Zeiss 135/2 APO available for pre-order at B&H

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snapsy
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p.2 #1 · Zeiss 135/2 APO available for pre-order at B&H

I wonder if it'll correct CA better than the 100mm MP.

Jan 11, 2013 at 03:24 AM

Thorsten
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p.2 #2 · Zeiss 135/2 APO available for pre-order at B&H

snapsy wrote:
I wonder if it'll correct CA better than the 100mm MP.

I would expect so, since the lens has APO in it's name. So it should have very little axial CA.

Jan 11, 2013 at 05:31 AM

wiseguy010
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p.2 #3 · Zeiss 135/2 APO available for pre-order at B&H

Lee Saxon wrote:
wiseguy010 wrote:
For ZF there is one: Nikon PN-11. I used that, but I found it very inflexible. The area of focus was very limited.

Oh good idea! I didn't think of that.

By area of focus you mean depth of field?

No, I mean the possibility to focus. That is limited from say 44 cm to 22 cm. Everything above 44 cm is not possible anymore. You have to remove the PN-11 again for that.

Jan 11, 2013 at 06:08 PM

Cadaver
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p.2 #4 · Zeiss 135/2 APO available for pre-order at B&H

Jan 11, 2013 at 07:26 PM

lbloom
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p.2 #5 · Zeiss 135/2 APO available for pre-order at B&H

carstenw wrote:
You can also grab one of those Vivitar 2x Macro TCs and remove the glass from it. End result: an extension tube with focusing. I have one of these and it is great, full aperture functionality on Nikon if you assemble it right.

Carsten,

How did you get the glass out? Are there any instructions on the web, or did you jump in and figure it out? Do the elements simply drop out of the way when you get to them?

Jan 12, 2013 at 06:32 AM

carstenw
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p.2 #6 · Zeiss 135/2 APO available for pre-order at B&H

I'll write something up when I get home, and see if I can remember all the steps. It required only normal lens tools, and nothing was destroyed.

Jan 12, 2013 at 01:51 PM

carstenw
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p.2 #7 · Zeiss 135/2 APO available for pre-order at B&H

Here is a summary of what I did to fix my Vivitar 2x Macro-TC, from memory:

First I removed the rear mount. This is necessary to remove the last element (closest to the front) without breaking it. The mount turns out to be tricky to reassemble if you have the Nikon version and want to retain aperture lever functionality, so make sure to peek in to see how all the little levers are positioned. You can reassemble it by trial and error, I know from experience

Then there are several retaining/spacer rings and elements starting at the back, interleaved. You will need spanners like this or similar:

http://www.micro-tools.de/en/Spanner-Wrenches-oxid/Spanner-Wrench-Economy-Slotted.html

A suction cup tool would be helpful for getting out the elements, which don't all just fall out that easily. I actually bought one of these and forget about it, making do without. I am great at making my own life unnecessarily difficult.

http://www.micro-tools.de/en/Lens-Tools-oxid/Lens-Sucker.html

At this point it looked like this and I was stuck for a while.

This image is copyrighted by the owner

Now the only elements which are left are at the very tip, and are held in with an external retaining ring without a spanner slot. To get that off, you need two flexiclamps to grab the ring and the tube just below the ring, sizes 25.4mm and 28.6mm, respectively:

http://www.micro-tools.de/en/Flexi-Clamps-oxid/

The ring was incredibly stiff, and some penetrating oil might help. I used thick leather gloves and pushed down hard against a scrap piece of wood to get some leverage, but eventually it came off.

Having done that, and with a bit of fiddling, thinking, and three assembly tries, I was able to get it back together in such a way that AI works, stopping down on the camera body works, and aperture readout (manual for Nikkor-compatible lenses) works. This all only worked because I didn't cut anything related, and kept all the prongs in place. I do have to use my ZF.2 lenses in manual mode for this to work, i.e. there is no electronic communication for G lenses.

I can use both my ZF.2 50MP and 100MP with this, but my ZF.2 35/1.4 cannot focus anywhere when on the adapter.

Jan 12, 2013 at 05:22 PM

lbloom
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p.2 #8 · Zeiss 135/2 APO available for pre-order at B&H

Thank you, Carsten, for the time and effort -- much appreciated.

Will definitely attempt this when I have some time. I have the TC. Will put together a decent set of tools.

Jan 13, 2013 at 03:22 AM

Vox Sciurorum
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p.2 #9 · Zeiss 135/2 APO available for pre-order at B&H

The specs make it look like an excellent lens. I wish I had a reason to buy one.

Jan 13, 2013 at 03:36 AM

Rodluvan
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p.2 #10 · Zeiss 135/2 APO available for pre-order at B&H

I'm a bit worried 135mm will be difficult focusing. I read somewhere the designers in Zeiss said they'll limit themselves to 135, as manual focus is not suitable for longer lenses. Mustn't this mean, as it's a sliding scale, that 135 is more difficult to focus than the 100 and the 100 more difficult to focus than the 85 etc? I.e focusing with the 135 is very difficult.

I gave up the 2/100, in part, due to difficulties in focusing. I wasn't sure if this was solely due to the FL or if other factors played in as well. I don't really get why, with the same field of view, focusing with a 100mm at say f/2 should be any more difficult than focusing with a 35mm at the same aperture. The dof should stay roughly the same.

Anyone have any thoughts or experience on the matter?

