Alf Beharie Offline Image Upload: Off
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p.1 #19 · Dispelling the Zeiss superiority myth? | |
Lotusm50 wrote:
Tariq Gibran wrote:
Interestingly, regarding design, the most current Z series 50 1.4 shares the exact same optical design with the older CY 50 1.4 AND this CY 50 1.7!
You lost me with the word "exact". While these 3 Zeiss lenses share a similar design, they are not exact. The 50/1.7 being the most "different" of the 3, not to mention the cheapest. The ZF50 is clearly descended from the c/y 50, but they are not exact. The ZF is an update of the older design, and the differences in the MTF's confirm that. There are almost certainly differences in glass formula as well as small tweaks to the geometry of the elements. That said, I think that Zeiss should have put more effort in the the ZF 50/1.4 to more effectively distinguish it. While the c/y 50/1.4 might have been a category leading lens 25 years ago, the rest of the industry is closer today. I think there are a lot of people that would have preferred to see a step-out new design for the ZF50/1.4 rather than a minor updating tweak to the old c/y design.
Finally, on this comparison, I'm not so sure that a top-of-the line, exotic, very expensive (in its day) Canon lens is the likely competitor for this entry-level, cut-rate, corner-cutting, inexpensive, basic Zeiss 50/1.7 lens. I would have expect the Canon to be better. Hell, it cost a lot more. Further, these one number average weighted scores for lenses are highly suspect and can be misleading depending on how the lenses are actually used. Quite clearly, the Canon could be sharper in the area of the frame you examined while garnering a lower overall score when the rest of the frame is considered.
But the more expensive Zeiss 50mm f1.4 Planar T* has a lower MTF rating than the "cheap" 50mm f1.7 Planar T*.
According to this MTF list of lenses with MTF ratings of 4.1 or higher the Zeiss 50mm f1.7 Planar is one of the sharpest 50mm lens in the whole list, equal only to the Leica M Summicron-M 50mm f2.0, Pentax AF SMC-F 50mm f2.8 macro and the Pentax AF SMC-F 50mm f1.4.
Grade: 4.8 35mm/AF Canon EF 200/1,8L USM
Grade: 4.7 35mm/AF Contax G Planar 45/2,0
Grade: 4.6 35mm/MF Tokina AT-X 90/2,5 macro
Grade: 4.6 35mm/MF Pentax SMC-A 85/1,4
Grade: 4.6 35mm/MF LeicaR Elmarit-R 90/2,8 discontinued
Grade: 4.6 35mm/MF LeicaM Summicron-M 50/2,0
Grade: 4.6 35mm/MF Contax Planar T* 85/1,4
Grade: 4.6 35mm/MF Contax Planar T* 50/1,7
Grade: 4.6 35mm/AF Pentax SMC-F 50/2,8 macro
Grade: 4.6 35mm/AF Pentax SMC-F 50/1,4
Grade: 4.6 35mm/AF Canon EF 85/1,2L USM
Grade: 4.5 35mm/MF LeicaR Summicron-R 50/2
Grade: 4.5 35mm/MF LeicaR Apo-Macro-Elmarit-R 100/2,8
Grade: 4.5 35mm/MF LeicaM Summilux-M 75/1,4
Grade: 4.5 35mm/MF LeicaM Elmarit-M 90/2,8
Grade: 4.5 35mm/MF Konica M-Hexanon 50/f2
Grade: 4.5 35mm/MF Contax Planar T* 50/1,4
Grade: 4.5 35mm/AF Minolta AF 50/2,8 Macro1:1
Grade: 4.5 35mm/AF Minolta AF 100/2,8 Macro 1:1
