Just a question: is the intention of this topic just to post some Zeiss images without any feedback or discussion possible?
I would find it nice to also interact with posts talking about intertonal gradations, micro contrast and maybe some details about how to edit or how someone came to those shots.
I see that not everyone provides EXIF-details of their shots. Not that it is always of that great importance, but sometimes I see a picture with razorsharp edges and I am often wondering if it is shot wide open.
Or sometimes I see a picture with that really crisp non-haze editing and I am wondering how someone does this.
I could always learn from this kind of information.
Deathchant wrote:
Just a question: is the intention of this topic just to post some Zeiss images without any feedback or discussion possible?
I would find it nice to also interact with posts talking about intertonal gradations, micro contrast and maybe some details about how to edit or how someone came to those shots.
I see that not everyone provides EXIF-details of their shots. Not that it is always of that great importance, but sometimes I see a picture with razorsharp edges and I am often wondering if it is shot wide open.
Or sometimes I see a picture with that really crisp non-haze editing and I am wondering how someone does this.
I could always learn from this kind of information....Show more →
There are dozens of threads that cover these lenses. Use Google (not the search function here) to find them.
Everything that can be said has been said many times over.
Editing questions are best addressed to the post-processing forum.
That said - the crisp leaf image I posted above was created with the judicial application of texture and clarity in LR and then sharpening with DeNoise AI (which also sharpens).
Old threads about Zeiss ZF/ZE lenses have links to images that do not work anymore (see https://www.fredmiranda.com/forum/topic/1001754). Moreover, being these lenses "ancient", most of comments refer to lower res DSLR cameras, dating back to 10+ years ago.
It would be interesting to share opinions on the rendition of Zeiss lenses on today more demanding sensors of modern MILCs, which allow much more accurate MF than DSLR.
According to my experience (limited to 21/2.8, 35/2, 100/2 and 135/2), these "ancient" lenses are top performers even today. Their only drawbacks are size and weight when compared to today similar lenses, in particular WAs, designed for MILCs (e.g., compare 21/2.8 ZF/ZE to Loxia 21/2.8). The need of a "thick" adapter to adapt them to MILCs, adds more size and weight.
I'm using Zeiss ZF.2 35/1.4 on a Sony A7iii; it's certainly an excellent performer. From what I've read, the older C/Y Distagon 35/1.4 had slightly better microcontrast than the ZF/ZF.2 models. It is indeed a large and heavy lens, and I don't use it much for that reason, but it gets pulled out for environmental portraits.
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