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Archive 2014 · TDP Review: Zeiss Otus 55mm f/1.4 Distagon T*

  
 
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p.1 #1 · p.1 #1 · TDP Review: Zeiss Otus 55mm f/1.4 Distagon T*


TDP Review: Zeiss Otus 55mm f/1.4 Distagon T*
Bryan at The-Digital-Picture.com has posted his Zeiss Otus 55mm f/1.4 Distagon T* review.

Here is an excerpt:
How remarkable is this image quality? It blows every other available 50-something-mm lens out of the water. Let's take a look at some f/1.4 comparisons:
  1. Canon EF 50mm f/1.2 L USM Lens
  2. Canon EF 50mm f/1.4 USM Lens
  3. Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 Lens (at f/1.8)
  4. Sigma 50mm f/1.4 EX DG HSM Lens (not the "Art" version)
  5. Zeiss 50mm f/1.4 Planar T* ZE Lens

Pre-order: Zeiss Otus 55mm f/1.4 Distagon T* | Read full review



Feb 25, 2014 at 04:58 PM
jcolwell
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p.1 #2 · p.1 #2 · TDP Review: Zeiss Otus 55mm f/1.4 Distagon T*


Also, it looks awesome on a 1DX.

Edited on Feb 25, 2014 at 07:44 PM · View previous versions



Feb 25, 2014 at 05:05 PM
Mikael Risedal
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p.1 #3 · p.1 #3 · TDP Review: Zeiss Otus 55mm f/1.4 Distagon T*


I have had mine Otus for two months now along with the D800 and no other lens comes close to the Otus resolution at 1,4 up to f-4,0
https://picasaweb.google.com/106266083120070292876/OTUSF14D800?authkey=Gv1sRgCLnLtLDg35_kTA



Feb 25, 2014 at 05:17 PM
ggreene
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p.1 #4 · p.1 #4 · TDP Review: Zeiss Otus 55mm f/1.4 Distagon T*


Such a shame that Zeiss doesn't do AF on the Canon mounts. Impressive IQ nonetheless.


Feb 25, 2014 at 05:25 PM
Richard Nye
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p.1 #5 · p.1 #5 · TDP Review: Zeiss Otus 55mm f/1.4 Distagon T*


Wow! That is sharp! But it's not in my budget. I wonder how the Sigma "Art" will perform?


Feb 25, 2014 at 05:51 PM
Mikael Risedal
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p.1 #6 · p.1 #6 · TDP Review: Zeiss Otus 55mm f/1.4 Distagon T*


ggreene wrote:
Such a shame that Zeiss doesn't do AF on the Canon mounts. Impressive IQ nonetheless.


there are no AF sensitive enough to handle F 1,4 and critical works and its there at 1,4 Otus rely shines.



Feb 25, 2014 at 06:11 PM
Mike K
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p.1 #7 · p.1 #7 · TDP Review: Zeiss Otus 55mm f/1.4 Distagon T*


The Zeiss 50 Makro Planar f2 actually gives the Otus 55 some competition. At f2 it still looses, of course, but the makro planar is closer in contrast and sharpness than the other TDP comparisons listed.

Mike K



Feb 25, 2014 at 06:18 PM
snapsy
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p.1 #8 · p.1 #8 · TDP Review: Zeiss Otus 55mm f/1.4 Distagon T*


Mikael Risedal wrote:
there are no AF sensitive enough to handle F 1,4 and critical works and its there at 1,4 Otus rely shines.


I have no problem getting consistently in-focus 50mm shots @ f/1.4 on both my Canon and Nikon bodies.



Feb 25, 2014 at 06:25 PM
skasol
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p.1 #9 · p.1 #9 · TDP Review: Zeiss Otus 55mm f/1.4 Distagon T*


jcolwell wrote:
Alsi, it looks awesome on a 1DX.



That, it does.




Feb 25, 2014 at 06:32 PM
skasol
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p.1 #10 · p.1 #10 · TDP Review: Zeiss Otus 55mm f/1.4 Distagon T*


Richard Nye wrote:
Wow! That is sharp! But it's not in my budget. I wonder how the Sigma "Art" will perform?


waiting for the same thing.

we'll see how it does.



