Zeiss FE Mount Manual Lens Rumors

[UHDR]

Personally I just like fast glass. Viewing for one, bokeh is nicer and most times a lens performs better 2 stops down from the widest aperture a f4 becomes a good F 8 but a good 1.4 becomes a good 2.8. That plus if your trying to get maximum IQ not matter what lower ISO will provide that. But if want smaller lighter lenses than the slower lenses are it. Here is the issue we need the choices to start with. I'm cocktail induced. Lol

Just got to the beach and had a few libations. Man I needed that. Lol

this is a very good point. im using leica MATE (F4) on my XE1 and A6000. the EVF is close to useless when stopped down to F8 and try to get a sunset shot. or try to do a indoor shot in a not-so-bright place

(remember unlike electronically controlled aperatures, which remains in max aperature until just before shutter is release, these mechnical lens close aperature before the shutter is even pressed.)

 

[dwood]

Loxia 50mm

(SR5) First image of the new Zeiss Loxia 50mm f/2.0 Planar lens! | sonyalpharumors

 

[iiiNelson]

Loxia 50mm

(SR5) First image of the new Zeiss Loxia 50mm f/2.0 Planar lens! | sonyalpharumors

Just saw this and I hope it's not a rebadged ZM50/2 Planar (albeit a great lens.)

 

[dwood]

Won't be interested in this one myself because I'm completely happy with the FE 55, but the rumored Loxia 35/2 might grab my attention.

 

[iiiNelson]

Actually I just pulled out my ZM50 technical data out the box and outside of the shorter minimal focusing distance this lens looks pretty close. The great thing is that the ZM50/2 has more than enough resolving power for the A7r so this one should be an amazing performer... Perhaps even better than the 55FE. I agree that the 35/2 is more interesting than the 50 as I don't love the 35FE. It's merely good enough.

 

[philip_pj]

I think it is what some suspected and I had hoped Zeiss would not do - go down the ZM road with cosmetic tweaks. Having said that much, I agree it makes sense - the Leica M folks see something they can relate to and it's a known quantity. And re-heating the ZMs will contain costs and realise lower retail so another big win.

I don't believe the corners of the ZM 50/2 are a match for the FE55 but evidence could always persuade me to feel otherwise. I've seen too many MTF charts of Planar lenses where the outer frame is susceptible to higher res sensors, and this ZM 50/2 one is no exception...its 70% fine detail measure at three quarters from image centre evaporates to below 40% in the corners, this sharp drop starts before the long edges. It's the steep drop that plays havoc with image appearance..as many Leica users have found out with mid field COF in Summiluxes.

Still, I am unusual in using 50mm lenses for landscapes as much as for general work so most won't even notice, maybe. The current Biogon 35/2 is strong and actually does nicely re performance, and would need little redevelopment.

 

[turtle]

I dont think they will just warm over the ZM line. To work well on the A7R they will need a significant redesign. They won't sell any manual focus 50mm f2 lenses unless they are either dramatically cheaper than the 55mm FE, or better. And it ain't going to be the former. The 21mm and 28 are awful on the A7R and the 35mm f2 pretty poor, so a redesign is essential for performance that will sell.

 

[Guy Mancuso]

I might be interested in the 35 F2. My sigma 35 1.4 is a beauty but it's also really big. What I need to test when I get home is the 18-35 sigma Art lens for ApS will work full frame at 35mm in fact it will at 30 too. From like 28 to 85 is a area that like to see some new glass.

 

[dwood]

...and the 35/2

(SR5) New image of the Zeiss Loxia 35mm lens. Announcement on September 1-2. | sonyalpharumors

 

[iiiNelson]

I dont think they will just warm over the ZM line. To work well on the A7R they will need a significant redesign. They won't sell any manual focus 50mm f2 lenses unless they are either dramatically cheaper than the 55mm FE, or better. And it ain't going to be the former. The 21mm and 28 are awful on the A7R and the 35mm f2 pretty poor, so a redesign is essential for performance that will sell.

