Bronica Nikkor Lens Resolution Tests

These Bronica Lens resolution tests are provided courtesy of Sam Sherman from a report in Modern Photography dated November 1965 (p.82).

These lens tests results are for the earliest nikkor optics (e.g., the early 50mm f/3.5 lens). Only doing your own lens testing will provide data that applies to your specific lens, and how and where it performs best. But these nikkors follow the expected pattern of improving from wide open to diffraction limited results in the f/5.6 to f/8 through f/16 range. Past f/16, most lenses lose resolution due to diffraction effects.

Probably the biggest surprise here is how great a performer the original 50mm f/3.5 version of the Bronica Nikkor really was. In part, this result validates the decision to use a falling mirror design to permit creating such a great performing lens. The later 50mm f/2.8 is generally held to be even better, and I would similarly expect later lenses (including Zenzanons) to be as good or perhaps even better designs. The later lenses were also multicoated (MC) optics, offering a modest benefit in anti-flare performance over the singly coated optics.

Bronica had very good close focusing capabilities for its lenses, ranging from 18 inches on the 75mm to as little as 12 inches on the 50mm, slightly less than 6 feet on the 135mm, and circa 12 feet with the 200mm lens. There was also a 67mm fractional diopter (+1/3 diopter?) lens which could be used with the 200mm to provide even closer focusing without losing light (as use of an extension ring or bellows might have done).

I should warn that these charts change standards over time, so it isn't correct to compare a mid-1960s chart with a late 1990s chart, nor can you compare charts between different magazines. Moreover, some testers used different standards for wide angle, normal, or telephoto lenses. A rating of excellent in the center may require a higher score than a rating of excellent in the edges in other testing regimens. So at best, these are a guide.

A key point here is that you can improve your results by making a series of test exposures, on a tripod while using varying apertures, to learn how and where your lens(es) perform best. In general, you should find that the best lens performance is at the typical "sweet spot" for most medium format lenses - f/8, f/11, and f/16. Select shutter speeds and film speeds (using interchangeable backs on most Bronica models) so you can get such maximum performance.

Conversely, I find that some of my lenses like my 135mm f/2.3 fast Komura and 135mm f/3.5 Nikkor have a degree of softening when used wide open that actually enhances their use in portraiture. My slower 150mm f/4 Zeiss Sonnar (chrome C on Hasselblad) is simply too sharp even wide open for flattering portraiture without using a softening filter. Issues like bokeh can also influence lens selection and use. In short, high resolution is not the sole criterion for lens evaluation, and you will find some modest resolution lenses have a better "look" and more pleasing rendition.

See comparable mid-1968 Modern Photography lens tests for Kowa Lenses for similar patterns with numeric (lpm) scores. For center of normal lenses, a very good rating required circa 80 lpm versus an excellent rating requiring over 85 lpm. Very few lenses in medium format test as well as 80 lpm or "very good" at any center point, so a lens that rates "good" may perform quite well, and acceptable means just that. See also Kiev 6x6cm lens resolution table where the normal lens is spec'd at 50 lpm center (20 lpm edge) and only the fisheye lens achieves 60 lpm center (but only 14 lpm edge). Yet the Kiev optics are considered surprisingly good performers and bargains at prices that are similar to used Bronica nikkor lenses.

See also Chris Perez's Medium Format Lens Test Site for more current medium format optic test results. The current bronica SQ 6x6cm lenses (40mm, 80mm, 200mm) had no values over 67 lpm. Only the Mamiya 6 RF and Koni Omega RF normal lens exceeded or equaled 95 lpmm at any point, and only the Nikkor 80mm f/2.8 on the Plaubel Makina and the legendary Kodak Ektar (101mm) on the Graflex also got into the 80 lpm range in these tests. My own testing has shown the Kowa 85mm, the Nikkor 75mm, and the Zeiss 80mm f/2.8 on the Hasselblad (ver. 2) to be comparable performers, reaching the low 80 lpmm range.

So the short answer as to how good are the Bronica nikkors is simply "darn good enough!"

The longer answer would require me to explain in detail why I have classic bronicas, Kowa 6/66, Hasselblad 500c, Rolleiflex 3.5F, and Koni Omega Rapid 200 medium format cameras. As the above lens tests make clear, these cameras offer some of the best optics in medium format photography. For the Bronicas, Kowas, and Koni-Omega optics, these lenses are raving bargains against current medium format lenses and cameras which cost up to ten or more times as much.