80mm Lens Shootout

Edge Crops (WE in IN GOD WE TRUST)

In order of decreasing sharpness by Group:

Group1:

Schneider Makro-Symmar

Group2:

Beseler HD

Leica Photar

Schneider Componon-S f4.0

Scheider Apo-Digitar f6.7
Tomioka E36C

Olympus OM Zuiko

Group4:
PZO Janpol Color K
Schneider Componon-S f5.6
Meopta Anaret-S
Vega 30Y
Schneider Apo-Digitar f5.6
Agfa Repromaster

Group5:

Leica Milar

Leica Summar

Meopta Meogon

Schneider Componar

Vega 30Y

Testing Methodology and Philosophy:

1) Test subject was a 1944-D RPM#5

2) Testing was done with a Canon T2i which has been modified to have the Anti-Aliasing filter removed

3) Settings were Neutral with zero sharpening, EV -1/3, Live View

4) White balance was set using the Schneider Makro-Symmar, and never reset, so all color shifts are relative to this lens

5) Focus stacking was used to maximize the depth of field. Typical number of shots in the stack was 5

6) Magnification was set to 0.72:1. This is close to 1:1, so is difficult for some lenses due to their optical design tradeoffs. Most enlarger lenses are optimized up to 0.5:1, and the degradation between 0.5:1 and 1:1 varies between lenses. Macro Bellows lenses are optimized for a wide range of magnifications. Reproduction lenses are optimized for a narrow range of magnification, usually around 1:1. Some Macro lenses are optimized from 1:1 and higher. I have noted the type of lens in the lens list, so you can infer from the list how the lens is optimized. This test is outside of the optimum range of many of the lenses in the test, which is why such a test is so important to determine which lenses are capable of shooting in this range.

7) Significant effort went into determining best aperture for each lens, but ultimately all were shot at f5.6. It was found that even those lenses with f2.8, f4.0, or f4.5 maximum aperture were not at their best until at least f5.6, and sometimes beyond. Since many of the lenses in the test have maximum f5.6, this seemed a good common denominator aperture for all tests.

8) Only one overall shot of the 1944-D Cent is shown, taken with the Schneider Makro-Symmar. All of the overall shots look very similar. There are some differences in color due to keeping a constant White Balance across all lenses, but these are subtle. To see the differences between the lenses you must look at 100% crops, which I am showing for the Center (near Lincoln's throat) and Edge (around WE in IGWT)

9) Comparisons are shown only to the vertical dimension of the APS-C sensor. This is appropriate for full coin shots, since coins are round, and do not extend to the corners of the sensor.

10) Rankings are made in 5 groups rather than from best to worst. Differences between similar lenses are very subtle, and it is difficult to determine an accurate, objective ranking. Ranking by group seems less subjective.

11) Final ranking is by summation of Center and Edge ranks. Ties are ordered by most consistent between Center and Edge first, least consistent last.

12) Crops are shown at 200% magnification to make the small differences between lenses more visible.

Group4:

Beseler Color Pro

Minolta CE Rokkor X

Schneider M-Componon

PZO Emitar

Schneider Componon-S f5.6

Schneider Componon

PZO Janpol Color K

Group5:

Leica Milar

Leica Summar

Meopta Meogon

Schneider Componar

PZO Emitar

Schneider Componon

The Results...Sum of Center and Edge rankings

Ordering within same final ranking is by Center to Edge consistency:

3. Schneider Makro-Symmar

4. Beseler HD

4. Schneider Componon-S f4.0

4. Schneider Apo-Digitar f6.7

4. Tomioka E36C

5. Rodenstock Rodagon

5. Schneider Componar-S

5. Rodenstock Rodagon WA

5. Leica Photar

5. Olympus OM Zuiko

5. Agfa Repromaster

Example Overall Shot taken with Schneider Makro-Symmar:

List of 30 Lenses in alphabetical order of manufacturer.

All are 80mm Focal Length...Aperture listed is maximum nominal:

Agfa Magnolar f5.6 (Enlarging Lens)

Agfa Repromaster f4.0 (Reproduction Lens)

Beseler Color Pro f4.5 (Enlarging Lens)

Beseler HD f4.0 (Enlarging Lens)

Leica Milar f4.5 (Bellows Lens)

Leica Photar f4.5 (Bellows Lens)

Leica Summar f4.5 (Bellows Lens)

Meopta Anaret f4.5 (Enlarging Lens)

Meopta Anaret-S f4.5 (Enlarging Lens)

Meopta Meogon f2.8 (Enlarging Lens)

Minolta CE Rokkor X f5.6 (Enlarging Lens)

Nikon EL-Nikkor f5.6 (Enlarging Lens)

Olympus OM Zuiko Macro f4.0 (Bellows Lens)

PZO Emitar-S f4.5 (Enlarging Lens)

PZO Janpol Color K f5.6 (Enlarging Lens)

Group3:

Rodenstock Apo Rodagon N

Schneider Componar-S

Meopta Anaret

Rodenstock Rodagon

Nikon EL-Nikkor

Agfa Magnolar

Beseler Color Pro

Minolta CE Rokkor X

Rodenstock Rodagon WA

Rodenstock Eurygon

Schneider M-Componon

Rodenstock Apo Rodagon N f4.0 (Enlarging Lens)

Rodenstock Eurygon f4.0 (Enlarging Lens)

Rodenstock Rodagon f4.0 (Enlarging Lens)

Rodenstock Rodagon WA f4.0 (Enlarging Lens)

Schneider Apo-Digitar fixed f5.6 (Reproduction Lens)

Schneider Apo-Digitar fixed f6.7 (Reproduction Lens)

Schneider Componar f4.5 (Enlarging Lens)

Schneider Componar-S f5.6 (Enlarging Lens)

Schneider Componon f5.6 (Enlarging Lens)

Schneider Componon-S f4.0 (Enlarging Lens)

Schneider Componon-S f5.6 (Enlarging Lens)

Schneider Makro-Symmar f5.6 (Reproduction Lens)

Schneider M-Componon f4.0 (Macro Lens)

Tomioka E36C fixed aperture (Reproduction Lens)

Vega 30Y f4.0 (Enlarging Lens)

8. PZO Janpol Color K

8. Schneider Componon-S f5.6

9. Vega 30Y

9. PZO Emitar

9. Schneider Componon

10. Leica Milar

10. Leica Summar

10. Meopta Meogon

10. Schneider Componar

Click on images to enlarge

80mm Lens Shootout

Comparison of a range of 80mm lenses for use in coin photography

Click on images to enlarge

Group3:

Agfa Magnolar

Rodenstock Eurygon

Meopta Anaret

Nikon EL-Nikkor

Rodenstock Apo Rodagon N

Leica Photar

Olympus OM Zuiko

Meopta Anaret-S

6. Rodenstock Apo Rodagon N

6. Agfa Magnolar
6. Rodenstock Eurygon

6. Meopta Anaret

6. Nikon EL-Nikkor

6. Schneider Apo-Digitar f5.6

7. Beseler Color Pro

7. Minolta CE Rokkor X

7. Schneider M-Componon

7. Meopta Anaret-S

Center Crops (Lincoln's throat)

In order of decreasing sharpness by group

Group1:

Agfa Repromaster