rji2goleez wrote:
Guess what I just did . . . just sent money on a lightly used 100mm MP ZE. Thanks to all of you for making me spend my money so quickly!
Thanks Charles & Ryan. I like those portraits Ryan.
Bob: Congrats on the 100 MP, I'm sure you'll enjoy it and looking forward to seeing your photos
So..anyway.. I was in a camera store today to buy some sensor swabs, and somehow, I'm not sure quite how it happened but I was soon standing outside the camera store with an 85 Planar in my hand... I was sort of saving that lens as a treat for myself for some time in the future when I started growing tired of photography.. Oh well..
Here are some test shots.
First, the mandatory duck shot for good luck:
Then a small 3D test at f/1.4 and at f/7.1:
I'm very happy with that - especially how it definitely retains good spatial qualities even stopped down.
And some more random test shots:
Some random toughts:
-"Holy focus shift Batman!" I knew of this of course, but I was still surprised how difficult this lens is to focus.
-"My God, it's full of LoCA". Wide open at certain distances this lens produces some of the ugliest bokeh I have ever seen. On the other hand at other distances wide open can produce very nice bokeh. The LoCA is significantly reduced by f/2 and basically gone by f/2.8.
-It's soft wide open but sharpens up very fast. At f/2.8 it is really razor sharp and from what I've seen no worse than the 100 MP.
-Excellent colors and micro contrast, but anything else would be surprising.
-It is definitely different from for instance the 100 MP - even stopped down. I have not used it enough to really put my finger on how exactly it differs in rendering style though.
It typically takes one very good distinct result to make me really like a lens. I have not gotten to that photo yet but I've used it only for a short while and in not very good light. Had this been my first Zeiss, I'm sure I would have been extremely impressed by the results - I am however a bit more jaded and demanding now. (Admittedly the two container test shots do indeed look very promising).
It took me several hundred shots before I understood how and where to properly use the 21 and I was not too impressed by it early on. It grew to be my favorite lens in the end. So I'll just have to shoot some more pictures with the 85
Thanks for taking the plunge Luka! I have been thinking about getting an 85 for Nikon and don't know which I want. I think the focus shift scares me most about this lens.
Buying the 85 f:1.4 on the very day the 35 f:1.4 gets announced, Luka. Your lens lust list cannot contain more than one item?
BTW, superb opening shots. What else is new. But I am glad to see that I am not the only one to find this lens a bit trying at times. Wait until you shoot portrait with it. It really shines then....
Ryan: The focus shift is there. However, you are a Nikon shooter, right? Then it's no problem, just focus the lens stopped down. With Canon you have to either set live view to a special mode (movie mode) or keep the DOF preview button pressed.
Rexx714: I don't know. I already have a Zeiss 35/1.4 - adapted Rollei mount. The Z* version is most likely essentially the same lens in a new mount with possibly improved coating. My Rollei is chipped, so I've got AF confirm & EXIF so there is relatively little incentive for me to get the ZE version...
Philippe: Yes, I've found it difficult to focus accurately but I suppose it's a question of practice. As for my lens lust list.. it is sadly empty now I suppose the 50/1.4 could be next, but I'm not feeling any great attraction towards that lens. I'll wait and see with the new 35/1.4, but it's likely just a mount update of the lens that I already have.
Todd: It's an old tradition, started by (as far as I know) the great Henri Cartier-Bresson. It's a superstition that you have take a shot of a duck as soon as possible after buying a new lens. If you don't your images will be out of focus and incorrectly exposed, your filters will get stuck and you will sooner or later drop the lens
denoir wrote:
Todd: It's an old tradition, started by (as far as I know) the great Henri Cartier-Bresson. It's a superstition that you have take a shot of a duck as soon as possible after buying a new lens. If you don't your images will be out of focus and incorrectly exposed, your filters will get stuck and you will sooner or later drop the lens
Shite. Now I know my problem. Wish someone woulda told me.
Does it count for used lenses? If so, anybody wanna buy a nice 100 Makro-Planar? I'm thinking of upgrading to the ZF.2 version. And heading down to the pond.
joakim, the branches on number 4 really jump out! Excellent work on all 4 shots, really like 2 as well. Half of those workshops seems to be finding excellent locations to shoot
Wonderful shots Luka! Congrats on that 85. I am tempted to get it back again . But you are a person, as Philippe said it, can make any lens look good. So, that's that
I am still traveling in Alaska, here are a few random shots, all by Distagon 2/35 ZE.
The sun put on a show for about 5 min on a very stormy day.
The hat says it all.. Alaskan "Sourdough"
Marshmallow, chocolate, graham crackers.. ohh, don't forget good friends..
denoir wrote:
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So..anyway.. I was in a camera store today to buy some sensor swabs, and somehow, I'm not sure quite how it happened but I was soon standing outside the camera store with an 85 Planar in my hand... I was sort of saving that lens as a treat for myself for some time in the future when I started growing tired of photography.. Oh well..
It always happens this way, doesn't it? Congrats on the new lens . . .
Congrats Luka on the 85/1.4 . Couldn't resist the temptation I really like your shots, with the different paint like rendering of your shots. I find that I use the lens for portraits, with min f/2.5. There it seems to work its magic.
No, but you are right. I've ordered my other ZE glass directly from the Zeiss web shop. They have not had the 85/1.4 in stock for a long time and I was pretty happy with that. I did not expect it to flank me and attack me at a local camera shop.
I guess a Rokkor 58/1.2 will have to do instead as a long-term "want". They are really rare in Canon mount, so I don't really have the option of an impulse buy
Wow so many beautiful shots. This thread has been and still is really inspiring. Thanks to all for posting and sharing your beautiful works.
Denoir - Congrats on your new ZE 85. Love your shots. First one and the tree portrait are my favorite. Now I see those shots, I am getting split between ZF85 and the new Nikkor for my future addition.
Some shots from the other day, all with ZF.2 35mm, D700
joakim wrote:
I was on a workshop this weekend on the island Öland on the swedish east cost. Here are four photos from the visit, first two with the ZE 21/2.8 and the last two with the ZE 50/1.4
Stunning shots, number 2 and 4 are especially good.
I really like your 2nd shot
I suppose the 50/1.4 could be next, but I'm not feeling any great attraction towards that lens. I'll wait and see with the new 35/1.4, but it's likely just a mount update of the lens that I already have. 
