The 55mm/f2.8 Macro has a soft glow wide open, stopped down it is tack sharp. +++ It has the biggest and roundest bokeh balls I've ever seen, one ball can fill the frame. Magic.
Great video, well done! I've tested a couple of Yashicas myself and they can be a good choice for a budget set, but I personally have other favourites.
Nice video, my thoughts are that the 85mm - 100mm were considered specific portrait lenses and demand for that focal range was limited so manufactures avoided the cost of developing that focal length. You'll find that most tier 2 length manufacturer didn't do portrait focal lengths.
Great test. I got the 50mm f1.7 (I don't think you tested it) and I love this lens. Also the 28mm and a 75-150 f4 which is really nice as well. Wanna get the 35mm at some point. Btw, there was just something about that 24mm I just loved in the test... idk what but I really dig the look. Too expensive tho considering the 28mm is also good and so close
A few minor points, the ML lenses are equivalent to the Zeiss AE lenses, you can get ninja start bokeh from some of them. The difference between the Zeiss AE and MM lenses is that the MM lenses supported setting the aperture value from the camera body to support shutter speed priority and program modes on later Contax camera bodies. The green minimum aperture value is indicative of this support, so far as I am aware the ML lenses do not support this, although I have seen a Yashica zoom with a Green minimum aperture!. Not all Zeiss AE lens have ninja star bokeh, only some of them. There are different versions of some of the ML lenses, you appear to have the later C (Compact) models of the telephotos. There is also an F3.5 version of the 100mm Macro which is supposed to be better.
As you can see a couple have very very slight ninja, not really noticeable if you don't look, it's far more pronounced on the zeiss. But yes, you are right.
@@FosterMedia Some of the ML zooms do it too, I don't have all of the ML lenses, if they are like the Zeiss AE lenses it seems to be more common on the ones with wider front elements.
Interesting video! I had my first 35mm Yashica FX3 Super from my stepdad back in the 1990's. Still have & use it now with ML28, ML50/1.9 (had all the 50's at some point) & the ML135. Obviously adapted to Sony A7 when I want to shoot digital & film & don't want to carry the film stuff plus Voigtlander/GM lenses!
Thanks for the nice introduction of those lenses. I found the 35mm and the 50mm in my dads basement. So I guess that’s the beginning of my Yashica lens set. 😅 Which Adapters and focus rings did you use? And did you ever check the lens set for radioactivity? All the best from Germany …
Very nice full review 🤩it makes me want to make a set of Yashica lenses. Do u Know or do u have Rolleinar mc lenses, they are cheap alternative too of Contax Zeiss but nobody talk about them...
@@FosterMedia Some of the rolleinar mc lenses come from Japan (Mamiya), but also from Singapore or Germany (Rollei) and all HFT versions from Mamiya, Kiron, Tokina and Sigma. If you like Tomioka Lenses, I really love the Auto-sears (not the MCs), i just cienamod the 28, 50 and 135mm 😍.
@@FosterMedia Tomioka foundry made glass for a number of brands (Zeiss, Yashica, Chinon, Sears etc), as far as I know, they sent the glass to Zeiss who made the early Rollei (Distagons, Planars, Ultrons) lenses which were sold as Rollei, Rollei moved their production to Singapore and started making the 50mm f1.8. Rollei were essentially a German camera company with a good pedigree, and licence produced Zeiss designed lenses. I have a set of Rollei lenses, 28mm f2 "Hollywood", Rollei 35mm f2.8 Distagon, 50mm f1.4 Ultron and the 85mm f1.4 Opton.
I just took the 28,35,50 f1.4 and the 135mm because of you 😊 what is the best yashica ml wide lens for you? I will take the 200mm later to complete my set.
The 55mm/f2.8 Macro has a soft glow wide open, stopped down it is tack sharp. +++ It has the biggest and roundest bokeh balls I've ever seen, one ball can fill the frame. Magic.
@@hermannmaier yeah I'm still in search of one.
Great video, well done! I've tested a couple of Yashicas myself and they can be a good choice for a budget set, but I personally have other favourites.
Thanks, glad you enjoyed it. What's your go too?
@@FosterMedia The Asahi Pentax-M line, it strikes the right balance of image quality/character and handling
@@MarcoAries whats the flange distance?
