It's hard to get excited about Zeiss lenses unless you know it's history and/or have used their lenses in the past and know how they performed. It's almost like an acquired taste. The fact that you would compare a Sigma lens to a Zeiss lens is quite shocking .... but forgivable if you don't know what the Zeiss name stands for.

Yakim Peled wrote:
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…..

IMHO of course.

Happy shooting,
Yakim.

StevenPA wrote:
fourfa wrote:
...for SLRs.

Naturally. But look at the MTFs for both lenses. The Biogon is better, no question, but it's _very_ close, and the Biogon isn't limited to a retrofocus design, which makes the Distagon even more impressive.

[edit] I have no interest in M lenses, but I just had a look at the MTFs for their Elmarit 21/2.8. Speechless...


Are you talking about MTF charts for the new ZE 21? Where did you find them? I don't find them on the German Carl Zeiss site.

Take a peak at the MTF chart for the 2/85 Sonnar... Darn near flat across the top, the lines.

DoubleNegative wrote:
Take a peak at the MTF chart for the 2/85 Sonnar... Darn near flat across the top, the lines.


Unfortunately, 85mm f2.0 lens is a "ZM" lens for rangefinders in the Leica M mount and won't be available as a ZE, Canon mount lens.

Lotusm50 wrote:
Unfortunately, 85mm f2.0 lens is a "ZM" lens for rangefinders in the Leica M mount and won't be available as a ZE, Canon mount lens.

Ooops, you're right... My head is in ZM-land more than anything these days. .

I know about the Zeiss history but it is not a part of my buying decisions. And that Sigma has performed excellently in several respectable online testers.

Please take note that I do have 18 years of shooting experience with Canon L and primes so it's not that I don't know what is a quality lens.

Happy shooting,
Yakim.

bobbytan wrote:
It's hard to get excited about Zeiss lenses unless you know it's history and/or have used their lenses in the past and know how they performed. It's almost like an acquired taste. The fact that you would compare a Sigma lens to a Zeiss lens is quite shocking .... but forgivable if you don't know what the Zeiss name stands for.

Yakim Peled wrote:
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…..

IMHO of course.

Happy shooting,
Yakim.

cogitech wrote:
Yakim Peled wrote:
It's not that I don't believe you but as these lenses are extremely rare in Israel I have to rely on internet tests. Thus, comparative pictures would be nice. If you don't have them, it's O.K. but I just wondered if anybody has ever tested both side by side.

Happy shooting,
Yakim.


I can post some FF crops (including edge/corners) from the CZ21 later which will not need any 16-35 II crops to compare to. It'll be all too obvious.

I have no doubt in my mind that this is an excellent lens and I would not be surprised if a prime will beat a zoom in a straight shootout. Nevertheless I am still curious to see how big are the differences. Don't you have a friend with a 16-35/2.8 II?

Happy shooting,
Yakim.

brunobarolo wrote:
StevenPA wrote:
fourfa wrote:
...for SLRs.

Naturally. But look at the MTFs for both lenses. The Biogon is better, no question, but it's _very_ close, and the Biogon isn't limited to a retrofocus design, which makes the Distagon even more impressive.

[edit] I have no interest in M lenses, but I just had a look at the MTFs for their Elmarit 21/2.8. Speechless...


Are you talking about MTF charts for the new ZE 21? Where did you find them? I don't find them on the German Carl Zeiss site.

No, I'm talking about the MTF for the C/Y 21. I don't think the MTF for the new Zeiss is going to be wildly different though.

well i just hope for all of you that this body does better then the past ones in holding up. it was canons "long on promise and short on product overall quality" that drove me from them. it looks to be a neat one and i hope for you all it is