Zeiss FE Mount Manual Lens Rumors

[iiiNelson]

You never use the FE55 in manual focus mode?

Gawd no!!! It's focus by wire and that stuff is abysmal at best. I like manual mechanical focus only.

The 55FE is suitable for autofocus. I have a few Leica 50's I manually focus. Ironically one of them is the Zeiss ZM50/2 Planar. It's an excellent performer.

 

[G43]

I get it

 

[Viramati]

Any of you @7 users already owning the 35 and 55 going for these lenses? Reasons?

Personally I will stick to the FE55 and 35 but if a 35/1.4 comes out I could be tempted. though it is large and heavy I will stick to the CV35/1.2 v2 as my manual lens on the A7 and A7s. What I would really like (though I doubt it will happen) would be Zeiss manual focus FE lens to the 28 summicron asph, if this appeared I would probably sell the Leica M!!!

 

[Schmiddi]

Here some more samples with 2/50, taken with A7R, but unfortunately resized to max 6MP:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/berlinbackstage/sets/72157646730516190/

Andreas

 

[biglouis]

Any of you @7 users already owning the 35 and 55 going for these lenses? Reasons?

This is the first time I have been offended by the pricing of Zeiss lenses. I don't normally decry to cost of things because it is all relative and in any case it sounds so childish. But seriously.

The current FE 35/2.8 is, imho, an okay lens with not a lot to recommend it apart from the fact it is FE mount, AF and sharp - so it is a convenient lens for snapping. It does not seem to create images that 'pop', at least not on my A7. I paid GBP 749 when they came out expecting a good lens for the price. I'm not so sure it is that good and in fact it is definitely not a patch on my 40-odd year old Summicron-C 40/2 which cost me a good three hundred pounds less.

Now Zeiss are launching a manual 35, with albeit electronic aperture control and EXIF info, plus auto magnification and they want according the ads I have seen a whopping USD1299 which you can bet will translate into a price close to GBP 1000 in the UK.

To coin a phrase, are they having a laugh? I'm realistic enough to know that this would be a significant sum of money but I think this is way over the top. And given the lack of success - it appears - with the improbably named Touit range you would have thought they had learned their lesson. This is after all a Japanese lens manufacturer with European pretensions.

For that money I'd prefer to pay a tad more (or possibly even less) on an ebay or private sale of a proper Leica pre-asph 35/2.

And in case you think I am a Zeiss troll, I am a big fan of the realistically priced and amazingly good value for money CV 21/1.8 which is an amazing lens.

Just my two cents.

LouisB

 

[G43]

Louis

Your objectives are pretty clear. I don't think * Legend* prices are appropriate for these couple of lenses...yet ;-)
On the other hand if customers find them worth the buck, what can we object unless they suck.

 

[ZoranC]

Zoran, I form a view based on the overall impression of lenses' signatures - not being overly concerned with file prep affecting on-screen sharpness, saturation etc.

You will also find that many such establishment sites do not rely on top flight image preparation - because they and in this case, Zeiss, know that users are most interested in the photographic imprint - focus fade, subject depiction, OOF handling, focus selection (close here to illustrate MFD, for example). Some sites post truly awful images as seen at Luminous Landscape, despite often good information. The Loxia images recall the signatures of recent ZE/ZF lenses, to my eyes.

Being a CZ user for many years I know they value photographic content of these kinds over matters like the portrayal of sharpness, etc. We might wish it otherwise of course. ;-)

Now to add some information gained from a Zeiss representative:

“We’ll add to the family in the future with wide-angles and short telephotos. The challenge with these mirrorless cameras is designing an ultra wide angle lens that does not exhibit vignetting, lens shading and the ‘smearing’ effect common when using adapted wide-angle M mount lenses.”

This comes from a tidy website and is written by 'John vR', more here:
Updated: Zeiss Introduces Loxia Lenses for Sony Full Frame

I provide it because I feel that Zeiss are to some extent waiting and seeing how the uptake of the a7 series goes in general and of course how the reception goes for the Loxias. So - note the plurals used in 'wide angles' and 'telephotos', could be a slip of the tongue of course, but still perhaps not.

They have never been backward in coming forward about the need to match lenses to sensor toppings, and would be keen to put distance between adapted M class lenses and the 'factory' Loxia line, finely tailored for the job.

I like the separate identification of 'vignetting' and 'shading', not many users realise how poorly M lenses perform with respect to optical vignetting before s/w fixes are applied.

"Signature", "imprint", "personality", etc ... is that what they nowadays use as excuses for lens that seem to be dull everywhere even when downsized to resolutions of cameras from 14 years ago?

