Zeiss 35 f/2

[cphoniball]

Anyone seen a review of this lens? The price point looks very attractive, and if the image quality matches that of the other lenses in this lineup I'm very possibly selling off my current lenses to get it. Just wondered if anyone else had seen anything about it; I've done a quick google search but haven't turned anything up so far.

[OsmosisStudios]

It's manual focus, which I can't possibly fathom without a split-prism focusing screen, for one.

[acedrew]

Indeed, and to be honest, I think that the zeiss lenses are over rated in optical quality, just look at the test results at dslrgear.com. Yes, they're good, maybe, they're the best, but they're not so much better to give up auto focus. What they do have going for them is the seeming ability to pack optical quality into small packages, their lenses being a good bit smaller than the other options, typically.
There it is, just an opinion, but it is one.

Andrew Rodgers
Perfected Perspectives -- Photography by Andrew Rodgers | Andrew Rodgers (acedrew) on Twitter | Login | Facebook

[cphoniball]

Yea, I'd probably replace the focusing screen in my camera if I get it..

The reason I'm impressed with the possibilities are the images from this post. I can't see any defects in the image, at all. Took a look at SLR gear like you suggested though, and it looks like the performance on the 28mm isn't as good as it should be. Guess I'll have to wait for some more concrete reviews on the 35.

[OsmosisStudios]

The poster in that thread says he can't see any CA: i can clearly see some in the crop he showed. His corner crop is also a pretty useless example: at f/2.8 there's nothing there that'll be sharp.

I'd try to find another test.

[vandergus]

Here's a review at photozone, though it's on a cropped camera, not full frame. Looks stupidly sharp. And no obvious weak points to speak of. I also wouldn't down play the importance of build quality and the advantage of manual focus. If you enjoy using solidly built, well crafted lenses, then that should be factored into your purchase along with image quality. I own some old MF lenses and they are really fun to use. It's my hobby, after all, and it's supposed to be fun!

Also,

[inkista]

Actually, the 35/2 announcement was a bit of a bummer for some folks who were hoping the rumored 35/1.4 (Erwin Puts had data up on his website for a day or two) was going to arrive.

Originally Posted by acedrew

Indeed, and to be honest, I think that the zeiss lenses are over rated in optical quality...

Depends on your definition of optical quality. That characteristic extreme microcontrast of Zeiss glass is something I fell for (hard) the second I adapted a cruddy old CZ 28/2.8. Hasn't left me, yet.

cphoniball, I'm a little confused--that post you linked to shows examples from the Distagon 21, not the Distagon 35--completely different lens. But if you want opinions on the 35/2, I'd actually go looking for reviews of the ZF (Nikon) version of the 35/2 to see. The ZEs and ZFs have been very close in performance, as they're essentially the same lens, with only the mount changed. It's really tough to find reviews on the ZE versions of lenses before they're actually out there and purchasable.

Vandergus's link is to the review of the ZF 35/2. And pbase has a bunch of samples.

Os: I agree about the split circle if you're working with apertures wider than f/2, but I never had much problem with accurate MF even on my cruddy XT viewfinder with f/2 and smaller lenses before my presbyopia started.

[cphoniball]

Osmosis, if you can see CA in the crop, then you've got much better vision than I do...

Inkista, I know I linked to a 21 and it's a different lens. That's why I was asking if anyone had seen reviews on this one. The quality on the 21mm got me a little excited. Thanks for the tip about looking at the Nikon examples, I'll check them out.

[OsmosisStudios]

Looking at the cropped image of the centre: There's one blade of grass that falls through the middle down towards the left that has some pretty wicked magenta fringing on it. Once you see that it'll pop out like a string of caution tape.