Re: Re: [Rollei] MX EVS Type 2

[ShadCat11]

In a message dated 02/14/2002 6:45:45 AM, you wrote:

<<My first Rolleiflex was a MX-EVS (type 1). I loved it, and still do, and 

with it my interest in collecting Rollei TLR's started. It has the Tessar 

lens, and it's so sharp that I often use it instead of the F cameras with 

Planar. I find the sharpest aperture on the Tessar to be around 8-11, and 

5,6 with the six element 3,5 Planar. There IS a difference between shots 

taken with the Tessar and the Planar, but it's hard to say exactly what it 

is. Maybe the Tessar is little more contrastier?>>

My experience with an MX-EVS (type 1) Xenar is similar, with excellent 
contrast and good enough sharpness to compare favorably to my 3.5F w/Planar.
The main differences seem to be at the wider apertures, where the Planar is 
centrally sharp to wide open, although the edges don't really "bite" until 
f8.  I have never been sure if this is an individual variation or 
characteristic of the earlier 5 element version.  Some time ago I observed 
identical results with an f3.5 Xenotar.  

Over years I have owned several Xenars and Tessars and found them equal in 
imaging qualities, although with slight sample variations.  My impression, 
with no scientific basis whatever, is that the best of them were late 1930s 
Tessars and mid-50s Xenars.  I don't have enough experience with any version 
f2.8 to have an opinion of their performance, although a Xenotar I owned 
briefly was decent enough.  
 

<<The brighter viewing screen in the F cameras are good, but when on sunny 

days they reflect lots of light making it harder to focus. The darker screen 

in the MX-EVS has never been a problem for me. It's fine grained and easy to 

focus on.

>>

That is my opinion, too.    

Allen Zak

------------------------------