p.1 #1 · Is Zeiss 28mm f/2 ZF.2 compatible with FM3A?
Never owned a Nikon body, but thinking about adding FM3A to my collection with a 28mm lens. Used to have a Zeiss 28/2 Distagon on a Canon body and loved the lens. Thinking about pairing a ZF.2 version with the FM3A body. Would it work? Thank you.
p.1 #4 · Is Zeiss 28mm f/2 ZF.2 compatible with FM3A?
Thank you everyone - good to know that Zeiss ZF.2 would work fine on FM3A. Any thoughts on other options of various 28mm lenses. I'm looking at these, only have experience with the Zeiss, the other ones I just quickly researched and don't really know much about them:
Zeiss 28mm f/2 ZF.2
Like: IQ, character ; IQ sufficient for modern digital sensors if I chose to use on digital as well
Don't Like: Weight. Fairly modern exterior design, maybe not a perfect aesthetic match for the FM3A body?
Voigtlander 28mm f/2.8 Color-Skopar SLIIs
Like: small size, IQ
Don't like: vignetting
Nikon 28mm f/2.8 AI-s
Like: good esthetic match, IQ is high, perhaps less than Zeiss, but still excellent?
Don't like: size
I would likely be very happy with any of these, but am curious about your observations, experiences. Overall, I'm looking for reasonably small size lens, with good IQ that could optionally be used on digital body, and have exterior body design that esthetically goes well with analog bodies. I must say I'm leaning towards the Zeiss as I had it before on a Canon body and just loved everything about it: IQ, character, build, focusing mechanism.
p.1 #5 · Is Zeiss 28mm f/2 ZF.2 compatible with FM3A?
pkupcik wrote: Nikon 28mm f/2.8 AI-s
Like: good esthetic match, IQ is high, perhaps less than Zeiss, but still excellent?
Don't like: size
Only have the Nikon of the three you mentioned. On a 45mp digital body you certainly notice that this lens is not optimized for infinity - corners are good stopped down but not as crisp as some modern lenses. Overall IQ is still excellent though esp. on film.
Lenstip has a review of the CV 28mm (older version, but same optics) and it also needs to be stopped down for good sharpness across the frame. My guess is that it's overall quite similar to the Nikon in terms of IQ, maybe the latter is better at closer distances though. I think I'd be leaning to the CV if I was in the market for a new 28mm today. Mostly due to its size & weight.
The Zeiss is probably the best of the three in terms of IQ but at 500g and >90mm length (that's 3x the CV) I would find it a bit too large for such a small body. But f/2 is nice of course.
p.1 #6 · Is Zeiss 28mm f/2 ZF.2 compatible with FM3A?
The Zeus would of course be a nice lens. If you are willing to drop the coin on that plus an FM3A at curent prices and enjoyed it before, I would say go on. It will be compatible. Might be worth looking for a good used 28/2.8 AI-S as well. It is a fine lens, aethestically well matched and easy to array. It isn't as strong at infinity but then again, the Distagin comes field curvature out of the box.
I often like to put the Nikkor on my FE2, it is splendid. The 28/2 AIS is also nice on the FE/FM series bodies, stronger at infinity than the 2.8 lens, has a nicer aperture shape and is flare resistant. Bones with lots of pout light sources of course can be a bit wild as is common on older lenses. I like both Nikkors and have both. If money was endless I would also have a Distagon because I love 28's.
Its the second oldest optical company of the world, founded in 1846.
The oldest was Voigtländer, founded in 1756, but it bankrupted in the 1960s and the rights to the name got sold to Ringfoto, which owns Cosina in Japan, who use the brand name for their selfmade lenses, while they also produce the consumer lenses designed by Zeiss.
Which is why all my Zeiss lenses, and my Voigtländer lens, read "Made in Japan", not "Made in Germany".
I own the Zeiss 28mm f2 ZF.2 but I only keep it as a backup to the Distagon 35mm f2, which I find too superior in output to ever pick the 28mm instead.
The 28mm is also excellent though. It certainly was sharp when I tried it.
It is infamous for its curved focus plane, which is why the 28mm is also sometimes called Hollywood, due to the fact it has better subject isolation than a 28mm f2 lens would usually have and thus appears more dramatic in reallife images.
Its the second oldest optical company of the world, founded in 1846.
The oldest was Voigtländer, founded in 1756, but it bankrupted in the 1960s and the rights to the name got sold to Ringfoto, which owns Cosina in Japan, who use the brand name for their selfmade lenses, while they also produce the consumer lenses designed by Zeiss.
Which is why all my Zeiss lenses, and my Voigtländer lens, read "Made in Japan", not "Made in Germany".
I own the Zeiss 28mm f2 ZF.2 but I only keep it as a backup to the Distagon 35mm f2, which I find too superior in output to ever pick the 28mm instead.
The 28mm is also excellent though. It certainly was sharp when I tried it.
It is infamous for its curved focus plane, which is why the 28mm is also sometimes called Hollywood, due to the fact it has better subject isolation than a 28mm f2 lens would usually have and thus appears more dramatic in reallife images....Show more →
Autocorrect strikes again. I am well aware of the history of Carl Zeiss and the Hollywood 28 design which Nikon somewhat followed when leaving field curvature in the design of the 28/1.8 G AF-S.
Jan 22, 2023 at 01:08 AM
AmbientMike Offline • • • • • • [X]
p.1 #9 · Is Zeiss 28mm f/2 ZF.2 compatible with FM3A?
pkupcik wrote:
Thank you everyone - good to know that Zeiss ZF.2 would work fine on FM3A. Any thoughts on other options of various 28mm lenses. I'm looking at these, only have experience with the Zeiss, the other ones I just quickly researched and don't really know much about them:
Zeiss 28mm f/2 ZF.2
Like: IQ, character ; IQ sufficient for modern digital sensors if I chose to use on digital as well
Don't Like: Weight. Fairly modern exterior design, maybe not a perfect aesthetic match for the FM3A body?
Voigtlander 28mm f/2.8 Color-Skopar SLIIs
Like: small size, IQ
Don't like: vignetting
Nikon 28mm f/2.8 AI-s
Like: good esthetic match, IQ is high, perhaps less than Zeiss, but still excellent?
Don't like: size
I would likely be very happy with any of these, but am curious about your observations, experiences. Overall, I'm looking for reasonably small size lens, with good IQ that could optionally be used on digital body, and have exterior body design that esthetically goes well with analog bodies. I must say I'm leaning towards the Zeiss as I had it before on a Canon body and just loved everything about it: IQ, character, build, focusing mechanism.
; IQ sufficient for modern digital sensors if I chose to use on digital as well