fuwen
Well-known
Just bought this lens recently, after almost a year wait after placing order with Fotographfix. Probably wrong timing due to the Japan nuclear plants issues as this lens is made by Cosina in Japan. Guess it is too late a time to talk about this lens as much has been discussed on the internet since the launch of the lens : D.
What make me curious about this lens is its good comments almost everywhere over the ZM 28/2.8, its very impressive MTF and what Zeiss has demonstrated using very fine grain black and white film with a shot from hot air balloon.
I did a quick and non-scientific test between the ZM 25/2.8 and ZM 28/2.8 and think for my purposes they are equally good and the same amazing Zeiss quality. All my ZM lenses were early production batches. This late production ZM 25/2.8 now the focusing smoothness and damping is as good as the made in Germany ZM 15/2.8 and 85/2.
My test up was using a Voigtlander R4M with Kodak Portra 400 on tripod, mounted on a Metz 60MZ4 flash bounced at the ceiling. I have decided to compare based on same image coverage so the ZM 25 was moved slightly forward to cover the same composition. I used the f5.6 shots for comparison as the f2.8 ones I think there was inconsistency in focusing. The negative was scanned by the developing shop, but I could not see any significant difference in the first 16base scan so I asked for a scan in 63MB tiff. http://www.fuwen.net/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=107&Itemid=192
Below are crops from computer screen at the centre (Contax RTS III), the left (Rollei 35RF) and the top right (Contax Aria). Left are those from ZM 28, right are those from ZM 25.
I find the ZM 25 is consistent with the rest of the ZMs. So far I have been very happy with the ZM 28 I used for many years.
What make me curious about this lens is its good comments almost everywhere over the ZM 28/2.8, its very impressive MTF and what Zeiss has demonstrated using very fine grain black and white film with a shot from hot air balloon.
I did a quick and non-scientific test between the ZM 25/2.8 and ZM 28/2.8 and think for my purposes they are equally good and the same amazing Zeiss quality. All my ZM lenses were early production batches. This late production ZM 25/2.8 now the focusing smoothness and damping is as good as the made in Germany ZM 15/2.8 and 85/2.
My test up was using a Voigtlander R4M with Kodak Portra 400 on tripod, mounted on a Metz 60MZ4 flash bounced at the ceiling. I have decided to compare based on same image coverage so the ZM 25 was moved slightly forward to cover the same composition. I used the f5.6 shots for comparison as the f2.8 ones I think there was inconsistency in focusing. The negative was scanned by the developing shop, but I could not see any significant difference in the first 16base scan so I asked for a scan in 63MB tiff. http://www.fuwen.net/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=107&Itemid=192
Below are crops from computer screen at the centre (Contax RTS III), the left (Rollei 35RF) and the top right (Contax Aria). Left are those from ZM 28, right are those from ZM 25.
I find the ZM 25 is consistent with the rest of the ZMs. So far I have been very happy with the ZM 28 I used for many years.
BobYIL
Well-known
The 28ZM is an excellent lens, a close clone of the G28, so good that Zeiss did not feel a need to change the formula. The 25ZM on the other hand is an outstanding lens, Zeiss claims its resolution power as 400 lines/mm, the sharpest 35mm format lens they produce.
Your test result show very minute differences as both of these lenses can outresolve the film you used. However try them on a digital, especially on an APS-C size sensor (for more pixels on a given area), you will start seeing the differences however again minor.
Your test result show very minute differences as both of these lenses can outresolve the film you used. However try them on a digital, especially on an APS-C size sensor (for more pixels on a given area), you will start seeing the differences however again minor.
kram
Well-known
Try using Ektar 100, for colour, or Rollei ATP 1.1 for B+W
redisburning
Well-known
high pixel density sensors still struggle to hit 100lp/mm
if you want to see the difference, shoot on a really slow black and white film and use a condenser head enlarger to print crops at high enlargements.
both are great lenses, I would personally choose the 25 for flat subjects but frankly I would pick the focal length I liked better than worry about the minutiae.
kram
Well-known
I have the 25mm and thought is was OK, could not see what the fuss was about. It was only when I was forced to shoot at f2.8 (with shutter speeds in the 1/8- 1/30 range using a wall or banister for support), with a number of of electric bulbs in the picture did I appreciate the quality of this lens.