zeiss 24/1.8 review

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Archive 2011 · zeiss 24/1.8 review

wayne seltzer
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p.1 #1 · zeiss 24/1.8 review

http://www.lemondedelaphoto.com/Le-verdict,6221.html
Sorry, if this was already posted but I searched and didn't see anything posted.
Looks like the distortion is bad on this lens and it is not excellent sharpness wideopen or at 2.0.

Edited on Dec 04, 2011 at 05:18 PM · View previous versions

Dec 04, 2011 at 03:35 PM

edwardkaraa
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p.1 #2 · zeiss 24/1.8 review

This lens is a super performer. I don't get the comments about the wide open sharpness, Wayne. You surely don't expect excellent corners WO? It is much better than than the FF equivalent 35/1.4.

Dec 04, 2011 at 04:14 PM

philber
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p.1 #3 · zeiss 24/1.8 review

This is a very positive review, but it is not one of my favorite French magazines

Dec 04, 2011 at 04:33 PM

wayne seltzer
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p.1 #4 · zeiss 24/1.8 review

That is because you are comparing it to the ZE 35/1.4 with the undercorrected SA veiling haze while wide open lens. Compare it to the Samy 35/1.4 and to the Nikon 24/1.4 and the 35/1.4. Of course these are DXO lens tests which you may or may not believe are good.
24/1.4G

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35/1.4 Lux & M9

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35/1.4G

Samy 35/1.4

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Zeiss 24/1.4 Nex

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Dec 04, 2011 at 04:54 PM

FlyPenFly
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p.1 #5 · zeiss 24/1.8 review

On the bright side, at least you'll get an almost perfect hit rate for Autofocus at F1.8 since it's contrast detect vs phase detect.

Plus since this is only an APS-C lens and much smaller than the Sammy or even the Sony on the camera, I don't think its unreasonable for edge performance to be meh.

I frequently get focus errors even at F2 on my Contax G 45mm. Focus peaking is accurate about 75% of the time.

Edited on Dec 04, 2011 at 06:06 PM · View previous versions

Dec 04, 2011 at 05:06 PM

wayne seltzer
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p.1 #6 · zeiss 24/1.8 review

Sorry not as bad as I first thought, 2.8 is excellent.
Not sure how the distortion compares to other lenses people are using on Nex but I remember the Sony 16 had a lot too.

Dec 04, 2011 at 05:20 PM

wayne seltzer
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p.1 #7 · zeiss 24/1.8 review

Forgot the ZF 35/1.4:

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Dec 04, 2011 at 05:31 PM

tomrock
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p.1 #8 · zeiss 24/1.8 review

Here's another tidbit of a review:

http://www.luminous-landscape.com/reviews/cameras/sony_nex_7_rolling_review.shtml#24

Dec 04, 2011 at 10:14 PM

Mescalamba
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p.1 #9 · zeiss 24/1.8 review

Wierd thing is, that photos from 35mm f1.4 Zeiss I saw are actually pretty good, even wide-open.. Tho I guess eye is more forgivable then test..

Dec 04, 2011 at 10:26 PM

carstenw
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p.1 #10 · zeiss 24/1.8 review

I think you could be onto something, with that observation. What a machine sees as sharpness is different than what the eye sees as sharpness. The ZE/ZF 35/1.4 is definitely a sharp lens to my eyes.

Dec 04, 2011 at 10:38 PM

philber
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p.1 #11 · zeiss 24/1.8 review

I am not sure that everyone shares a clear understanding of what sharpness means. As opposed, for example, to resolution. A simple definition, anyone?

Dec 04, 2011 at 10:43 PM

carstenw
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p.1 #12 · zeiss 24/1.8 review

I prefer practical definitions, as opposed to mechanical or assisted tests. My working definition would be something like the ability to faithfully reproduce recognized detail as seen with the eye (both in the scene and the photo). Note that this doesn't really distinguish between resolution and apparent resolution. For my purposes, this distinction isn't needed. Note also that I am talking before PP.

Dec 04, 2011 at 10:47 PM

philber
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p.1 #13 · zeiss 24/1.8 review

So, sharpness and resolution are one and the same?

Dec 04, 2011 at 10:49 PM

carstenw
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p.1 #14 · zeiss 24/1.8 review

No, I don't think so. The distinction just isn't important to me personally.

I would say that sharpness is more perceptual, and could involve contrast, whereas resolution is purely technical. Recent Leica lenses tend to have a lot of resolution, but Zeiss lenses look sharper, for example. Exceptions abound, so don't read too much into that.

Dec 04, 2011 at 11:08 PM

edwardkaraa
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p.1 #15 · zeiss 24/1.8 review

+1 to that.

Dec 05, 2011 at 03:43 AM

Smiert Spionam
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p.1 #16 · zeiss 24/1.8 review

That's a good way to put it.

Dec 05, 2011 at 03:59 AM

Snopchenko
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p.1 #17 · zeiss 24/1.8 review

Another review of the 24:
http://www.slrgear.com/reviews/showproduct.php/product/1452/cat/82

Dec 05, 2011 at 08:07 AM

wayne seltzer
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p.1 #18 · zeiss 24/1.8 review

Snopchenko,
Thanks, that review seems to be in close agreement with the one above.
The pin cushion type distortion instead of barrel is unusual.

As far as the sharpness wide open of the ZE 35/1.4 and its veiling haze due to undercorrected SA design, I recommend reading the Zeiss technical white paper on bokeh where they describe this well. Also see Lloyd Chambers review. If you have ever used a softar softening filter that is also using the same undercorrected SA effect to soften the image.
The individual colors do not reach optimal focus in the same plane.
Ie. If you focus on a green object, a red object in the plane as the green one would be slightly out of focus. Neutral colors like grey are harder to focus on since the different color components never come into focus together at same time.
Sharpening can reduce this haze as LC has shown.
This obviously affects the sharpness scores at wide apertures as seen by a machine tester.

Dec 05, 2011 at 06:02 PM

douglasf13
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p.1 #19 · zeiss 24/1.8 review

wayne seltzer wrote:
Sorry not as bad as I first thought, 2.8 is excellent.
Not sure how the distortion compares to other lenses people are using on Nex but I remember the Sony 16 had a lot too.

FWIW, the little Sony 16 actually has pretty low distortion for its size and focal length. It's the m4/3 lenses that have massive distortion that is corrected in software.

Dec 05, 2011 at 06:09 PM

FlyPenFly
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p.1 #20 · zeiss 24/1.8 review

Dissapointed to read the front threads are plastic.

Dec 05, 2011 at 06:32 PM

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