question about Zeiss 28mm f/2.8 distagon c/y + Canon 5D

sonics · Joined: 13 May 2011 Posts: 15 Location: Netherlands

I use a Zeiss 28mm f/2.8 c/y on my Canon eos 5D with much joy.

On f/2.8 - f/5.6 you can see some extreme corner softness. At f/5.6 there is a tiny bit left.

On another forum I read about the fact that on a analogue (contax) camera this lens is sharp in the extreme corners at f/2.8 and on a digital (fullframe) camera it isn't.

Is the true or what could be the cause of this?

ManualFocus-G · Expire: 2014-11-24

MM version is sharp in the corners, this version has a green minimum aperture on the aperture ring.

aoleg · Joined: 22 Feb 2008 Posts: 1389 Location: Berlin, DE

sonics · Joined: 13 May 2011 Posts: 15 Location: Netherlands

I have the MMJ version (f/22 made green). I assume it wasn't painted green by the previous owner Smile

f/2.8 is sharp across the frame except the extreme corners.

It gets better at f/4 and at f/5.6 only a tiny bit of unscharpness in the extreme corners are left.

sonics · Joined: 13 May 2011 Posts: 15 Location: Netherlands

I agree that at f/8 the lens providers superb sharpness, contrast. It's character is superb at all apertures.
For landscapes I use f/8 or narrower.

I also own a Zeiss distagon 35mm f/2 ZE. A better lens than my 28mm in many regards but I like the 28mm lens character better, but that's subjective.

barryreid · Expire: 2015-11-04

My 28mm AEJ seems acceptable at 5.6. Perhaps thickness variation in the adapter may make a noticeable difference to corner sharpness on a wide lens like this as there is going to be some field curvature?

Attila · Expire: 2025-11-18

Rather lens faulty, I had a 28mm f2.0 what was sharp only at center, and even with all experience of my repair man he couldn't fix it , seems lens left factory with faulty..

sonics · Joined: 13 May 2011 Posts: 15 Location: Netherlands

In my case not a faulty lens. I had 2 28mm f/2.8 MM over the years. First one I sold. Regretted it and bought another one. Both acted the same.
As I said before I read a topic telling about contax cameras not having this blurred extreme corners wide open till f/5.6 and fullframe digital camera do, like mine. I just wondered how this is possible.

Wide open I'm talking around 1/14th of the frame in the corner from top-down which is blurry

I use big-is adapters which focusses to infinity just fine. Not a problem there I think.

aoleg · Joined: 22 Feb 2008 Posts: 1389 Location: Berlin, DE

poilu · Expire: 2019-08-29

on my 28mm MM the borders are good from wide open
I didn't notice if the extreme corners are blurry, usually it is sky or ground there

for difference film - digital
read discussions about RF wide on the new Sony A7, Leica and Zeiss lenses that are jewel on film get pita on digital
the cause is that sensor 'see' only straight ray of light, silver grain of film don't care the direction of light and get burnt the same
the distagon is not an RF lens but in the extreme corners the angle is the greatest and I can believe that results are better on film

eddie3dfx · Joined: 12 Sep 2013 Posts: 9

My MMJ is very sharp from 2.8 on.
In fact, I find it to be my favorite lens because of it's sharpness.