I have rented from them several times and they are great to work with
If you have questions even the people that answer the phone are very knowledgeable
eSchwab wrote:
I had one for awhile, I found that for most things it was exceptionally sharp but it was not good at infinity.
You either had a bad copy or were not focusing optimally at infinity. The 100/2 is excellent at all distances, but the MTF's actually show it to perform best at infinity.
Picked up a 100/2 yesterday and really enjoying it so far. The only glass I've tried that picks up greater detail is my 200/2, and that's simply in another price stratosphere.
I'm also having a very easy time hitting focus wide open, without resorting to live view, compared to MF'ing any of my other glass. The buttery focus action and extreme long throw no doubt, but perhaps something about the glass itself?
I own and really like the Zeiss 100 f2.0 but when I want a lighter lens I also use the 105 2.5 and the Voigtlander 90mm 3.5, an amazingly good and compact lens.
The Zeiss 100 MP is an excellent lens for intimate landscapes with the ghosting/flare limitations mentioned above. I also have the nikkor 105/2.5 and while a very nice lens, it isnt in the same league as the zeiss 100.
I ended up renting a 100/2 ZF2 from lens rentals (excellent service BTW) and was very very impressed with the sharpness wide open across the frame at infinity - I would not hesitate to use it wide open. Stopped down it's phenomenal.
For cost and weight reasons I decided to try the 90/3.5 CV and found it too to be excellent at f/3.5 across the frame and decided to go that route.
I'm sitting on the sidelines waiting for a good deal on a 100/2 and expect the used prices to decrease somewhat when the 135/2 Zeis, 135/1.8 Sigma, and 135/1.8 Nikon are all available . . . . .
p.2 #11 · Zeiss 100/2 Makro-Planar For Landscapes?
After looking at your lens line-up, I guess duplicating focal length isn't an issue, so...
I use the Zeiss often with my D4; however, it wasn't my fav with the D800E. The reason was my aging eyesight when shooting in poor light. I use live view when shooting the Z with the D4 and it's great. Live view on the D800E was less than good. Nikon may have improved it in later iterations of the D800s. For me, I preferred AF lenses with the D800E.
, so...