jeetsukumaran Offline Upload & Sell: Off
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I've tried to sell my Zeiss 21mm f/2.8 three times now.
The first time was when I got my TS-E 24mm.
The second time was when I got my 24-70mm f/4.
The third time was when I got my 24-70mm f/2.8 II.
Each time, I thought I had a more versatile lens (in different ways) that came close to the same focal length, so thought I could recover some funds by selling the Zeiss. Each time, I had the listing ready and everything, (and in one case actually had the lens listed both here and on the auction site). And each time, all it took was one look at the Zeiss images for me to cancel the listing.
That Zeiss lens is magical, especially for landscapes.
It is easily the sharpest and most contrasty lens I have used, especially in the edges and corners.
But more than that, it definitely is the best rendering lens I have ever used. I know folks are going to scoff, deride, laugh, mock, or scorn me for pitching the "myth" of microcontrast. But I've seen it, and I believe it. And it's not just the microcontrast, but color detail. Yeah, just as intangible of an intangible, I know! But, again, I've seen it, and I believe it. Many times I shoot the same scene with a few different lenses and setting. Without looking at any info, the moment the Zeiss images come up after a sequence of non-Zeiss in the review, you just know it. Even non photo-technical folks have picked it up: I hear the "wow!" or the "whoah!" behind me as I am reviewing the images sometimes. There is just this vibrant pop to the images that are simply unmatched by any other lens without post-processing. Sure, a little but of clarity here, and a little bit of saturation/vibrance there, may be some HSL fiddling, etc. and you can bring images with other lenses to the same or similar level of pop. So, as far as the final product goes, it may not be that big of a deal. But that take-your-breath-away-pop-straight-from-the-glass? Nothing but the Zeiss has given me that. And that is why I just cannot bring myself to sell the lens, even if I have the focal length otherwise covered by lenses that are just as sharp and contrasty.
And yep, it has some moustache distortion, which makes it less than ideal for architecture and which many people hate. But honestly, it's never bothered me for the nature landscapes I do.
You have the TS-E, and you know what it's capable of. It's a great lens. But not the number one choice, I think, if your main concern is sharpness and contrast, especially in the edges/corners. While I had it in my hands (I've since sold it), I found it noticeably less sharp and contrasty, especially in the edges/corners than the Zeiss 21 at apertures down to f/5.6, and less noticeably but still arguably so at apertures down to f/8 and f/11.
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