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Archive 2015Zeiss Unveils the Loxia 21mm f/2.8
p.75 #1Zeiss Unveils the Loxia 21mm f/2.8
I am extremely happy with this lens on my A7Rii. I got my copy from B&H about a month ago and was happy to discover that it was well-centered, and infinity was at the far stop. This makes focusing at e.g. f/8 extremely easy, as everything from a few meters and forward is in focus at the long stop of the focus ring. The color and contrast of this lens is outstanding.
Last week I was doing fieldwork on a glacier in Alaska, and wanted to share some photos using the Loxia 21.
Terminus of Taku Glacier
Oozy flats
Last week I was doing fieldwork on a glacier in Alaska, and wanted to share some photos using the Loxia 21.
Terminus of Taku Glacier
Oozy flats
Jul 09, 2016 at 09:10 AM
p.75 #3Zeiss Unveils the Loxia 21mm f/2.8
Good work with those light stars. They fit well within that ring. Shame that one light seems to have failed 
Jul 12, 2016 at 08:57 AM
p.75 #4Zeiss Unveils the Loxia 21mm f/2.8
Etherton wrote:
Taken at the Our Lady of Victory Basilica in Buffalo, NY.
https://c2.staticflickr.com/9/8864/28254124025_1609c9f4b4_b.jpg
Beautiful image. I agree with MJKoski's comment.
Taken at the Our Lady of Victory Basilica in Buffalo, NY.
https://c2.staticflickr.com/9/8864/28254124025_1609c9f4b4_b.jpg
Beautiful image. I agree with MJKoski's comment.
Aug 05, 2016 at 11:49 PM
p.75 #5Zeiss Unveils the Loxia 21mm f/2.8
msb1315 wrote:
I just got my decentered Loxia 21 back from Zeiss Service. Now it is definitely better than before but I'm not quite sure if the new performance is the best you can get from Loxia 21. So I did some decentering tests at f/2.8 again:
http://www.wetterstation-leutenbach.de/Bilder/l21test.png
What do you think? It seems that the right hand side and especially the top right corner still has not as much resolution and sharpness as the rest.
is it not done at medium aperture like 5.6 for this lens?
I just got my decentered Loxia 21 back from Zeiss Service. Now it is definitely better than before but I'm not quite sure if the new performance is the best you can get from Loxia 21. So I did some decentering tests at f/2.8 again:
http://www.wetterstation-leutenbach.de/Bilder/l21test.png
What do you think? It seems that the right hand side and especially the top right corner still has not as much resolution and sharpness as the rest.
is it not done at medium aperture like 5.6 for this lens?
Sep 03, 2016 at 08:25 AM
p.75 #6Zeiss Unveils the Loxia 21mm f/2.8
Loxia21_160903_096 by Prashant Khapane, on Flickr
Loxia21_160903_097 by Prashant Khapane, on Flickr
Loxia21_160903_098 by Prashant Khapane, on Flickr
Loxia21_160903_099 by Prashant Khapane, on Flickr@f5.6 centered enough? I can see right is sharper than left.
Sep 03, 2016 at 08:33 AM
p.75 #7Zeiss Unveils the Loxia 21mm f/2.8
is yours as bad?
Loxia21mm_160904_012 by Prashant Khapane, on Flickr
Loxia21mm_160904_012 by Prashant Khapane, on FlickrSep 05, 2016 at 04:31 AM
p.75 #8Zeiss Unveils the Loxia 21mm f/2.8
Except for the flare blob in the upper left hand area, and the small green light near the center, the rest look like sensor reflections?
Sep 05, 2016 at 09:24 AM
p.75 #9Zeiss Unveils the Loxia 21mm f/2.8
yes, and that is disappointing for lens this expensive. Is this A7 only phenomenon or it happens on newer A7x's? Has anyone else noticed this or is this a bad sample?
Sep 05, 2016 at 09:53 AM
p.75 #10Zeiss Unveils the Loxia 21mm f/2.8
prashant wrote:
yes, and that is disappointing for lens this expensive. Is this A7 only phenomenon or it happens on newer A7x's? Has anyone else noticed this or is this a bad sample?
It has nothing to do with the lens, they are sensor reflections. Occurred only on the first A7.
yes, and that is disappointing for lens this expensive. Is this A7 only phenomenon or it happens on newer A7x's? Has anyone else noticed this or is this a bad sample?
It has nothing to do with the lens, they are sensor reflections. Occurred only on the first A7.
Sep 05, 2016 at 11:40 AM
p.75 #11Zeiss Unveils the Loxia 21mm f/2.8
Lotus Eater wrote:
It has nothing to do with the lens, they are sensor reflections. Occurred only on the first A7.
Yep. It's the reason I got rid of my A7 even though I loved everything else about it. The A7 doesn't like artificial light - a big problem for me living a massive metropolis like Shanghai !
prashant wrote
yes, and that is disappointing for lens this expensive. Is this A7 only phenomenon or it happens on newer A7x's? Has anyone else noticed this or is this a bad sample?Yep. It's the reason I got rid of my A7 even though I loved everything else about it. The A7 doesn't like artificial light - a big problem for me living a massive metropolis like Shanghai !
Sep 05, 2016 at 11:46 AM
p.75 #12Zeiss Unveils the Loxia 21mm f/2.8
It only happens with the A7.
It's probably due to a different type of cover glass used on that model.
I've seen examples of this happening with Kolari modded sensors as well, probably for the same reason.
prashant wrote:
yes, and that is disappointing for lens this expensive. Is this A7 only phenomenon or it happens on newer A7x's? Has anyone else noticed this or is this a bad sample?
It's probably due to a different type of cover glass used on that model.
