In my July 21 post, I reported on the new lens that had fallen into my lap – a Konica f4.5 400mm. It was in spotless condition and I was eager to put it to the test. Below are some results.
All photos were shot from a tripod with a Canon 5D MkII…EI 320, f11, 1\1000. What you’ll see are JPEG’s converted from the RAW files. There was no post-manipulation involved, save for a small amount of contrast added in Photoshop.
You can drive yourself crazy by scrutinizing things too closely when examining lenses. Charts and calibration devices are useful, but only to a point. I believe in keeping things simple, which in this case meant judging the feeling the lens delivers. You can make your own decisions about that.
Overall, for a 60-year-old piece of glass that hasn’t been serviced in who-knows-how-long, it performed pretty well. The most obvious blip would be the vignetting at the corners and sides, but that’s easily addressed in post. One day soon I’ll bring it to Panavision and let lens genius Dan Sasaki have a look. I’d be interested to hear what he says about it.
While I’m not completely onboard with the idea of using it on my next production, I’ve been known to change my tune on occasion. Who knows? One day it might turn out to be just the right tool to deliver the quality I’m seeking!
Note well: This was in no way a scientific test nor is it representative of the procedures I put lenses through before starting a show. It was more of an off-the-cuff exercise than anything else, but the results are telling nonetheless.
JPEG 1 – Focus set at 250′
JPEG 2 – Focus set at infinity
JPEG 3 – Focus set at infinity
JPEG 4 – Focus set at 25′ (minimum focus: 20′)
Fine images; I do like the soft quality that a hand designed lens has to offer.
It’s reasonably sharp, without the edge harshness.
I frequently shoot with my old lenses, and I find it very satisfying to get good images from 60-70 year old lenses.
Pretty darn good, worth a try the next time you run lens tests. May be difficult to reduce the vignetting in post production. Is this the lens? https://www.ebay.com/itm/354394008107?chn=ps&mkevt=1&mkcid=28&srsltid=AfmBOoq0SPDR78pDjYRpOQ4S0JGKR1TbVsjCXkbmLlOKRJ0-QcWbJoNtR48
Greg – that seems to be it but the one I have is in much better cosmetic shape.
What (roughly) is the procedure you put your lenses through, when you prep a shoot? Do you have a range of favorites, that you know in and out or do you experiment to find the the perfect set for each project?
Dennis – My choice of lens – and there are SO many to choose from today – is always dictated by the project and the type of feel I’m after. That said, a standard battery of tests always take place. The process would begin with a close examination by the facility’s lens tech (in my case, usually Dan Sasaki at Panavision). We’d use his collimator and other tools to take a look at acuity, color bias, flare, etc. Once we’ve approved a set on a purely technical level, I’d go out and shoot some tests with them. I try to run the gamut – high- and low-contrast subjects, soft, hard and backlighting, different T-stops, different complexions – and if it’s at all possible, a variety of situations that reasonably mimic what I’ll expect to be shooting. There are really no hard and fast rules in this area; I usually just riff off what I’ve mentioned here. Then comes the most important part – going to the lab or post house to look at the results. THAT’S where it becomes more about taste and the real work of choosing lenses begins!
Thank you for the reply, Richard!
Yes, I also find it hard to pick favorites, as one lens that I love for a certain project, might not seem right for the next one. That’s why I could also never really bring myself to spend the money on a nice set of lenses and rather just acquired an eclectic set of single lenses over the years—for personal projects mainly.
I’m always very interested in unique vintage glass, especially ones I never heard of like this Konica 400mm.
(I only remember the company from old German commercials—when I was a kid—advertising the 35mm “vacation” films, like the xg 200).