The kit lens does very well at first glance, and is more than acceptable for most users, for most uses. It appears to have had a colorectomy, however.
There has been a question mark over this Zeiss prime since its release, it sure looks little like what one might expect, in the way of presence and brilliance.
It still bests the zoom, but falls well short of reasonable expectations.
I would not be interested and I doubt many other landscape shooters will be either. At the rather big ask of ~$1000, the Zeiss lens may not sell well at all, to alt users anyway.
To give some price comparisons from the other format, the ZA 24/2 Sony and ZE 25/2.8 are near to that mark, both are wonderful and well-acclaimed and deliver identifiably Zeiss images. Both are of course Distagons, not the constrained Sonnar design used for the ZA/E 24/1.8.
The 28/2.8D images are much less flat in the other forum's comparo, despite the unusual image types - its contrast is close to the 21D in the centre. I see a lot of users that enjoy the new prime shoot closeups and cars, etc.
I just checked the E lens price at Amazon and saw this blurb in the Google summary:
'employing the legendary “Sonnar” optical design for standout image dimensionality'. I have three Zeiss Sonnars (two are varios) and see nothing identifiably 'sonnar' in any 24mm Sonnar photos so far.
philip_pj wrote:
I just checked the E lens price at Amazon and saw this blurb in the Google summary:
'employing the legendary “Sonnar” optical design for standout image dimensionality'. I have three Zeiss Sonnars (two are varios) and see nothing identifiably 'sonnar' in any 24mm Sonnar photos so far.
doesn't the vario-sonnar designation mean next to nothing as far as relationship to actual sonnars? as far as i know, that's just zeiss's designation for any zoom they make. the new 24mm sonnar does look more sonnar like in it's lens diagram than any of the vario-sonnars, but it's still a bit of stretch. it does show two drawing characteristics that are common in traditional sonnars though – CA and SA.
philip_pj wrote:
There has been a question mark over this Zeiss prime since its release, it sure looks little like what one might expect, in the way of presence and brilliance.
It still bests the zoom, but falls well short of reasonable expectations.
I would not be interested and I doubt many other landscape shooters will be either. At the rather big ask of ~$1000, the Zeiss lens may not sell well at all, to alt users anyway.
To give some price comparisons from the other format, the ZA 24/2 Sony and ZE 25/2.8 are near to that mark, both are wonderful and well-acclaimed and deliver identifiably Zeiss images. Both are of course Distagons, not the constrained Sonnar design used for the ZA/E 24/1.8.
The 28/2.8D images are much less flat in the other forum's comparo, despite the unusual image types - its contrast is close to the 21D in the centre. I see a lot of users that enjoy the new prime shoot closeups and cars, etc. ...Show more →
You know, I am not sure what to do with this lens. I finally got the vendor to give me a RMA so I can send it back today (I had asked for it on the 5th!).
However, I am really happy with the lens for people photos. Especially the type where we are all sitting together at a table and I can grab some quick photos in ambient light... They look fantastic, great BG separation, and the focal length is just right for that.
So I might keep it as a people lens, and just keep griping about the loca for landscape use. I just can't figure out what to replace it with that is near the same focal length and near to 1.8. I have to admit AF is super nice when I am trying to not be the total camera geek at these events and just grab a very QUICK photo and then put the camera away (sorry again, Herb (just kidding around with you, H)).
Good shots!
I have never thought I would say this, but you can shoot jpg with lens corrections enabled.
For CA it works (almost) perfect with the E ZA 24.
I post on my blog because my FM license expired.
Cool blog - I am going to read through it later. It would be interesting to shoot RAW + JPG for a while, however, I'm a photoshop junkie. I'd miss getting my fix of playing with RAW files.
The results from the lens are pretty good, i just don't see it as $1000 good on a very new lens mount. Now if this were $500-600 i'd probably bite. But for now i'm making due with the kit lens at this focal length and looking at other alt options.
alemmo wrote:
The results from the lens are pretty good, i just don't see it as $1000 good on a very new lens mount. Now if this were $500-600 i'd probably bite. But for now i'm making due with the kit lens at this focal length and looking at other alt options.
