Zeiss ZE lens Recommendations?

[jke]

I made the plunge and bought a Canon 5DmkII and a 17-40mm f4.0L. The lens is a good lens, but it's a super-wide zoom. Hard to be a great lens. It is very useful for a lot of things though, so I'm not throwing it away by any stretch.🙄

BUT I want a great lens, something that measures up well to the Leica 28/35/50 Summicrons I use for film. Not equal maybe but at least in the same universe. Or constellation. Maybe planet.

I was given the suggestion by a trusted source that I consider the Zeiss 35mm f2.0 ZE lens. I have read the stuff on the diglloyd site and, after considering converting a Leica R lens, the Pebble Place site who seem to really like the 28mm f2.0 ZE. Looks good.

But I'd like to hear from some people who are currently using a Canon full-frame DSLR and Zeiss ZE lenses. Some real world experiences to balance the inherent salesmanship of websites.

Thanks in advance.🙂

 

[whitecat]

Take a look at the 25mm. As sharp and contrasty as any Leica lens I have.

 

[jke]

As far as I know, the 25mm is not yet made in a ZE (Canon) configuration, just in ZF (Nikon) and ZM (Leica).

 

[Monz]

You need a Canon 35mm f1.4L. Period.

 

[whitecat]

My mistake, jke, I missed the configuration.

 

[jke]

No problem. All these "Z's" get confusing. 🙂

You need a 35mm f1.4L.

That's a possibility Monz Ahmed (nice photos btw,) but how is edge sharpness in a landscape shot with focus at near infinity? Can you use all of the frame or do you have to crop away edge distortion? And can you print to 13x19/A3+ sizes?

 

[whitecat]

Super shots Monz!

 

[Keith]

I just bought a Planar f1.4 50mm in F mount for my FM3A and also have a D700 on the way which will be sharing the lens with the film body!

I got a chance to try the Planar on a friend's D700 the other day and was really impressed. It's superb on the FM3A and I expect it to be even better on the digital body!

 

[MCTuomey]

check out the alternative gear board at fredmiranda.com. many threads on the ZE lenses there by folks shooting dSLRs.

i realize you are discounting website salesmanship, but there are a lot of dedicated dSLR users at FM who have considerable insight and passion into non-Canon lenses on Canon bodies.

 

[jke]

Ah - thanks MCToumey. I can see that I easily have an evening's worth of reading at that link. Just what I was looking for. Doesn't feel like salesmanship at all.🙂

 

[Monz]

No problem. All these "Z's" get confusing. 🙂



That's a possibility Monz Ahmed (nice photos btw,) but how is edge sharpness in a landscape shot with focus at near infinity? Can you use all of the frame or do you have to crop away edge distortion? And can you print to 13x19/A3+ sizes?

Hi jke,
I haven't got any landscape shots with the 35/1.4L at hand but look here:

http://fiveprime.org/flickr_hvmnd.c...canon+35mm,f1.4,landscape&.submit=Search+Tags

If 35mm is wide enough for you for landscapes, then I'm sure you'll be happy with 35/1.4. If you want wider then there is the EF 24/f.4L mk2.
Both lens => $$. 🙂

--
Monz

 

[f16sunshine]

NIce stuff Monz. 🙂

Adapters are great with Canon. If you buy a decent one for Leica R you can just leave it in the camera and shoot R lenses natively. Working with stop down becomes habit. Focus wide open when critical focus is needed and quickly stop down to shoot. I use V2 Summicron 2/35,2/50, and several Zeiss Contax lenses and love all of them. Buy good adapters with focus confirmation chips and get the S screen from Canon. The focus confirmation blip helps if you want it. The main reason I buy chipped adapters is to keep all metering modes functioning on the camera. The ZE lenses are great. I tried the 2/35 and decided there was no way it was better than my Summicron and 3 times the dough. YMMV especially in consideration of the auto aperture with ZE and stop down with all other adapted lenses.
Cheers

 

[jke]

I like the idea of using R-lenses. I've used them on film, and specifically with the two you've mentioned, I have no doubts about their quality. Makes one wish that Leica would follow Zeiss' business model and re-issue their lens formulas in other mounts, eh?

