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 p.9 #10 · Rokinon/Samyang 35/1.4 Picture Thread | |
wayne seltzer wrote:
Brad, have you tried the new ZE 35/1.4? The undercorrected SA design of that lens produces a smooth bokeh with slow focus transition. It's bokeh is one of the main selling points for that lens(think beauty portraits, like Softar) and it's bokeh is better than any 35 out there IMHO, better than Nikon 35G/1.4,Samy/Rok 35/1.4, C/Y 35/1.4, ZE 35/2.
I would also say that Zeiss is capable of making lenses with nice smooth, non-nervous bokeh like the Contax N 85/1.4, ZA 135/1.8, ZA 85.1.4, and now ZE 35/1.4.I would argue that the bokeh and drawing characteristics of these 35's have a bigger difference than their f8 distant landscape sharpness performance.
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Hey, Wayne. I shot the ZF.2 on loan and loved it. And yes, I agree, the bokeh is at its best in evenly lit, lower contrast scenarios like beauty portraits. Take it outside, though, give it strong shadows and highlights, and the lens is too high contrast to produce anything that neutral. I'm not saying that's a downside of the lens anymore than I'm saying Zeiss is incapable of producing good bok, but it is situational. And I don't think, even at its best, it's so much better than any of the lenses you listed (35G excepted as I haven't shot it or researched it) that it's worth advertising. I guess it's possible that I'm not seeing it because I'm biased to the AIS and 'Lux in this regard, but I am trying to be objective.
I do think there's a valid argument to be made in comparing the ZF/ZE performance to the Rok on medium to long landscapes @ f/8 because the overall differences between the lenses becomes that much more evident. Aside from the fact that you're more likely to encounter a situation where flare can be a problem, something the Rok doesn't handle as well, if you nail everything about your exposure in the camera, you'll barely even have to touch the ZF/ZE image in post. They have a clarity and presence that is distinctly Zeiss. It's not that you can't alter the images, there's just no need because the output alone is very attractive. While the Rok mostly keeps up technically, it takes more work in post to achieve that same level of presence. And I'm not talking about duplicating the draw, but rather reaching the point of visual sublimation (it's not incorrect usage, I'm repurposing the word), where the viewer no longer sees a photograph but rather puts themselves in the scene.
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