PSA> Loxia 35 in stock

[Eoin]

When I honed in on the A7II as the camera to return to photography with, the Loxias were my target lenses. Truth be told, if they were available in the shop at the time of camera purchase I would have bought them untested.

However in hindsight I'm quite glad I didn't, it would have been a huge mistake irrespective of optical rendition or resolution.
I jumped into this system totally blind, I just wanted quality files like I had with the a900, something relatively small and light and some good Zeiss optics I had come to appreciate (and hate) in the alpha line.

After using the FE35 2.8 for the past couple of days, I think I actually made the best decision for me, I'm more than happy with it across the frame, I love it's up close and personal rendition when shooting people, the fact it just autofocuses perfectly once I get to grips with the AF on this Camera body. It's small, very light, colour and contrast is excellent and that strange hood, while unusual has been practically flawless in execution.

I haven't shot the FE55 1.8 much yet, though I will say my immediate reaction was the searing sharpness and pop that I saw in the first few images floored me totally. It kind of reminded me of the FA135 Zeiss I loved but without the dreamy backgrounds.

I'm done with all that manual focus/aperture stuff, my eyesight has finally said enough is enough even with the focus zooming .. I really couldn't be bothered.

Unless you're into landscape or architecture which may demand perfect corners, the FE for my money is a perfect little gem.

 

[Paratom]

When I honed in on the A7II as the camera to return to photography with, the Loxias were my target lenses. Truth be told, if they were available in the shop at the time of camera purchase I would have bought them untested.

However in hindsight I'm quite glad I didn't, it would have been a huge mistake irrespective of optical rendition or resolution.
I jumped into this system totally blind, I just wanted quality files like I had with the a900, something relatively small and light and some good Zeiss optics I had come to appreciate (and hate) in the alpha line.

After using the FE35 2.8 for the past couple of days, I think I actually made the best decision for me, I'm more than happy with it across the frame, I love it's up close and personal rendition when shooting people, the fact it just autofocuses perfectly once I get to grips with the AF on this Camera body. It's small, very light, colour and contrast is excellent and that strange hood, while unusual has been practically flawless in execution.

I haven't shot the FE55 1.8 much yet, though I will say my immediate reaction was the searing sharpness and pop that I saw in the first few images floored me totally. It kind of reminded me of the FA135 Zeiss I loved but without the dreamy backgrounds.

I'm done with all that manual focus/aperture stuff, my eyesight has finally said enough is enough even with the focus zooming .. I really couldn't be bothered.

Unless you're into landscape or architecture which may demand perfect corners, the FE for my money is a perfect little gem.

Hi Eoin, I have the impression the Fe35 is slightly better in the corners -so I dont think you will run into any problems. I agree AF for certain subjects is nice to have. At the moment I have both lenses, dont know yet if I wil keep both longbterm. They both have theirnadvantages.

 

[Alexiz]

Could the owners of the Loxia please clarify one thing about the lens: Do aperture blades actually close down as you turn the aperture ring? or the lens stays open until the moment one presses the shutter button (and it is only then that the aperture momentarily closes, as in AF lenses)?

I somehow couldn't understand this from the available lens description.

 

[RiversPhoto]

Could the owners of the Loxia please clarify one thing about the lens: Do aperture blades actually close down as you turn the aperture ring? or the lens stays open until the moment one presses the shutter button (and it is only then that the aperture momentarily closes, as in AF lenses)?

I somehow couldn't understand this from the available lens description.

The aperture blades stay closed down as you turn the ring, which gives you accurate DOF while you compose.

I have been using the Loxia 35 on my A7s and A7 for the last month regularly, and am very impressed at the ease of use, with automatic enlargement of the view when one turns the finely damped focus ring. This is a very nice replacement for my M9 and 35 Summicron.

 

[Paratom]

Could the owners of the Loxia please clarify one thing about the lens: Do aperture blades actually close down as you turn the aperture ring? or the lens stays open until the moment one presses the shutter button (and it is only then that the aperture momentarily closes, as in AF lenses)?

I somehow couldn't understand this from the available lens description.

Yes, they stay closed, with the advantage of seeing the "real" DOF and the disadvantage to make it a little more difficult to focus accurate and to get a little more noise in the viewfinder in darker environment.

 

[Annna T]

Yes, they stay closed, with the advantage of seeing the "real" DOF and the disadvantage to make it a little more difficult to focus accurate and to get a little more noise in the viewfinder in darker environment.

One can just open the diaph for focusing and close it down after focusing, or just use zone focusing if one has to shoot fast (provided the distance scale works well (?))

 

[Paratom]

One can just open the diaph for focusing and close it down after focusing, or just use zone focusing if one has to shoot fast (provided the distance scale works well (?))

Yes you can if you have time to do so - so more for static subjects IMO.

