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Re: [OM] Heliar (Was: 50mm 1.8 (Re: Hoarding & Varimagni))

Subject: Re: [OM] Heliar (Was: 50mm 1.8 (Re: Hoarding & Varimagni))
From: Dawid Loubser <dawidl@xxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Mon, 24 Jan 2011 12:48:30 +0200
Hi Chris -

Well, since everybody discusses everything else under the sun on this  
here
general-aholics mailing list, we may as well discuss other lenses.  
It's more
on-topic than many other discussion of late!

I think that both the Sonnar, and the Heliar, are connoisseurs'  
lenses, very
different to your typical "clinical" 6-element 50mm lenses of moderate  
aperture.

I must admit, I am seriously thinking of one day adding a Sonnar  
(optimised for
f/1.5 usage) to compliment my Heliar, and you may wish to do the  
reverse some time!

Regarding OOF rendering, the Heliar, like any other lens on this  
planet, can be coaxed
to look smooth OR harsh, but in ALL cases in comparison to a plasmat  
50mm (I know, I have
shot so many different types for different systems over the years) it  
really is much
smoother, demonstrably so. The Heliar (dynar) design is known for this.

Take this shot, for example:
http://fc09.deviantart.net/fs71/f/2010/300/3/b/roderick_by_philosomatographer-d31ntqv.jpg

On almost any other 50 (especially a fast 50mm) the bright office  
lights on the right will
certainly have been rendered as oblique blobs with harsh outlines. The  
Heliar makes the
entire background, though discernable, disappear in a soft wash of  
subtlety (And subtle it
is, because f/3.5 is very small for a max. aperture).

Image quality is extraordinary, the Heliar will eat a Summicron or  
Planar for breakfast
at f/3.5 across the frame (it resolves > 100lp/mm *on film* in the  
very furthest corners
at that aperture).

Try it, you'll like it. The ergonomics are poor compared to your Zeiss  
though. And
your Zeiss is extraordinary from f/4-f/5.6 and smaller (it's actually  
better than the
Summilux 50 ASPH at those apertures, as per online tests I've viewed),  
so I'm not
sure you'll see a real difference.

Dawid



On 24 Jan 2011, at 10:46 AM, Chris Crawford wrote:

> Since we're talking Leicas, lol, I have not tried the Heliar but the  
> bokeh
> always seemed harsh on the examples I have seen online. Your first  
> shot
> isn't bad though, and the second does look incredibly sharp. My  
> current
> favorite 50 is the ZM 50/1.5 C-Sonnar. It has a nice rendering for  
> portraits
> and is very sharp at the apertures I shoot it at. Mine's optimized  
> for focus
> accuracy at f2.8 and below, so I have never used it at f2 or 1.5  
> except a
> couple tests to confirm the existence of the focus shift that  
> Sonnars have.
> I rarely need a 50 open larger than f4 anyway, and I like the Sonnar's
> rendering. Would kind of like to try the Heliar though!
>
> Here's some Sonnar shots:
>
> http://tinyurl.com/macksonnar
>
> Portraits of my son, shot at f4.
>
>
> -- 
> Chris Crawford
> Fine Art Photography
> Fort Wayne, Indiana
> 260-486-2581
>
> http://www.chriscrawfordphoto.com  My portfolio
>
> http://blog.chriscrawfordphoto.com  My latest work!
>
> http://www.facebook.com/pages/Christopher-Crawford/48229272798
> Become a fan on Facebook
>
>
>
> On 1/24/11 3:34 AM, "Dawid Loubser" <dawidl@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>
>> I absolutely love printing negatives taken with the 50mm Heliar f/ 
>> 3.5 -
>> I printed these two this week-end. Both shot wide open. All
>> aspects of image quality is extraordinary with this lens - I don't
>> think I can go back to using plasmat-design 50mm lenses anymore,
>> it's just not the same...
>>
>> "Cowboy Passenger"
>> http://fc08.deviantart.net/fs70/f/2011/023/d/4/cowboy_passenger_by_philosomato
>> grapher-d37vorl.jpg
>> (guess focus at min. focus distance, not a sharp image)
>>
>> "Flowers, Lines and Curves"
>> http://fc05.deviantart.net/fs70/f/2011/023/5/d/flowers__lines_and_curves_by_ph
>> ilosomatographer-d37vq00.jpg
>> (...on the other hand, the lens completely out-resolved the film
>> across the frame in the in-focus area,
>> wonderful to see on a large print)
>>
>>
>> I am not sure I ever want another RF 50mm lens - perhaps a fast one
>> with character for when the light
>> is really low (e.g. 1.5/50mm Sonnar) but otherwise, this lens is
>> perfection. Tiny perfection.
>>
>> Dawid
>>
>>
>> On 21 Jan 2011, at 7:49 PM, Carlos J. Santisteban wrote:
>>
>>> It goes without saying, a Tessar (and surely a Heliar too) with  
>>> modern
>>> coatings is *extremely* flare resistant...
>
>
> -- 
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