I recently acquired zeiss distagon 28mm f/2 ZF in nikon mount. It produces very special & beautiful results.
Just one concern, at 100% it seems to deliver less sharp details at the center compared to other distagons I own (8 distagons in the 21 to 35mm range, some cy). I see this both wide open (and probably closed down as well) at all distances. DXO's sharpness field-map shows similar behavior.
shooting: A7r tripod mounted, live-view at max magnification & focus assist.
[disclosure: Just want to make sure I did not end up with de-centered / bad copy. If this is design limitation of this lens, then I am good].
Since I am using this lens with film, I can't help with the possible de-centered issue. But I agree with your assessment of its results. I like setting it at infinity/f/8, and then admiring the etched quality of trees in the background (Velvia 50).
I've really been enjoying using my Distagon 28f2 ZF.2 on my Nikon Df. Here are a few samples, all hand held. I've never been one to really pixel peep so I would imagine if these were shot on my RRS tripod they would be sharper, but so often I'm just out shooting very casually and do not have the tripod with me.
a7r on tripod - some report shutter-induced softness, most apparent in vertical compositions. They say it is highly shutter speed dependent, the band that may cause this is variously reported as 1/60s to 1/160s. Maybe do a set including higher shutter speeds, say over 1/500s. f5.6 at 1/500s would give you conclusive results, I imagine.
The lens is close to the performance you are used to in the other Distagons at/over f4, confirmed by its MTF published on CZ's website. It's not great wide open, being a last gen f2 lens; CZ probably had low light/high magnification images in mind for f2 usage, plus street imagery. MTF (40lpmm) picks up considerably from f2 to f4, from 54% to 74% transfer, and the lower spatial frequencies rise substantially too.
I generally concur with Philip. There are differences, but it is not really in a very different class from its f2 brethren of that vintage, especially closed down a bit.
Well, cant you just check yourself if the lens is decentered ? There are test images for that on the internet. Or you can photograph any subject and put it in the four corners, then check if the sharpness differs, depending upon corner.
I have the Distagon 35/2 and 28/2. Unfortunately I really never use the 28/2, though. However the few images I made with it look razor sharp to me. Lack of sharpness is definitely not the reason I never bother with that lens. I just like the 35/2 even more.
carlitos wrote:
Since I am using this lens with film, I can't help with the possible de-centered issue. But I agree with your assessment of its results. I like setting it at infinity/f/8, and then admiring the etched quality of trees in the background (Velvia 50).
Thanks for reaffirming my findings. I have been shooting in the f/2-5.6 range with this lens, for f/8-11 I use my cy28/2.8, I will try the 28/2.
No Regrets wrote:
I've really been enjoying using my Distagon 28f2 ZF.2 on my Nikon Df. Here are a few samples, all hand held. I've never been one to really pixel peep so I would imagine if these were shot on my RRS tripod they would be sharper, but so often I'm just out shooting very casually and do not have the tripod with me.
Best Wishes,
Don
Hello Don,
Stunning shots! thanks for sharing them. Looks like the distagon 28/2 does very well closed down for sharpness and details. indeed is special lens, I have been primarily shooting in the f2-5.6 range and I am loving it (will post some shots later).
philip_pj wrote:
a7r on tripod - some report shutter-induced softness, most apparent in vertical compositions. They say it is highly shutter speed dependent, the band that may cause this is variously reported as 1/60s to 1/160s. Maybe do a set including higher shutter speeds, say over 1/500s. f5.6 at 1/500s would give you conclusive results, I imagine.
The lens is close to the performance you are used to in the other Distagons at/over f4, confirmed by its MTF published on CZ's website. It's not great wide open, being a last gen f2 lens; CZ probably had low light/high magnification images in mind for f2 usage, plus street imagery. MTF (40lpmm) picks up considerably from f2 to f4, from 54% to 74% transfer, and the lower spatial frequencies rise substantially too....Show more →
absolutely right, the shutter shock is real for my A7r. I add lights to get me over 1/500s. Thanks for the MTF explanation, I need to take a closer look at them and improve my understanding.
