20/21 mm shoot out

koji · Expire: 2012-12-27

It is rainy in Toronto, so the subject is a boring scene. Camera used is EOS
5D with ISO 320, AE-mode. Raw developer is Caputure one V4.8 with
Auto exposure, light level, but no USM. Manfrotto tripod 055 was used with a shoe-mount level.

Format is 1) whole scene, 2) left lower corner 100%, 3) center right 100%,
three shots for each lens. All are shot at F2.8 except ML21 with F3.5.

1) Carl Zeiss Distagon T* 2.8/21 ZF @f2.8

2) Olympus Zuiko 21/2 @f2.8

3) Yashica ML 21/3.5 @f3.5

4) CZJ FLektogon 20/2.8 @f2.8

5) Ai Nikkor 20/2.8S @f2.8

The right side of Distagon 21mm is a bit fazzier due to Fotodiox adapter, I re-shot @f5.6 which
was better than the others. The left side of Zuiko 21mm too is fazzier, but not sure whether
it is due to an adapter or not. Anyway do not take this TOO seriouesly. Very Happy

It is a peril of comparison shooting....

Somehow adapters are not identical for these lenses, the test shots are not too scientific nor
enjoyable to do. Crying or Very sad

When the weather gets better I will go out and shoot them hopefully.

New sample shots by DIstagon 21mm ZF are here > http://www.pbase.com/kkawakami/carlzeissdist2128zf

LucisPictor · Expire: 2013-12-03

Thanks for this interesting test!

The Zeiss 2.8/21 seems to be the clear winner in my eyes.
But the Nikkor and (surprise?) the Yashica live up to it pretty well.

I am a little disappointed by the performance of the Zuiko. Shocked

djmike · Joined: 01 Apr 2009 Posts: 930 Location: Taiwan

MF-addicted · Posted: Thu May 14, 2009 4:07 pm Post subject:

Thanks Koji for the lens test.
I love shooting with my Yashica ML 21.
Now I see that it was worth buying it and not waiting for the Distagon.
I got my ML 21 for 1/8 th of the price of the Zeiss.

You make my day happy

Very Happy

koji · Expire: 2012-12-27

LucisPictor, do not conclude the final yet. My adapter for OM->EF might
have uneven thickness, someone mentioned it. I will use an another
adapter, unfortunately the same make!!

Sharpness-wise D21ZF is a winner, colour rendition is pure Zeiss too.
Yes Yashica ML21/3.5 is a not bad lens at all, I kinda like Ai20/2.8S
personally, they all have wavy distortion. Distagon is least light falloff
to me.

Orio · Expire: 2012-12-04

Yashica two thumbs up, for IQ and for lack of distortion

Nikkor one thumb up for IQ, distortion seems bad though

Flek 2.8 hmm.... so and so, but overall worse than Nikkor

Zuiko looks terrible Sad

Does your Distagon 21 ZF make the corners cyan coloured as I have read on some forums?

hasan · Joined: 12 Mar 2007 Posts: 313

For me, it's
1. Yashica
2. Distagon
3. Flektogon
4. N�kkor
5. Olympus

F16SUNSHINE · Expire: 2011-11-18

The Zuiko is not right i agree Koji.
Mine that I wish I did not sell Crying or Very sad

was cracking sharp and performed exquisitely.
The surprise here is the ML21. I really think that lens is a bargain. Although good luck to find one Wink

Can you shoot the D21 native on the Nikon FF?

koji · Expire: 2012-12-27

Orio, I have not noticed the corner Cyanization yet. Some of shots including
sky had slight colour shift, but I did not object it at all. Actually I was expecting
to get cyan corners, but it is not noticeable to me YET.

When the truly bad cyan corder comes, there is always a rescue
available. Its name is "CornerFix" developed for M8's infamous
cyan corner problem with UV-IR cut filters. This free soft requires
.DNG file to do corner fixing, so I did experimented already. Using .NEF
and Adobe's DNG converter, I obtained D700's .DNG file first. Then
raw developer C1 (capture one) to make .dng file to .jpg/.tiff.

It works, I can even use D700 profile for C1 program. Only problem is
I have to set this profile to every raw files, but DNG default profile too
works reasonably well. I do not know other raw developers except
PS's default one, which I do not like much. The below is a quick and dirty
shot at F16, upper left corner has darkening (might be cyan corder), though
lower corners aren't I guess.

koji · Expire: 2012-12-27

Yes, Andy. Zuiko is much better then these shots I think.

For Nikon native shots, see my hope page's D21 page. >
http://www.pbase.com/kkawakami/carlzeissdist2128zf

Please pick "original" size (mine are all ~1200 x 1800).

I will try Zuiko 21mm again for the sake of ZUIKO. Very Happy

bawang · Joined: 26 Mar 2008 Posts: 548 Location: Indiana, USA

The Zuiko can't be that bad, right.

I agree with Hassan's list. The ML did surprising well. And yes, I agree with Andy, that yashica looks like one of the hidden gems. The Yashica ML lines are very good, at least from what I have seen on the web. They are not regularly available on the 'bay, though.

Orio · Expire: 2012-12-04

F16SUNSHINE · Expire: 2011-11-18

MF-addicted · Posted: Thu May 14, 2009 6:17 pm Post subject:

@ koji
Before I picked up my ML 21 half year ago, I was looking at your site at your Yashica examples and I was impressed by the quality.

Rolling Eyes

... and for aquiring my ML 24 and ML 28 you are guilty, too

Evil or Very Mad

koji · Expire: 2012-12-27

Hahaha, that is my mission. Very Happy

MF-addicted · Posted: Thu May 14, 2009 6:30 pm Post subject:

... and your Macro ML 100/3.5 test has put me into some sleepless nights.
Sad

So keep on testing - always a pleasure to see your tests.

Wink

Chiti · Joined: 09 Apr 2009 Posts: 78 Location: La Coru�a,Spain

The Distagon is the winner...but the price of this lens... Rolling Eyes

One surprise, the Yashica...and the Nikkor.

However, the Flek looks good (in this samples, much better than the Zuiko...), and you can get one arround 350$.

Regards

alex · Joined: 18 Apr 2009 Posts: 561 Location: UK

Of these, I have the 21/3.5 ML and the 20/2.8 Flek, and these results agree with my own anecdotal experience in ranking the pair. What is remarkable is how well the ML performs against the Distagon ; that has surprised me agreeably, considering what I paid for the Yashica. Whilst it's unrealistic to expect to make a considered comparison on the basis of web-quality reproductions, the ML has the performance edge to my eye over the Distagon.

I let my acquisition of the ML 24mm dissuade me from looking further for the 25mm Distagon, and I see from the comments of others here that I was dissuaded in the right direction. The 24mm ML cost me a tenth of what I've seen the 25mm CZ lens attract.

I don't want to make anyone grind their teeth who may have paid more, but my 20mm Flek cost the equivalent of about $100.

Bruce · Expire: 2014-11-22

koji, I didnt know there was a Yashica 21, now Im looking.

Orio · Expire: 2012-12-04

koji · Expire: 2012-12-27

Conax/Yashica speciality shop in Tokyo has two,
A- 79,800 Yen
AB- 46,800 yen (front element has small coating off)

This shop has five 85/1.2s in stock!

Bruce · Expire: 2014-11-22

F16SUNSHINE · Expire: 2011-11-18

Orio · Expire: 2012-12-04

Orio · Expire: 2012-12-04