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How bad is Zeiss 50mm f/1.4 ZE Planar?

Johnny B Goode
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p.12 #1 · How bad is Zeiss 50mm f/1.4 ZE Planar?

Another wide open close up shot:

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IMG_6737 by Pete the Irish Guy, on Flickr

And a similar shot (though b&w) shot at f6.3

This image is copyrighted by the owner

IMG_6733 by Pete the Irish Guy, on Flickr

While I did refocus and recompose it's worth noting the focal shift of this lens has had an impact on the number of keepers and would be my reason for selling (that and it's bloody hard to focus an f1.4 lens even with the matte focusing screen).

Dec 28, 2012 at 05:58 PM

Bifurcator
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p.12 #2 · How bad is Zeiss 50mm f/1.4 ZE Planar?

Bifurcator wrote:
OK, I'm busted! Was it the pink sweater or the headphones that gave it away?

And yup! ya know it's cheap when even I am toying with the idea of getting one.

carstenw wrote:
Ha ha

Nah, I was wondering if it was the rabid looking guy who only showed up in the one photo where your black friend was missing, making me suspect a photographer swap. The expression also matches your posting style

Hee hee...

Mescalamba wrote:
Old 5D is even cheaper.. and easier with C/Y lens.

Does either camera have live-view and/or sensor cleaning? Those are 2 things I can't (won't) do without...

Dec 28, 2012 at 06:08 PM

carstenw
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p.12 #3 · How bad is Zeiss 50mm f/1.4 ZE Planar?

The old 5D has neither live view nor sensor cleaning.

Dec 28, 2012 at 07:10 PM

Bifurcator
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p.12 #4 · How bad is Zeiss 50mm f/1.4 ZE Planar?

I thought so. How about the D700?

Dec 28, 2012 at 07:17 PM

carstenw
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p.12 #5 · How bad is Zeiss 50mm f/1.4 ZE Planar?

Live view AND sensor cleaning. The latter was one thing I missed in my D3, but the D700 has it.

Dec 28, 2012 at 08:18 PM

Mescalamba
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p.12 #6 · How bad is Zeiss 50mm f/1.4 ZE Planar?

You will still get dust spots.

Just bit less..

Dec 28, 2012 at 08:43 PM

wfrank
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p.12 #7 · How bad is Zeiss 50mm f/1.4 ZE Planar?

What lens would that be Johnny, there's no EXIF to tell?

Luka, I remember those truck shots well. This is before I got my copy and these were influential, they have that MF look that I like so much about this lens. What impress me in those shots is the size of the objects (truck) while maintaining that look.

I had no idea Le Bif was girlie. From the brusque post style it is impossible to tell and I realize I need to work on my prejudices. Good work hiding the remote so well

Dec 28, 2012 at 09:43 PM

wfrank
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p.12 #8 · How bad is Zeiss 50mm f/1.4 ZE Planar?

carstenw wrote:
Live view AND sensor cleaning. The latter was one thing I missed in my D3, but the D700 has it.

Well the D700 contemporary 5D2 have both and more - and is dirt cheap today new. But then there's the 6D. Not to mention the D600..

But I cant image how a guy (?) with 500 lenses cant afford a FF given what's available today. There's some logic missing here :-)

Dec 28, 2012 at 09:49 PM

wfrank
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p.12 #9 · How bad is Zeiss 50mm f/1.4 ZE Planar?

Johnny B Goode wrote:

While I did refocus and recompose it's worth noting the focal shift of this lens has had an impact on the number of keepers and would be my reason for selling (that and it's bloody hard to focus an f1.4 lens even with the matte focusing screen).

Dont understand what matte you're using. The point with a fast matte such as the EE-S (5DC) or EG-S (5D2) is that you dont recompose. You'll see where the focus is in the VF. But if you use a split screen it is not worthy a F/1.4 or other fast lenses if critical focus is the goal.

Dec 28, 2012 at 09:58 PM

carstenw
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p.12 #10 · How bad is Zeiss 50mm f/1.4 ZE Planar?

wfrank wrote:
I had no idea Le Bif was girlie. From the brusque post style it is impossible to tell and I realize I need to work on my prejudices. Good work hiding the remote so well

He isn't

Dec 28, 2012 at 11:19 PM

wfrank
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p.12 #11 · How bad is Zeiss 50mm f/1.4 ZE Planar?

carstenw wrote:
He isn't

You have to convince me :-)

Dec 28, 2012 at 11:21 PM

carstenw
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p.12 #12 · How bad is Zeiss 50mm f/1.4 ZE Planar?

He has talked about his age before (60+ IIRC), the fact that he was a programmer on LightWave 3D, his daughter, and so on. One photo also slipped through the cracks a long time ago when he posted a direct link to an image directory on his website. It wasn't a very clear shot, but there was enough information there to show that he looks closer to one of the front members of ZZ Top than to the female lead in Audition.

And anyway, his lens closet is enough proof all on its own

Dec 28, 2012 at 11:37 PM

Johnny B Goode
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p.12 #13 · How bad is Zeiss 50mm f/1.4 ZE Planar?

wfrank wrote:
What lens would that be Johnny, there's no EXIF to tell?