At equal Framing 35/2, 25/2 & 28/2, just by looking at the magnified Live-view I see the difference (wide open), matches your MTF explanation. 28f2 also appears to have shallower DOF.
lbloom wrote:
I generally concur with Philip. There are differences, but it is not really in a very different class from its f2 brethren of that vintage, especially closed down a bit.
Thanks, I will do controlled test today & post 100% crops. I hope the difference is not much, regardless it is a special lens.
Sauseschritt wrote:
Well, cant you just check yourself if the lens is decentered ? There are test images for that on the internet. Or you can photograph any subject and put it in the four corners, then check if the sharpness differs, depending upon corner.
Yes, I will try some of the de-centering tests to rule out that possibility.
Sauseschritt wrote:
I have the Distagon 35/2 and 28/2. Unfortunately I really never use the 28/2, though. However the few images I made with it look razor sharp to me. Lack of sharpness is definitely not the reason I never bother with that lens. I just like the 35/2 even more.
wide open it has razor thin DOF, compounded with glow makes it hard for critical focus in the field. I will do some controlled test today.
Thanks,
Remember that the 28 has strong field curvature at wide apertures - you can use it to advantage in some situations, and it helps contribute to the 28's 3D look.
DannyBurkPhoto wrote:
Remember that the 28 has strong field curvature at wide apertures - you can use it to advantage in some situations, and it helps contribute to the 28's 3D look.
Thanks, I am with you on this, It makes extra special 3D looking images and I don't mind loosing a bit sharpness.
Test setup:
1. A7r mount on tripod with EOS to FE adapter
2. subject: flood light lit wood log, 8 to 10 feet from the camera
3. Test Lens: 1st column: distagon 35/2 ZE, 2nd column: distagon 28/2 ZF w/ Nikon->EOS ring, 3rd column: distagon 28/2.8 CY (AEJ)
Procedure:
1. mounted the 35/2 first, shots taken using magnified live-view focus + focus assist with self 10s timer.
2. before mounting 28/2 trial shots were taken to adjust the framing to get similar pixel coverage (not exact but very close).
3. RAW images from the test were converted to TIF using exact same setting & WB on C1.
4. Center crops 480x320pix were taken for this final picture array.
Note(s):
1. For each aperture, I took multiple shots for the distagon 28/2 ZF, adjusting focus just a tiny fraction each step and picked the best at the end.
2. Shot settings:
f/2 - 1/1500s (all)
f/2.8 - 1/1500s (all)
f/4 - 1/750s (35/2), 1/500s (28/2, 28/2.8)
f/5.6 - 1/350s (28/2)
Assuming I have good copies of both f/2 lenses, the results match philip_pj's explanation.
Stunning shots! thanks for sharing them. Looks like the distagon 28/2 does very well closed down for sharpness and details. indeed is special lens, I have been primarily shooting in the f2-5.6 range and I am loving it (will post some shots later).
Thank you for the kind words. Here are a few more examples - no works of art - but they are at f2, and handheld again with the Nikon Df/Distagon 28f2 ZF.2
No Regrets wrote:
Thank you for the kind words. Here are a few more examples - no works of art - but they are at f2, and handheld again with the Nikon Df/Distagon 28f2 ZF.2
Awesome shots! #1 I like everything about it, lovely composition. Can't believe the amount of crisp/sharp details wide open. Thanks for sharing."
Thank you for the nice comments. All of the above images from me were handheld as I'm often just out shooting vary casually....I'm just a hobbyist photographer.
Here is a image I just took with my Nikon Df /Zeiss Distagon 28mm f2 ZF.2 mounted on my RRS tripod of my Montagnana Cello that is completely unedited and strait out of the camera, shot wide open. I tried to upload straight from my laptop but it didn't work. So I uploaded to my Flickr account and downloaded to here from Flickr. Hopefully this works. So sorry, I always struggle with the technical things.
