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Planar 50MM: 1,4 Vs 1,7
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PostPosted: Mon Apr 19, 2010 8:39 pm    Post subject: Planar 50MM: 1,4 Vs 1,7 Reply with quote
What is the best Planar for my Canon 5D II? Do you have examples to show? Thank you.


PostPosted: Mon Apr 19, 2010 9:05 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
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).


PostPosted: Mon Apr 19, 2010 9:08 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
I've got both the 50/1.7 and 50/1.4 in AE mount and they're both superb! I get decent 3D effects from both, but obviously the f1.4 version is more desirable for low light stuff.

I have no problems with these lenses on the Canon EOS xxD series with cheap adapters, and in fact they both work on my 5D with cheap adapters, although if you focus past infinity, the mirror will hit the glass! They perform flawlessly with my HappyPageHK adapter Smile

Great lenses Cool


PostPosted: Mon Apr 19, 2010 9:20 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
I have the 1.7 version, and although i considered the 1.4 one day, i stick to the 1.7. Same optical construction, lighter, besides cheap.

Very sharp lens and as mister Shr... sorry Manual Focus i use it one the 5D with Happy Page HK adapter Cool


PostPosted: Tue Apr 20, 2010 6:55 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
Hi

I have the AE 1.7 and the MM 1.4 both used on a Panasonic L1 both are great but I like the 3D (micro-contrast?) effect of the f1.4...


Doug


PostPosted: Tue Apr 20, 2010 12:14 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
I have a 1.4 MM and two 1.7, one AE and very late MM .

I prefer the 1.4 in everything (better build quality ,all metal, ,bokeh , 3D, colour saturation ).

I will test the 1.4 vs the other two 1.7 in the future but my 1.4 MM is very very sharp to begin with...



@ Orio

Try to file down the aperture fin for 0.5mm only as it is obvious that it touches the plastic back of the camera,the lens will work perfectly in a Contax RTS later don't worry about it Wink. I've got no problems at all with EMF Big_Is adapter and my 1.4.
I agree that my #88xxxxx 1.7 MM might be a little sharper than my 1.7AE but it can be a sample variation, and my MM was a NOS(new old stock).
The only obvious difference I can see is the totally different coating they have. The AE is blueish and the very late MM is reddish, so an improved coating might be the cause of a slight extra sharpness... will test it further.

Last edited by Keysersoze27 on Tue Apr 20, 2010 3:30 pm; edited 3 times in total


PostPosted: Tue Apr 20, 2010 12:36 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
ManualFocus-G wrote:
but obviously the f1.4 version is more desirable for low light stuff.)


is there really that much of a low light difference between 1.4 and 1.7? it's not even 1/2 a stop...


PostPosted: Tue Apr 20, 2010 1:53 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Keysersoze27 wrote:

@ Orio
Try to file down the aperture fin for 0.5mm only as it it obvious that it touches the plastic back of the camera,the lens will work perfectly in a Contax RTS later don't worry about it Wink. I've got no problems at all with EMF Big_Is adapter and my 1.4.


Thanks. I am reluctant to perform surgery on my lenses. But if it's really such little thing, maybe I will try.

Keysersoze27 wrote:
I agree that my #88xxxxx 1.7 MM might be a little sharper than my 1.7AE but it can be a sample variation, and my MM was a NOS(new old stock).
The only obvious difference I can see is the totally different coating they have. The AE is blueish and the very late MM is reddish, so an improved coating might be the cause of a slight extra sharpness... will test it further.


I tested many 1.7/50 and all my results confirms the impression. The lenses with serial number beginning with 8x (I have an 84x and a 88x) are definitely sharper (everywhere, but especially wide open) than the older lenses with serials 5x and 6x. I still have to test the 7x.
The switch from AE to MM generally happened around serial numbers 69x for most Contax lenses. So it is my impression that the change in the Planars 1.7/50 might have happened after the AE/MM switch. But I could only "prove" it if I could test a couple of 7x lenses.
However, not all is bad with the older 1.7/50s : they have more 3D than the newer ones.
So it's basically a matter to choose between a lens that is softer wide open, very sharp stopped down, and with much 3D, and a lens that is very sharp wide open, very sharp stopped down, and with less 3D.


PostPosted: Tue Apr 20, 2010 3:34 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
The 1.7 has plastic external parts which might not feel as good but I never find it to be at all objectionable. The only reservation is that, the markings are printed rather than engraved (or molded in) and paint-filled; I always have that phobia of rubbing the ink off.


