Adox Film Test / need suggestion on an ultra sharp lens

[Achim Reh]

I brought some Adox CMS 20 ISO film home form my last trip. This is suppose to be the world highest resolution B&W film , with 800 LP/mm . At least that what they claim. Adox Film Chemistry is based on the developments of Mr. Detlef Ludwig and Dr. Heribert Schain ( some 15 Years ago). At this time, these Gentlemen claimed a maximal resolution of 600 lp/mm . Well, maybe Adox managed to improve it, but even if not , reaching a resolution somewhere between 600 and 800 lp/mm is around 10 times more than a Kodak Tmax. This would give you a similar resolution and grain of a 6X9 Medium format camera on normal 24mmX36mm negative.
Of course, if you want to make use of this resolution, you have to have the suitable equipment.
First of all, I decided to use a rangefinder camera instead of a SLR . Reason for this is clear . RF lenses are constructed without bulky retrofocus design, resulting is significant advantages in optical quality of wide angle – normal lenses at full-medium apertures.
So, I will use my Voigtlander R4M, probably with a Gitzo 3 series tripod. The only thing better would be to bolt the camera to a 1qm concrete block.
For the lens , I have currently a Voigtlander Color Skopar 21, a Voigtlander Nokton 40mm and a Zeiss Planar 50mm available. Unfortunately, Voigtlander refuses to give information about lp/mm, also my experience with this 2 lenses regarding sharpness is very good. Zeiss claims about 400 lp/mm minimum , that would not make full use of the film resolution, but Zeiss measurements relate to performance at a high contrast as far as I know, so actual results might be even a bit better.

I have not heard of any manufacturer today, who claims 800 lp/mm or better , but maybe some of my fellow CS's have.

So, please , give me some suggestion on really sharp lenses , with or adaptable to Leica M mount.

 

[LKSC]

From what I understand, Leica's sharpest lens is the 90 Cron AA.

As for the Adox CMS20, some years ago I shot a few rolls with a 90mm Macro Elmar M, not controlled tests but just ordinary handheld photography. A drum scan or 16X loupe is needed to see what the film is capable of. I had some scanned on a Imacon 949, but it was not sharp enough to resolve the film grain.

Detail at 5000dpi

 

[raytoei]

lksc: :0 !!!

i think if i have this cms film and lens, i would want to do a hiomi tsuchida's counting sand image...
like this http://i82.servimg.com/u/f82/11/82/45/54/photoq10.jpg

actually the highest resolution (i didn't say sharp) lens in Leica's arsenal is
the Summicron DR 50mm lens. This is an old lens,

"A 50 DR had the honor of having the highest resolution ever tested by
the now sorely missed American photography magazine, Modern
Photography, at over 100 lines per mm. "

http://www.cameraquest.com/m50dr.htm

here's a comparison tests between crons: http://photo.net/leica-rangefinders-forum/00YMMx

 

[anerjee]

I think the Zeiss 25mm biogon is the sharpest in the ZM lens line-up. I read somewhere that this lens is touted by zeiss as the sharpest 35mm lens they have ever made.

I brought some Adox CMS 20 ISO film home form my last trip. This is suppose to be the world highest resolution B&W film , with 800 LP/mm . At least that what they claim. Adox Film Chemistry is based on the developments of Mr. Detlef Ludwig and Dr. Heribert Schain ( some 15 Years ago). At this time, these Gentlemen claimed a maximal resolution of 600 lp/mm . Well, maybe Adox managed to improve it, but even if not , reaching a resolution somewhere between 600 and 800 lp/mm is around 10 times more than a Kodak Tmax. This would give you a similar resolution and grain of a 6X9 Medium format camera on normal 24mmX36mm negative.
Of course, if you want to make use of this resolution, you have to have the suitable equipment.
First of all, I decided to use a rangefinder camera instead of a SLR . Reason for this is clear . RF lenses are constructed without bulky retrofocus design, resulting is significant advantages in optical quality of wide angle – normal lenses at full-medium apertures.
So, I will use my Voigtlander R4M, probably with a Gitzo 3 series tripod. The only thing better would be to bolt the camera to a 1qm concrete block.
For the lens , I have currently a Voigtlander Color Skopar 21, a Voigtlander Nokton 40mm and a Zeiss Planar 50mm available. Unfortunately, Voigtlander refuses to give information about lp/mm, also my experience with this 2 lenses regarding sharpness is very good. Zeiss claims about 400 lp/mm minimum , that would not make full use of the film resolution, but Zeiss measurements relate to performance at a high contrast as far as I know, so actual results might be even a bit better.

