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LucisPictor
Joined: 26 Feb 2007 Posts: 17633 Location: Oberhessen, Germany / Maidstone ('95-'96)
Expire: 2013-12-03
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Posted: Sat Nov 01, 2008 9:42 am Post subject: Carl Zeiss Planar T* 1.4/85 ZE - a field report (FINISHED!) |
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LucisPictor wrote:
Carl Zeiss Planar T* 1.4/85 ZE
First impressions:
This lens does not only look beautiful, it is heavy and "feels" great in your hand.
The manufacturing quality is nothing but excellent, you could not wish for a better one.
The focus ring turns with just the right level of resistance which again adds to the sensation of high-end quality.
This lens mounts to an EOS cam with a deep and almost lucious "click" that entails a complete trust in this connection.
Even the lens hood mounts so securely - you turn and suddenly there is a tangible "click" - that it is a pleasure to attach and remove.
Again you never get the impression that you could ever lose this hood by coincidence.
Manufacturing Quality: A+
Optical performance:
OK, let's talk about aberrations. Aberrations? What aberrations?
Distortion? Nope. Chromatic aberrations? Nope. Coma? I can't see any.
Actually, it is virtually impossible to spot any kind of spherical, chromatic or geometrical aberration unless you examine the lens in lab conditions.
Since this is a "field report", I have to assert that this lens is quasi faultless. It seems that any flaw you find in your photo was caused by the photographer and not by the lens. Hence this is a dangerous lens for all photographers who like to blame their equipment for any mistake they made. To those I need to shout: Do not buy this lens!
For every other, talented photographer willing to learn, this Planar 1.4/85 is the perfect short tele lens! Save your money and order one as soon as you can!!
Optical performance: A
Handling:
As I have already stated, this lens delivers a rare feeling of quality that is out of reach for most lens manufacturers. Zeiss has found a great cooperation partner and must be enforcing a top-level quality control.
Every mechanical part offers a smooth and velvety as well as secure impression. There is just one little thing that I like to complain about: If the hood is attached to the lens, it is difficult to remove the front lens cap and even harder to put it back on, since your fingertips easily slip from the central knobs that can be pressed together to release the cap lock.
It would be a great idea to use a non-slip surface there.
Handling: A-
Usage:
If you have a lens that looks gorgeous, feels great and delivers a fantastic image quality, you want to use it all the time.
You have to consider that a manual 85mm lens that fast (f1.4!) is not easy to use wide open unless you have some really good focus aid.
Well, the EOS AF modus is activated by the lens chip (which by the way works together execellently with the EOS chips) but the AF system is not precise enough to guarantee a spot-on focus with an f1.4 lens. So you need to have good eyes to check the focus in the viewfinder, since the AF "beep" is sometimes tricking you. Now, focussing by sight is not easy if you only have the matte screen and no split image circle. Foucssing with my Canon EF-M for example was a pleasure, it was OK with my EOS 50e but very hard with my EOS 40D. It was alomst impossible with the EOS 350D and the standard viewfinder, with my maginfying eyepiece it became fine again. So, if you want to shoot with this Planar on your 40D often, I definitley recommend the special screen for manual focussing (EF-S). And I guess the same is true for the EOS 5D.
Anyway, this lens is a joy to use, and if you stop down a little the focus accuracy increases automatically.
Would I recommend this lens?
Absolutely!!
This lens seems to me 100% perfect for fullframe cams, no matter if film or sensor. I simply cannot imagine how a lens can be even better!
It also is 100% perfect for crop cams when shooting outdoors, for shooting with a crop cam indoors, I'd say that it might be a little too "long", perhaps the Carl Zeiss Planar T* 1.4/50 would be a more useful choice in this case.
To put it into a nutshell: Can you spend € 1000,- without living on bread and water for the next two months? Then go and buy this lens!
And perhaps it is even worth to accept such a meagre diet for quite a while in order to be able to afford this Zeiss Planar T* 1.4/85.
Final verdict: A
Some shots here: http://forum.mflenses.com/viewtopic,p,103212.html#103212 _________________ Personal forum activity on pause every now and again (due to job obligations)!