Feb 25, 2014 at 06:33 PM
Mikael Risedal
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p.1 #11 · p.1 #11 · TDP Review: Zeiss Otus 55mm f/1.4 Distagon T*


snapsy wrote:
I have no problem getting consistently in-focus 50mm shots @ f/1.4 on both my Canon and Nikon bodies.



you don't
well , the AF sensitivity is F 2,8 (in reality 3,4 in some cameras) and if you not use live view and go by the AF assistance with Otus you have a minor variation of the sharpness plane in the depth of F 2,8
take 5 shots and use the AF assistance and go from infinity to the target distance 2m and do so for every shot and I promise you that you get different plane of sharpness in your shots at 1,4
And if you use a high resolution camera as d800 you se it more clearly

OR do a test with your AF 1,4 lens at 1,4 , take 5 pictures and let the camera re focus between the shots, put your hand in front of the lens or go to infinity and then let the AF focus, you have now a serie of different focus plane at 1,4 if you look closely

Edited on Feb 25, 2014 at 06:54 PM · View previous versions



Feb 25, 2014 at 06:43 PM
snapsy
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p.1 #12 · p.1 #12 · TDP Review: Zeiss Otus 55mm f/1.4 Distagon T*


Mikael Risedal wrote:
you don't
well , the AF sensitivity is F 2,8 (in reality 3,4 in some cameras) and if you not use live view and go by the AF assistance with Otus you have a minor variation of the sharpness plane in the depth of F 2,8
take 5 shots and use the AF assistance and go from infinity to the target distance 2m and do so for every shot and I promise you that you get different plane of sharpness in your shots at 1,4
And if you use a high resolution camera as d800 you se it more clearly


Here's 7 PDAF shots taken @ 50mm f/1.4 back-back with focus racked between each image. Focus distance was over 50 feet - middle distances are the most challenging for PDAF at large apertures.

PDAF test @ 50mm f/1.4



Feb 25, 2014 at 06:53 PM
Mikael Risedal
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p.1 #13 · p.1 #13 · TDP Review: Zeiss Otus 55mm f/1.4 Distagon T*


do it at 2,5 m with a 50mm


Feb 25, 2014 at 06:58 PM
snapsy
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p.1 #14 · p.1 #14 · TDP Review: Zeiss Otus 55mm f/1.4 Distagon T*


Mikael Risedal wrote:
do it at 2,5 m with a 50mm


Near distances are far easier to achieve consistent focus than mid-to-far distances for large aperture lenses. I can take a body+lens that requires AF tuning but leave it untuned and still get consistent near-field results. Using that same combination at mid-to-far distances will produce mush until tuned properly.



Feb 25, 2014 at 07:02 PM
RobDickinson
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p.1 #15 · p.1 #15 · TDP Review: Zeiss Otus 55mm f/1.4 Distagon T*


Mikael you are confused about af point sensativity and accuracy


Feb 25, 2014 at 07:11 PM
ggreene
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p.1 #16 · p.1 #16 · TDP Review: Zeiss Otus 55mm f/1.4 Distagon T*


Bottomline for me is that while I'm trying to manually focus the lens at an event I'm missing other shots because I am not nearly as good with quick focus acquisition as an AF lens lets me be. For others it may not be a problem but for me I need the AF crutch. Especially if I'm shooting at close distance at fast apertures. Not a lot of margin of error.

Pure IQ is great but it's got to be in focus.



Feb 25, 2014 at 07:37 PM
Pixel Perfect
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p.1 #17 · p.1 #17 · TDP Review: Zeiss Otus 55mm f/1.4 Distagon T*


I had a chuckle at this quote from Bryan "Putting the price into perspective, wildlife photographers often spend two or three times this much for their primary lens. I love wildlife, but will argue that the human subjects this lens will often be used to capture are even more valuable". Yeah, well humans are hardly elusive, shy or fast moving and exist in vast numbers and I don't have to drive for hours to find them. Let's see him use his Otus for wildlife.


Feb 25, 2014 at 07:44 PM
Tom_W
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p.1 #18 · p.1 #18 · TDP Review: Zeiss Otus 55mm f/1.4 Distagon T*


Impressive!



Feb 25, 2014 at 07:50 PM
nehemiahphoto
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p.1 #19 · p.1 #19 · TDP Review: Zeiss Otus 55mm f/1.4 Distagon T*


Would like to see how it does against the Sony 55 1.8 or 50 Makro….


Feb 25, 2014 at 08:05 PM
ggreene
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p.1 #20 · p.1 #20 · TDP Review: Zeiss Otus 55mm f/1.4 Distagon T*


Pixel Perfect wrote:
Yeah, well humans are hardly elusive, shy or fast moving


Sometimes at events you would be surprised how many humans are elusive, shy, and fast moving in order to avoid their photo being taken.



Feb 25, 2014 at 08:13 PM
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