That's always the challenge, right? Perhaps I can make people photos that are worth the price to me. I think that can be done. And I have funds tucked away for a CZ28, so that will probably be my landscape choice.
I used the G's quite a bit on the last trip and honestly, I think the convenience of the CZ 35-70 might suit me better when I'm on the move.
p.4 #11 · NEX 5N - samples of 18-55 at 24 V. ZA 24
mco_970 wrote:
What is the main issue? LoCa or Just curious.
It's on his main public page so anyone can read the rant but basically everything about the lens..terrible MF and inaccurate AF as well as severe lateral chromatic aberations. He also has a LOT of issues with the NEX-7.
p.4 #12 · NEX 5N - samples of 18-55 at 24 V. ZA 24
Tariq Gibran wrote:
It's on his main public page so anyone can read the rant but basically everything about the lens..terrible MF and inaccurate AF as well as severe lateral chromatic aberations. He also has a LOT of issues with the NEX-7.
Found it - - yeah, he is not having any fun with NEX 7. I agree about hating fly by wire MF, but I have not had any notable issues with the AF.
p.4 #13 · NEX 5N - samples of 18-55 at 24 V. ZA 24
so,
kit is good in broad daylight 24-28
AF is unpredictable.
MF is unpredicatbale.
ZA 24 is OK
ZA 24 is not OK
leica 24/1.4 is benchmark on nex? (I would have thought the 3.8 ASPH murders it)
digloyd is major tease
what did we learn again?
p.4 #15 · NEX 5N - samples of 18-55 at 24 V. ZA 24
uhoh7 wrote:
so,
kit is good in broad daylight 24-28
AF is unpredictable.
MF is unpredicatbale.
ZA 24 is OK
ZA 24 is not OK
leica 24/1.4 is benchmark on nex? (I would have thought the 3.8 ASPH murders it)
digloyd is major tease
what did we learn again?
For my purposes I learned:
kit is good in daylight
ZA AF is good
ZA MF sucks
ZA 24 I like for people, not as much for landscape
and I don't think Leica 24/1.4 is in my future so no worries there.
p.4 #18 · NEX 5N - samples of 18-55 at 24 V. ZA 24
mco_970 wrote: For my purposes I learned:
kit is good in daylight
ZA AF is good
ZA MF sucks
ZA 24 I like for people, not as much for landscape
and I don't think Leica 24/1.4 is in my future so no worries there.
Yeah, that sounds about right. The thing that tempts me about the 24/1.8 is exactly the kind of use it seems decent at -- low light shots of people. I don't much care about infinity performance or exquisite corners with such a lens. $1000 for a good but imperfect lens for a system that for most of us is a secondary platform is steep, but it honestly doesn't seem hugely out of line, considering.
I still think the kit lens is fantastic for the price. It's plenty sharp wide open at 55mm, which is its weakest spot. Works for me.
p.4 #19 · NEX 5N - samples of 18-55 at 24 V. ZA 24
Perhaps the greatest weakness of the NEX system is the lack of a really excellent 24mm or wider equivalent excellent landscape lens.
MFT has the Panasonic 7-14 and the Olympus 8-16. Sony really needs a great zoom like those two for the price.
The only alternative in my head is to use the Sigma 8-16 for Sony on it but then you can't use filters. At least you'll have great corners though since it's a DSLR lens.
I just can't figure out what to replace it with that is near the same focal length and near to 1.8. I have to admit AF is super nice when I am trying to not be the total camera geek at these events and just grab a very QUICK photo and then put the camera away (sorry again, Herb 
(just kidding around with you, H)).
Just curious. 
- yeah, he is not having any fun with NEX 7. I agree about hating fly by wire MF, but I have not had any notable issues with the AF. 