Beer Bottle Bokeh and Other Optical Phenomenon

March 20th, 2008

Zeiss ZM Biogon 35mm F2 versus Cosina Voigtlander Notkon Classic 35mm F1.4


Biogon @ F2

Biogon @ F2.8

Biogon @ F4

CV 35 1.4 SC @ 1.4

CV 35 1.4 SC @ 2

CV 35 1.4 SC @ 2.8

CV 35 1.4 SC @ 4

A few crops from the center. No sharpening applied.


Biogon @ F2

Biogon @ F2.8

Biogon @ F4

CV 35 1.4 SC @ 1.4

CV 35 1.4 SC @ 2

CV 35 1.4 SC @ 2.8

CV 35 1.4 SC @ 4

Methodology

  1. Drink beer
  2. Arrange bottles in triangle like shape
  3. Find tripod
  4. Set up tripod approximately 1 meter from foremost bottle
  5. Click button, manipulate aperture
  6. Switch lenses, lather, rinse, repeat

Conclusions

  • The Biogon is nearly free from distortion.
  • The CV is not.
  • Focus drift, at least at this distance, doesn’t seem to be problem for either lens.
  • Neither of these lenses gets that much sharper as you stop down - at least not at this distance - so you might as well shoot wide open.
  • I’d rather drink beer than test lenses, and that’s the only one of these conclusions that I’d fight over.

See another comparison here: CV SC versus Lux Asp versus UC Hexanon

Posted by matt Filed in Optics, Photos, ZM BIOGON 35 F2, CV 35 F1.4 SC

5 Responses to “Beer Bottle Bokeh and Other Optical Phenomenon”

  1. akikana Says:
    March 20th, 2008

    Surely the brand of beer impacts the results…? A few bottles of Sapporo Black Star would have complimented the optics of the Cosina much better.

  2. matt Says:
    March 20th, 2008

    ‘Sapporo Black Star ‘

    That’s a bit hard to come by around here, but it raises the question, does German beer go with a Zeiss lens? Or should it be Japanese since Cosina actually makes the lens. Or should it be a German beer brewed under license in Japan. Questions that can only be answered by drinking more beer.

  3. Bob Koller Says:
    March 20th, 2008

    Well Matt, you put a lot of work and patience into the tests. Bottom line: Do youhave a favorite? Are you keeping both lenses? Best regards.

  4. Alcohol Posts » Beer Bottle Bokeh and Other Optical Phenomenon Says:
    March 21st, 2008

    […] matt wrote a fantastic post today on “Beer Bottle Bokeh and Other Optical Phenomenon”Here’s ONLY a quick extractMethodology. Drink beer; Arrange bottles in triangle like shape; Find tripod; Set up tripod approximately 1 meter from foremost bottle; Click button, manipulate aperture; Switch lenses, lather, rinse, repeat … […]

  5. matt Says:
    March 21st, 2008

    Bob, I’ll be keeping both for the time being. They do different things, so I can see a place for both of them.

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