The GetDPI Photography Forum

Great to see you here. Join our insightful photographic forum today and start tapping into a huge wealth of photographic knowledge. Completing our simple registration process will allow you to gain access to exclusive content, add your own topics and posts, share your work and connect with other members through your own private inbox! And don’t forget to say hi!

Zeiss 100mm

KurtKamka

Subscriber Member
The zf100 is a very, very nice lens. It handles and produces images that somewhat remind me of the summicrons I've used. It gives me that extra bit of clarity and separation I've been looking for in a lens for the D3 ... bringing out the best in the D3's fat pixels.

The problem is that I now want a 180mm version of this lens ... but there isn't one available. :D I will, however, pick up the zf50/2 that I hear is somewhat similar. I believe that it will be an excellent two lens manual focus combination for the D3 that fits the focal lengths I like to shoot best.

Manual focus at this focal length, f2, is nice because if it was f1.4, I find that I'd keep pushing to try to use the f1.4. Like a summicron, f2 on the zf100is very sharp and where I plan to use this lens most. Out of about 30-35 shots, I think that I missed focus twice when I tried to focus too fast. All of the MF time with the M8 has been a good thing. In addition, the focus confirmation for manual focus is a great feature.

I'll add a few more shots today.

Kurt
 

Cindy Flood

Super Moderator
Kurt,
These are gorgeous.

Is it a lot easier to manual focus the D3 than the D300? How does it compare to manually focusing the M8? (I know they are 2 really different systems.)
 

Terry

New member
Follow on question:
if you are getting focus confirmation, what exactly is a "miss"

Thanks,
terry
 

Guy Mancuso

Administrator, Instructor
It still can miss Terry when working at 1.4 your chances are like 50/50 that your on . It is so small that slice of focus
 

KurtKamka

Subscriber Member
Thanks Cindy. I only had the D300 for about a week before I traded it in for a D3. As a result, I never had an opportunity to use manual focus on the D300.

Yesterday was the first I tried using manual focus on the D3. I originally wanted to use the D3 to take a break from manual focus and thought that I'd continue to use the M8 for deliberate manual focus situations. Now, I'm thinking that I'd have a blast just carrying around the D3 and a ZF50/2 and ZF100/2 for a majority of the things that I like to shoot. I'm very excited.

I found that manual focus with the ZF100 at f2 to be very easy on the D3. Some of it may be due to the focal length (being able to see clearly what you are focusing on). But, I've never had many issues with manual focus on the M8 either ... with the caveat of saying that I use the magnifier for lenses like the 75lux.

I believe that the D300 also has the focus confirmation indicator ... it's a great safety net. Most of the time I simply focus where I want to focus. And, if I have time, I then put the focus point over this area and look for the green dot. It's cumbersome the first several times ... but becomes easier after a few times.

Kurt
 

KurtKamka

Subscriber Member
It would be interesting to find out if there is any difference with the keeper rate of the ZF50 1.4 and 2.0 on the D300 and D3. That 1.5x makes the zone pretty thin.
 

Terry

New member
It still can miss Terry when working at 1.4 your chances are like 50/50 that your on . It is so small that slice of focus
I guess I was trying to guage how accurate the green light for confirmation is. If that is iffy it would be a bit of a bummer to try and rely on it.
 

Guy Mancuso

Administrator, Instructor
It's pretty good and I need to work this more also to figure out how good . Ray said as soon as it hits green . But Terry i am not going to screw around much and order a Katz eye screen today . 150 dollars to give me a microprism is not that bad unless Jim at Brightscreen has one already. The 85mm Zeiss is tough and i have missed a few. I had a microprism in the DMR and it worked great. I look for any advantage when it comes to focusing with any system, my 51 year old eyes are at 200 with readers now.

BTW that third image is killing me , looks like my DMR and 180 F2 apo shot. Shit this is going to cost me. LOL
 

robmac

Well-known member
You should note there is a lot of sample variation with the 100/zf re: focusing stiffness. I had one, and loved it. The images 'pop' into focus - very reminiscent of the 28/2,8 latest. However, I had to return it - the focus ring was intolerably stiff. The lens+adapter would rock back and forth in my 1Ds2 mount with the torque required to start focusing.

Talking to the retailer re: a replacement, they indicated they have received complaints of stiff focus on the 100 and couldn't ensure that I'd get a replacement that was any better as the few they had left from a recent shipment all felt 'stiff' to them. Bear in mind that while 'stiff' is a relative term, mine felt like it needed a CLA right out of the box. My 35/2 ZF is as smooth as silk.

With the shipping and VAT expenses buying into Canada from the US, I wasn't willing to start working that lottery, so I held off getting a replacement. As for buying local, it's laughable.

Like most of the ZF line, it does suffer from some CA on bokeh highlights, but nothing major. Also, the aperture ring sits in a narrow valley between the body and the start of the large barrel. It can make changing aperture a little cumbersome at first - especially with gloves.

My recc if you want one is to wait to buy until you can actually try a sample. Get a smooth one and it delivers great results.
 

Guy Mancuso

Administrator, Instructor
Noticing a little Ca with both the 50 and 85 Zf's not really bad but there sometimes. My 85 is a little stiff just need to break it in . Very nice lenses so far though on the D300 I do see a certain look with them. I just ordered the Katz screen also
 

Cindy Flood

Super Moderator
Guy,
How hard is it going to be to put the Katz screen in? I put one in a 20D and put a Brightscreen in my 5D, but I read that to put it in a D300 required "surgery". Will you please report on this once you put it in?
 

Heidi

New member
Kurt these are awesome! Just when I thought my kit was complete you had to post these. :)

Do you use a different focusing screen or a magnifier on your D3?

Thanks for sharing and making my bank acct. nervous.
 

Steen

Senior Subscriber Member
Cindy, I think it may be me who have used that "surgery" expression, but I think Guy is right, after all it does'nt look that bad, though I wish it was something that could be more easily swapped in the field.
Guy, have you heard from Jim Lakey if he is going to make a microprism only screen ?
 
Top