I don't have one and haven't shot any of the zeiss 85s but I did read, here I believe, that it is optically the same as the C/Y version(s). They are quite pricy for an orphaned lens.
What would you be shooting it on? There are those converted to canon via Conurus and there is the fringer sony adapter which I just acquired myself and another adapter that supports aperture control only for the sony e mount. Other than that I think you need to use a contax N body. I'm finding the Fringer adapter quite nice on the 50 planar, 100 macro and 400 apo teletessar.
masimo wrote:
I don't have one and haven't shot any of the zeiss 85s but I did read, here I believe, that it is optically the same as the C/Y version(s). They are quite pricy for an orphaned lens.
What would you be shooting it on? There are those converted to canon via Conurus and there is the fringer sony adapter which I just acquired myself and another adapter that supports aperture control only for the sony e mount. Other than that I think you need to use a contax N body. I'm finding the Fringer adapter quite nice on the 50 planar, 100 macro and 400 apo teletessar.
Yes, I would be using it on e-mount. I am pretty it's not the same as the CY mount planar--check out the difference in optical formula's of these two sheets:
I love my N85/1.4 and I still think it was the best Zeiss 85/1.4 till now the Otus came along. It is totally different design than C/Y 85/1.4 and ZA85/1.4.
It had excellent combination of smooth dreamy bokeh and good sharpness wide open. It is an excellent portrait lens which it is optimised for as it sharpness is better at closer distances rather than infinity and it falls off in the corners. Been very busy lately but hope to shoot it some on my new 5DsR! I used it before on 1ds3.
From my little experience, zeiss N85/1.4 has it own character and total difference character from C/Y , ZA and Otus too , due to difference design. At wide open It gives sharp image at center and soft smooth swirling in corner that is what they design for "portrait lens" (look like biotar design upgrade). Yes, it has fringing at wide open please remind that it's not Apo lens.
Can someone direct me to the Kipon adapter I need for electron aperture control on an a7? They don't have it on amazon or eBay, or there website it seems...
I recently tried shooting RAW video via Magic Lantern with my N85/1.4.
I got wonky results, and errors, I will have to check again, but I hope mine isn't going to start acting up.
I got my Contax N 85--it's absoultey fabulous. More than I was anticipating. However, I am using the Kipon adapter, and it freezes my camera but I don't know why. Happens at all ISO, shutter speeds, aparture--I am going to exchange it and see if I have a defective unit or if it's the adapter. I am just shooting on an A7.
I am finding the color palate to be rich and contrasty, the files very dimensional and smooth. I find the tonal retention ins shadows and highlight tremendous. I was worried about the lens' sharpness, but absolutely no issues at all (for me). To me the only 85 that really compares is the Leica R 80 1.4 I owned.
Here's a couple...just waiting for my new adapter so I can shoot it for more than a day.
Hey guys,
I ordered a second kipon adapter, but it still freezes my a7 often. It doesn't seem ISO, shutter speed or aperture related.
I updated the firmware on my a7 to version 2.0 but this didn't help.
I tried formatting my memory card, but this didn't help.
I am shooting on "A" mode. Also tried shooting full manual to no avail. I am adjusting aperture by the wheel directly right of the "C2" button while the lens is set to 1.4. I am shooting only the 85 N. I couldn't find any similar issue except one page on Flickr saying he had to turn off the camera and u mount the lens. I am unsure of my adapter version, but this is my second one, and both were new from Adorama.
Thoughts? Similar experience? I love the lens, but the camera is freezing between every 2-8 shots--unmanageable.
You should get the Fringer. He's just finishing up the firmware for the A7rii so if you order now you'll get the latest and greatest. I've seen nothing but complaints about the kipon and the grief and time expended exceeds the price difference for me.
Have you cleaned the contacts on both the lens and the camera carefully. You might try to get some rubber bands or large o rings and wrap them around the body of the lens and then back over the camera to force the lens to sit flat against the flange. That might help to keep the electical juice flowing between the lens and the camera.
Have you cleaned the contacts on both the lens and the camera carefully. You might try to get some rubber bands or large o rings and wrap them around the body of the lens and then back over the camera to force the lens to sit flat against the flange. That might help to keep the electical juice flowing between the lens and the camera.
Mike
Yeah, I did this. Cleared on a7, lens, and both sides of the adapter. Thanks though, it's was a good idea. Do you guys know how the a7rii will play with the lens as far as AF goes? Will I get to use the touted eye af?
The eye focus is limited to native lenses as far as I know. With Fringer you will get very good focus the phase detection focus on the a7rii with his upgrade. You can keep track of what he's doing here: http://forum.xitek.com/thread-1246178-1-1-1.html
The top half of the page is his introduction and sample images. About half way down you'll start to see the most recent posts. It's in Chinese but google will translate it. You'll frequently see "head" in a weird context. It is the Chinese word for lens "jing tou". You can get the gist of most of it though.
Very helpful Mike. Thank you. Now that's it's going to costs me an additional $600 just use it, makes me wonder--now it's a 2k investment...
I can get an laea4, Sony CZ 85 1.4 and Minolta 80-20 HS/200 2.8 APO for just the price of this 85 N + fringer. Although I do find the 85N MUCH better than the 85CZ...
Do a-mount lenses count as native when used with the laea-4 do you know?
Not sure about A lenses and eye focus. Have you been watching the sonyalpharumors site or dpreview forums. There are lots of people testing out all kinds of options. getdpi too.
Yes, the apo 400 drew me to the Fringer. Right now I have the 50, 24-85, 70-200, 100 macro and the 400. But I'm wondering if I moved the right direction or not. The new sony lenses and some of the old minolta lenses are getting a lot of good press. I had an A7rii on order for delivery in the first batch but didn't get it. Now waiting and trying to decide what to do. For the last 2-3 years I've been shooting the sigma dp2m and dp2q. I've been waiting for sony to catch up sensor wise and while still not completely there compared to sigma they are close enough. Carrying all this gear is getting old fast though and the sigmas still call to me. Maybe I'll end up back with Sigma despite their shortcomings. Or maybe I'll end up with an rx100iv or an rx10ii.
