p.1 #7 · New Zeiss article on the design of wide angle lenses
There would be an interesting duality to a PC25 and the semi-fast 25/2. One for pure landscapes and architecture the other would be for reportage and low light environments.
p.1 #10 · New Zeiss article on the design of wide angle lenses
But any manual lenses like that on Sony, metering isn't very usable. You might as well use a handheld meter if stopping down a lot. Not a bad thing of course, I just think I'd prefer auto-stop down if spending that much... but that's probably just me being picky, so ignore )
p.1 #11 · New Zeiss article on the design of wide angle lenses
ricardovaste wrote:
But any manual lenses like that on Sony, metering isn't very usable. You might as well use a handheld meter if stopping down a lot. Not a bad thing of course, I just think I'd prefer auto-stop down if spending that much... but that's probably just me being picky, so ignore )
ah, i never think of that as my only a-mount meters from the sensor and i prefer not to have auto stop-down.
p.1 #12 · New Zeiss article on the design of wide angle lenses
ricardovaste wrote:
I wish there was a way of using the 25/2 on an A900 "easily". I guess if it was too easy, it would eat into 24/2 sales.
It would really be interesting to see a head to head comparison between the Sony Zeiss ZA 24/2 and this Zeiss 25/2 in ZF Leitexed form, both shot on the a900. They seem to have similar image characteristics. Quite a difference in price though.
p.1 #13 · New Zeiss article on the design of wide angle lenses
yes indeed, Tariq. The 25/2 is very close to the 21/2.8 except for 'you know what' ;~) The Sony ZA is a 9/7 elements/groups versus the new 25/2 which is 11/10, and Zeiss are proud of the work they put into the complex but light(ish) new lens, which was considerable, for the much larger Canon/Nikon market. Meantime the ZA 24/2 seems to have no serious flaws, and the review sites like it a lot, but does anyone here even have one?
ricardo, with the firmware update, you can get instant metering at your shooting aperture in A mode - so if you compose and focus wide open, simply turn the aperture ring to f8 or whatever you want, touch the shutter button to see the s/speed, dial in any needed comp which experience will advise, and take the photo. It's the least of my shooting worries ,and is now automatic. I find it much much easier than a hand-held, but some cannot 'kick the habit', even from film days. John Shaw was one.
I just checked the Leitax mount fit, and anyone with a nice screwdriver can get it done in 5 minutes as virtually a no risk operation. And reversible for resale, with a nice mount for another ZF lens spare.
I have a feeling this 25/2 will go well over time, it looks terrific out to the long edges, no CA, nice bokeh and close range. It's expensive enough to mean most enthusiasts will only have one of this or the 21mm, and the 21mm is too wide for a lot of people, who nevertheless want a top class wide angle.
And if I was in CZ marketing I would start publishing f5.6 data in the tech sheets, as well as f2 and f4.
p.1 #14 · New Zeiss article on the design of wide angle lenses
philip_pj wrote:
yes indeed, Tariq. The 25/2 is very close to the 21/2.8 except for 'you know what' ;~) The Sony ZA is a 9/7 elements/groups versus the new 25/2 which is 11/10, and Zeiss are proud of the work they put into the complex but light(ish) new lens, which was considerable, for the much larger Canon/Nikon market. Meantime the ZA 24/2 seems to have no serious flaws, and the review sites like it a lot, but does anyone here even have one?
I have owned two different copies of the ZA 24/2 and I know Edward owns/owned one as well. The first copy I had suffered from some de-centering and the second copy performed very well except...wait for it...the corners at longer distances were soft/ blurry. My test of that lens is floating around here somewhere. I eventually sold it due to the corner issue. Otherwise, the lens was wonderful. Guess I will wait and see if Samyang can actually deliver on a fast 24 with great across the frame performance, just as they did with their 35 1.4.
p.1 #15 · New Zeiss article on the design of wide angle lenses
I think Tariq needs the fabled PC 25/3.5 apodistagon which has sharpness across the frame including the corners even at f3.5 and has no CA and no SA wide open. The Holy Grail of lenses!
p.1 #16 · New Zeiss article on the design of wide angle lenses
wayne seltzer wrote:
I think Tariq needs the fabled PC 25/3.5 apodistagon which has sharpness across the frame including the corners even at f3.5 and has no CA and no SA wide open. The Holy Grail of lenses!
I have a feeling it would be as priceless as The Holy Grail as well!
p.1 #17 · New Zeiss article on the design of wide angle lenses
Indeed, even though not the same optical formula, but the end result is so similar, with similar strengths and weaknesses, and above all, similar drawing style. I think both the 24/2 and 25/2 are designed and built following the same new Zeiss philosophy that started with the ZA a few years ago. The 35/1.4 and 25/2 show clearly that Zeiss is expanding the same design philosophy into their manual focus lines.
By the way, I sold the 24, together with all my other Sony stuff, to concentrate on RF. I do miss the performance of the ZA, but not the size and weight.
p.1 #19 · New Zeiss article on the design of wide angle lenses
It's a very interesting article - especially since it seems to shed some light on the NEX corner issue. Leica has been criticized by some for putting in a very flimsy and thin IR filter in the M9 - but apparently that is a necessity in order to avoid astigmatism when using lenses where the exit pupil is near the sensor.
p.1 #20 · New Zeiss article on the design of wide angle lenses
Was astonished by an actual microscopic example of CA as a way to show how this performance relates to an MTF graph and comparing lenses that handle CA in wildly different ways (2.8/21 Distagon for the C/Y system is nearly absent of it).
)
The Holy Grail of lenses!