Carsten, former Moderator
Things ON SALE
Carsten = "KAPCTEH" = "Karusutenu" | T-shirt?.........................My photos from Emilia: http://www.schouler.net/emilia/emilia2011.html
My gear: http://retrocameracs.wordpress.com/ausrustung/
Old list: http://forum.mflenses.com/viewtopic.php?t=65 (Not up-to-date, sorry!) | http://www.lucispictor.de | http://www.alensaweek.wordpress.com |
http://www.retrocamera.de
Last edited by LucisPictor on Wed Nov 12, 2008 2:06 pm; edited 8 times in total |
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Himself
Joined: 01 Mar 2007 Posts: 3242 Location: Montreal
Expire: 2013-05-30
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Posted: Sat Nov 01, 2008 1:30 pm Post subject: |
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Himself wrote:
Drooling!!
How much was the beauty? _________________ Moderator Himself |
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LucisPictor
Joined: 26 Feb 2007 Posts: 17633 Location: Oberhessen, Germany / Maidstone ('95-'96)
Expire: 2013-12-03
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Posted: Sat Nov 01, 2008 1:43 pm Post subject: |
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LucisPictor wrote:
http://forum.mflenses.com/oh-boy-t12041.html _________________ Personal forum activity on pause every now and again (due to job obligations)!
Carsten, former Moderator
Things ON SALE
Carsten = "KAPCTEH" = "Karusutenu" | T-shirt?.........................My photos from Emilia: http://www.schouler.net/emilia/emilia2011.html
My gear: http://retrocameracs.wordpress.com/ausrustung/
Old list: http://forum.mflenses.com/viewtopic.php?t=65 (Not up-to-date, sorry!) | http://www.lucispictor.de | http://www.alensaweek.wordpress.com |
http://www.retrocamera.de |
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poilu
Joined: 26 Aug 2007 Posts: 10472 Location: Greece
Expire: 2019-08-29
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Posted: Sat Nov 01, 2008 2:02 pm Post subject: |
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poilu wrote:
Carsten wrote: |
Even the lens hood mounts so securely |
nice they give a hood in standard, is it in plastic ? _________________ T* |
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LucisPictor
Joined: 26 Feb 2007 Posts: 17633 Location: Oberhessen, Germany / Maidstone ('95-'96)
Expire: 2013-12-03
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Posted: Sat Nov 01, 2008 2:19 pm Post subject: |
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LucisPictor wrote:
poilu wrote: |
Carsten wrote: |
Even the lens hood mounts so securely |
nice they give a hood in standard, is it in plastic ? |
No, it's made from metal. It's sturdy and yet very lightweight, so I guess its alu. _________________ Personal forum activity on pause every now and again (due to job obligations)!
Carsten, former Moderator
Things ON SALE
Carsten = "KAPCTEH" = "Karusutenu" | T-shirt?.........................My photos from Emilia: http://www.schouler.net/emilia/emilia2011.html
My gear: http://retrocameracs.wordpress.com/ausrustung/
Old list: http://forum.mflenses.com/viewtopic.php?t=65 (Not up-to-date, sorry!) | http://www.lucispictor.de | http://www.alensaweek.wordpress.com |
http://www.retrocamera.de |
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F16SUNSHINE
Joined: 20 Aug 2007 Posts: 5486 Location: Left Coast
Expire: 2011-11-18
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Posted: Sat Nov 01, 2008 2:59 pm Post subject: |
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F16SUNSHINE wrote:
Nice !
The standard hood is really nice.
I love this about the ZM lenses also.
Zeiss decided to use a Bayonet mount for the hoods.
It helps with filter use as the filter fits inside the hood.
For wide angle lenses it is a real bonus.
With threaded hoods on top of a filter ring vignetting can become a problem.
Carsten, did you try and change the AF point around (in VF) and see if the "blip" responds to points other than the center?
It would not be something that is used often. Mostly I am curious as to how well the "chip" is integrated to the Canon system. _________________ Moderator |
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LucisPictor
Joined: 26 Feb 2007 Posts: 17633 Location: Oberhessen, Germany / Maidstone ('95-'96)
Expire: 2013-12-03
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Posted: Sat Nov 01, 2008 3:33 pm Post subject: |
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LucisPictor wrote:
F16SUNSHINE wrote: |
Carsten, did you try and change the AF point around (in VF) and see if the "blip" responds to points other than the center?
