Anyone using ZF lenses on EOS bodies?

sockeyed

sockeyed

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I've been shooting with a 5D for a year (I've also got an EOS-1V film body), and I've found it really challenging to find lenses that can compare to what I'm getting with my CV and ZM glass on my M6 & Bessa R4. My L zooms are good for what they are, but they are big, slow not that interesting as lenses. Canon seems to have very little interest in prime lenses with the exception of a few exotic L lenses.

I really like what I've seen from the Zeiss SLR lenses.

I'm considering picking up one or two of the ZF lenses - the 50/1.4 and 25/2.8 - and using them on the 5D with a Nikon F to EOS adapter. Has anyone here done the same? From what I've read, it should work fine, but I would like to hear personal experiences.

Also, has anyone used the focus confirmation adapters? It would be a pain to use manual focus lenses on the 5D without some kind of confirmation in the VF that I've achieved focus.

Thanks!
 
sockeyed said:
Also, has anyone used the focus confirmation adapters? It would be a pain to use manual focus lenses on the 5D without some kind of confirmation in the VF that I've achieved focus.
Thanks!
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I have not done what you propose but I recently bought a Fuji S5 and was amazed to see how much better seem to perform just any prime from the '70 compared to modern zooms. I now often use a very old 28mm f3.5 pre AI Nikkor converted to AI (it becomes a slow 42mm) and pictures are just great (I mean their quality, I didn't become a better photographer!). I would bet that if that was what happened with just old prime Nikkors and if half the fame of CV lenses is true and on a full frame camera the difference will be even greater. As for the focussing, manual focussing is not that difficult on just about any reasonable digital camera and the focus confirmation on the cameras I used works usually fine.

GLF
 
sockeyed said:
...Also, has anyone used the focus confirmation adapters? It would be a pain to use manual focus lenses on the 5D without some kind of confirmation in the VF that I've achieved focus...
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Yes, it works. But keep in mind that its a confirmation what the AF thinks to be in focus. For real manual focussing better get a split-image screen for your 5D.

Regards, Axel
 
You MUST get a split image manual focusing screen if you are going to do this, I have the focus confirmation adapter and use a m42 yashinon lens on my canon's, dont rely on it, more often then not its way off just like the way the camera always said it was in focus with auto focus but of course it was not. Get a decent adapter and a focus screen (easy to install yourself, be careful of scratches). Also know that if you like to shoot images faster, like street, its a total pain in the ass with the stop down focusing that will blacken out your focus screen, also the meter wont work quite right, despite what people say, you will still have a problem in the middle apertures with over and under exposure and will have to play with it so you know how much compensation you need when changing to each aperture.

I am with you on one thing completely though, Canon lenses are so dull and uninteresting, even the interesting ones, like the 35 1.4 loose their appeal after you look at the price tag compared to what you can get from the likes of Leica and Zeiss.
 
wintoid said:
Am I right in thinking that the smaller the aperture you select, the duller the viewfinder image will become?
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Correct. Generally it doesn't really make that much of a difference. If you really have any trouble focussing, you just do it wide open and then stop down to take the photo.
 
Depends on how good your eyesight is...I find even with the standard screen I can see that the "focus confirm" adapter is not really in focus. Getting a different screen could help. The Canon EE-S screen for the 5D helps manual focusing but is slightly darker than the standard screen, and isn't recommended for lenses with widest aperture of smaller than f4.
 
I use a zf 2/35 on my 5D and 1Ds3. It's superb, but all above are right that focusing using the standard screen is an issue at times and the 5D focus confirm sometimes tells porky pies. Also, not having auto stop down is a bit of a pain in real fast moving life, but OK when your working slowly. I've found metering generally reliable, but then I chimp the histograms anyway if I'm not in a rush.

Best of all, I've just found an adaptor that will let me put it on my old AE-1 and shoot some FP4 with with it.

Mike
 
Thanks for all of your input, folks. For me, the lack of auto stop-down is a real pain. I used a Pentax K10D for about half a year, and I was really happy with how well it worked with MF lenses (the 'green button'). The Canon DSLRs really don't seem to be made with this in mind.

Maybe it would be better to eventually consider a Nikon body and the Zeiss lenses rather than trying to work with the Canons.
 
sockeyed said:
Thanks for all of your input, folks. For me, the lack of auto stop-down is a real pain. I used a Pentax K10D for about half a year, and I was really happy with how well it worked with MF lenses (the 'green button'). The Canon DSLRs really don't seem to be made with this in mind.

Maybe it would be better to eventually consider a Nikon body and the Zeiss lenses rather than trying to work with the Canons.
Click to expand...


tbh your probalby right and the D700 looks like just the ticket for a 5D user, if you don't need the speed of the D3

Mike
 
sockeyed said:
Thanks for all of your input, folks. For me, the lack of auto stop-down is a real pain. I used a Pentax K10D for about half a year, and I was really happy with how well it worked with MF lenses (the 'green button'). The Canon DSLRs really don't seem to be made with this in mind.

Maybe it would be better to eventually consider a Nikon body and the Zeiss lenses rather than trying to work with the Canons.
Click to expand...

This is why I switched from my EOS 40D to Pentax K20D for digital photography.

Also:
- good Canon glass is way more expensive than good Pentax glass
- K20D is made to accept and work well with old lenses
- In-body stabilization for all your old lenses, and it works very well
- smaller body, better ergonomics
- same lenses for my film and digital cameras
- compact lenses, most with 49mm filter size

Canon makes sturdier, better-quality cameras, but the Pentax beats 'em in every other category. And the K20D is not exactly cheaply made--it's very nice to use. Plus, Zeiss makes manual focus lenses for Pentax, some of which I intend to invest in someday.
 
FYI...here's a pic I took today with the K20D and a $25 Vivitar screwmount 200mm manual focus lens. Using the focus confirmation and the stock focusing screen:

chick1.jpg
 
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