Two oldtimers strolling home : Nikkor 50/2 and Tamron 90/2.5

[Airy]

For a change, an A/B comparison of lenses that have few in common, except they are from an older generation. No need to present the AI Nikkor. The Tamron is the older, "52B" version, characterized by extreme sharpness and low aberrations (especially at close range) while the contrast remains low.

The 50/2 AI has something I like that I do not know how to designate. It has warmer colors maybe than the 50/1.8 AI, but less rationally, it seems to attract nice pics. The first casual shoots (from a bridge between Lille's two train stations), f/5.6 and f/8 respectively. The B&W is overprocessed, but just there to give an idea about the sharpness. f/5.6 is the "sweet spot" of that lens, optimum sharpness in many cases without the need to push the ISO too far. The camera is my everyday companion, namely the Df.

[Airy]

Now the "comparison" : the Nikkor at minimum focussing distance, and the Tamron trying to frame the same foreground (acanthus).
I left the contrast untouched. Normally, I would have pushed the Tamron shot by about +30 in Lightroom. Note: the front and rear lens were scrupulously cleaned; there are no signs of fungus inside.
Given the fantastic sharpness and "cleanliness", I do not think the Tammy suffers from any significant optical defect.
Note also that the focus plane of the Nikkor was different (handheld shots with wind...), so that the front parts of the acanthus are not quite sharp - the Nikkor however got the spider in focus.

Aperture = f/2.8 in both cases (same relative aperture and subject framing = same DOF)

The Nikkor bokeh is very nervous; the Tamron rear bokeh is milder, but still more nervous than the rear bokeh of the 105/2.5 (front bokeh : the reverse is true).

[Airy]

... brushstrokes against pastel, so to say.

Two more from the Tamron at f/5.6, and stupid high ISO for the first one:

[Airy]

Of course the Tamron excels, as expected, near maximum magnification ratio (1:2, or 1:1 with the matching extension). Here at 1:2, first one wide open, others at f/5.6.