PostPosted: Tue Apr 20, 2010 5:28 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
rbelyell wrote:
ManualFocus-G wrote:
but obviously the f1.4 version is more desirable for low light stuff.)


is there really that much of a low light difference between 1.4 and 1.7? it's not even 1/2 a stop...


It's exactly half a stop isn't it? Which is the difference between 1/35th second and 1/50th second, which is critical in low light situations IMO Smile


PostPosted: Tue Apr 20, 2010 6:58 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
point well taken. thanks!


PostPosted: Wed Apr 21, 2010 10:00 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Orio wrote:
Keysersoze27 wrote:

@ Orio
Try to file down the aperture fin for 0.5mm only as it it obvious that it touches the plastic back of the camera,the lens will work perfectly in a Contax RTS later don't worry about it Wink. I've got no problems at all with EMF Big_Is adapter and my 1.4.


Thanks. I am reluctant to perform surgery on my lenses. But if it's really such little thing, maybe I will try.

Keysersoze27 wrote:
I agree that my #88xxxxx 1.7 MM might be a little sharper than my 1.7AE but it can be a sample variation, and my MM was a NOS(new old stock).
The only obvious difference I can see is the totally different coating they have. The AE is blueish and the very late MM is reddish, so an improved coating might be the cause of a slight extra sharpness... will test it further.


I tested many 1.7/50 and all my results confirms the impression. The lenses with serial number beginning with 8x (I have an 84x and a 88x) are definitely sharper (everywhere, but especially wide open) than the older lenses with serials 5x and 6x. I still have to test the 7x.
The switch from AE to MM generally happened around serial numbers 69x for most Contax lenses. So it is my impression that the change in the Planars 1.7/50 might have happened after the AE/MM switch. But I could only "prove" it if I could test a couple of 7x lenses.
However, not all is bad with the older 1.7/50s : they have more 3D than the newer ones.
So it's basically a matter to choose between a lens that is softer wide open, very sharp stopped down, and with much 3D, and a lens that is very sharp wide open, very sharp stopped down, and with less 3D.


I have the 1.4 and 1.7 in aej version....and they work on my eos 5dii
so the old 1.7 has more 3d than new 1.7. is it right ?
and about the differences of old and new 1.4 ?


PostPosted: Thu Apr 22, 2010 2:58 pm    Post subject: some test Reply with quote
Carl Zeiss Planar T* 1.4/50mm AEJ vs Carl Zeiss Planar T* 1.7/50mm AEJ

http://www.flickr.com/photos/33530174@N05/4543426476/sizes/o/
corner right down
center
border left center

http://www.flickr.com/photos/33530174@N05/4543457630/sizes/o/
corner left up
corner left down

i prefer the 1.4...in the second link....Wink

Last edited by metallaro1980 on Thu Apr 22, 2010 4:03 pm; edited 1 time in total


PostPosted: Thu Apr 22, 2010 3:10 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
i had the 50/1.4ZE but no longer have it due to money issue so instead picked up a 50/1.7 for much less.

50/1.4ZE was great although soft wide open (specially at MFD). I love the sharpness wide open of the 50/1.7 but havent really shot much landscape with it to compare.

I'm curious to try the 50/1.4 C/Y though. In any case, I have no issues with the 50/1.7 on my 5DII with big_is adapter. I can focus to infinity with no mirror issues.

however, using the same lens and same adapter on my 5D, it hits the mirror even before infinity. I also have the 100/2 Planar tthat works fine on 5DII but I can't even mount it on the 5D. Weird.


PostPosted: Thu Apr 22, 2010 4:11 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
ekin wrote:
i had the 50/1.4ZE but no longer have it due to money issue so instead picked up a 50/1.7 for much less.

50/1.4ZE was great although soft wide open (specially at MFD). I love the sharpness wide open of the 50/1.7 but havent really shot much landscape with it to compare.

I'm curious to try the 50/1.4 C/Y though. In any case, I have no issues with the 50/1.7 on my 5DII with big_is adapter. I can focus to infinity with no mirror issues.

however, using the same lens and same adapter on my 5D, it hits the mirror even before infinity. I also have the 100/2 Planar tthat works fine on 5DII but I can't even mount it on the 5D. Weird.


Welcome! Nice to see you here!


PostPosted: Thu Apr 22, 2010 5:13 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Attila wrote:

Welcome! Nice to see you here!


Thanks!! Been lurking but finally signed up to post lol Smile


PostPosted: Thu Apr 22, 2010 5:17 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
ekin wrote:
Attila wrote:

Welcome! Nice to see you here!


Thanks!! Been lurking but finally signed up to post lol Smile


As many other guys do Laughing To being a member better thing than lurking only Wink
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