p.4 #2 · A collection of 25mm f2 Shots with the new zeiss
FlyPenFly wrote:
I don't think its fair to compare an F1.4 to an F2 at F2.
I would say do it at F4 and F8. Medium and infinity distance. Use a tripod for exact framing.
Ideally, it would be at F2 through F8...closer distances to show bokeh (it would also be relevant to show the Canon wide open to see what is gained or lost regarding bokeh) as well as longer distances, but then it becomes quite a bigger deal for Jorge and may be asking way too much . It's not necessarily a given that the 1.4 lens would perform better at F2 than the F2 wide open given the much easier challenge of designing a really good F2 lens vs a 1.4.
p.4 #3 · A collection of 25mm f2 Shots with the new zeiss
wayne seltzer wrote:
Yes, the micro-contrast and colors will be better with the Zeiss but it can't make up for the difference between 1.4 and 2.0 IMHO.
I'd probably pick the Zeiss for this reason and I'm guessing this is why Jorge is using the words "no competition" (prioritizing drawing style over speed).
p.4 #4 · A collection of 25mm f2 Shots with the new zeiss
FlyPenFly wrote:
So are there four lenses now in the Zeiss top price tier?
21mm F2.8, 25mm F2, 35mm F1.4, and 100mm F2?
This is what I do not understand. From all reviews and example photos this lens is about as strong a performer as the $1100 35mm f2 yet it is priced close to legendary performers lke the 21mm f2.8 and the 100 Makro Planar?
p.4 #5 · A collection of 25mm f2 Shots with the new zeiss
dadgummit wrote:
this lens is about as strong a performer as the $1100 35mm f2 yet it is priced close to legendary performers lke the 21mm f2.8 and the 100 Makro Planar?
I´d say the 2/25 is a better performer as it´s almost free from lateral CA. The 1100€ 2/35 is not. Worth the difference? To me, very close. If I would not love the close up capability of the 2.8/25, I would be getting the f/2 asap.
p.4 #6 · A collection of 25mm f2 Shots with the new zeiss
dadgummit wrote:
This is what I do not understand. From all reviews and example photos this lens is about as strong a performer as the $1100 35mm f2 yet it is priced close to legendary performers lke the 21mm f2.8 and the 100 Makro Planar?
A well performing 25/2 is much more difficult to make than a 35/2. In this case Zeiss needed to use 2 extra elements versus what was used in the 35/2 design. I'm sure there are a number of other examples as well of how the 25mm is a more complicated design. There is a much stronger correlation between price and distance from normal focal length than there is between price and performance. Just like everybody else, Zeiss designed this lens to a price point.
p.4 #8 · A collection of 25mm f2 Shots with the new zeiss
johnahill wrote:
There's been a lot of talk about the 25/2 being the best and being better than x or y lens.
I think it really depends on what you want to do with it, if you want wide open with small dof, or if you want a multi purpose lens that does it all (maybe with just some small compromises) then this lens may be it. For those of us who shoot landscape/cityscape shots at a distance of say 20 meters out to infinity then there are plenty of other options.
I agree it depends on what you want to do with it. Thus far, I don't see this 25/2 as "a multi purpose lens that does it all (maybe with just some small compromises)". What it does, it appears to do so exceptionally well - great bokeh, freedom of aberrations, wonderful rendering - but the two biggies in my book which prevent it being an all around, multi purpose lens and render it more of a specialty tool are:
1: F2 v F 1.4 aperture so it's not the low light lens choice when there are 1.4 lenses available for around the same price - and soon much cheaper even (upcoming Samyang).
2: Lack of across the frame sharpness stopped down into the corners which might remove it as the best lens for uses where that is required.
p.4 #9 · A collection of 25mm f2 Shots with the new zeiss
Come on Tariq, it's only the last 1-2 mm in the extreme corners and they aren't really that bad, they are just not as sharp as the rest of the frame where sharpness is super outstanding.
p.4 #10 · A collection of 25mm f2 Shots with the new zeiss
edwardkaraa wrote:
Come on Tariq, it's only the last 1-2 mm in the extreme corners and they aren't really that bad, they are just not as sharp as the rest of the frame where sharpness is super outstanding.
