RZ lens reference and tests?

[polyglot]

My google-fu has failed me... is there a database or online reference somewhere of all the RZ lenses? I know there's a list of lenses in the butkus version of the RZ camera manual, but I'm wondering if there's a good reference as to what all the letters at the end of the lens designations mean.

For example, I think L means there's a floating group. What about ULD? W? W-N? A definitive list of all the suffixes would be good, particularly if it was backed up with some testing.

I know there's the 50/4.5 W and the 50/4.5 ULD and that the latter is "much better", but how many other lenses are there multiple versions of? And how much better is ULD - are there tests anywhere I can look at to see what I'm missing out on?

thanks...

 

[DanielStone]

i was looking for the same thing a few months ago as well.

what i was able to find out, after renting the 50mm ULD(Ultra Low Distortion), I am floored by how beautiful this lens is. it has a slight bit of bowing with the straight lines, but nothing that is very noticeable. with the standard 50mm 4.5, it is quite noticeable.

i will be adding the 50 ULD to my rz kit when the piggy bank gets full again(probably around christmas).

Get the ULD, you'll be glad you did.

not sure as to the w/n thingy. it might be that it describes a coating variation difference between the two.

the ULD is the most recent 50 in the line-up.

-dan

 

[DanielStone]

50 mm f/4.5 ULD L (2 versions, the older one is inferior in terms of contrast and resolution), the ULD version has an additional floating system focus ring, 24 mm equivalent

-from wikipedia link http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RZ67

-dan

 

[polyglot]

So is the ULD sharper or just lower distortion? A bit of barrel isn't a real problem for what I do but corner sharpness matters.

I only just started printing from my RZ tonight so I guess I'll know more about my lenses' performance soon.

 

[Nick Zentena]

W came second.
W-N came next. In some focal lengths I'm not sure they actually made a w-n
ULD came last.