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Field shot aperture series crops—120/4
Introduction
The resolution chart page is predictive of what me might see on a flat (planar) outdoor subject for the Hartblei 120/4. This page confirms those findings.
Images taken on the 24.4MP Nikon D3x.
The image shown here was at the full 10mm of shift, but in the short-axis. Performance along the long axis can be expected to be reasonably similar, based on the results seen on the resolution chart page.
A Picture Control Contrast = +1 setting was used in Nikon Capture NX2 to compensate for the low contrast lighting. White balance was set to Cloudy.
Crops
Center
Contrast is low wide open, improves at f/5.6, and peaks at f/8. A bit disappointing, but in line with the MTF graph, which indicates consistent contrast across the frame, but not necessarily high contrast.
Mid area
These crops are at the top edge of the shifted frame, outside the unshifted 35mm frame.
Results remain soft until f/8, with f/11 required for convincing results.
Top left
At the extreme top left shifted corner, results are acceptable at all apertures, but f/8 is required for convincing sharpness, with f/11 improving things a bit further.
Conclusions
The same results seen on the resolution chart are present at near-infinity focus: consistent results across the frame, low in contrast, improving nicely at f/8, and showing overall optimal results at f/11.
The distortion-free results are a huge plus of the Hartblei 120/4.
Vignetting is very low, but largely irrelevant since f/8 or f/11 are the apertures that will prove most satisfying.