Jan 18, 2013 at 08:04 AM

gasrocks
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p.2 #11 · Zeiss 135/2 APO available for pre-order at B&H

I MF everything and find that the wider the lens the harder it is to focus correctly. Longer lenses are easier. The faster the lens, the more precise my MF will be. 135/2 should be easy.

Jan 18, 2013 at 03:52 PM

magiclight
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p.2 #12 · Zeiss 135/2 APO available for pre-order at B&H

Yes, I will probably be a non starter due to no AF.

For this focal length, no AF certainly limits your photographic opportunities especially shooting wide open and this is where you are paying for performance.

Jan 18, 2013 at 07:32 PM

freaklikeme
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p.2 #13 · Zeiss 135/2 APO available for pre-order at B&H

I didn't feel limited by the Nikon AIS 135/2 or the 200/2 on either the DsIII or a900. The a99 should make it even easier to focus.

I disagree that all you're paying for is wide open performance. I think the 135 will probably be slightly better than the Z* 100/2 wide open, but will really show its advantages stopped down to f/4 or lower.

Jan 18, 2013 at 08:49 PM

mMontag
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p.2 #14 · Zeiss 135/2 APO available for pre-order at B&H

Jman13 wrote:
I have no doubts the Zeiss will be a better lens than Canon's 135mm f/2L, but considering how good the Canon 135/2 is, will it be better enough to justify paying more than double the cost and losing AF?

That's the big consideration. Another benefit for the Canon is the ability of using the excellent TC X1.4 III - 189mm f4 + AF.

Undoubtedly the Zeiss bokeh & open center sharpness will be special - probably on par with the Contax 35/1.4 & Contax 85/1.4 "N" - manual focus at 135mm is a real trick, however the new higher ISO-IQ bodies will help - or plan on bringing a tripod for lower ISO.

I just don't find a 135mm a highly useful FL - that FL can be easily covered with a smaller/lighter, more versatile - 85/1.4 or 100/2.

Jan 19, 2013 at 06:09 AM

mMontag
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p.2 #15 · Zeiss 135/2 APO available for pre-order at B&H

gasrocks wrote:
I MF everything and find that the wider the lens the harder it is to focus correctly. Longer lenses are easier. The faster the lens, the more precise my MF will be. 135/2 should be easy.

I'll agree with the actual 'easier" focus or focus accuracy - the downside is the lens-shake at that FL.

Jan 19, 2013 at 06:23 AM

Toothwalker
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p.2 #16 · Zeiss 135/2 APO available for pre-order at B&H

mMontag wrote:
Jman13 wrote:
I have no doubts the Zeiss will be a better lens than Canon's 135mm f/2L, but considering how good the Canon 135/2 is, will it be better enough to justify paying more than double the cost and losing AF?

More than double the cost ... where would that be?

That's the big consideration. Another benefit for the Canon is the ability of using the excellent TC X1.4 III - 189mm f4 + AF.

Undoubtedly the Zeiss bokeh & open center sharpness will be special - probably on par with the Contax 35/1.4 & Contax 85/1.4 "N" -

Special bokeh is something subjective, but the Contax 35/1.4 & Contax 85/1.4 "N" don't rank particularly high when it comes to wide open center sharpness.

Jan 19, 2013 at 11:41 AM

mMontag
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p.2 #17 · Zeiss 135/2 APO available for pre-order at B&H

Toothwalker,

US pricing for the Zeiss - $2,100 & Canon - $989 usd - used Canons between $650-750 are pretty common.

Though the Contax 35 & 85 may not look strong in the center on paper & charts - view them side by side at 1.4 with others of the same FL - you'll really like what you see!

Yes, subjective - I know :-)

Jan 19, 2013 at 04:59 PM

wayne seltzer
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p.2 #18 · Zeiss 135/2 APO available for pre-order at B&H

mMontag wrote:
Toothwalker,

US pricing for the Zeiss - $2,100 & Canon - $989 usd - used Canons between $650-750 are pretty common.

Though the Contax 35 & 85 may not look strong in the center on paper & charts - view them side by side at 1.4 with others of the same FL - you'll really like what you see!

Yes, subjective - I know :-)

+1
My N 85 is so much better than my 85Lmk2 and my C/Y 35/1.4 is plenty sharp wide open and has plenty of other goodness to make it special. IMHO.
I also converted my ZA 135/1.8 to EF mount and shoot it on my 1ds3 and compared it to a rented 135/2L and found it slightly sharper in the corners at f1.8 than the L at f2. I agree with you Mark that the only minus is that there is no IS and so in lower light scenes you really have to crank up the iso to get the shutter speeds high enough to have no lens shake blur. But with latest D800E Sony sensors high ISO performance this is not a problem.

This new ZF 135/2 will be great for outdoor weddings and shooting stage performances from a distance.
Lot lighter than the 200/2 VR2 which I rented and shot for a wedding recently. Bokeh of this lens will be much better (smoother, less harsh) than 100MP and the added reach helps when you need it.

Jan 19, 2013 at 08:11 PM

gasrocks
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p.2 #19 · Zeiss 135/2 APO available for pre-order at B&H

Again, to me the main reason to get the ZE 135 is APO, not bokeh or sharpness.

Jan 19, 2013 at 10:44 PM

hiepphotog
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p.2 #20 · Zeiss 135/2 APO available for pre-order at B&H

gasrocks wrote:
Again, to me the main reason to get the ZE 135 is APO, not bokeh or sharpness.

Indeed, though having the other two would be a great bonus as well. I don't doubt that the 135 would excel in all of these areas.

Jan 19, 2013 at 11:22 PM

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