If you look at the shots Johnahill posted, there is a lot of image area that requires detail in the extreme corners - these seem to be an excellent example of where corner sharpness is important - as are all the other qualities he mentions. On large prints, the deficiency would be noticeable.
By the way, its more than just the last 1-2 mm at the top corners. This is clearly demonstrated in digilloyds tests. Each individual will decide what's important for their uses and for me, I want corner sharpness by F8, particularly if I'm considering parting with that much money. I don't care to buy an expensive compromise.
p.4 #11 · A collection of 25mm f2 Shots with the new zeiss
The sample shot I used is probably not the best for corner sharpness as the corners really don't contain any detail, but it does show the edge sharpness which is very good.
I'd be interested in a comparison of rendering/contrast/fine detail between the 25/2 and the 25/2.8 when shot at or near infinity, most shots so far concentrate on close-focus rendering.
As much as I love the 25/2.8 I still wish is was available in ZE mount so I did'd have to mess around with adapters.
p.4 #12 · A collection of 25mm f2 Shots with the new zeiss
johnahill wrote:
I'd be interested in a comparison of rendering/contrast/fine detail between the 25/2 and the 25/2.8 when shot at or near infinity, most shots so far concentrate on close-focus rendering.
As much as I love the 25/2.8 I still wish is was available in ZE mount so I did'd have to mess around with adapters.
The examples I have seen from the 25 2.8, particularly the tests at digilloyd, show that the 2.8 is superior at infinity for across the frame sharpness compared to the new F2 lens. This appears to be the main deficiency of the new lens...and the point of controversy for whatever reason.
p.4 #14 · A collection of 25mm f2 Shots with the new zeiss
Wayne; will try and find that thread.
Johnahill: both lenses look fine to me. I had the R28v2 myself, and the old C/Y Zeiss 25/2.8 - which I really liked except for wide open performance.
LotusM50: Yes, it certainly has been improved by the looks of it.
Tariq: maybe the 25/2 is meant to be a close quarter lens. I would however expect great performance (stopped down) at infinity for a modern lens. Especially from Zeiss.
p.4 #15 · A collection of 25mm f2 Shots with the new zeiss
AhamB wrote:
I'd probably pick the Zeiss for this reason and I'm guessing this is why Jorge is using the words "no competition" (prioritizing drawing style over speed).
But I have the ZE 21 and would prefer that over the new ZE 25/2 for stopped down landscape and any shooting with apertures f4 and smaller. My 24/1.4G I use for low light and shots where I want maximum separation between subject and background and narrow DOF but with large AOV. In low light, f1.4 is huge, the slightly better Zeiss colors and microcontrast won't matter if you can not get the shot due to motion blur or camera blur or have to jack up the ISO one more stop and get a lot more noise.
At least Sony users have the IBIS which helps offset the slower f2 speed of the ZA 24/2.
p.4 #19 · A collection of 25mm f2 Shots with the new zeiss
Sort of looks like to me that the Canon was focused at a much closer point (not infinity) vs the Zeiss in the comparison, noticeable with the sharper roof rack on the car in the Canon shot taken at 2.8. I guess if we could see the door handles on the foreground cars, it might confirm this.
p.4 #20 · A collection of 25mm f2 Shots with the new zeiss
kosmoskatten wrote:
Tariq: maybe the 25/2 is meant to be a close quarter lens. I would however expect great performance (stopped down) at infinity for a modern lens. Especially from Zeiss.
Yes, one would expect that with a modern lens stopped down. Unfortunately, the tests at digilloyd don't show it to be the case with this lens at infinity with the corners. Even at F11 they are still soft.
