Zeiss ZF Lenses: Can we start the definitive thread?

[Corlan F.]

Has anyone had to get their rig calibrated for manual focus errors like explained here:

LINK

Didn't know you could calibrate the mirror for manual focusing in SLR cameras. I've had to calibrate Leica M's many times before so should have known SLRs wouldn't be any different, being mechanical objects.

Did not have to, at least until now... maybe just lucky!

Here's a couple of macro / close-up tests (already posted in other threads, sorry for the repetition but they were handy in the gallery)

These are AF:







Then some MF:







(first three shots here from 105VR, last two shots from ZF 50/2 - all handheld)

 

[tjv]

That's some crazy detail from the 105! What a great lens.

I'm just getting impatient waiting for the courier from B&H and another from my local shop. With any luck I'll have a D700, 24-70 and ZF 35mm arriving today. It's hard keeping occupied in the mean time when I'm itching to take photos.

 

[Corlan F.]

That's some crazy detail from the 105! What a great lens.

Yup, that's a terrific lens and relatively affordable, considering.
(hence my personal conclusions a couple of posts above)

I'm just getting impatient waiting for the courier from B&H and another from my local shop. With any luck I'll have a D700, 24-70 and ZF 35mm arriving today. It's hard keeping occupied in the mean time when I'm itching to take photos.

We all know the feeling

You're a lucky guy and wil have a lot of fun for sure.

Don't hesitate though to read extensively the D700 manual for best configuration* , it might take a bit of time to get comfortable with the various options but with a reasonnable time for adaptation it's definitely a great body!

* (i recommend two custom settings banks, one for your AF and one for MF ZF lens, the latter being much simpler -and maybe assign the Fn button (f5) to easily select your MF lens settings... more onthis in several threads here).

 

[tjv]

Yeah, I'm guessing I'll have to read through the manual a few times to get the hang of things. Coming from a simple Leica setup I'm sure all the extra "space ship" options of the modern SLR will give me a headache for a while. Not to mention getting to used to a new workflow with NEFs / Lightroom. I use digital for work, but for personal work I've always been 100% film. Lets hope it's not too hard a learning curve to get what I want / need.

Received the ZF 35mm today from B&H, along with various Nikon accessories. Still waiting on the D700 and 24-70, which will come locally. The 35mm feels absolutely fantastic, Leica-like smooth - although a little in need of wearing in - but totally solid build quality. I put it on a students FM2 and noticed that compared to her Nikkor 35mm lens the Zeiss' focus markings, both on the lens barrel and on the cameras split prism, were quite a bit off. Actual 1m showed about 0.7m on the lens etc. Obviously, I can't speculate just yet as to if there was a problem with my lens or the camera, but I was quite surprised as to the difference. That's the beauty of digital - I'll be able to tell in 10 seconds flat when I get MY camera.

Really lusting for the 50mm Makro-Planar now. I just love the tactile feel of these old style lenses. :thumbup:

Don't hesitate though to read extensively the D700 manual for best configuration* , it might take a bit of time to get comfortable with the various options but with a reasonnable time for adaptation it's definitely a great body!

* (i recommend two custom settings banks, one for your AF and one for MF ZF lens, the latter being much simpler -and maybe assign the Fn button (f5) to easily select your MF lens settings... more on this in several threads here).

 

[tjv]

Got my D700 today and haven't even mounted the 24-70, it's been 100% Zeiss.
Here's one of the first I took. Nothing artistic, just trying to understand how to use the different metering modes. Seems Matrix is overexposing by a fair margin, consistently requiring a drop in exposure of about 1.25 stops. Love the sharpness of this 35mm Zeiss. This was at 2.8 and is as sharp as any Leica lens I've ever owned - and that's a few! Beautiful out of focus areas too, about a stop at least of vignetting wide open but I like the effect.
Tim

 

[Corlan F.]