Anyways I dont see the 2 points as a big problem but just wanted to mention them.

 

[kuau]

So am i to understand this correctly, the FE35/2.8 is sharper to the corners then the Loxia 35? Is this true for both up close and at distant?
or
Do I have this backwards? The Luxia is sharper in the corners?

 

[Guy Mancuso]

I may just wait for the new 35 1.4. If the Loxia is just marginally better than 35 FE than maybe getting a look lens of the 35 1.4 might be a better option at least I can get a wide open look and stop down look . Yea bigger and more expensive but I'm going to hold out for it.

 

[serhan]

Viktor's Loxia 35mm review is very good as he compares it to different lenses incl FE 35mm, CV35mm, zm 35mm f2, g35mm:
Zeiss Loxia Biogon 35/2 Review by Viktor Pavlovic

On his ZM 35mm 1.4 review he has also some comparisons to Loxia 35mm:
Zeiss Distagon 35mm f/1.4 ZM Review by Viktor Pavlovic

 

[uhoh7]

Nice reviewer
I notice he is also considering the Kolarivision Thin Stack conversion (my A7 is with them now)

Great that he included the ZM 35/2 one of my favorite lenses on the M9. Obviously the Loxia is killing that one on the A7 with stock sensor. Will be so interesting to see after the conversion if the biogon can recover some of it's glory.

Viktor is being quite polite to the Loxia, but I think many of would have expected Zeiss to hit it out of the park with this lens on the A7 series. My conclusion is the FE35/2.8 (which I have admired but don't own) is really "the one" for the A7 at 35, still. And alot cheaper since it can be had used.

The bottom line is that more than a year after the A7 release the serious lens choices are very very thin, when compared to Leica M, which offers at least 10 fantastic 35s of differing speeds and characters. A perfect Zm 35/2 goes for about 650 used today.

Zm 35/2 on M9 at f/3.4:

Belair by unoh7, on Flickr

Of course the "fun" 35 choices for the A7 are unlimited. I quite like my FD 35/2SSC thorium:

DSC00114-2 by unoh7, on Flickr


waitin for Bowie by unoh7, on Flickr

I can't wait to see how this one does on the A7m

 

[iiiNelson]

Nice reviewer
I notice he is also considering the Kolarivision Thin Stack conversion (my A7 is with them now)

Great that he included the ZM 35/2 one of my favorite lenses on the M9. Obviously the Loxia is killing that one on the A7 with stock sensor. Will be so interesting to see after the conversion if the biogon can recover some of it's glory.

Viktor is being quite polite to the Loxia, but I think many of would have expected Zeiss to hit it out of the park with this lens on the A7 series. My conclusion is the FE35/2.8 (which I have admired but don't own) is really "the one" for the A7 at 35, still. And alot cheaper since it can be had used.

The bottom line is that more than a year after the A7 release the serious lens choices are very very thin, when compared to Leica M, which offers at least 10 fantastic 35s of differing speeds and characters. A perfect Zm 35/2 goes for about 650 used today.

Zm 35/2 on M9 at f/3.4:

Belair by unoh7, on Flickr

Of course the "fun" 35 choices for the A7 are unlimited. I quite like my FD 35/2SSC thorium:

DSC00114-2 by unoh7, on Flickr


waitin for Bowie by unoh7, on Flickr

I can't wait to see how this one does on the A7m

I wouldn't be surprised if the 35/1.4 Distagon ends up being the lens to get in FE mount for optical performance. Right now I'm using the Sigma 35 Art because the other options seem to come up short as an 35 Cron ASPH replacement for the FE series.

The Voigtlanger 35/1.2 II works well though as closer to medium distance. It lacks the micro contrast of the Leica 35 Cron ASPH though. The only shortcoming of the Sigma Art is that it may be larger than some like without a grip but optically it's great and without peer in any Sony mount currently.

 

[philber]

My experience with the ZM 35 f:1.4 is rather different from Viktor's. At infinity, some smearing is visible in the extreme corners at f:2.8, that cleans up entirely by f:5.6. I don't yet know if it is due to A7R-related issues, or field curvature (will know more this week-end) as with the 'Lux 50. Otherwise, the quality of the lens leaves me gobsmacked.

 

[Paratom]

So am i to understand this correctly, the FE35/2.8 is sharper to the corners then the Loxia 35? Is this true for both up close and at distant?
or
Do I have this backwards? The Luxia is sharper in the corners?

I have compared only at medium distance (10-20m) and there I would say yes, my FE is sharper in the corners than my Loxia at f2.8.
I also have to admit that for photographing people I dont find it that easy to nail focus at f2.0 with the Loxia.
On the other side fir static subjects manual focusing works very well.
I still like the bokeh and overall look the Loxia gives, as I said before it looks very balanced and "analog" (whatever this means).