Zeiss ZE 50mm f/2 Makro Planar

[greggf]

I just rented this lens from lensrentals.com. Here are a few samples taken with my 5Dll and Mark IV...the lens is sharp beyond belief(my manual focusing skills notwithstanding!), and it does have some great color and contrast. My sigma 50 is in the shop right now, and needed something to take it's place while camping next week south of South Lake Tahoe(SilverLake to be exact).


Comments are always welcome...and remember, these were taken while in my UPS truck on Friday!![]


f2


[img]/cfs-file.ashx/__key/CommunityServer.Components.UserFiles/00.00.00.22.00/110_2D00_9782.jpg[/img]


f2


[img]/cfs-file.ashx/__key/CommunityServer.Components.UserFiles/00.00.00.22.00/Brick-Light_2D00_5742.jpg[/img]


f4


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f4.5


[img]/cfs-file.ashx/__key/CommunityServer.Components.UserFiles/00.00.00.22.00/Cornflowers_2D00_5731.jpg[/img]


f2..I don't what it is about fire hydrants??!!


[img]/cfs-file.ashx/__key/CommunityServer.Components.UserFiles/00.00.00.22.00/Fire-Hydrant_2D00_5727.jpg[/img]


and here are 2 HDR's ...1 is a little over the top(but I kinda like it!!)!!


both at f2


[img]/cfs-file.ashx/__key/CommunityServer.Components.UserFiles/00.00.00.22.00/Oversaturated-Hdr_2D00_2.jpg[/img]



[img]/cfs-file.ashx/__key/CommunityServer.Components.UserFiles/00.00.00.22.00/B_2600_W-HDR_2D00_2.jpg[/img]

[Jorundr-Jorgensen]

Great shots! Thanks for sharing, it's not often you see Zeiss samples around.


Btw, did you ever look at the Zeiss Distagon ZF (ZE) T* 21mm f/2.8? Now that's a monster.


Enjoy your Zeiss!

[greggf]

Hi Jorundr...


I rented the Zeiss 21 2.8 last fall to use with my 5Dll. I was amazed with the image quality, even wide open!! I have some shots somewhere, and will post some when I find them. I recently sold my 16-35ll. I loved it in the center on my Mark IV, but the corners, even on the Mark IV, just didn't do it for me. Magnify that 5 fold on FF!! So, I recently bought the adapter from http://www.16-9.net/nikon_g/, and am anxiously awaiting for it. I already have the Nikon 14-24G 2.8(and it's collecting dust!!) I bought it on Ebay, practically brand new for $1300. Seems Nikon's don't hold their value too well, considering it's an $1800 lens brand new.


BTW, thanks for the kind words of the photos!! I will be posting more, especially from the camping trip next week! Hopefully, my focusing skills improve by then!!





Gregg

[greggf]

So I have gotten used to manual focusing the Zeiss 50 Makro. Here are a few more updated shots. I'm finding this lens absolutely rocks!! It is very sharp wide open, and by f2.8, is beyond sharp....The colors and contrast are incredible, too. These following shots taken with Mark IV, in .jpg, too, which I hardly ever do, no PP done at all, except on the leaf shot. Comments welcome as always...


realizing that downsizing really jacks the image up, too....


2.8


[img]/cfs-file.ashx/__key/CommunityServer.Components.UserFiles/00.00.00.22.00/Kettler-Tryk_2D00_0011-_2800_Medium_2900_.jpg[/img]


f11


[img]/cfs-file.ashx/__key/CommunityServer.Components.UserFiles/00.00.00.22.00/Last-Legs_2D00_9970-_2800_Medium_2900_.jpg[/img]


f8


[img]/cfs-file.ashx/__key/CommunityServer.Components.UserFiles/00.00.00.22.00/flower_2D00_9986-_2800_Medium_2900_.jpg[/img]


f2


[img]/cfs-file.ashx/__key/CommunityServer.Components.UserFiles/00.00.00.22.00/untitled_2D00_9971-_2800_Medium_2900_.jpg[/img]

[Sheiky]

Wow nice shots Gregg!


For some reason the tricycle shot is very very soft, probably processing issue. The rest of the shots look great! Indeed nice contrast and colors. It looks like a great lens to me, although I don't believe it will blow away the Sigma at f2... so for a 50mm f2 lens it seems kind of expensive to me.


Do you also use a special focussing glass for manual focussing? I'm kind of interested in these, since I do a lot of manual focussing with my macro lens.


By the way I think if you lowered the saturation of the blue tones in your HDR it would look a lot more natural and still kick some serious butt []


Thanks for showing the examples!


Jan

[greggf]

Hi Jan.


You're right. The bicycle shot does look soft...for some reason, I guess, when I resize the images, some take the conversion well, others, not so well!! I"m not sure what why?? But the original is tack sharp.


Competing against our Sig's at f2...well I'm not sure, since mine is in the shop right now!! It is expensive, as is the whole Zeiss line-up. I think this one in particular because of the macro capabilities.


Your definitely right on the HDR...but I was going for the over-saturated look just a bit!! I wanted it BW, and then I thought i would try a color one, too...and got a little crazy!![]


Thanks for looking,


Gregg

[Sheiky]

I"m not sure what why?? But the original is tack sharp.

Me neither, I've never had this softness after export...but I trust you on your word and other examples []

I think this one in particular because of the macro capabilities.

Hmm yea I guess so, but still...for that amount of money you could have a Sigma 50mm 1.4 with AF and probably pretty much comparable photos at f2 and with the extra money you are close to buying a dedicated Canon 100mm macro which does go to 1:1 and als has AF and is great for other things than macro as well...


I guess it's a matter of putting up priorities and needs/interests. I must say that I really like to get the best for the less if you know what I mean and therefor the Zeiss lenses are not on my wishing list.

Your definitely right on the HDR...but I was going for the over-saturated look just a bit!!

I could see why, however I think the foreground/background realism difference is quite there. While your foreground is still acceptable realistic, your background is truly unrealistic. I do like the B&W though and if it were up to me, the contrast may have been even bigger(lighter foreground and shadows), but I like it already this way []

Thanks for looking,

Thanks for your open mind,


Jan