But I am not sure I have the patience for stop-down metering any longer. To be honest, I question my ability to manual focus effectively with a 5D's screen. Sharpness is great, but if I can't focus the lens well enough to take advantage of that sharpness, the advantage is meaningless.

Based on the Fred Miranda images though, people seem to be managing nicely.

 

[MCTuomey]

jk, most 5D users who use manual focus lenses change their focus screens from the standard one to one suited more to manual focusing. e.g. the Ee-S screen.

the ZE series do not require stop-down metering since the aperture is electronically controlled, as Andy mentioned.

 

[gavinlg]

the 35mm 1.4L and 24mm 1.4L II are both really superb. I have the 35L and it's extremely sharp from corner to corner stopped down.

Of the ZE's, the 21mm is the big daddy of all landscape lenses and is amazingly sharp. The 35mm has a very good rep as well.

 

[f16sunshine]

jk, most 5D users who use manual focus lenses change their focus screens from the standard one to one suited more to manual focusing. e.g. the Ee-S screen.

Yes, the Ee-S screen I'm sorry I did only remember the S part thanks Mike 😀
I would suggest it even if you do not use any adapted lenses. It's the best sub $50 upgrade one can make for the 5DII. Eventually even with AF lenses there is a need to focus manually. I use Zeiss Planars for Portrait work and that screen is indispensable. Could not imagine owning a 50L or 85L without that screen in the camera.
Here is a slightly missed focus shot with a Zeiss Pancolar f1.8/80 on the 5DII the full size of this jumps off the LCD. Great color and beautiful 3D from a $500 lens. It compares well with the ZE85 IMHO at 1/3 the cost and much smaller as well.

 

[jke]

Right - the automatic aperture was why I was looking at the ZE lenses. I should have been clearer on that.

My original master plan was replacing/adapting the mount on a 28mm f2.8 Elmarit-R with a replacement mount from Leitax. One thing led to another and I bumped into the ZE line-up. Of course, the price difference, as is pointed out above, is roughly 1:3. Stop-down dollars.

I have an ancient Nikkor 55mm f1.2 I have adapted to EF mount and plan to use, so perhaps upgrading the screen at some point is a good idea anyway.

That's a great portrait btw. And great attitude!

 

[gavinlg]

Yes, the Ee-S screen I'm sorry I did only remember the S part thanks Mike 😀
I would suggest it even if you do not use any adapted lenses. It's the best sub $50 upgrade one can make for the 5DII. Eventually even with AF lenses there is a need to focus manually. I use Zeiss Planars for Portrait work and that screen is indispensable. Could not imagine owning a 50L or 85L without that screen in the camera.
Here is a slightly missed focus shot with a Zeiss Pancolar f1.8/80 on the 5DII the full size of this jumps off the LCD. Great color and beautiful 3D from a $500 lens. It compares well with the ZE85 IMHO at 1/3 the cost and much smaller as well.

That's a niiice portrait and that lens renders the subject beautifully.

 

[mfogiel]

Subscribe to Reid Reviews, he has reviewed several of the new Zeiss lenses on both Nikon and Canon bodies. In my experience, the best lenses in this line are the Makro Planars, but I am not sure if they are made in Canon mount too.

 

[Olsen]

I now have my third Canon full frame camera now; the 1Ds III. I have both the 35 mm 1,4L and the 24 mm 1,4L II. Of these, it is the first that is the real pearl. Possibly one of the best lenses to be had with a Full Frame Digital SLR. Another shining lens is the 200 mm 2,8L II. It's cheap and can easily be combined with a 1,4x converter or a 25 mm ring. Then you have a full optical system with far reaching capabilities.