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Archive 2021 · Request: c/y distagon 18mm f/4 vs zeiss 18mm f/3.5 classic

  
 
thousandhills
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p.1 #1 · Request: c/y distagon 18mm f/4 vs zeiss 18mm f/3.5 classic


Hello All,

I am interested in the 2 distagon's mainly for cityscapes and landscapes.

c/y distagon 18mm f/4
&
ziess 18mm f/3.5 classic (ZF)

Tried googling image comparisons between them and did not find any. Could you share insights, image comparisons or pictures from either one would also help.
FYI: I already have the 21mm classic. I sold my 17-40L sometime back, it did product a lot of great pictures.

Thanks,
-Michael.



Feb 03, 2021 at 02:12 PM
jcolwell
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p.1 #2 · Request: c/y distagon 18mm f/4 vs zeiss 18mm f/3.5 classic


I've been using the 18/3.5 ZE for many years. Now, mostly on the 50 MP 5DS. I decided to spend more for the newer ZE design because its MTF curves are usefully better than the CZ 18/4 C/Y, and it provides the same 'look' as my other ZE lenses; 21/2.8, 35/2, 50/2, and 100/2. I've been very pleased with it. A couple of years after getting the TS-E 24/3.5L II, I bought the CZ 18/3.5 ZE and sold the CZ 21/2.8 ZE. Of course, I somehow ended up with another 21/2.8, but the 18/3.5 has been a keeper, since Day 1.

I haven't directly compared the CZ 18/3.5 ZE with the CZ 18/4 C/Y, but I can say with confidence that the CZ 18/3.5 ZE holds up as well as the Distagon 21/2.8 ZE, for higher MP cameras, and with respect to the competition (e.g. Canon TS-E and L-series). That's really well. They're generally at the top of the IQ heap.



Feb 03, 2021 at 02:46 PM
jcolwell
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p.1 #3 · Request: c/y distagon 18mm f/4 vs zeiss 18mm f/3.5 classic


Here's the MTF curves, from Zeiss data sheets.





MTF curvesL Zeiss Distagon 18/4 C/Y (top) and Zeiss Distagon 18mm f/3.5 ZE (bottom)




Feb 04, 2021 at 07:23 AM
helimat
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p.1 #4 · Request: c/y distagon 18mm f/4 vs zeiss 18mm f/3.5 classic


thousandhills wrote:
Hello All,

I am interested in the 2 distagon's mainly for cityscapes and landscapes.

c/y distagon 18mm f/4
&
ziess 18mm f/3.5 classic (ZF)

Tried googling image comparisons between them and did not find any. Could you share insights, image comparisons or pictures from either one would also help.
FYI: I already have the 21mm classic. I sold my 17-40L sometime back, it did product a lot of great pictures.

Thanks,
-Michael.


I can't compare to the C/Y 18/4, but I can compare to the ZE 21mm Distagon. It was not quite as good a performer as the 21mm, similar mustache distortion but maybe not quite as sharp. However, it is far more compact, and of course wider. And at f/8, it is plenty sharp enough.

I also happen to have a ZE 18mm f/3.5 that I could be talked into selling.



Feb 04, 2021 at 10:31 PM
thousandhills
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p.1 #5 · Request: c/y distagon 18mm f/4 vs zeiss 18mm f/3.5 classic


Thanks a lot all of you. @f8-11 based on the MTF, I assume the c/y may show little weaker extreme corners (field curvature), besides this it is a wash between the two, is this correct?


Feb 05, 2021 at 02:05 AM
Peire
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p.1 #6 · Request: c/y distagon 18mm f/4 vs zeiss 18mm f/3.5 classic


18/3.5 Z series Distagon is a significantly better berformer overall,compared to 18/4 C/Y (This is clearly visible on a higher resolution sensors like 42 MPX of Sony A7R2/3 series.

