Performance-wise, it's not as ugly as some would have you believe.
ISO 64 and f8. 86mm focal setting.
For a lens that has a reputation for being overly soft, this is not bad.
Spring street scene in the West End.
ISO 64 and f5.6
43mm focal setting.
Crop of image above..
Edge detail crop from frame above, showing one of this lens' faults.
Highlights get blown-out and glowy, due to the lack of multi-coatings.
There are whisperings around that the lens was designed primarily for black and white film.
I don't believe that for a minute.
There are too many well published kodachromes around taken with this lens for that argument to hold much water.
This is probably a mid to late 60's lens, and it's single coated glass is simply the way things were done.
Multi-coated lenses were not a buzz-word until the mid 70's.
86mm wide open at f3.5.
This is chromatic aberration shown on a 100% image crop.
It is more likely to occur with the lens wide open.
Fortunately, I rarely have to shoot wide open, at least for digital use.
I need to do a little more work with it.
Some have said that it really tames down the faults by using it between 55 and 80mm focal lengths.
This was taken at ISO 64 again, and wide open.
At about 60mm focal length setting.
It seems to do well away from strong back and side lighting.
Regards,
Doc Sharptail
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