rscheffler wrote:
That is what the Zeiss data sheet for it implies, however they also mention floating elements:
"As [sic] innovative telelens with floating elements for the M-bayonet it is equipped with an extremely precise, non-linear rangefinder coupling."
While looking at the line drawing of the lens, it struck me that its profile is almost identical to the mystery lens at the right side here: http://blogs.zeiss.com/photo/en/?p=5340 that we were speculating to be a 35/1.4.... What I thought was a rear element protrusion might actually be the mount itself if one ignores what looks to be a lens mount flange just above that part... I don't know.... Back a couple years ago apparently Zeiss was going to make another batch of the 85/2 but decided not to... it's one lens that should be mirrorless compatible as is. They could drop the cam from it and reintroduce it at a lower price. Though it wouldn't really make sense to do that and not have it fit in with the Loxia lens design.
Andrew, do you still have your ZM85/2 and how does it perform on the a7R?...Show more →
Hi Ron,
I still have the ZM85mm, but only an A7s. Do you have an an A7r?
As I have not yet seen any information on possible wide open focus/ automatic aperture close down when shooting, I asked this question on Carl Zeiss Facebook page:
"Another question related to the aperture: Will it be possible to focus the Loxia lenses with an open aperture which closes down automatically when the photo is taken?"
Carl Zeiss Lenses answer:
"Thanks for your question. But no, that won't be possible as the aperture is 100% mechanical.
Best regards,
Your ZEISS Lenses Team"
That is a bit of a letdown to me as I think precise focusing at medium and small apertures with wides /normals is much easier wide open as long as the lens does not have a lot of focus shift.
twoeye wrote:
As I have not yet seen any information on possible wide open focus/ automatic aperture close down when shooting, I asked this question on Carl Zeiss Facebook page:
"Another question related to the aperture: Will it be possible to focus the Loxia lenses with an open aperture which closes down automatically when the photo is taken?"
Carl Zeiss Lenses answer:
"Thanks for your question. But no, that won't be possible as the aperture is 100% mechanical.
Best regards,
Your ZEISS Lenses Team"
That is a bit of a letdown to me as I think precise focusing at medium and small apertures with wides /normals is much easier wide open as long as the lens does not have a lot of focus shift....Show more →
To be fair, the manual focus on the A7, especially in magnified view, is very accurate and easy, even stopped down. I have obtained excellent results with my widest ZM, the 25/2.8, stopped down to f/8 without any problem and even then, the margin of sharp focus is very shallow.
Sep 03, 2014 at 11:59 AM
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twoeye wrote:
As I have not yet seen any information on possible wide open focus/ automatic aperture close down when shooting, I asked this question on Carl Zeiss Facebook page:
"Another question related to the aperture: Will it be possible to focus the Loxia lenses with an open aperture which closes down automatically when the photo is taken?"
Carl Zeiss Lenses answer:
"Thanks for your question. But no, that won't be possible as the aperture is 100% mechanical.
Best regards,
Your ZEISS Lenses Team"
That is a bit of a letdown to me as I think precise focusing at medium and small apertures with wides /normals is much easier wide open as long as the lens does not have a lot of focus shift....Show more →
Thanks for checking on this. I am sure it will be a disappointment to some, but it doesn't bother me much. If the lenses have focus shift, which these first two might very well, then I would always shoot them this way anyway, but I would have liked to option to focus wide open and have the lens stop down automatically. Oh well, I am generally quite happy with my adapted lenses that work the way the new Loxia lenses will.
rscheffler wrote:
Hi Andrew, I don't have any of the Sony cameras, but could probably get hold of an a7R.
Edward - thanks for those samples. It looks great, In fact I think I prefer its rendering over the 90AA...
You're welcome Ron! The Sonnar has a problem with blue fringing in highlights wide open. I believe the 90AA is very well corrected for that. Apart from fringing, indeed the Sonnar rendering is fantastic.
edwardkaraa wrote:
You're welcome Ron! The Sonnar has a problem with blue fringing in highlights wide open. I believe the 90AA is very well corrected for that. Apart from fringing, indeed the Sonnar rendering is fantastic.
Hmm I think the 85 2 zm is actually a double gauss/planar design:
I thought that as well - and made reference to it earlier ("Zeiss is of course free to call a Distagon a Biogon and a Double Gauss designed lens a Sonnar, as they seem to do with some of the more recent "Sonnar" lenses") but theSuede said there is actually a formulae that Zeiss go by per the Sonnar named design that not neccesarily has to do with the number (and I presume position) of those elements.
Jochenb wrote:
Here's another example from the 35/2 Loxia: 35/2 Loxia on Flickr
Again, bad corners and edges. Clearly visible even at this smaller size. No EXIF, but I can't imagine someone shooting this scene wide open.
Not just the corners in that example but a decent amount in from even the side borders is fairly soft/ blurred. There is maybe enough vignetting to indicate it may have been taken at around F4 for the first image (and even wide open on the second) so I would not get too concrned based just on that single image...yet.
twoeye wrote:
As I have not yet seen any information on possible wide open focus/ automatic aperture close down when shooting, I asked this question on Carl Zeiss Facebook page:
"Another question related to the aperture: Will it be possible to focus the Loxia lenses with an open aperture which closes down automatically when the photo is taken?"
Carl Zeiss Lenses answer:
"Thanks for your question. But no, that won't be possible as the aperture is 100% mechanical.
Best regards,
Your ZEISS Lenses Team"
That is a bit of a letdown to me as I think precise focusing at medium and small apertures with wides /normals is much easier wide open as long as the lens does not have a lot of focus shift....Show more →
That is a bit of a disappointment and increases the likelihood that I will just stick with my Contax (C/Y) 21mm f2.8 Distagon and my Leica R 28mm f2.8 V2 Elmarit lenses and not purchase any or very few of the new Zeiss Loxia lenses.
Yep, a lot of coma in that second shot as well. I noticed that earlier with that lens as well. If you look at the MTFs the corners and the edges have quite a bit of astigmatism even at f/5.6. I don't think this lens will be great at across the frame sharpness because of that and we can see that with these samples. Doesn't mean it won't be very good for some uses like street photography, close ups with lots of pop, environmental portraiture (if it has decen bokeh, a big if), and maybe some other things I am not thinking of. Still, I think there will be a lot of people disappointed with this lens.
....We just have to wait I'm afraid.