38 42 38 f/16		 515 grams

Notes:
***It appears that the Rollei lens may be quite fantastic.  Just look at the edge numbers!  But the lack of accurate top lens calibration (happened sometime after leaving the factory) is enough to cause serious sharpness issues.  The Mamiya C220 or Yashica didn't have this problem...
1. It appears that film flatness is a serious issue with some medium format cameras.  It may be that 120 film "bows" in the middle of the pressure plate for some of the cameras tested.  It shows up most frequently when shooting 6x9 (2 1/4 x 3 1/4) format cameras and film backs and earlier Rolleis.
2. Many camera lenses were tested at 20:1 distance to focal length ratio.  Those that weren't are noted in the above table.  For 75mm/80mm lenses this works out to 5 feet from the test target or 50 to 61 inches.  For 100/105mm lenses this works out to 7 feet from the target.
3. For folding cameras the target proximity required that the distance be calculated using a tape measure and the lens being tested was set to that distance on it's scale.  If the distance scale on the lens is mis-calibrated then the lenses optimum resolution would be compromised in these tests.  In many cases this 'reality' is borne out in the test results.  In 'three space' many of these systems will perform better than shooting against a 2D target would suggest.
Test Conditions-
  • All tests were made using Kodak's TMax100 film, processed in D-76 to my system's requirements (zone system), and viewed under 40x magnification.
  • All cameras that supply direct focusing were tested as a system using the focus provided by the direct mechanism.  In the case of the Muscova this is a rangefinder (which may not be accurate as the system tested poorly at 7 feet).  In the case of all TLRs and SLRs the focus was set using the std. groundglass.


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