Home

Please support mflenses.com if you need any graphic related work order it from us, click on above banner to order!
SearchSearch MemberlistMemberlist RegisterRegister ProfileProfile Log in to check your private messagesLog in to check your private messages Log inLog in

WTB Carl Zeiss Planar 50mm f1.7 lens with 8XXXXXX serial #
Post new topic   Reply to topic
Home   Manual Focus Lenses
View previous topic :: View next topic  


PostPosted: Tue May 25, 2010 2:41 pm    Post subject: WTB Carl Zeiss Planar 50mm f1.7 lens with 8XXXXXX serial # Reply with quote
I have been trying for the last year On Ebay, Craigslist and KEH, to find a Planar 50mm f1.7 in excellent condition with a 8XXXXXX serial #. The reason for reqeusting one with this specific serial # is because every test I have seen with this lens with compariable numbers to the new Zeiss 50mm f1.4 ZF lens has been with a Contax Planar with a 8XXXXXX serial number. I believe there was a improvement in optics from the AE to MM versions. and I also believe, Erroniuosly or not, that there was probably an improve in optics in the last rendentions of this lens in the 8XXXXXX series of serial numbers. So, if someone has a Contax planar 50mm f1.7 with a 8XXXXXX serial # in execellent condition, not the KEH definition of execellent, or who can point me in the direction of some place that does, I would be most thankful. I have a $200 US budget for item plus shipping if that is possible. Sad


PostPosted: Tue May 25, 2010 6:15 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
I never see one starting with 8.


PostPosted: Tue May 25, 2010 6:56 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
WallyJr74,

I have seen two or three on Ebay, but for some reason, everytime, the seller seems to always end there auction before the auction time was up.


PostPosted: Tue May 25, 2010 8:06 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Why the 1.7 and not the 1.4, cost?


PostPosted: Tue May 25, 2010 8:27 pm    Post subject: Re: WTB Carl Zeiss Planar 50mm f1.7 lens with 8XXXXXX serial Reply with quote
Hmm

Every test I have seen has serials in the 69xxxx as that was when the optics were improved just prior to the MM version!

Every test I've seen says that the C/Y 1.4 is the equal of the ZE (although given that an adapter is needed to fit this to the EOS or Olympus bodies, the adapter itself could probably introduce more sample variation than any other criterion?

A thousandth of an inch in thickness in the adapter would likely make for more difference than the very very slight variations otherwise?

I have made 'real world' tests (as opposed to pretty pointless bench tests) with the 1.4 C/Y and the ZE and cannot really say one outshines the other. the same goes for AE 1.7 units with differing serials... In real world shooting handling is as likely to make a difference as any minute difference in potential optimal sharpness, so I reckon that unless you intend to use the lens on an optical bench alone, then why worry?

These worries remind me of a friend who was obsessed with his hi-fi (remember those?) and boasted of his unit having a huge range from about 10hz to goodness knows what. Sadly he:

a) Only played Barry Manilow records

b) Did not appreciate my observation that the low end would appeal to blue whales and the high end only to bats... Smile

Doug




Mine is
bleach551 wrote:
I have been trying for the last year On Ebay, Craigslist and KEH, to find a Planar 50mm f1.7 in excellent condition with a 8XXXXXX serial #. The reason for reqeusting one with this specific serial # is because every test I have seen with this lens with compariable numbers to the new Zeiss 50mm f1.4 ZF lens has been with a Contax Planar with a 8XXXXXX serial number. I believe there was a improvement in optics from the AE to MM versions. and I also believe, Erroniuosly or not, that there was probably an improve in optics in the last rendentions of this lens in the 8XXXXXX series of serial numbers. So, if someone has a Contax planar 50mm f1.7 with a 8XXXXXX serial # in execellent condition, not the KEH definition of execellent, or who can point me in the direction of some place that does, I would be most thankful. I have a $200 US budget for item plus shipping if that is possible. Sad


PostPosted: Tue May 25, 2010 9:32 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote


Might be the different coating Wink


PostPosted: Wed May 26, 2010 12:02 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
Kram,

Cost was the biggest reason. The price that I have observed for a Planar 50mm 1.7 on Ebay is about in the $150-$200 US. The price for for a Planar 50mm 1.4 seems to be about in the $230-$320ish US range.

Nemesis101,

I am aware of the change between the AE version and the MM version at about the 69XXXXX serial # range, I have had a few Planar 50mm f1.7 with an AE 64XXXXX, and two MM's with serial #'s 69XXXXX and 73XXXXX. My belief was of another "possible" optical change in this particular lens in the 8XXXXXX serial #. this belief was brought about by First, this review of a Planar 50mm f1.7 with serial # 8405886

http://www.slrlensreview.com/web/carl-zeiss-slr-lenses-51/standard-slr-lenses-94/369-carl-zeiss-planar-t-50mm-f17-cy-lens-review.html

and by this particular quote by Orio, Whose opinion I highly respect, in this discussion on this very board:

Orio wrote:
I am unable to use my Planar 1.4/50 on the 5D/5DII due to something blocking the aperture fin. The lens remains wide open even if I stop down.
On Canon crop cameras I have no problem.
The 1.4/50 is usually not as sharp as the 1.7/50 but it has other qualities (3D, bokeh, colour saturation) that make me prefer it over the 1.7
The Planar 1.7/50 can be very sharp, but there is some copy variations. I find that the newer lenses (those with the serial number begininng with "8") are the sharpest. It is my (unauthorzed) assumption that Zeiss might have improved the design of the lens rather late in the production (later than the AE/MM switch).


http://forum.mflenses.com/planar-50mm-1-4-vs-1-7-t27434.html.

these two things along with others things here and there sparked my interest in the Planar 50mm f1.7 8XXXXXX serial # variant. I have tried the Planar 50mm f1.4 AE 64XXXXX serial # of a friend of mine against the two MM planar f1.7 versions I had. "I" did not see a "dramatic "difference in Bokeh, or color rendition to justify the difference in price between the two. but "I" did notice a difference in sharpness wide open in favor of the Planar F1.7. BTW, I am not only looking for a sharper lens just for the DSLR's of today with resolving capabilities which are less than some of the top manual lenses. I am looking for a sharper lens for what may be the resolving capabilities of the next generation DSLR's that "will" come in the future. I only want to buy one lens now, not another one later.

Keysersoze27,

The coatings on the various lenses you posted, also was something that peaked my interest. I too was wondering how the changes over the years in optical coatings affected the lens sharpness, chromatic aberration, and lens flare.
Post new topic   Reply to topic
Home   Manual Focus Lenses
Page 1 of 1