A questrion on contrast?

[franka]

First post. Glad I found this site. It looks great! :hello:

I prefer color with high contrast in my photos. Generally, which lenses offer the most contrast? Leica or Ziess or CV? I am looking at the 28 and 50mm lengths in m lenses. Thanks, Frank

[Brian]

No one using modern glass to answer this? All I can speak to are the classic lenses from the 1930s through the 1950s. Zeiss traditionally went for higher contrast, while Leitz went for highly corrected images. In the 60s, Leitz started producing lenses with higher contradt at the expense of resolution. As of late, both companies seemed to go for highest possible resolution with higher contrast- and expense.

[Romeo]

imho it's a question looking for opinions. Here's mine :)

the microscopic attentiveness to detail in 35mm for things like 'bokeh', 'contrast', 'colour saturation', 'sharpness' and the stratospherically high prices for such minutiae of differences is a marvellous waste of energy once you step up to medium format. Now just think of how much greater that might be with large format! Going from CV-->Zeiss-->Leica is not enough of an order of change in final image quality and the rationale for doing so is really delusional when compared to changing from 35mm format --> Medium format --> Large format :)


ANYWAY.....Leica glass at full aperture shooting is often contrastier than Zeiss lenses (compare the Summilux 50mm f1.4 vs Zeiss Sonnar f1.5). However the Planar is better for contrast all round than the Summilux (not to mention, affordable).

The CV lenses are competent. Combined with a poor shooting technique, poor darkroom work, the images look truly Leica-esque!

For all round balance between sharpness, contrast, colour rendition, the Zeiss lenses offer the best broadsweeping solution as a winner. Either the 28mm f2.8 Biogon or the 50mm f2 Planar options would be cute options to the Voigtlander 28mm f2 or the 50mm f1.5. :)

[Amin Sabet]

I've been unbelievably busy between trying to find a new job and a new home, but things are moving along, so I can start to poke around the forums again :).

Haven't owned the Summicron, but the 2/50 Zeiss Planar is a high contrast lens, which I cannot fault in any way. I had a 50mm M-Hexanon which was similar but had a greater tendency to veiling glare. At 35mm, I have the CV 35/1.4 (multi-coated), which is lower contrast than the ZM 50/2 and I suspect lower contrast than the ZM 35/2.