@@FosterMedia it's 45,46mm for the Pentax K mount
nice, always love when longer than EF @44mm
Nice video, my thoughts are that the 85mm - 100mm were considered specific portrait lenses and demand for that focal range was limited so manufactures avoided the cost of developing that focal length. You'll find that most tier 2 length manufacturer didn't do portrait focal lengths.
Wow man, best video test ever. Searching for this
Thankyou.
Great test. I got the 50mm f1.7 (I don't think you tested it) and I love this lens. Also the 28mm and a 75-150 f4 which is really nice as well. Wanna get the 35mm at some point. Btw, there was just something about that 24mm I just loved in the test... idk what but I really dig the look. Too expensive tho considering the 28mm is also good and so close
Very interesting history part
There's also a 55mm 2.8f macro lens. It's amazing
A few minor points, the ML lenses are equivalent to the Zeiss AE lenses, you can get ninja start bokeh from some of them. The difference between the Zeiss AE and MM lenses is that the MM lenses supported setting the aperture value from the camera body to support shutter speed priority and program modes on later Contax camera bodies. The green minimum aperture value is indicative of this support, so far as I am aware the ML lenses do not support this, although I have seen a Yashica zoom with a Green minimum aperture!. Not all Zeiss AE lens have ninja star bokeh, only some of them. There are different versions of some of the ML lenses, you appear to have the later C (Compact) models of the telephotos. There is also an F3.5 version of the 100mm Macro which is supposed to be better.
As you can see a couple have very very slight ninja, not really noticeable if you don't look, it's far more pronounced on the zeiss. But yes, you are right.
@@FosterMedia Some of the ML zooms do it too, I don't have all of the ML lenses, if they are like the Zeiss AE lenses it seems to be more common on the ones with wider front elements.
Interesting video! I had my first 35mm Yashica FX3 Super from my stepdad back in the 1990's. Still have & use it now with ML28, ML50/1.9 (had all the 50's at some point) & the ML135. Obviously adapted to Sony A7 when I want to shoot digital & film & don't want to carry the film stuff plus Voigtlander/GM lenses!
hello z cam fam 😃
i heard about the yashica 50mm f1.7 from a couple of people recently, searched on youtube and stumbled upon your video.
the 28mm its really easy to clean, i just remove the fungus from my copy, give it a try
good video!
Thanks for the nice introduction of those lenses. I found the 35mm and the 50mm in my dads basement. So I guess that’s the beginning of my Yashica lens set. 😅 Which Adapters and focus rings did you use? And did you ever check the lens set for radioactivity? All the best from Germany …
Very nice full review 🤩it makes me want to make a set of Yashica lenses. Do u Know or do u have Rolleinar mc lenses, they are cheap alternative too of Contax Zeiss but nobody talk about them...
Thanks man, no i havent. a quick google image search makes me wonder if they also came out of the Tomioka factory.🧐🤔
@@FosterMedia Some of the rolleinar mc lenses come from Japan (Mamiya), but also from Singapore or Germany (Rollei) and all HFT versions from Mamiya, Kiron, Tokina and Sigma. If you like Tomioka Lenses, I really love the Auto-sears (not the MCs), i just cienamod the 28, 50 and 135mm 😍.
@@FosterMedia Tomioka foundry made glass for a number of brands (Zeiss, Yashica, Chinon, Sears etc), as far as I know, they sent the glass to Zeiss who made the early Rollei (Distagons, Planars, Ultrons) lenses which were sold as Rollei, Rollei moved their production to Singapore and started making the 50mm f1.8. Rollei were essentially a German camera company with a good pedigree, and licence produced Zeiss designed lenses. I have a set of Rollei lenses, 28mm f2 "Hollywood", Rollei 35mm f2.8 Distagon, 50mm f1.4 Ultron and the 85mm f1.4 Opton.
I just took the 28,35,50 f1.4 and the 135mm because of you 😊 what is the best yashica ml wide lens for you? I will take the 200mm later to complete my set.
@@FosterMedia Nope the Ro's were mostly made in Singapore. Though some early ones were made by Zeiss in Germany.
where did you get your step up rings and focus gears?
The 85 is a zoom 28-85 its a great lens