Grade: 4.5 35mm/AF Canon EF 135/2L USM
Grade: 4.4 35mm/MF Nikkor Micro 55/2,8
Grade: 4.4 35mm/MF Nikkor 85/1,4
Grade: 4.4 35mm/MF Nikkor 105/1,8
Grade: 4.4 35mm/MF LeicaR Apo-Telyt-R 280/2,8
Grade: 4.4 35mm/MF LeicaR Apo-Telyt-R 180/3,4
Grade: 4.4 35mm/MF Canon FD 50/1,8
Grade: 4.4 35mm/AF Pentax SMC-F 50/1,7
Grade: 4.4 35mm/AF Nikkor AF 50/1,8
Grade: 4.4 35mm/AF Minolta AF 50/1,4
Grade: 4.4 35mm/AF Minolta AF 100/2,0
Grade: 4.4 35mm/AF Contax G Sonnar 90/2,8
Grade: 4.4 35mm/AF Canon EF 50/2,5 Macro
Grade: 4.4 35mm/AF Canon EF 50/1,4 USM
Grade: 4.4 35mm/AF Canon EF 400/2,8L II
Grade: 4.4 35mm/AF Canon EF 400/2,8 L IS USM
Grade: 4.3 35mm/MF Yashica ML 50/1,4
Grade: 4.3 35mm/MF LeicaR Summilux-R 50/1,4
Grade: 4.3 35mm/MF LeicaM Summicron-M 90/2,0
Grade: 4.3 35mm/MF Contax Distagon T* 28/2,8
Grade: 4.3 35mm/AF Tamron AF SP 90/2,8 Macro
Grade: 4.3 35mm/AF Pentax SMC-F 100/2,8 macro
Grade: 4.3 35mm/AF Nikkor AF DC 135/2D
Grade: 4.3 35mm/AF Contax G Biogon 21/2,8
Grade: 4.3 35mm/AF Canon EF 300/4L USM
Grade: 4.2 35mm/MF Tamron SP 90/2,5 macro
Grade: 4.2 35mm/MF Pentax SMC-A Macro 200/4ED
Grade: 4.2 35mm/MF Pentax SMC-A 135/1,8
Grade: 4.2 35mm/MF Olympus 90/2 macro
Grade: 4.2 35mm/MF Nikkor Noct 58/1,2
Grade: 4.2 35mm/MF Nikkor 85/2,0
Grade: 4.2 35mm/MF Nikkor 50/1,2
Grade: 4.2 35mm/MF Nikkor 105/2,5
Grade: 4.2 35mm/MF LeicaR Vario-Elmar 80-200/4
Grade: 4.2 35mm/MF LeicaM Tele-Elmar-M 135/4,0
Grade: 4.2 35mm/MF LeicaM Summilux-M 50/1,4
Grade: 4.2 35mm/MF LeicaM Noctilux-M 50/1,0
Grade: 4.2 35mm/MF Konica M-Hexanon 28/f2.8
Grade: 4.2 35mm/AF Sigma AF 90/2,8 Makro
Grade: 4.2 35mm/AF Sigma AF 50/2,8 EX Macro
Grade: 4.2 35mm/AF Pentax SMC-FA 50/1,4
Grade: 4.2 35mm/AF Nikkor AF-I 300/2,8 IF-ED
Grade: 4.2 35mm/AF Nikkor AF Micro 60/2,8D
Grade: 4.2 35mm/AF Nikkor AF 85/1,8
Grade: 4.2 35mm/AF Nikkor AF 50/1,4D
Grade: 4.2 35mm/AF Contax G Biogon 28/2,8
Grade: 4.2 35mm/AF Canon EF 80-200/2,8 L
Grade: 4.2 35mm/AF Canon EF 50/1,8 II
Grade: 4.2 35mm/AF Canon EF 100/2 USM
Grade: 4.1 35mm/MF Nikkor Micro 105/2,8
Grade: 4.1 35mm/MF Nikkor F 28/2,8
Grade: 4.1 35mm/MF Nikkor 50/1,8 (E Series)
Grade: 4.1 35mm/MF Nikkor 400/2,8 IF-ED
Grade: 4.1 35mm/MF Nikkor 180/2,8 ED
Grade: 4.1 35mm/MF LeicaM Summicron-M 35/2,0
Grade: 4.1 35mm/MF LeicaM Elmarit-M 28/2,8
Grade: 4.1 35mm/MF LeicaM Elmarit-M 135/2,8
Grade: 4.1 35mm/MF Contax Sonnar T* 85/2,8
Grade: 4.1 35mm/MF Contax Sonnar T* 135/2,8
Grade: 4.1 35mm/AF Sigma AF 105/2,8 EX Macro
Grade: 4.1 35mm/AF Nikkor AF-S 80-200/2,8 IF-ED
Grade: 4.1 35mm/AF Minolta AF 28/2,0
Grade: 4.1 35mm/AF Minolta AF 200/2,8 APO-G
Grade: 4.1 35mm/AF Contax G Planar 35/2,0
Grade: 4.1 35mm/AF Canon EF 85/1,8 USM
Grade: 4.1 35mm/AF Canon EF 70-200/4 L
Grade: 4.1 35mm/AF Canon EF 70-200/2,8 L USM
Grade: 4.1 35mm/AF Canon EF 200/2,8L II
I would be supprised to find my FL 55mm f1.2 has a higher rating than 4.6 but its certainly possible going by my comparison pics.
Edited on Oct 27, 2009 at 08:00 PM · View previous versions
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