Got my D700 today and haven't even mounted the 24-70, it's been 100% Zeiss.
Here's one of the first I took. Nothing artistic, just trying to understand how to use the different metering modes. Seems Matrix is overexposing by a fair margin, consistently requiring a drop in exposure of about 1.25 stops. Love the sharpness of this 35mm Zeiss. This was at 2.8 and is as sharp as any Leica lens I've ever owned - and that's a few! Beautiful out of focus areas too, about a stop at least of vignetting wide open but I like the effect.
Tim

Hi Tim,

regarding the metering issue (1+ stop sounds way too much):

1/ did you properly declare the ZF in the "non-cpu lens" section of the "SETUP menu"?

If/when done, for now you might want to investigate a couple of options (assuming you're using A mode):

2/ try center weighted metering (icon on the right with the know around AE-L AF-L) instead of matrix then check the area size value (menu -> b5 / 12's ok for testing).

3/ use the half-way shutter release AE-L option (check menu -> c1) to meter -and optionally recompose. Shoot the same scene where the only variable is the metering zone (shadows vs. highlights). Then repeat for various exposures values. This will procure a bunch of valuable informations.
Before jumping to conclusions though, carefully check exif data when reviewing and comparing shots. For one thing, be aware of the possible ISO variations from one shot to another if Auto-ISO is ON. If needed this can be fixed in the "ISO sensitibity settings" item down the SHOOTING Menu.


I'm sure you're already aware of most if not all that basic stuff. Simply it's sometimes a bit confusing with the various options of a new body.

Just in case then

 

[fotografz]

Got my D700 today and haven't even mounted the 24-70, it's been 100% Zeiss.
Here's one of the first I took. Nothing artistic, just trying to understand how to use the different metering modes. Seems Matrix is overexposing by a fair margin, consistently requiring a drop in exposure of about 1.25 stops. Love the sharpness of this 35mm Zeiss. This was at 2.8 and is as sharp as any Leica lens I've ever owned - and that's a few! Beautiful out of focus areas too, about a stop at least of vignetting wide open but I like the effect.
Tim

Did you set the lens in the menu? The ZFs are not chipped, so you need to tell the D700 what focal length and max f stop you are using. Once it is programed in, you can easily recall it ... you don't have to enter the lens into the camera every time you use it.

Marc

Oops, must have been typing when someone else already responded.

 

[Corlan F.]

Oops, must have been typing when someone else already responded.

otoh i've typed too fast

e.g. "know" instead of "knob" for metering type selection

 

[tjv]

Thanks guys. Yes, I entered in the non-cpu data but, to be honest, I'm a bit overwhelmed with all the other options who knows what else could be happening. Eg, I didn't know you could change the center weighted area size. Could make a huge difference. When using spot metering last night I got exposures exactly right. I'm so used to metering with a handheld and spot meter I probably just got a little lazy with the inbuilt meter.

I'll try various settings tonight and get back to you...

 

[Corlan F.]

It might sound overwhelming in the first place but you can look at the bright side and see the numerous fine tuning possibilities.

Really once you've identified the most critical tabs it's not that bad, plus as said before you might want to save a couple of base custom settings banks. Then just shoot happily with very little variations, such as exposure comp when really needed.

P.S. AE-L on shutter half-release is really a plus with the MF lenses (AI-S / ZF)

 

[Steen]

I don't think you can change the size of the Centerweighted Area when using a Non-CPU lens ... ?
(I once read about that in the downloaded manual despite not owning the D700 myself, and I had a post about it in the below mentioned thread).
Please also note my remark about the Spot metering being locked to the center focus point with a Non-CPU lens. It's rather important, and to be honest rather annoying, in my opinion.

See my post # 20 in this thread: http://forum.getdpi.com/forum/showthread.php?t=4328

 

[Corlan F.]

Steen - good point.
With non CPU-lens you're right, area size is 12 (that's what i use anyway, so forgot to mention this in the earlier post) but beside the non-active other exact sizes, the "average" setting is still available. Results vary.

 

[Corlan F.]

Documenting the "real life" (©KR ) long range ZF detail, this time one shot with the 21mm.

