p.68 #1 · Nikon Zf as a platform for adapted/native manual focus lenses
Bruce Marriner wrote:
I'd be curious to know what are some of the most loved lenses with character that still adapt well on the Nikon. Sort of as a starting point for things to look for in the buy/sell forums
all Zeiss ZF and Zf.2 and Voigtländer SL and SLIIs adapt well with the FTZ II adapter (which is long unfortunately).
ZF.2 and SLII are chipped, which gives you exif, but doesn't allow to use the aperture ring ( you need to set the aperture on camera), whereas the non chipped Zeiss ZF and Voigtländer SL glasses allow to use the aperture ring, give you the focal lenght and the largest aperture in exif but not the aperture you set for your image. You need to register the lens in the non CPU settings of the camera though, and switch between your registered lenses when you change lens.
I own a bunch of Zeiss ZF and ZF.2 and still like to use them on Nikon Z, although the length of the lenses with adapter is not to my liking. I actually prefer the ZF version because I hate setting the apperture on camera. From Voigtländer I use the Z mount lenses 40/1.2, and 15/4.5 which work really well. Hoping for a 21mm lens from Voigtländer, but also ponder about adapting one of the E mount 21mm lenses from Voigtländer.
Check the Zeiss thread for the rendering of the classic Zeiss lenses.
p.68 #2 · Nikon Zf as a platform for adapted/native manual focus lenses
cyra wrote:
all Zeiss ZF and Zf.2 and Voigtländer SL and SLIIs adapt well with the FTZ II adapter (which is long unfortunately).
ZF.2 and SLII are chipped, which gives you exif, but doesn't allow to use the aperture ring ( you need to set the aperture on camera), whereas the non chipped Zeiss ZF and Voigtländer SL glasses allow to use the aperture ring, give you the focal lenght and the largest aperture in exif but not the aperture you set for your image. You need to register the lens in the non CPU settings of the camera though, and switch between your registered lenses when you change lens.
Thanks for the info Cyra That's helpful. I was reading up on the Zeiss lenses a bit and one thing I read was the ZF/ZF.2 version are not the same rendering as the older lenses. From what I read - the older ones have more character and the newer are much more like typical modern lenses. Do you have any experience using the older vs new Zeiss lenses?
p.68 #3 · Nikon Zf as a platform for adapted/native manual focus lenses
That depends a great deal on which lens is meant. The 50mm and 85mm ZF/ZF.2 Planars for example both have the older rendering. They are not identical, but they are more character lenses than modern perfection.
p.68 #4 · Nikon Zf as a platform for adapted/native manual focus lenses
carstenw wrote:
That depends a great deal on which lens is meant. The 50mm and 85mm ZF/ZF.2 Planars for example both have the older rendering. They are not identical, but they are more character lenses than modern perfection.
That makes sense that it would be lens dependant, I think I was reading about the 35mm f1.4 lens, comparing the Contax mount version to the ZF.2 mount version.
p.68 #5 · Nikon Zf as a platform for adapted/native manual focus lenses
I used to own the ZF.2 35/1.4, and now years later, I have the Contax version. Unfortunately I more or less left photography for a while, and I didn't really get fully back into it yet, so I don't yet have any sense of how they compare. They are both excellent though. The Contax is quite a bit smaller.
One thing is sure though: both the ZF/ZF.2 and Contax 35/1.4 and 100/2 have great 3D rendering. Not pop, in the sense of super narrow depth of field and separation of foreground and background, but in the sense that the photo looks so close to real that your eye+brain start believing in a real world in the photo.
My sense is that the major difference between Contax and Zeiss ZF of these lenses is in the colour, not the rendering. Different coatings. Both are very good, but they are different. I have to play more with them to get a better sense of it though, to describe it any more than that.