A72+Distagon 18/4 C/Y
https://www.zeissimages.com/gallery/951/U951.1557241765.7.jpg
https://www.zeissimages.com/gallery/951/U951.1557240519.6.jpg
https://www.zeissimages.com/gallery/951/U951.1535299544.6.jpg
https://www.zeissimages.com/gallery/951/U951.1526844850.7.jpg
https://www.zeissimages.com/gallery/951/U951.1557240519.1.jpg

Nikon D600+ZF Distagon 18/3.5
https://www.zeissimages.com/gallery/951/U951I1450206146.SEQ.6.jpg
https://www.zeissimages.com/gallery/951/U951I1450018455.SEQ.2.jpg
https://www.zeissimages.com/gallery/951/U951I1422799763.SEQ.3.jpg

Sony A72+ZF Distagon 18/3.5
https://www.zeissimages.com/gallery/951/U951.1568745508.2.jpg
https://www.zeissimages.com/gallery/951/U951.1576327342.3.jpg
https://www.zeissimages.com/gallery/951/U951I1494953151.SEQ.9.jpg



Feb 07, 2021 at 09:52 AM
jcolwell
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p.1 #7 · Request: c/y distagon 18mm f/4 vs zeiss 18mm f/3.5 classic





Feb 07, 2021 at 10:18 AM
thousandhills
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p.1 #8 · Request: c/y distagon 18mm f/4 vs zeiss 18mm f/3.5 classic


Peire wrote:
18/3.5 Z series Distagon is a significantly better berformer overall,compared to 18/4 C/Y (This is clearly visible on a higher resolution sensors like 42 MPX of Sony A7R2/3 series.

https://www.zeissimages.com/gallery/951/U951.1576327342.3.jpg


Hi Peire,

Thanks a lot for sharing samples from both and your insight. Both the lenses looks amazing in your hands. While the ZF hits better resolution, does C/Y have any advantage over the ZF? How are they in terms of micro-contrast (3D pop) ? mid-frame and corner performance @f/8-11?

Thanks,
-Michael.




Feb 08, 2021 at 09:16 PM
Peire
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p.1 #9 · Request: c/y distagon 18mm f/4 vs zeiss 18mm f/3.5 classic


thousandhills wrote:
Hi Peire,

Thanks a lot for sharing samples from both and your insight. Both the lenses looks amazing in your hands. While the ZF hits better resolution, does C/Y have any advantage over the ZF? How are they in terms of micro-contrast (3D pop) ? mid-frame and corner performance @f/8-11?

Thanks,
-Michael.



Advantages of the 18/4 C/Y Distagon over ZF 18/3.5 Distagon are three: compact size,slightly less geometrical distortions and older "film" look.

ZF 18/3.5 is better in all other respects,i.e. sharpness across the frame no mater aperture,(corners included),better microcontrast overall and slightly less CA.

Yet it doesn't mean that 18/4 is a crappy lens.It is only dated by design.One has just remember to stop it down to f8-11,bearing in mind it's field curvature and try to get well,evenly lit subjects to show the lens at it's best.

This comes from a real-life photographic experience.I'm not a pixel-peeper and brick walls photographer.





Feb 09, 2021 at 05:16 AM
thousandhills
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p.1 #10 · Request: c/y distagon 18mm f/4 vs zeiss 18mm f/3.5 classic



Advantages of the 18/4 C/Y Distagon over ZF 18/3.5 Distagon are three: compact size,slightly less geometrical distortions and older "film" look.

ZF 18/3.5 is better in all other respects,i.e. sharpness across the frame no mater aperture,(corners included),better microcontrast overall and slightly less CA.

Yet it doesn't mean that 18/4 is a crappy lens.It is only dated by design.One has just remember to stop it down to f8-11,bearing in mind it's field curvature and try to get well,evenly lit subjects to show the lens at it's best.

This comes from a real-life photographic experience.I'm not a pixel-peeper and brick walls photographer.



My main lenses are Distagon 28s & 35s. so, once in a while I may need something wider than 21mm; will pick a 18 shortly. Thanks a lot for sharing very useful insights from using the 2 lenses.

Thanks,
-Michael.



Feb 11, 2021 at 12:09 AM





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