Same remarks apply as previously with the 50/2: no real PP, just basic RAW dev, so don't pay attention to color balance etc. File pretty much out of camera, global view then crops.

f2.8 handheld

general view


details center/right


details upper left corner


FWIW

 

[tjv]

I don't think you can change the size of the Centerweighted Area when using a Non-CPU lens ... ?
(I once read about that in the downloaded manual despite not owning the D700 myself, and I had a post about it in the below mentioned thread).
Please also note my remark about the Spot metering being locked to the center focus point with a Non-CPU lens. It's rather important, and to be honest rather annoying, in my opinion.

See my post # 20 in this thread: http://forum.getdpi.com/forum/showthread.php?t=4328

After I enter my Non-CPU lens info I can select any of the center weighted width options in the custom settings menu. I've selected 15mm, but are you saying it lets me select it but doesn't actually use it? Seems a bit strange. I thought it would have been blanked out if the option wasn't an option, so to speak.

I'm going through and changing a lot of things in the basic setup now, like how the exposure indicator is defaulted to display back to front and half stop ev incriments as opposed to 1/3rds. I suppose I'm in effect actually retarding my super computer camera back to an Amiga 500.

This 35mm is something else though. Very please with it and can't wait to have the money to get the 50mm makro.

 

[Steen]

After I enter my Non-CPU lens info I can select any of the center weighted width options in the custom settings menu. I've selected 15mm, but are you saying it lets me select it but doesn't actually use it? (...)

Yes tjv, I believe that is how it is (the setting is stored and used whenever you attach a CPU-lens).
According to p. 112 in the D700 manual:

Center-weighted
Camera meters entire frame but assigns greatest weight to area in center of frame
(defaults to 12-mm circle in center of viewfinder; if CPU lens is attached, area can be selected using Custom Setting b5, Center-weighted area, pg.294, 1).
Classic meter for portraits. 2

1 (Note 1)
When non-CPU lens (pg. 372) is attached, average for entire frame will be used if Average is selected for Custom Setting b5;
otherwise, center-weighted metering for non-CPU lenses will use 12-mm circle in center of viewfinder, regardless of setting selected for Non-CPU lens data."

screendump from p. 112 in the downloaded Nikon D700 manual

 

[tjv]

Great, thanks. I overlooked that page in the manual.

Considering some replacement focusing screens have either a split prism and / or a frenzel focusing aid, how do they effect the meter, if at all? I see on the Katzeye and Brightscreen sites they state about a 1/3 stop shift for spot metering. The Brightscreen #5 screen has a 13mm frenzel so I assume it will also effect center weighted metering as well as spot? It's very difficult to focus these faster manual lenses under less than ideal lighting.

 

[tjv]

How do people rate the corner / edge performance of the 35mm? If what I'm seeing is correct, I'm getting very soft edges at f2, marginally better at f2.8 and good by f4. Ia that usual?

 

[Corlan F.]

Yes. Depends also on what you call "very soft".
Vignetting for sure, exactly in the those proportions. 2 > 2.8 and gone by 4.

 

[tjv]

Thanks for the reply. Center sharpness is awesome, even wide open. Edge contrast is good wide open, but sharpness really suffers it seems, especially when dealing with objects over 1.5m away. For example, if I focus on an eyeball that sits in the outer 1/4 of the frame when doing a full body shot at f2, fine details aren't resolved but modeling is true to light. By f4 things are pretty even across the entire frame and even paws in the skin are well defined. Must say this lens is really killer and I'm probably just not used to such instant feedback which leads to silly pixel level evaluations. Also, I'm probably still getting used to SLR focusing without a split image.

Really want the 50mm Makro-Planar now. Have put a wanted to buy in the buy / sell section here in case someone wants to sell theirs. The 28mm would be awesome too... Still haven't even mounted the 24-70mm G. Maybe tomorrow...

Yes. Depends also on what you call "very soft".
Vignetting for sure, exactly in the those proportions. 2 > 2.8 and gone by 4.

 

[tjv]

I'm gutted.
Just noticed that a few of the online stores I usually buy from have just put their price for the 50mm Makro-Planar up from $900US to $1150US. Seems other items aren't without increases also, including a few LF items I've been eyeing up from Horseman.
Bummer...