Mamiya TLR 80mm Lenses (black)

[enrico__]

What are your personal opinions on the performance of the 8omm Black

lens for the Mamiya TLR's?

 

I am well aware of the informative sites (one in particular) that

outline much appreciated info on the cameras, but what Im looking for

is peoples personal opinions from using these.

 

Enrico.

[richard_laepple]

There are two lenses, a 3.7/80 and a 2.8/80. I do not make scientific tests, I only use my eyes watching images. I could not see any differences between the 2.8/80 and other lenses of this range on other cameras.

[rich_deferrari1]

Hi Enrico -I own 3 of these lenses and have always been extremely happy with all of them. I have shot many a wedding/prom/event with them . They are nice and sharp with good color contrast. They are good picture takers. These days I use my blads more {interchangeable backs/brighter screens} but I always have a c330/80mm in my car as an extra backup. Enjoy -they are good picture takers! Best regards -RichD

[mag_miksch]

what I know there are 2 versions of the 2,8/80, older and newer one, with a different optical formula or differences in coating, maybe the newer one is called "super". I own the older one and its a great performer, maybe you have to care about flares etc. as its only single coated but alltogether I?m very satisfied.

[lee_shively]

I really don't have anything for direct comparison but the 80/2.8 seems quite good. The closest comparison I have is the 75/2.8 for the Pentax 645. The Pentax lens is outstanding in sharpness and contrast. The Mamiya lens may have less contrast overall but it's still snappy enough. I haven't run any tests on either lens, I'm only comparing results from black and white photographs I've made.

[pavelp]

I have 80/2.8S as my normal lens (that's the newest version of 80mm) but I used the other 80/2.8 too. I cannot see any difference in pictures. The coating is different (yellow on 80/2.8 and purple on 80/2.8S) but both lenses flare badly when turned into Sun and both are contrasty enough to focus otherwise. I keep the 80/2.8S because it's newer (so the shutter should last longer, theoretically).

 

As for performance, 80/2.8 (any version) is kinda like 50mm lens in 35mm. Basic lens, no surprises, the brightest lens from the line-up, sharp and contrasty. I think any manufacturer is aware that many users will judge the system by the performance of the basic lens so they better make sure that the basic lens is a stellar performer (and they usually are).

 

Oh, there's one more thing: the 'S' version has a front element element that is very easy to unscrew. This is quite annoying when your hood "bites" into the thread and instead of unscrewing the hood you keep unscrewing the front element (I had a case when I had to use Dremel to remove plastic/rubber hood from the lens). Maybe avoiding hoods with plastic threads would be a solution for this problem.

 

I had no chance to use 80/f3.7 but it's marketed as an 'economy' version of 80/2.8 so it's unlikely that it will be any better than 2.8 lenses.

 

The alternatives to 80mm are 65mm and 105mm. 65mm is a great lens for candids (wideish, reasonable DOF, still pretty bright (f/3.5) and short belows draw). 105mm/f3.5 comes in two optical formulations, plain 105 and 105D (or later DS). 'D' versions are supposed to be better (DS also has DOF preview and selftimer). It is fantastic lens for group portraits but unfortunatelly it has long belows draw so it makes the camera little unstable when used handheld.

 

Then we have the 55mm lens... ok, ok, I'll stop now...

[graham_patterson1]

It's a typical 1970's lens. Better than the yashinon on my YashicaMat which needs f8 or f11 for optimum use. The Mamiya lens gets into it's stride around f5.6 and is more even over the range. The 75mm on my M6 has excellent micro-contrast that makes it seem sharper from f4, but it is mostly an acutance effect. That's a 1980's lens with later coating.

 

You can tell the difference in the coating efficiency from the lens hoods. The TLR had nice deep hoods as standard. The M6 comes with rings that just about keep your fingers off the lens - obviously flare wasn't a big concern. 8-)

 

All this assumes that the lenses are in good order. The TLR kit is likely 20 years old by now.

 

I suppose if I have an idle moment I could do some comparisons but I doubt it would prove anything beyond how much people like controversy!

[picturesque]

I have two 80mm black S lenses, and my experience mirrors Pavel's. I do think, though, that they have a little more flare-resistance, color and contrast than the older lenses (black, but yellow coating)--I don't have the 80mm older lens, but I do have the 105mm and one 55mm older lenes. I have the newer (purplish coating) 55mm, 65mm, and 135mm lenses, although their coatings don't appear to be anywhere as "purple" as the 80mm S.

 

Mechanically, I had one whose shutter blade came unhinged and in the other one's shutter, I got an intermittent "flutter" where it would shudder mid-opening and I'd end up with longer exposures than I set on the shutter ring. It resulted in a very odd looking photo where the middle might be blurry due to motion (I photograph people, mostly) and the edges would be sharp. But then I literally beat these two lenses close to death, no doubt, because I used them constantly every weekend shooting weddings for more than 15 years. Even with shutter overhauls and maintenance, that could take a toll on a lens.

[dave_leonard]

I remember reading somewhere on Mamiya's forum that the old chrome shutter lenses and newer regular black shutter lenses were optically identical. The black shuttered ones with the letter S on them are multi-coated and should be better at flare control. All others are single coated. I have the older chrome one and love it. It outperforms the Yashica 124G that I used to have as well as the uncoated Tessar in an old Rolliflex I had. When comparing it to a coated 80mm f=2.8 Tessar I have in my Century Graphic, the subjects have what I call a "creamier" look to them and seem to want to jump off the picture in a more 3-D fashion. I like the effect. It's not dramatically different, but it's noticable.

 

Dave

[enrico__]

Thanks to you all for contributing your experiences!