I have not heard of any manufacturer today, who claims 800 lp/mm or better , but maybe some of my fellow CS's have.

So, please , give me some suggestion on really sharp lenses , with or adaptable to Leica M mount.

 

[Achim Reh]

many thanks for all the recommendation . Will post again when I have some results

 

[zixaw]

The current 50 Summicron is also extremely sharp.

 

[Marklimmy]

Have done lens-to-lens comparison between Zeiss 25/2.8, 28/2.8 as well as Leica ASPH version of 28mm Elmarit. Leica Elmarit 28mm is sharpest at the corner compared to the rest. Middle portion all the lenses stated here are similar. Was quite impressed with the 28mm Elmarit as I thought Zeiss 25mm will be the sharpest given all the wonderful reviews. The truth is Elmarit is sharper in the test photos (night shots with same picture, M9 mounted on tripod).

This could be a biased review as I am not a pro and none of the lenses are calibrated by pro - all bought brand new from stores and tested without any calibration. Shots are done wide open and focused at infinity, using F5.6 and F8.

The 28mm Elmarit has a similar sharpness as the 35mm Summicron ASPH.

I think the Zeiss 25mm biogon is the sharpest in the ZM lens line-up. I read somewhere that this lens is touted by zeiss as the sharpest 35mm lens they have ever made.

 

[Royale With Cheese]

All lenses are sharp at F8............

 

[Achim Reh]

well, I would say, you are partly right. All lenses are sharp at F8, but some are sharper. Also, all lenses have a sweet spot , means, where ( at which aperture) they reach the highest optical performance. This is different for every lens, but its mostly somewhere around the middle of the aperture scale. Again, this is a balance. If you close the aperture too much, the light will be bent to much, the angle will get too sharp , which results in lower optical performance, if you open too much, the tolerance in distance to your film base plays a roll, as well as the fine adjustment of the elements towards each other ( + more ....do not want to get too much into details here) . And, even lenses of the same type/brand can perform differently, due to tolerances in manufacturing. Thats why companies like Zeiss or Schneider still do custom fitting/adjustment on special requirement. The result of this is an optical performance far beyond a standard prime lens. I was lucky to join some of Mr. Ludwig's talks on this, many years back in Germany. He showed examples of custom adjusted lenses by the above named companies, that reached an resolution of over 1000 lp/mm . Unfortunately, normal photographers will never have the pleasure to use such lenses :-( .

 

[paapoopa]

so how do we actually find out what is the sweet spot of a particular lens?

 

[raytoei]

paapoopa: by right supposed to do lens test at all aperture, by left, stop down 2 stops from widest (eg. f2.8 lens + 2 stops = f5.6) or for 35mm around 5.6 or f8.

 

[anerjee]

subscribe to Sean Reid's site. He does lens testing so thoroughly, it will make you weep.

so how do we actually find out what is the sweet spot of a particular lens?

 

[artspraken]

lksc: :0 !!!
actually the highest resolution (i didn't say sharp) lens in Leica's arsenal is
the Summicron DR 50mm lens.

I believe this is now outdated. That test was conducted before 50 Lux ASPH.

 

[Achim Reh]

Found this comment on the Zeiss Makro Planar:
Objects of 4 millimeter in size (approximately 1/6 of an inch) have been imaged from almost 400 meters distance (more than 1.000 feet) with a 100 mm Carl Zeiss Makro-Planar lens at f/5.6 and a Contax RTS III 35 mm SLR camera featuring the unique Contax vacuum pressure plate

Unfortunately, I sold my RTS III several years ago..damn.