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Any thoughts on the ZF 100mm f/2 Makro-Planar T* ?

TRSmith

Subscriber Member
I stumbled upon some PR about the ZF.2 version due out in "Spring of 2010".

This is lifted from the Zeiss site:

"The ZF.2 lenses are an enhanced version of the ZF lenses. They feature an electronic interface (CPU). This CPU enables the ZF.2 lenses to support all important operating modes such as shutter priority, aperture priority and programmed auto exposure or manual exposure settings even on non-AI compatible camera housings. Photographers no longer have to set the parameters in the camera menu as the lens now transmits standard data such as focal length, speed and the aperture setting to the camera. This data can then be viewed in the EXIF data of each picture. "

Seems worth waiting for.
 

woodyspedden

New member
I stumbled upon some PR about the ZF.2 version due out in "Spring of 2010".

This is lifted from the Zeiss site:

"The ZF.2 lenses are an enhanced version of the ZF lenses. They feature an electronic interface (CPU). This CPU enables the ZF.2 lenses to support all important operating modes such as shutter priority, aperture priority and programmed auto exposure or manual exposure settings even on non-AI compatible camera housings. Photographers no longer have to set the parameters in the camera menu as the lens now transmits standard data such as focal length, speed and the aperture setting to the camera. This data can then be viewed in the EXIF data of each picture. "

Seems worth waiting for.
This is one of my go to lenses for the D3x. Here is a shot of Church Rock near Monument Valley Utah. Midday shooting so light not the best but I was on one of Guy's workshops and we were headed to Monument Valley and had a limited time to shoot the rock.

Hope this gives you a sense of what the lens rendering is all about.

Best

Woody
 

TRSmith

Subscriber Member
Some very subtle tones in your terrific shot. Thanks for whetting my appetite even more!

Tim


This is one of my go to lenses for the D3x. Here is a shot of Church Rock near Monument Valley Utah. Midday shooting so light not the best but I was on one of Guy's workshops and we were headed to Monument Valley and had a limited time to shoot the rock.

Hope this gives you a sense of what the lens rendering is all about.

Best

Woody
 

Steen

Senior Subscriber Member
Hi Tim, there's a good deal of ZF 2/100 pictures in the following threads:


Another (not so) quick comparison: Zeiss 100mm f/2 ZF versus Leica 100mm f/2.8 APO
http://forum.getdpi.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1952


Zeiss 35mm f2 and Zeiss 100 f2 macro
http://forum.getdpi.com/forum/showthread.php?t=4328


Emerging life
http://forum.getdpi.com/forum/showthread.php?t=6749


Carl Zeiss ZF manual lenses for Nikon
http://forum.getdpi.com/forum/showthread.php?t=8291


Zeiss 100mm (also with Ray Harms comparison between Nikkor 2.8/105 VR Micro and ZF 2/100 Makro in post #82)
http://forum.getdpi.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1225


And then of course there's the dedicated macro thread:
Macro thread everyone?
http://forum.getdpi.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1812

.
 
I think you will be very happy with it, especially if you want to use it primarily as a macro lens. I have not read digilloyd's review, but I am sure he did a good job. From my perspective, I was very impressed by the 100mm ZF, but I liked the 100mm Leica better. But I certainly would not recommend using the Leica on the Nikon over the Zeiss -- there is a lot to be said for ease of use and ergonomics. Image quality is very important, but at the end of the day the best picture is the one you took, and if you are spending all your time focusing, stopping down, messing with the metering (Leitax lenses don't seem to meter properly for me...), any difference in quality is going to be lost in the shuffle. That's why I wound up with the 135/2 DC -- it has more CA than either the Zeiss or Leica, is not as sharp as either, but it has fantastic bokeh, great lens speed, and autofocus.

I have the 105 DC and love it!! I think both are extremely under rated lenses!

 

Jorgen Udvang

Subscriber Member
I agree that the Zeiss is a wonderful lens, but for the price of that, you can almost get a 105mm DC and a 105mm Micro VR. I found a different solution: for around $600, I found an older Micro Nikkor 105mm AF and a Nikkor 105mm f/1.8 AIS. Not too shabby either :)

S5 with 105mm f/1.8 @ f/2.8



S5 with 105mm f/1.8 @ f/2.0



S5 with 105mm f/1.8 @ f/2.0

 

Jorgen Udvang

Subscriber Member
Jorgen... is that a manual focus as well?
100% manual.

I've never used the Zeiss ZF 100/2, but what I find problematic with most manual focus macro lenses for general use, is that the focus throw beyond macro distances is so short that exact focusing can be problematic. This is also one of the reasons why I bought the Nikkor 105/1.8; it's very easy to focus between 1 and 7 meters, for which the lens is optimised, also optically. Beyond that, it needs to be stopped down to be 100% sharp, and even the humble 70-300 ED can compete in sharpness at F/5.6 and focused to infinity. I have five (I think) different F-mount lenses covering 105mm. Still, I consider converting the OM 100mm f/2.8, which is a very good all-purpose short telephoto lens, to F-mount. Horses for courses.

Did I mention that 100-105mm is one of my favourite focal lengths on DX? :p
 
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Steen

Senior Subscriber Member
And then there's sample variation which makes it so immensely difficult and risky to give other people any advice about which optics to choose :(

The most impressive close-up macro shots I've ever seen were taken with a Sigma EX 150/2.8 Macro.

While with regards to bokeh the most beautiful close-up macro shots I've ever seen were taken with a Voigtländer 125/2.5 APO-Lanthar.
But at least we can rule out that lens, since it is more or less impossible to find one. I searched for years with no luck.

And then there's "the photographer" factor. Who am I to recommend lenses I have never tried out myself :confused:
 

Jorgen Udvang

Subscriber Member
For sharpness, few lenses beat the Sigma 150. It's extremely good value for money, and apparently little sample variation. I don't know about the bokeh, but I'll tell you when I buy one. It's been on my shopping list for as long as I can remember.

Here in Bangkok, around five years ago, I was offered a Voigtländer 125 in F-mount for a silly low price, around $500 if I remember correctly. But since my brain is sometimes locked away in a drawer at home, I declined the offer, thinking that the price was far to high for a Cosina lens with a German or Austrian sticker :(
 

otumay

New member
Technical issues aside, Jorgen all three posts are wonderful, especially the Viking smile.
Osman
 
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