I've seen examples of this happening with Kolari modded sensors as well, probably for the same reason.
prashant wrote:
yes, and that is disappointing for lens this expensive. Is this A7 only phenomenon or it happens on newer A7x's? Has anyone else noticed this or is this a bad sample?
Sep 05, 2016 at 12:13 PM
p.75 #13Zeiss Unveils the Loxia 21mm f/2.8
Fred Miranda wrote:
It only happens with the A7.
It's probably due to a different type of cover glass used on that model.
I've seen examples of this happening with Kolari modded sensors as well, probably for the same reason.
Thanks Fred. So newer A7x's don't do this? for example A7s?
It only happens with the A7.
It's probably due to a different type of cover glass used on that model.
I've seen examples of this happening with Kolari modded sensors as well, probably for the same reason.
prashant wrote
yes, and that is disappointing for lens this expensive. Is this A7 only phenomenon or it happens on newer A7x's? Has anyone else noticed this or is this a bad sample?Thanks Fred. So newer A7x's don't do this? for example A7s?
Sep 05, 2016 at 02:57 PM
p.75 #14Zeiss Unveils the Loxia 21mm f/2.8
I have the original A7R and even it has the improved cover glass. Seems to have about the same reflection properties as the A7II, and A7RII
Sep 05, 2016 at 11:33 PM
p.75 #15Zeiss Unveils the Loxia 21mm f/2.8
prashant wrote:
It's probably due to a different type of cover glass used on that model.
I've seen examples of this happening with Kolari modded sensors as well, probably for the same reason.
Thanks Fred. So newer A7x's don't do this? for example A7s?
According to the reports and samples posted, sensor reflection is only an issue with the "A7".
It's not a problem with the A7R, A7S and new Mark II models.
Fred Miranda wrote
It only happens with the A7.It's probably due to a different type of cover glass used on that model.
I've seen examples of this happening with Kolari modded sensors as well, probably for the same reason.
prashant wrote
yes, and that is disappointing for lens this expensive. Is this A7 only phenomenon or it happens on newer A7x's? Has anyone else noticed this or is this a bad sample?According to the reports and samples posted, sensor reflection is only an issue with the "A7".
It's not a problem with the A7R, A7S and new Mark II models.
Sep 05, 2016 at 11:45 PM
p.75 #16Zeiss Unveils the Loxia 21mm f/2.8
I look at Ronny Olsson's decenter test and it seems insanely sharp if it's 100% crop and at f2.8
I did a test of my own lens at 3 apertures and I don't know whether mine's a bad copy since 2.8 it isn't sharp (esp compared to Ronny's) but once I move to 5.6 and 8, it is sharp enough and doesn't seem decentered.
Obviously I wouldn't usually be shooting landscapes at 2.8, but mostly between f4-f8, so I don't know whether I should worry.
I did a test of my own lens at 3 apertures and I don't know whether mine's a bad copy since 2.8 it isn't sharp (esp compared to Ronny's) but once I move to 5.6 and 8, it is sharp enough and doesn't seem decentered.
Obviously I wouldn't usually be shooting landscapes at 2.8, but mostly between f4-f8, so I don't know whether I should worry.
Sep 08, 2016 at 10:20 AM
p.75 #17Zeiss Unveils the Loxia 21mm f/2.8
Not looking that good to me to be honest. Can you return it
I'm not seeing enough definition even at F8
I'm not seeing enough definition even at F8
Sep 08, 2016 at 10:22 AM
p.75 #18Zeiss Unveils the Loxia 21mm f/2.8
GMPhotography wrote:
Not looking that good to me to be honest. Can you return it
I'm not seeing enough definition even at F8
Yes, I should be able to return it and try for another copy.
I'm pretty sure I'm doing everything correctly for the test:
I set it on a tripod with a remote shutter, go to top left corner, focus to infinity, take picture and repeat for the other 3 corners. Import to lightroom, crop and export with no settings.
Not looking that good to me to be honest. Can you return it
I'm not seeing enough definition even at F8
Yes, I should be able to return it and try for another copy.
I'm pretty sure I'm doing everything correctly for the test:
I set it on a tripod with a remote shutter, go to top left corner, focus to infinity, take picture and repeat for the other 3 corners. Import to lightroom, crop and export with no settings.
Sep 08, 2016 at 10:35 AM
p.75 #19Zeiss Unveils the Loxia 21mm f/2.8
Check out this test. I pitted the Loxia 21mm against the Sigma 24-35 . Look at the extreme corners even at 2.8 its pretty good
https://www.fredmiranda.com/forum/topic/1420536/0?keyword=sigma,24-35#13477144
https://www.fredmiranda.com/forum/topic/1420536/0?keyword=sigma,24-35#13477144
Sep 08, 2016 at 10:42 AM
p.75 #20Zeiss Unveils the Loxia 21mm f/2.8
I went to the store and did an exchange for a second lens. It seems like even when focusing to infinity, there's a difference between the sharpness of an object that's 10m vs 100m out.
This was probably around 250m out, I included a centre shot for reference (f2.8)
http://i.imgur.com/bfNd8QX.jpg
Then I did a wall test, this was probably around 10m from the wall. (First picture 2.8, second 5.6)
http://i.imgur.com/CDe4Crq.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/QAo0ng8.jpg
This was probably around 250m out, I included a centre shot for reference (f2.8)
http://i.imgur.com/bfNd8QX.jpg
Then I did a wall test, this was probably around 10m from the wall. (First picture 2.8, second 5.6)
http://i.imgur.com/CDe4Crq.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/QAo0ng8.jpg
Sep 08, 2016 at 05:59 PM