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!

Loxia 85/2.4

V

Vivek

Guest
Given the AF options available (including the Leica lenses), at 1400€, this looks like a boutique lens. Would have interesting had ziess offered tilt/shift possibilities.
 

seb

Member
If the lens is around 400g and performs like the loxia 21, this will be on my list.
 

iiiNelson

Well-known member
Given the AF options available (including the Leica lenses), at 1400€, this looks like a boutique lens. Would have interesting had ziess offered tilt/shift possibilities.
I don't know. Seems like a capable lens and it's easy enough to focus on the mirrorless cameras IMO. I also no longer own any Leica lenses. I sold them all. Autofocus is fine but I often find myself checking focus on my older bodies when using AF because I don't trust them.
 
V

Vivek

Guest
I was quite looking forward to compact lightweight MF lenses (Loxii) with the first gen A7 cams because the AF was quite slow and unreliable.

The current gen and presumably the future cams (would) have superb AF. This makes a new expensive manual focus lens out of date, especially given many lighter weight (cheaper) manual focus lenses from yesteryears and their added capability to AF with an adapter.
 

hcubell

Well-known member
Looks like a nice lens from the samples at dear susans

http://www.dearsusan.net/2016/09/15/zeiss-loxia-24-85-review/
One thing I found suspect about the review was the reviewer's statement that the Loxia was equivalent in sharpness to the Otus 85 and he provided a sample of the same scene from both lenses to prove his point. Now, I usually find it difficult to evaluate subtle differences based on small, internet JPEGs, but the Otus 85 JPEG sure looked a lot sharper to me than the Loxia.
 

iiiNelson

Well-known member
I was quite looking forward to compact lightweight MF lenses (Loxii) with the first gen A7 cams because the AF was quite slow and unreliable.

The current gen and presumably the future cams (would) have superb AF. This makes a new expensive manual focus lens out of date, especially given many lighter weight (cheaper) manual focus lenses from yesteryears and their added capability to AF with an adapter.
Choice is good no doubt. I'll probably sell my Batis for the GM and maybe pick up the Loxia for travel. I'm pretty much done with adapters (except in special cases) at this point.
 

algrove

Well-known member
Choice is good no doubt. I'll probably sell my Batis for the GM and maybe pick up the Loxia for travel. I'm pretty much done with adapters (except in special cases) at this point.
Just happen to tune in here and I am very curious as to why sell the Batis 85 in favor of the Sony GM 85? Is the GM that much better?
 

seb

Member
Just happen to tune in here and I am very curious as to why sell the Batis 85 in favor of the Sony GM 85? Is the GM that much better?
That's a question you can only answer by your own. There is not much difference between batis, gm, otus, milvus, loxia. But there are subtle differences, which may be something you are interessed in or not. Some will say, these differences are not worth the money/size/weight/aperture. Others will say, that's exactly what I was looking for...

most people will ask about:
- sharpness
- size
- weight
- fastest f-stop
- cat eye bokeh vs. round bokeh
- harsh bokeh vs. smooth bokeh

I'm more about:
- natural colors
- with or without aperture ring
- mechanical (MF-lenses) vs. focus by whire (batis) vs. motor driven focus by wire (GM)
- smoth transitions/flat vs. contrasts/3D
- flare handling
- sun stars, coma
- chromatic abberation performance
- distortion
 

iiiNelson

Well-known member
Just happen to tune in here and I am very curious as to why sell the Batis 85 in favor of the Sony GM 85? Is the GM that much better?
Depends on what you shoot as it's a subjective choice. I've been shooting the Batis since July 2015 and it is capable of rendering great photos. I generally shoot more people of color and Zeiss (or Fuji) glass tends to work excellent with these subjects. Sony Zeiss and Sony G tends to as well because of the color. Sharpness can be a negative for portraits and some softness can be desirable as you know.

For me I've been picking up more jobs that are benefitted by off camera flash photography. In those situations I can see a significant difference that's not as apparent in natural light photography. Out of camera for natural light I lean towards the Batis as it produces a more "finished" look. Under strobes the GM takes on another personality and the lens resolving difference is apparent. The GM has a more neutral look compared to the warmer look of the Batis. The Batis can have slightly busy bokeh in some scenes but it's still an impressive lens no doubt.

I don't know that there's $600 worth of difference between them both personally but I feel that the extra money and size is justified when shooting with strobes. I believe that there are some Jason Lanier (the Sony Artisan) comparison videos that illustrate what I've seen for myself. For me I think the big thing is that the 3D factors are high with the GM above even the Batis and the pop you get with the GM when used with strobes is special.

You'd have to choose a conclusion for yourself but that's mine. There's no rush to switch but there is an intent in time.
 

Hausen

Active member
This lens is definitely on my list 21/50/85 all 52mm is my prefect long exposure kit. Will drop my KM M90/4 now and be all Zeiss.
 
Top