Jochenb wrote:
Zeiss already announced the prices: Link
"The Loxia 2/50 will be available worldwide starting October 2014 and the Loxia 2/35 from the end of the fourth quarter of 2014. The recommended retail price of the Loxia 2/35 will be EUR 965.55* (US$ 1,299.00)* (excl. VAT) and that of the Loxia 2/50 will be EUR 713.45* (US$ 949.00)* (excl. VAT)."
Also interesting to see that the lenses are weathersealed (the blue rings are gaskets). I could be wrong, but I think that's a first for "true" Zeiss lenses?
Really ? How will those prices compete with the autofocus versions 35/2.8 and 55/1.8 ?
I can see the 35 being attractive to some with 1 stop (wow) faster and probably better optics (but the current one is very good and the new one probably has also ugly bokeh) but the 50 No way....the 55 is very very good.
safcraft wrote:
Really ? How will those prices compete with the autofocus versions 35/2.8 and 55/1.8 ?
I can see the 35 being attractive to some with 1 stop (wow) faster and probably better optics (but the current one is very good and the new one probably has also ugly bokeh) but the 50 No way....the 55 is very very good.
If you like manual focus and aperture dials, the choice is evident.
As usual, Zeiss needs better photographers. All distant shots seem to be focused at infinity, leaving weak lower corners with both lenses. I think the lenses are not optimized for the sensor stack of the A7/r, but something less radical, like the A7s and probably future models.
edwardkaraa wrote:
As usual, Zeiss needs better photographers. All distant shots seem to be focused at infinity, leaving weak lower corners with both lenses. I think the lenses are not optimized for the sensor stack of the A7/r, but something less radical, like the A7s and probably future models.
Yes the example photos are always crappy.
Regarding the optimization for the sensor stack, this is what Zeiss says about it in their blog post:
"The Loxia lenses are optimized for digital full-frame sensors, and incorporate the approx. 2.5 mm thick low-pass and infrared filters in front of the sensor in the corresponding Sony cameras."
Could be an issue with technique, though as Edward states.
No EXIF information unfortunately, if that's stopped down then that's not great for landscape/cityscapes (the FE35 does better). Bokeh in the "close up" cannon shot is not exactly blowing me away (could be a difficult subject).
Could be an issue with technique, though as Edward states.
No EXIF information unfortunately, if that's stopped down then that's not great for landscape/cityscapes (the FE35 does better). Bokeh in the "close up" cannon shot is not exactly blowing me away (could be a difficult subject).
The 2/50 images look much nicer, though.
Indeed the photographer seems to have focused on the Reichstag building, leaving weak corners, even if stopped down. What I don't like is the weak borders. I'm pretty sure it's the 0.5mm difference that Jochen pointed out. The lenses are designed for 2.5mm glass cover, the actual cover is 3mm. I'm sure future models will be 2.5mm though. A huge improvement over the ZM for sure but still not optimal.
Regarding the optimization for the sensor stack, this is what Zeiss says about it in their blog post:
"The Loxia lenses are optimized for digital full-frame sensors, and incorporate the approx. 2.5 mm thick low-pass and infrared filters in front of the sensor in the corresponding Sony cameras."
"...corresponding Sony cameras"
Sounds like Sony will be releasing new FF E-Mount cameras soon. Probably on the market by the time the Loxia 35/2 ships at the end of the year.
edwardkaraa wrote:
What I don't like is the weak borders. I'm pretty sure it's the 0.5mm difference that Jochen pointed out. The lenses are designed for 2.5mm glass cover, the actual cover is 3mm
The only source I've seen for the thickness of the A7R filter stack is the LensRentals blog post which states it is approximately 3mm but is very difficult to measure. Sounds like it could actually be 2.5mm
It seems possible that the stacks are the same height across Sony sensors but slight differences in filter composition, AA filtration and pixel pitch give rise to the differences in rangefinder lens performance between the different A7 bodies.
Tariq Gibran wrote:
Regarding the optimization for the sensor stack, this is what Zeiss says about it in their blog post:
"The Loxia lenses are optimized for digital full-frame sensors, and incorporate the approx. 2.5 mm thick low-pass and infrared filters in front of the sensor in the corresponding Sony cameras."
"...corresponding Sony cameras"
Sounds like Sony will be releasing new FF E-Mount cameras soon. Probably on the market by the time the Loxia 35/2 ships at the end of the year.
Pretty sure they're just referring to the A7, A7R and A7s, which may well all have 2.5mm stacks.
Matt Grum wrote:
The only source I've seen for the thickness of the A7R filter stack is the LensRentals blog post which states it is approximately 3mm but is very difficult to measure. Sounds like it could actually be 2.5mm
It seems possible that the stacks are the same height across Sony sensors but slight differences in filter composition, AA filtration and pixel pitch give rise to the differences in rangefinder lens performance between the different A7 bodies.
Pretty sure they're just referring to the A7, A7R and A7s, which may well all have 2.5mm stacks.
Of course that is also possible, but I hope you're wrong, because the samples show some undercorrection of the astigmatism and field curvature in the corners and borders. This performance would not be satisfactory to me.
edwardkaraa wrote:
Of course that is also possible, but I hope you're wrong, because the samples show some undercorrection of the astigmatism and field curvature in the corners and borders. This performance would not be satisfactory to me.
Unless the samples in question were taken at F2 - F4. Really too bad we don't know the F-stops.
I thought you were referring to the Biogon 35, which I have concerns about.
Particularly after the last link for more samples, I'm really sold on the Planar. The rendering reminds me a lot of the classic 80 Planar as used on my old blad. I like it wide open and it looks very sharp accross the frame by F8 (likely 5.6 as well). It's a lens I will most likely buy.
Tariq Gibran wrote:
I thought you were referring to the Biogon 35, which I have concerns about.
Particularly after the last link for more samples, I'm really sold on the Planar. The rendering reminds me a lot of the classic 80 Planar as used on my old blad. I like it wide open and it looks very sharp accross the frame by F8 (likely 5.6 as well). It's a lens I will most likely buy.
Totally agreed. So far the 35 seems to be the weaker of the two. But I will reserve my judgement until we see more samples with exif.
No way....the 55 is very very good.