If intention was to deliver lens that (based on samples I have seen so far) in 2014 makes files taken with modern high resolution camera bodies look as if it has been taken with lens designed and made decades ago then they have succeeded in spades. But I don't need to spend $1,300 to achieve that, practically any of the old legacy lenses will do that for much less money. So will any of the software "filters".

 

[ZoranC]

Any of you @7 users already owning the 35 and 55 going for these lenses? Reasons?

I was planning to to get quality manual focusing and F2 on 35. Due to samples I have seen I am cancelling those plans.

 

[ZoranC]

Here some more samples with 2/50, taken with A7R, but unfortunately resized to max 6MP:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/berlinbackstage/sets/72157646730516190/

Thank you! Unfortunately they keep confirming my first impression. Only F8 shots seem reasonably sharp, and that is after downsizing. F2 do not seem anywhere near to what I am getting from 55/1.8. I wonder how they would really look if they were not downsized.

 

[Deleted member 7792]

Any of you @7 users already owning the 35 and 55 going for these lenses? Reasons?

No. I have the FE 55mm f/1.8 and see no advantage to buying the new 50mm. I sold my FE 35mm and will likey not buy the new 35mm either because I have lenses that cover that focal length quite capably. I'll wait for the next round.

Joe

 

[ThomasZ]

I have not given up yet. Maybe those prototype lenses are not as good as the final ones. Maybe the photographer of these sample images was the secretary of the boss whose photographic experience was her iPhone until now.

I had so many hopes in those Zeiss lenses. I am so sick of these autofocus lenses, I want to go a step back in time to my photographic roots and manual focus, but with top IQ. My experiences with legacy Nikkor lenses were mixed.

If the new FE Zeiss lenses are as mediocre as it seems now, I have to re-think my strategy. Maybe I must put some money in Leica R lenses. From what I've read, they are very good, but extremely overpriced.

And in the end, if nothing works for me, I finally have a reason to buy a Leica M:angel:

 

[ZoranC]

Maybe those prototype lenses are not as good as the final ones.

It is extremely unlikely they would be changing "formula" very late in the game and that they would knowingly do something that is against their best interest as posting samples they would be aware are much worse than final production.

Maybe the photographer of these sample images was the secretary of the boss whose photographic experience was her iPhone until now.

This is extremely unlikely.

 

[Deleted member 7792]

...Maybe I must put some money in Leica R lenses. From what I've read, they are very good, but extremely overpriced.

And in the end, if nothing works for me, I finally have a reason to buy a Leica M:angel:

Wow! Juxtaposing those two statements caused my screen to explode. :ROTFL:

Joe

 

[G43]

I am so sick of these autofocus lenses, I want to go a step back in time to my photographic roots and manual focus, but with top IQ.

I really agree with you. I prefer to have the full control throughout the workflow. From idea, capture, PP to final print.

 

[ThomasZ]

Wow! Juxtaposing those two statements caused my screen to explode. :ROTFL:

Joe

I don't understand what you want to say.

I tried to say that R lenses are extremely pricey for many years old, used lenses. Leica M stuff is expensive too, but at least you get new gear for your money.

 

[ThomasZ]

It is extremely unlikely they would be changing "formula" very late in the game and that they would knowingly do something that is against their best interest as posting samples they would be aware are much worse than final production..

Unfortunately, I think you are right. But hope dies last.

 

[G43]

diglloyd: Zeiss Loxia: Manual Focus All Metal Build Lenses for Mirrorless Full Frame

 

[Ario Arioldi]

35mm $1,299 - 50mm $949, according to sonyalpharumors.
One interesting line from the press release; "Loxia lenses are optimised for digital full frame sensors and incorporate the approx. 2.5mm thick low pass and infrared filters in front of the sensor in the corresponding Sony cameras." Not sure what they mean by "incorporate" but at least it gives hope that problems with wider angle Biogons might have been addressed.

This means that the low pass filter and the gap between it and the sensor have been computed in the optical scheme as part of the lens. The published MTF diagrams reflect all the above.

 

[ZoranC]

I don't care about MTF charts nor marketing speak, I would like to see more of samples. Straight out of camera non-downsized samples taken with neutral profile and no EXIF stripped.

 

[Guy Mancuso]

I don't care about MTF charts nor marketing speak, I would like to see more of samples. Straight out of camera non-downsized samples taken with neutral profile and no EXIF stripped.

Problem is you get marketing and crappy examples with every lens announcement known to man and not to mention MTF charts as well before you see anything worth salt. Unfortunately thats the industry and thats every OEM. Yes i would love to see someone break the mold for sure. Famous line "Patience grasshopper "

Yea I know i have zero amount myself. I am interested in the 35mm but Im at the point with glass either its just freaking outstanding or I won't buy it. Too many second place finishers.