Landscape Performance of Nikkor 28/2.8 AI-S vs. Contax Carl Zeiss 28/2.8 MMJ Distagon Photo Gallery by Tim Swensen at pbase.com

Landscape Performance of Nikkor 28/2.8 AI-S vs. Contax Carl Zeiss 28/2.8 MMJ Distagon

Landscape test shots were performed on a Canon 5D, with tripod, mirror lock-up and timer release.
Images were shot in RAW and converted to JPG using DPP 3.5.2.0 in Standard picture style with
default parameters (sharpening=3).

Please view "original" size images, since the other sizes are unnecessarily soft.

IMG_9021_NK28_2p8_at2p8.JPG	IMG_9039_CZ28_2p8_at2p8.JPG
IMG_9020_NK28_2p8_at4.JPG	IMG_9038_CZ28_2p8_at4.JPG
IMG_9019_NK28_2p8_at5p6.JPG	IMG_9037_CZ28_2p8_at5p6.JPG
IMG_9018_NK28_2p8_at8.JPG	IMG_9036_CZ28_2p8_at8.JPG
IMG_9017_NK28_2p8_at11.JPG	IMG_9035_CZ28_2p8_at11.JPG
IMG_9016_NK28_2p8_at16.JPG	IMG_9034_CZ28_2p8_at16.JPG
IMG_9015_NK28_2p8_at22.JPG	IMG_9033_CZ28_2p8_at22.JPG
IMG_9018_NK_COLORTEST_1050x700	IMG_9036_CZ_COLORTEST_1050x700

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catchup		25-Dec-2009 01:30
I also suspected the lens at first. So I tested it on 2 Nikon bodies, D70 and D40x. On these DX bodies, the corner to corner IQ delivered by this lens is almost flawless even wide open. And the level of blurring is different depends on different adaptors made in China. I used a 450D to test, with LV focus, tripod, shutter release and mirror lock,. So I think the result is reliable. Here is Lloyd Chambers's opinion: http://diglloyd.com/alc/lenses-LensAdapters.html "And uniform thickness of the mount to within a few microns is ultra important with wide angle lenses, where the slightest deviation will blur one side of the image. " Now I tend to agree with him :(

Tim Swensen		25-Dec-2009 00:51
Blurring on one side of the image can also be caused by misalignment of the elements within the lens. If is happening on multiple adapters, but doesn't happen with other lenses (not a crooked mount) I would think the lens itself is the problem. I had a 17-40L with that problem to some degree.

catchup		24-Dec-2009 03:12
Thanks a lot for your reply! I wasn't as lucky as you in getting an usable cheap adaptor. My cheap and not so cheap ones all caused blurring of half image. I wonder whether the unclearness of right edge of your image was cause by the adaptor or not. My test results using a bad adaptor were much worse and more obvious. One of my cheap ones also goes beyond the infinity focus point. It focused to infinity when the ring showed 2m:( It seems ultimately we have to choose Novoflex and Kindai which are almost as expensive as the lens itself, or a second hand Nikon body :)

Tim Swensen		22-Dec-2009 09:31
In this test I used a very cheap adapter, probably made in China. The difficulty is that the adapter is too thin, so it goes beyond the true infinity focus point. I just had to turn the focus ring back and take multiple images to bracket the focus. Since that time, I purchased a Novoflex adapter, which is exactly the correct thickness. Other people have had good success with Kindai (Cameraquest, in the USA) adapters.

catchup		15-Dec-2009 04:54
Dear Mr.Swensen Thank you for your strict test. I bought an used AIS 28/2.8 in great condition after watching your post. It delivers excellent IQ on Nikon's bodys. Just like you, I wanna use it on a Canon body. But it seems very difficult to find a decent Adaptor. I tried 5 different ones made in China. All caused obvious lower IQ. Could you pls tell me what kind of Adaptor do you use? Otherwise my 28/2.8 could only be lying in my drying box sadly since I don't have a Nikon body. Many thanks to you:)

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