Prior to owning the 55FE I used the ZM50. It already out resolves the A7r sensor and is a really good performer on both the A7 and A7r. In many aspects I prefer the look of it to the 55FE but at that juncture you're splitting hairs.

 

[Barry Haines]

...and the 35/2

(SR5) New image of the Zeiss Loxia 35mm lens. Announcement on September 1-2. | sonyalpharumors

Doug...Many thanks for the link.
The 35/f2 ZM Biogon is a great lens but not particularly very good on the A7R and I sold mine after just taking a few test shots (Colour shift edges and smearing etc)...I then went with the CV35/1.2 ii instead.
If this 35mm Loxia f2 Biogon optically turns out to be just another reincarnation of the ZM I personally wouldn't touch it period, even with the benefit of linked exif data...I personally don't want to run every image through with a corrective profile.
I suspect that this is a newly designed Biogon that has the optical train set back further from the sensor as it's only a short focal length lens and easier to correct.
I don't particularly like the reverse direction (to what I'm used to) aperture ring that close to the camera body either but then that's me.

Re: The Loxia 50mm f2 Planar which I also had in a ZM mount was an excellent lens and very close in IQ optically to the 55/1.8 FE (FE 55/1.8 is still a keeper for now...I want faster not slower and shorter focal length).
Again I don't like the reverse aperture ring direction that close to the body but the exif data linkage would be welcome.
Cheers Barry

 

[iiiNelson]

Yeah implementation the reversed aperture rings irritates me a bit.

 

[Georg Baumann]

Do you guys expect that them Loxia's will exceed the quality of the older ZM line by much?

Perhaps due to better glass and construction technology available today?

Looks very promising to me!

 

[Guy Mancuso]

I kind of do. They have the Touit lenses for the APS cams and they are very nice. These look very similar in design at least the exterior of them. I'm expecting they will be good and made for digital capture as well. Hopefully I'm right.

This is a exciting time for Sony.

 

[Barry Haines]

Do you guys expect that them Loxia's will exceed the quality of the older ZM line by much?

Perhaps due to better glass and construction technology available today?

Looks very promising to me!

I hope so Georg,
I don't believe Zeiss would be that stupid to make them worse - But if they make a Loxia 25mm Biogon with the same design as the 25mm ZM with the optical path not set back from the sensor it will be a non starter for many I suspect...That's all supposing that curved sensors are not destined for future FE bodies...Just my 2p worth.

 

[Annna T]

There is something that I don't get : SAR says that the aperture of the lens is electronically controlled on both the 35mm and the 50mm.. so may be that that the aperture ring is only there as a reference to allow zone focusing ? that you set the aperture on the body ...

 

[Guy Mancuso]

It may mean like other Zeiss lenses if you set the aperture ring to f22 than aperture will be controlled via the camera and if you go off F22 than you are controlling it manually instead.

 

[Steve P.]

With the Sony-Zeiss partnership firmly established over recent years I'm sure Zeiss will have enjoyed full access to Sony technology allowing them to tailor the Loxia lenses specifically to the Sony FE cameras. I have to say this announcement has me seriously contemplating the sale of my ZM 25mm Biogon for the first time. Up to now I've been hoping for a mirrorless body that could take the place of my Ricoh GXR-M without compromising the performance of my wider M lenses. I'm just about convinced that the A7s might be up to the job when Zeiss do this to me I hope the price of the Loxia range is not too greatly increased in comparison to the ZM lenses, but if they're in the same ballpark it's going to make one hell of a compelling system.

 

[Guy Mancuso]

Certainly will and not to get so focused on Zeiss but we have Sigma, Sony itself getting the FE line filled out. Going to be very interesting and exciting to see what we do as end users on our choices.

 

[Steve P.]

That's true Guy, and another big plus is they're all native E mount which takes any potential mount adapter issues off the table.