TS-E 24mm f/3.5 L II

[Rocco]

I was looking at fast-wide primes. Was almost set on the 24mm f/1.4 L II and for kicks I pulled up the ISO Resolution charts.. THE TS-E is freaking STAGGERING! Suddenly having a max aperture of 1.4 seems less appealing.

Anyone go through the internal debate I am? Price is obviously very different. But you do get the amazing tilt/shift capabilities. What did YOU decide on?

[Rocco]

For those who haven't seen the difference between this and the very good 24mm f/1.4 L II. http://www.the-digital-picture.com/R...mp=0&APIComp=1

[Steve U]

Hey Rocco, I have the 24/1.4II and I love it, if you want a fast wide weather sealed prime, it is unbeatable.
The 24 TS-E has unbeatable resolution, but it is none of the things that you first mentioned. I wanted a very good wide landscape lens and was very close to getting the TS-E, but I read Lloyd Chambers reviews on the 21mm Zeiss and he does a direct comparison between the 24TSE and the 21 and while the resolution of the TSE is the best, ease of use and f/2.8 made the Zeiss the winner clearly. It is great for landscape, architecture and even street photography.
The TSE will certainly be a creative tool in your bag and provide superior resolution, but it ain't fast and it isn't weather sealed.
The 24mm/1.4 is deliciously fun to use and the resolution leaves all but the other two I mentioned for dead.
Steve

[HDNitehawk]

Rocco
I own the 24mm F/1.4 II, looking at the chart, debating and I decided to get TS-E 24mm. So last July right before the Yellowstone trip I ordered a TS-E 24mm. I did some tests, and keep in mind my test are not scientific, but with me I tend to over analyze. What I found is that the 24mm F/1.4 was actually sharper than TS-E in the center, but the TS-E was sharper in the corners as you moved away from center. The TS-E had better CA and flare control. That said when I say it had better sharpness or better IQ the differences were so slight that it in the real world it would make little or no difference. In fact what I decided is that the IQ alone is only a fractional gain at best.and doesn't justify the upgrade. The TS-E also didn't have equal sharpness in the corners, I thought possibly this was because it was a Tilt Shift and possibly didn't seat perfectly at 0. There is the possibility the TS-E copy I received was marginal. I did not see enough improvement in IQ to justify the upgrade.

I sent the TS-E back and at a latter date I may try another copy, but only because I want the Tilt Shift.

The end result of what I decided, is that if you need the Tilt Shift, get the Tilt Shift. The IQ alone isn't in itself enough to justify the TS-E over the F/1.4.

Since your using a crop body, the improvement in the corners will probably not be as noticeable.

If you do order a TS-E 24mm you will be very pleased with the IQ, but unless you have a 24mm F/1.4 to compare to you will never know if it is better or worse because they are both great lenses.

I still lust after the 21mm Zeiss that Steve U mentions...maybe someday I will get me one. (perhaps when I buy a new D800 Nikon).

Rick

[ChadS]

Tilt shift lenses have to have a larger circle in which the object is in sharp focus or else they'd be of no value. Therefore one would expect the sharpness in the corners of a straight-on shot. However, I still think I'd prefer a fast prime to that lens for anything other than landscapes. Obviously for situations where you need the distortion and/or focus plane tilt the tilt-shift is a must.

[Jonathan Huyer]

I agree with the above responses. I own the 24 mm TS-E and absolutely love it, but it's a completely different type of lens. So I wouldn't recommend making a decision based on resolution alone. Each time I use the lens, it is on a tripod, and I'm using live view for focusing. It is a world of difference from hand-holding an autofocus lens. But that's one of the reasons it appeals to me... it forces me to be much more contemplative with my shots, as if I was using an old style view camera. I'm also using 4x6 grad and ND filters with it often, adding to the time and complexity. I appreciate the resolution it gives me, but that's not the prime reason for owning it. So the answer, of course, is to get both

[HDNitehawk]

So the answer, of course, is to get both

Excellent advice.... I think we should add in Steve's advice as well and get the Zeiss as well and have all three.

[Trowski]

Those lenses are so different that really the only thing they have in common is focal length. I think the question you have to answer is what is your primary use for the lens going to be? If it's for landscape, then I highly recommend the TS-E 24mm. You really won't get better image quality in that focal length range (the Zeiss 21mm previously mentioned is close though and there is also the TS-E 17mm, but 17mm is quite a bit wider). There's just nothing that can match the creative abilities you get with a tilt-shift lens. It will do things that you can't do with your other lenses. If landscapes were only a minor interest, then the 24mm f/1.4 is great for just about anything else.

[Steve U]

Agreed, but I would like to add that the other great landscape lens with fairly good resolution, which will be available soon, hopefully, is the 600mm MK2, creating a geat foursome covering all angles.
Seriously though, I am sure that I have mentioned this before, but a pro landscape photographer was interviewed by one of the leading photography magazines and he stated that the lens that he could not do without and that set his work apart from a lot of other pros was his 600mm. That allowed to get shots that no other lens he owned could deliver, including aerial shots and he couldn't do without it.
Rocco, any or all of those lenses will be superb.

I'll include the link to the FM Alt(alternate) Lens thread that I follow, there are quite a few pics recently from the Zeiss 21mm on this page and the pages either side. If you check out the posts from Greggf, he used to post a lot on this forum until he fell in love with Zeiss and now has a bag full of them, he has just picked up the 35mm and there's some shots from him. I have bookmarked and have been following this thread daily from about page 200 and this is why I have a couple of Zeiss lenses in my bag.
http://www.fredmiranda.com/forum/topic/860134/477

[conropl]

...a few pics recently from the Zeiss 21mm on this page and the pages either side. If you check out the posts from Greggf, he used to post a lot on this forum until he fell in love with Zeiss and now has a bag full of them, he has just picked up the 35mm and there's some shots from him. I have bookmarked and have been following this thread daily from about page 200 and this is why I have a couple of Zeiss lenses in my bag.
http://www.fredmiranda.com/forum/topic/860134/477

Wow... I need to get a good prime.