I do wonder about this.. If the ZE 50 proves to be just insanely awesome, I may give up the 50L for it (even though I'm one of the few that really likes the 50L). Perhaps even somehow buy both the 85 AND the 50
cogitech wrote:
You are correct. This is an advancement over using the older lenses with an adapter.
The new lenses will work identically to your EF lenses when you shut the AF switch to the off position.
This is much different than the experience of shooting the old lenses mounted with an adapter, using Av mode plus stop-down metering. AF-confirm chips sort of help here, but they do not allow the camera to record the shooting aperture or enable accurate E-TTL metering, or auto-aperture, of course.
Is this enough for people like ChrisDM to switch? Maybe not, because stop-down metering suits his type of photography with those particular lenses.
I too use tons of lenses with adapters (or converted mounts) in full-manual-everything mode. I don't even bother with the AF confirm chips. I get great results, but I certainly would choose to have auto-aperture (and all the corresponding exposure modes) full EXIF, and E-TTL on all those lenses if I had the choice. I have one such lens; the Voigtlander 125/2.5 Macro APO-Lanthar in native EOS mount. It is a joy to use, incredible really, and I fully expect that Cosina will be making the ZEs at least as good as this....Show more →
To me Zeiss is the most impressive brand name in photography. I've owned several Hasselblad Zeiss lenses and loved them, I never pixel peeped with Zeiss, never needed to. Beautiful kit, made right.
Now I will be able to build up a collection of Zeiss lenses for my Canon. Might take me a few years, but I'll get there. For me the future is Zeiss. I'm very, very pleased about the ZE range. Best photographic news in years.
David Baldwin wrote:
To me Zeiss is the most impressive brand name in photography. I'm very, very pleased about the ZE range. Best photographic news in years.
hmmm, I am really into 85mm 1.4, not sure the true market price.
I was thinking about buying Nikon 85mm 1.4 and a EF adaptor for 5D, does this setup work? coz 85L is really expensive.
Jun Zhou wrote:
I was thinking about buying Nikon 85mm 1.4 and a EF adaptor for 5D, does this setup work?
Yes (with manual focus and stop-down metering, of course)
There are many other workable, fast, affordable options at 85-90mm. The Contax (Zeiss) Planar 85/1.4 is one of them. Visit the Alternative Gear forum for details.
cogitech wrote:
Yes (with manual focus and stop-down metering, of course)
There are many other workable, fast, affordable options at 85-90mm. The Contax (Zeiss) Planar 85/1.4 is one of them. Visit the Alternative Gear forum for details.
Contax planar T* 85 f/1.4 on 5D is superb combo, and stop down metering is a doddle. This and the 135L are my favourite 5D lenses. I've heard great things about the Nikon too. If the ZE 85 is demonstrably better than my planar T*, I'll be getting one for sure.
I did a little bit search on Contax planar T* 85 f/1.4 from Ebay, and, with adapter, the price will almost the same as ZE 85mm , around $1100?
Pixel Perfect wrote:
Contax planar T* 85 f/1.4 on 5D is superb combo, and stop down metering is a doddle. This and the 135L are my favourite 5D lenses. I've heard great things about the Nikon too. If the ZE 85 is demonstrably better than my planar T*, I'll be getting one for sure.
You can get a 85 Planar for $500 and an adapter for $20.
But don't.
Get a Minolta MC Rokkor 85/1.7 for $300 and convert it to EOS. A much nicer lens, IMO. Sharp wide open (unlike the Planar) and much, much nicer bokeh.
Jun Zhou wrote:
I did a little bit search on Contax planar T* 85 f/1.4 from Ebay, and, with adapter, the price will almost the same as ZE 85mm , around $1100?
Jun Zhou wrote:
I did a little bit search on Contax planar T* 85 f/1.4 from Ebay, and, with adapter, the price will almost the same as ZE 85mm , around $1100?
So did anyone subscribe to the Zeiss newsletter and received the announcement already? Is ZE really a Canon mount?
The email/announcement that I received from Zeiss last night is below. The link to the newsletter is http://www.zeiss.com/cln
Carl Zeiss * Camera Lens News * Issue 29 * September 2008
Dear Mr. rohanew,
It is a pleasure to inform you about a new issue of the Camera Lens News. We have saved a very special announcement for this issue; an announcement that will answer the call of many SLR photographers around the world:
Carl Zeiss is introducing the new ZE lens line: powerful, high-quality SLR lenses for the EF bayonet.
Headlines Index:
[1] Field Report - New Carl Zeiss ZE Lenses Put to the Test
[2] More optics for everyone - Carl Zeiss SLR lenses for EF bayonet Inspired by life - Working as a photojournalist
[4] Carl Zeiss ZF Lenses - Print time for Panoramas
[5] The Effects of Time - Traveling with the Makro Planar T* 2/100 ZF
EOS20 wrote:
If you think the 21mm Distagon Is overpriced, Have you seen the new Leica Noctilux M 50 mm f/0.95 ASPH That was announced today? It's a bargain at £6290!!
I am don't like MF and to me, the Zeiss are way too expensive but if there are MF lenses that makes me water these are the 21/1.4 and 50/0.95, on M8.2.
I also wonder if the 85/1.4 can really beat the 85/1.2 II which is faster, have AF and costs the same.
Zeiss lenses are not that much more expensive than Canon, and waaaay cheaper than Leica. They are extremely well built and looks really good. Still, the only Zeiss ZE lens I would buy would be the 21/2.8 Distagon .... which they have yet to announce - but we shouldn't have to wait too long for this. MF with focus confirmation should work really well, especially with live view. And it helps to have auto-exposure. It would be like using a Zeiss lens on a Contax body .... real sweet!
Yakim Peled wrote:
I am don't like MF and to me, the Zeiss are way too expensive but if there are MF lenses that makes me water these are the 21/1.4 and 50/0.95, on M8.2.
I also wonder if the 85/1.4 can really beat the 85/1.2 II which is faster, have AF and costs the same.
For 50mm, the new Sigma 50/1.4 looks sharp enough at f/1.4. For 85mm, the 85/1.2 II looks sharp enough at f/1.2. Both have AF. And I will be happy to see how the 21/2.8 fairs against the 16-35/2.8 II in a real world test. So, for the EF mount I see no reason to get excited.
What I like about the Leica lenses is that they are mounted on a M8 body…..
- me too! 
