Medium format 50mm lens; closeups

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NikonUser
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Medium format 50mm lens; closeups

Post by NikonUser »

Recently purchased, at a local auction for a very low price, a 50mm f2.8 Bronica Zenzanon-E lens for a 6x4.5cm medium format Bronica ETRSi.

This lens has a 62mm diam filter thread and is readily attached, reversed, to a Nikon bellows via a BR2A nikon mount and a 52-62mm ring.

At full bellows extension the FOV on a 23.6mm sensor is 4.1mm for a 5.76x magnification, WD=6cm (2.25").
At minimum bellows extension the FOV is 10mm for a 2.36x mag.

Top: left: full frame at max bellows, f/5.6, 48 frames @ 0.05mm, ZS PMax,
Top right: lens reversed on minimum bellows extension.
Bottom: crop.

Compares favourably with the Nikon 4x CF N Plan objective
HERE
Image
NU09248
Image
NU09249
NU.
student of entomology
Quote – Holmes on ‘Entomology’
” I suppose you are an entomologist ? “
” Not quite so ambitious as that, sir. I should like to put my eyes on the individual entitled to that name.
No man can be truly called an entomologist,
sir; the subject is too vast for any single human intelligence to grasp.”
Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr
The Poet at the Breakfast Table.

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Cactusdave
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Post by Cactusdave »

You are very lucky to have got this very high quality lens cheaply.
Leitz Ortholux 1, Zeiss standard, Nikon Diaphot inverted, Canon photographic gear

ChrisR
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Post by ChrisR »

Looks good enough to me, but the 4x is still better though isn't it? Looking eg between the eyes - unless the lighting's making a difference?

g4lab
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Post by g4lab »

Aren't Zenzanons and Bronicas, really Nikkors and Nikons???

dmillard
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Post by dmillard »

Congratulations NU,

It looks like you've found a sharp lens with a healthy working distance!

Regards,
David

ChrisR
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Post by ChrisR »

Weren't the later ones Tamron?
I had the dubious pleasure of doing medical photos with one of the ECTLs with Nikkor lenses and bellows. They were so sharp it wasn't an issue. We had newer cameras with Zenzanon lenses, and there were cerainly no "objective" complaints, but there will always be guys who love to say that anything new isn't as good..

NikonUser
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Joined: Thu Sep 04, 2008 2:03 am
Location: southern New Brunswick, Canada

Post by NikonUser »

Thanks everyone.
Chris: Lighting makes a huge difference but I think the 4x objective gave a better image.

However, there are lots of these large lenses on ebay for the Bronica 6x4.5. The Bronica system is somewhat archaic and the line was discontinued in 2004 . A professional system using film that did not keep up with the switch to digital.
Some are still expensive but there's currently the 75mm brother of the 50mm on ebay "Buy it Now" for $59.95.
HERE
On Nikon bellows this lens will give magnifications from 1.28-3.37x (on a 23.6mm sensor) and WDs of 3.5-4.5". Have not checked image quality yet (I bought a 75mm as well :D)
NU.
student of entomology
Quote – Holmes on ‘Entomology’
” I suppose you are an entomologist ? “
” Not quite so ambitious as that, sir. I should like to put my eyes on the individual entitled to that name.
No man can be truly called an entomologist,
sir; the subject is too vast for any single human intelligence to grasp.”
Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr
The Poet at the Breakfast Table.

Nikon camera, lenses and objectives
Olympus microscope and objectives

ChrisR
Site Admin
Posts: 8668
Joined: Sat Mar 14, 2009 3:58 am
Location: Near London, UK

Post by ChrisR »

However, there are lots of these large lenses on ebay for the Bronica 6x4.5
Aren't there!!
You can guess what I've been looking at for the last 10 minutes!
I'm thinking some would be very good for 24x36 sensors, for a very useful combination of WD and Mag.

And my old bellows has tilt and shift... :D

PaulFurman
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Post by PaulFurman »

Were you stopped down a little? Amazing such a big lens works on such tiny stuff!

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