The ZE 50 1.4

wfrank wrote:

Dont understand what matte you're using. The point with a fast matte such as the EE-S (5DC) or EG-S (5D2) is that you dont recompose. You'll see where the focus is in the VF. But if you use a split screen it is not worthy a F/1.4 or other fast lenses if critical focus is the goal.

I was simply stating the two photos are a slightly different perspective at a slightly different focal length so a direct comparison of the two is silly but it's an example of a close(r) object taken wide open and stopped down a bit. Granted not the best two images to show case the lens's performance.
The ee-s screen is nice but it's still a bit tricky to nail the focus. My ze 35/2 is 100x easier to see when it's in focus.

Dec 29, 2012 at 01:04 AM

akul
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p.12 #14 · How bad is Zeiss 50mm f/1.4 ZE Planar?

Wilhelm - Thanks, and yes, I agree that the 'look' of 50P is somewhat special. I don't know whether it is MF look or not, as I have very little experience with MF ( back in film days ). In a non-scientific way of expressing it, I get sort of a emotional response to the rendering while I have not experienced that from 50MP shots. Carsten's Citroen comparison shots were eloquent example. There is some hint of drama in 50P while none whatsoever on 50MP shot. 50MP show things as 'it is what it is', while 50P brings out nuance that I am drawn to. There I said it, I tried not to go there for longest time as I never shot with 50MP, but the thing is, I never was drawn to try either.

Dec 29, 2012 at 02:02 AM

carstenw
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p.12 #15 · How bad is Zeiss 50mm f/1.4 ZE Planar?

Luka, that is a really good description, and exactly what I feel. The 50MP is technically better at certain things, but I react emotionally far more to the 50P. I think they are both worth owning, but if pressed to sell one, it would be the 50MP (and I would keep the 100MP

).

Dec 29, 2012 at 03:30 PM

Bifurcator
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p.12 #16 · How bad is Zeiss 50mm f/1.4 ZE Planar?

carstenw wrote:
He has talked about his age before (60+ IIRC), the fact that he was a programmer on LightWave 3D, his daughter, and so on. One photo also slipped through the cracks a long time ago when he posted a direct link to an image directory on his website. It wasn't a very clear shot, but there was enough information there to show that he looks closer to one of the front members of ZZ Top than to the female lead in Audition.

And anyway, his lens closet is enough proof all on its own

Too true. I sometimes wish I were a girl tho!

Ah, you talking about this:

This image is copyrighted by the owner

This image is copyrighted by the owner

or this one from >25 years ago?

This image is copyrighted by the owner

This image is copyrighted by the owner

Yup, both me.

carstenw wrote:
Live view AND sensor cleaning. The latter was one thing I missed in my D3, but the D700 has it.

wfrank wrote:
Well the D700 contemporary 5D2 have both and more - and is dirt cheap today new. But then there's the 6D. Not to mention the D600..

But I cant image how a guy (?) with 500 lenses cant afford a FF given what's available today. There's some logic missing here :-)

So IMO the D700 is a consideration but the 5D isn't. Sure ya still get some dust but it's a totally different world - especially living in a mud and bamboo construction house as I do. With the sensor cleaning cameras I've had so far I never have to worry about it - oh, maybe once every 6 months or something I get a piece that's stubborn. But without that feature just changing a lens is almost always detrimental and using something like a bellows, telescope mount, or some tubes or something and I'm doomed!

The 5D2 is "dirt cheap" new? $1,800 right? Hmm, that's almost four GH2 or Nex6 cameras. That does seem kinda reasonable tho I have to admit. But still out of my rationalized reach. IMHO that's what the 5D3 should be selling for.

And the new 1Dx should be selling for about $2.5K

. Nay, the way I've worked it around in my brain I'll not spend more than a $1k on any camera body. But that's just me too. I'm not trying to convince anyone else.

Dec 29, 2012 at 03:57 PM

carstenw
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p.12 #17 · How bad is Zeiss 50mm f/1.4 ZE Planar?

The second shot was the one I remembered but I have seen the first one too

I think you can find the 5DII cheaper than $1800, but yeah, the D700 was somehow special or classic, whereas the 5DII feels out of date to me now, even if it is better than the D700 at some things. The 5DIII will hold up a lot better with time, I think.

How tall is that tripod, btw?

Dec 29, 2012 at 04:11 PM

Bifurcator
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p.12 #18 · How bad is Zeiss 50mm f/1.4 ZE Planar?

Well, I'm 189cm and standing at it's center parallel to the camera plane.

Extended it's taller than I can reach and these days higher than I can jump.

That's my everyday carry pod - on those occasions I bring one. It's a Linhof titanium dude.

Dec 29, 2012 at 04:50 PM

carstenw
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p.12 #19 · How bad is Zeiss 50mm f/1.4 ZE Planar?

Cool. I don't think I have ever seen a Linhof Dude before, titanium or not.

Dec 29, 2012 at 05:11 PM

Bifurcator
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p.12 #20 · How bad is Zeiss 50mm f/1.4 ZE Planar?

I think mine is from the late 50's to mid 60's somewhere and it's super smooth, super stable & accurate, and well, not "super" light... but very light for it's size. Some of the older Linhofs are a dream to use! So elegant! Cadilac luxury meets Ferrari precision engineering...

This image is copyrighted by the owner

This image is copyrighted by the owner

This image is copyrighted by the owner

This image is copyrighted by the owner

Dec 29, 2012 at 08:01 PM

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