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Sharpest medium-long lens

I need to rent a lens for a single picture. I'm looking for the sharpest lens at infinity in the 120 to 135mm range. Ideally something not too exotic, because I'd like to be able to rent it in NYC. The local places don't have as wide a selection as the mail order places.

Thoughts?
 

D&A

Well-known member
+1 and I'll add a +2 as well. Lol
I'll see you +2 and raise you a couple more...LOL! Definitely the Zeiss 135mm f2 ZF2.

As Guy mentioned, if you can extend your focal length out to 200mm, then the Nikon 200 f2 is without question the sharpest lens in this range for a Nikon DSLR.

Dave (D&A)
 

Oamkumar

Member
I am curious to know that 135mm Zeiss or 200mm Nikon is sharper? And Also wanted to know 70-200 f4 vr is comparable with this Zeiss 135mm? I am planning to buy one lens, please help.

Oam
 

Guy Mancuso

Administrator, Instructor
I am curious to know that 135mm Zeiss or 200mm Nikon is sharper? And Also wanted to know 70-200 f4 vr is comparable with this Zeiss 135mm? I am planning to buy one lens, please help.

Oam
Hmmm tough question I owned all three. As far as the zoom no it's not better than the Zeiss 135mm. Now believe it or not the 135mm Zeiss I would say actually resolves more than the 200mm at F2. Yea the Zeiss is that good wide open. After that at 2.8 I would say its a coin toss between the 2. Reason I say at F2 the Zeiss is because it holds the contrast better so appearance is it is sharper. The bad part is I never owned them at the same time so really hard to give a definitive answer. Regardless these two are the best I have seen on my D800e and right behind it is the Sigma 35 1.4.

I also owned the Sigma 150 as well. Great sharp lens but suffers a little with AF. Still a great lens.

Geez having read what I just wrote I realize I really am a lens whore. LOL

My wish list is the new Nikon 58mm . I would not mind having the new Sigma zoom 24-105 for PR work. If it's anything like their other Art series lenses it should be stellar
 

Oamkumar

Member
Hmmm tough question I owned all three. As far as the zoom no it's not better than the Zeiss 135mm. Now believe it or not the 135mm Zeiss I would say actually resolves more than the 200mm at F2. Yea the Zeiss is that good wide open. After that at 2.8 I would say its a coin toss between the 2. Reason I say at F2 the Zeiss is because it holds the contrast better so appearance is it is sharper. The bad part is I never owned them at the same time so really hard to give a definitive answer. Regardless these two are the best I have seen on my D800e and right behind it is the Sigma 35 1.4.

I also owned the Sigma 150 as well. Great sharp lens but suffers a little with AF. Still a great lens.

Geez having read what I just wrote I realize I really am a lens whore. LOL

My wish list is the new Nikon 58mm . I would not mind having the new Sigma zoom 24-105 for PR work. If it's anything like their other Art series lenses it should be stellar
Thanks Guy..! So I will go for the Zeiss lens.
I ordered Sigma 35mm f1.4, and received a bad copy. it was very soft, my 50mm f1.8D lens resolves better details. So I returned the lens.
 

Oamkumar

Member
Most of my shoots are Jewellery with models or fashion shoots for advertisements.They blow up the image to huge billboards. So I have to narrow down the aperture to F8 or F11. I would like to know how Zeiss 135mm performs in that range too. Thanks.

Oam
 

Photojazz

Member
Hard to be disappointed with a 200F2, but that is not your desired focal length. I will add, that the Zeiss is all manual focus, for some shooting, that matters, making the 200 f2 the best AF 200mm probably on the planet. You have made a good decision on the Zeiss as Guy says, and he wouldn't steer you wrong.

Doug
 

Oamkumar

Member
Yes, I decided to go for the Zeiss 135. Thanks the suggestion.
The review was great..! Thanks once again.

Oam.
 
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