So, I've just realized that I now own three manual-focus lenses that happen to be among the most asked-about by dSLR owners looking for value outside of the AF world. Since there aren't any particularly comprehensive reviews for any of them, I thought I'd take a crack at a few myself. This will eventually (read: hopefully by tomorrow) include the Pentacon Pre-set 135mm f/2.8 "Bokeh Monster," the Nikkor 28mm f/2.8 AI-S, and the Zeiss Contax Vario-Sonnar 35-70mm f/3.4. WARNING: these reviews are utterly unscientific and, most likely, quite terrible.
The Pentacon Pre-set 135mm f/2.8 (M42 mount)
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Introduction
This lens' name (also produced as the Meyer-Optik Orestor 135mm) is thrown about online so often as the "bokeh monster" or "bokeh king" that one of those two descriptors usually shows up in auction/thread titles for sales. This reputation is due to its ridiculous 15-blade aperture, shown here:
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I picked it up because, after selling my 24-105L, I had nothing beyond 70mm to work with. The price was right, as I didn't feel like investing a ton of money into what would likely be my least-used focal length (this does not mean that I will reject a gift of a 135L, wink wink nudge nudge). It usually goes for $150-$180 on eBay, but can be found cheaper, with some luck, out in the "real world." Do not confuse it with the vastly inferior Pentacon Auto MC 135mm f/2.8. Doing so will end in tears.
Alright, review time.
1. Operation and Handling
This will likely split audiences right down the middle.
• The build quality, as one might expect from a German-made MF lens, is superb. It could easily be used to club a mugger into submission without incurring even the slightest bit of damage upon itself.
• The aperture (at least on my copy) is "clickless." The aperture ring turns smoothly all the way from f/2.8 to f/32 with no discernible bumps. This is a very nice feature for video (smooth aperture racking...very cool) but is one of the things that makes operation of the lens slow, as it's impossible to memorize click-numbers to get to your desired aperture. The pre-set feature helps with this, as it allows you to set a minimum f-stop...I usually have it set at f/8, so I can pop between it and wide-open with ease. The aperture control is also at the front of the lens, which will be odd for some people.
• The focus ring is very nicely damped, but on the stiff side. This would be fine, except that the focus throw is nearly a full turn. We're talking 359°. I expect this in a fast, long prime, but not at such an extreme. This again makes for slow operation, and virtually eliminates the possibility of quick focus-racking in video. One positive is that the long throw allows for ultra-precise focusing...which would be great if I had a split-prism screen or an AF-confirm adapter
2. Color Rendition, Flare, Vignetting, etc
• Color rendition - I really have no idea how to quantify this, and am of the opinion that it's not an enormously important factor in the world of RAW and Photoshop. I would say that the Pentacon, in comparison to my Sigmalux (my only modern lens) offers slightly less saturated, but slightly brighter colors. Colors are a touch less vibrant than they are in real life.
• Flare - I haven't had time to put it through the paces, but my first impressions are: totally average.
• Vignetting - A bit at f/2.8, pretty much none stopped down.
• CA - Plenty of purple fringing and noticeable CA at the wider f-stops in high-contrast spots. Not the worst I've seen, but not great. Very similar to the Sigmalux in terms of bokeh CA (which I think has an official name, but have absolutely no desire to spend time looking up).
3. Sharpness
Definitely not the sharpest lens I own, but not too bad. This is a portrait lens, through and through. I'll let the samples do the talking...from left to right, f/2.8, f/5.6, f/8, with the top row being center crops and the bottom being from the extreme lower left corner. Note that the center is virtually identical throughout, and the corner improves moderately on stopping down. Also, check out the CA.
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(Yes, I know the framing is off. I don't have a tripod here - thanks for pointing it out. I hope you feel good about yourself now.)
4. Bokeh
This is the area we're all interested to see, and in my opinion the lens doesn't disappoint. Highlights remain round throughout the aperture range, and results are consistently pleasing. Here's a close-focus sample - focus a nearby iron railing with a lovely shrub about 30ft in the background:
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And a 100% crop of the f/8 bokeh:
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And a real-world shot wide open with focus about 12 feet away (pretty impressive here...foliage is the natural enemy of bokeh):
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And a final shot showing the nice falloff at a slightly longer distance (f/4):
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5. Hipster Appeal
This section is for those of you who are on the verge of being kicked out of Williamsburg for using *gasp* a digital camera. It's common knowledge that if you must use a dSLR instead of a Holga or an old Kiev rangefinder, the only way to maintain your credibility is to mount a "vintage" lens on it. So, is this the one for you?
Pros:
• Relatively unique design
• Aperture is interestingly placed at the front of the lens
• Completely impossible to mistake for a modern lens
• "3-point turning" your focus will make you seem very seriously into the photo
• The best feature: "Made in GDR" printed in large letters on the side of the lens. This is a two-pronged benefit: A. it's clearly not an American lens, and B. you will often get the opportunity to explain to people what "GDR" means and make a thoughtfully ironic comment about the Berlin Wall.
Cons:
• Not chrome.
Conclusion in next post...