It would not be something that is used often. Mostly I am curious as to how well the "chip" is integrated to the Canon system. |
Yes, it works perfectly. You can choose whatever AF point you want to use and even if all are active it works and those light up that indicate "in focus" - no matter where.
Well, it's Zeiss! _________________ Personal forum activity on pause every now and again (due to job obligations)!
Carsten, former Moderator
Things ON SALE
Carsten = "KAPCTEH" = "Karusutenu" | T-shirt?.........................My photos from Emilia: http://www.schouler.net/emilia/emilia2011.html
My gear: http://retrocameracs.wordpress.com/ausrustung/
Old list: http://forum.mflenses.com/viewtopic.php?t=65 (Not up-to-date, sorry!) | http://www.lucispictor.de | http://www.alensaweek.wordpress.com |
http://www.retrocamera.de |
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LucisPictor
Joined: 26 Feb 2007 Posts: 17633 Location: Oberhessen, Germany / Maidstone ('95-'96)
Expire: 2013-12-03
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Posted: Sun Nov 09, 2008 12:11 pm Post subject: |
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LucisPictor wrote:
^^^ _________________ Personal forum activity on pause every now and again (due to job obligations)!
Carsten, former Moderator
Things ON SALE
Carsten = "KAPCTEH" = "Karusutenu" | T-shirt?.........................My photos from Emilia: http://www.schouler.net/emilia/emilia2011.html
My gear: http://retrocameracs.wordpress.com/ausrustung/
Old list: http://forum.mflenses.com/viewtopic.php?t=65 (Not up-to-date, sorry!) | http://www.lucispictor.de | http://www.alensaweek.wordpress.com |
http://www.retrocamera.de |
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Himself
Joined: 01 Mar 2007 Posts: 3242 Location: Montreal
Expire: 2013-05-30
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Posted: Sun Nov 09, 2008 1:53 pm Post subject: |
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Himself wrote:
Excellent report!!
What magnifying eyepiece do you use for 350D? _________________ Moderator Himself |
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LucisPictor
Joined: 26 Feb 2007 Posts: 17633 Location: Oberhessen, Germany / Maidstone ('95-'96)
Expire: 2013-12-03
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Posted: Sun Nov 09, 2008 3:14 pm Post subject: |
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LucisPictor wrote:
Himself wrote: |
Excellent report!!
What magnifying eyepiece do you use for 350D? |
Believe it not, a Nikon DK-21M. It fits well to the 350D.
http://www.nikonusa.com/Find-Your-Nikon/ProductDetail.page?pid=25339 _________________ Personal forum activity on pause every now and again (due to job obligations)!
Carsten, former Moderator
Things ON SALE
Carsten = "KAPCTEH" = "Karusutenu" | T-shirt?.........................My photos from Emilia: http://www.schouler.net/emilia/emilia2011.html
My gear: http://retrocameracs.wordpress.com/ausrustung/
Old list: http://forum.mflenses.com/viewtopic.php?t=65 (Not up-to-date, sorry!) | http://www.lucispictor.de | http://www.alensaweek.wordpress.com |
http://www.retrocamera.de |
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Gambit
Joined: 02 Nov 2008 Posts: 20
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Posted: Wed Nov 12, 2008 12:23 am Post subject: |
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Gambit wrote:
excuse my ignorance but does this lens autofocus? how fast is the autofocus, or is it manual focus and when you hit focus you get the focus confirm chirp on an EOS cam? |
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Attila
Joined: 24 Feb 2007 Posts: 57865 Location: Hungary
Expire: 2025-11-18
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Posted: Wed Nov 12, 2008 12:28 am Post subject: |
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Attila wrote:
This is manual focus lens and you will get chirp when subject properly focused if you use adapter with AF emulation. _________________ -------------------------------
Items on sale on Ebay
Sony NEX-7 Carl Zeiss Planar 85mm f1.4, Minolta MD 35mm f1.8, Konica 135mm f2.5, Minolta MD 50mm f1.2, Minolta MD 250mm f5.6, Carl Zeiss Sonnar 180mm f2.8
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Orio
Joined: 24 Feb 2007 Posts: 29545 Location: West Emilia
Expire: 2012-12-04
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Posted: Wed Nov 12, 2008 2:24 pm Post subject: |
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Orio wrote:
With the ZE version of the lens, no need of chipped adapter - chip comes built it (as far as I know) _________________ Orio, Administrator
T*
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