Home · Register · Join Upload & Sell

Moderated by: Fred Miranda
Username  

  New fredmiranda.com Mobile Site
  New Feature: SMS Notification alert
  New Feature: Buy & Sell Watchlist
  

FM Forums | Canon Forum | Join Upload & Sell

  

Archive 2017 · Advice sell contax 135mm f2.8 and zeiss 85mm f1.4 for 135mm f2 apo ze

  
 
JamesPTao
Offline

Upload & Sell: Off
p.1 #1 · p.1 #1 · Advice sell contax 135mm f2.8 and zeiss 85mm f1.4 for 135mm f2 apo ze


I have a canon 1d mark iv and canon 1ds mark ii. Lens zeiss 50mm f1.4 ze, zeiss 85mm f1.4 ze, contax 135mm f2.8, canon 100mm f2.8 macro usm, and canon 24-70 f2.8 L version ii.
The zeiss 85mm f1.4 ze is a beautiful lens but i hate the close focusing distance and it has its flaws. Have used the 55mm otus and love the apo design. Thinking about selling my zeiss 85mm f1.4 ze and contax 135mm f2.8 and throwing in around $200 to but a used 135mm f2 apo ze. I shoot for me not for a living. I use the canon 1d mark iv mostly so the 1.3 crop factor will make it longer. I dont shoot mostly portaits but have two girls i love to photogragh. Should i do this. The attraction of this is to have a top tier example of zeiss. I love the color fidelity of the otus 55mm i have used and want the quality of the apo. What do you guys think?



Aug 15, 2017 at 01:16 AM
philber
Offline
• • • • • •
Upload & Sell: Off
p.1 #2 · p.1 #2 · Advice sell contax 135mm f2.8 and zeiss 85mm f1.4 for 135mm f2 apo ze


James, I have owned and shot every lens you mention. Basically, the 135 APO is nicknamed "the Otus without the name". Zeiss acknowledge that, opticaly, it is what an Otus is designed to be. The reason it came out as a ZF/ZE is that the Otus project did not exist at the time. So, if it is Otus performance you are after, and you wan t a lnoger focal length, 135 APO is the way to go. That said, it does not have the mechanical design of Otus (longer focus throw etc..). Also, the 135 APO does not have quite the same look as the Otus 55. The 55 I consider to be as close to "neutral" as they come as regards rendering. The 135 APO is more balanced towards highlighting sharpness, so its rendering can sometimes seem just a bit harsh/unflattering. Not for the faint-hearted, is you see what I mean...:-)
The Contax 135 cannot be compared to the APO, not in terms of sharpness, not in terms of absence of CA. It was not IMHO one of the strongest Contax performers, so you souldn't miss it if you do as outlined.
The ZE 85 is another matter. Yes, it has its flaws, essentially wide open and up close. But, say from F:2.8 on up, it is remarkable. Colours are fantastic, as is the amount of detail. Its rendering is quite different from a 135 APO. The 85 will give you beautiful, almost painterly pictures, whereas the 135 will show everything, almost mercilessly. In that sense, it can be closer to a 100Mp (less the CA) than to a 85ZE.
Pairing up the 50 ZE with a 135 APO is interesting because it would give you a choice of 2 rather different looks. Whereas today you have 3 lenses with an almost common look.
Hope this helps. Have fun!



Aug 15, 2017 at 01:36 AM
JamesPTao
Offline

Upload & Sell: Off
p.1 #3 · p.1 #3 · Advice sell contax 135mm f2.8 and zeiss 85mm f1.4 for 135mm f2 apo ze


Thank you for your advice it was helpful. I decided to instead keep the zeiss 85mm f1.4 ze and instead sell my older canon 1ds mark ii and Contax 135mm f2.8 to fund buying the zeiss 135mm f2 apo ze.


Aug 30, 2017 at 03:03 PM
philber
Offline
• • • • • •
Upload & Sell: Off
p.1 #4 · p.1 #4 · Advice sell contax 135mm f2.8 and zeiss 85mm f1.4 for 135mm f2 apo ze


James, it is a super lens. Congratulations, and have fun!


Aug 30, 2017 at 03:05 PM
edean
Offline
• •
Upload & Sell: Off
p.1 #5 · p.1 #5 · Advice sell contax 135mm f2.8 and zeiss 85mm f1.4 for 135mm f2 apo ze


I bought the Zeiss 135 for my 40th birthday. It was my first Zeiss and first foray into manual focus lenses. Here is a couple of my niece last Christmas Eve in a Seaside village in Cornwall.

https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4416/36927603115_53fc9a703e_z.jpg

https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4337/36093500354_f534069a3e_z.jpg

I love the sharpness, colour and contrast.



Aug 30, 2017 at 06:51 PM
JamesPTao
Offline

Upload & Sell: Off
p.1 #6 · p.1 #6 · Advice sell contax 135mm f2.8 and zeiss 85mm f1.4 for 135mm f2 apo ze


Well, its done. I am the proud owner of a Zeiss 135mm f2 APO Ze. Cant wait to give it a good work through this weekend. Thank you everyone for your advise and encouragement.


Sep 13, 2017 at 06:56 PM
bushwacker
Offline
• • •
Upload & Sell: Off
p.1 #7 · p.1 #7 · Advice sell contax 135mm f2.8 and zeiss 85mm f1.4 for 135mm f2 apo ze


JamesPTao wrote:
I have a canon 1d mark iv and canon 1ds mark ii. Lens zeiss 50mm f1.4 ze, zeiss 85mm f1.4 ze, contax 135mm f2.8, canon 100mm f2.8 macro usm, and canon 24-70 f2.8 L version ii.
The zeiss 85mm f1.4 ze is a beautiful lens but i hate the close focusing distance and it has its flaws. Have used the 55mm otus and love the apo design. Thinking about selling my zeiss 85mm f1.4 ze and contax 135mm f2.8 and throwing in around $200 to but a used 135mm f2 apo ze. I shoot for me not for a living. I
...Show more


James,

You don't know what you have until you realized how to use them. Those two 1.4/50 & 1.4/85 planars are optimized for longer distance focusing.

You want up close with them start at f2







Sep 13, 2017 at 09:39 PM
DannyBurkPhoto
Offline
• • •
Upload & Sell: Off
p.1 #8 · p.1 #8 · Advice sell contax 135mm f2.8 and zeiss 85mm f1.4 for 135mm f2 apo ze


I'll add to the comments above by saying that, depending on what you want to do, the Planar twins can be very good at close range. I use the 50 constantly for flower closeups (I've posted many here); no, it's not razor sharp at the point of focus, but the rendering it creates, with gorgeous "hand-painted" textured bokeh, is sublime. That's lost as soon as you stop it down.


Sep 13, 2017 at 10:01 PM
bushwacker
Offline
• • •
Upload & Sell: Off
p.1 #9 · p.1 #9 · Advice sell contax 135mm f2.8 and zeiss 85mm f1.4 for 135mm f2 apo ze


DannyBurkPhoto wrote:
I'll add to the comments above by saying that, depending on what you want to do, the Planar twins can be very good at close range. I use the 50 constantly for flower closeups (I've posted many here); no, it's not razor sharp at the point of focus, but the rendering it creates, with gorgeous "hand-painted" textured bokeh, is sublime. That's lost as soon as you stop it down.


True... these zeiss are not your regular lenses you have to know where they good at.

my advice? don't sell them. Keep all of them... yes including the C/Y 135.



Sep 14, 2017 at 05:00 AM





FM Forums | Canon Forum | Join Upload & Sell

    
 

You are not logged in. Login or Register

Username       Or Reset password



This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.