P3D Re: S1 sharpness - WOW!!!

[Greg Erker <erker@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

>Regardless, I am convinced that the RBT S1's 7-element Konica
>Hexar lenses are the sharpest lenses ever put on a stereo
>camera.

  The Hexar is well respected for
it's lens (and user control options).
The Pentax Limited 43mm f1.9 lenses
(that Jon mentioned were available
for the K-mount RBT cameras) could
give the Hexar a run for the money.

  One member of the Pentax mailing
list wrote:
    "The Limited lens resolution,
    contrast and three dimensionality
    has to be seen to be believed. It
    reaches this astonishing quality at
    mid apertures. Its not particularly
    good wide open but from F:4 to F:11
    the lens is certainly among the best
    ever made. No wonder Amateur Photographer
    magazine use it as their new refernce. Its
    hard to admit but the sharpness of this
    lens really make Pentax 35mm system
    dangerously close to the quality obtainable
    with the 645 system. The medium format
    still has the edge regarding tonality and
    gradation but in pure sharpness the 43mm is
    very close."

  Another Pentax mailing list member
is a Nikon shooting pro, but he bought
a Pentax camera body just to be able to
use the 43/1.9 lens. Here is what he
wrote:
    "My conclusion: The 43/1.9 is an
     outstanding lens. The sharpness and
     the flare-free performance really amaze
     me, even until now. But there has never
     been any lens that can do everything
     perfectly. Perfection comes from us who
     use the lens."*

  So if I had the money and were going
for a stereo SLR these would be the lenses
for me. And the S1 for my Point & Shooting.

Regards - Greg E.

Medium format stereo and more:
http://www.angelfire.com/ca/erker


* he is not a native english speaker so
his grammer isn't perfect but I think
what he's trying to say is clear. His
last sentence is very wise. Even with a
perfect camera/lens you can still take
boring uninteresting photos. It's up
to the brain behind the camera to make
a photo that works.