Zeiss Distagon 1.4/35mm T*/HFT [Archive] - Canon Digital Photography Forums

denoir

23rd of July 2010 (Fri), 18:04

There is no ZE version of this lens yet, although there is a possibility that Zeiss will launch one at Photokina 2010. Regardless of that, it remains one of the most popular Zeiss lenses ever made and they are quite popular adapted for Canon. On other boards, such as FM, there are long sample threads with images exclusively from this lens, so this thread is an attempt to remedy the situation here at POTN.

http://peltarion.eu/img/zeiss/zeiss1435.jpg

The Distagon 1.4/35 was introduced in the late 1960's and has gone through a number of revisions. The two most popular versions are available in Rollei and Contax mount. There are two important differences between them. One is that the Rollei version has three aperture blades, creating a unique triangular bokeh when stopped down. The Contax version has a more traditional 8 aperture blades. The second difference is that the Rollei version has HFT coating while the Contax version has T* coating. This has some impact when it comes to flare resistance but also influences the general color cast.

This lens should not be confused with the more recent 2/35 Distagon design - they are quite different in rendering style. Unlike the two fast f/1.4 lenses in the ZE lineup (The 50/1.4 Planar and the 85/1.4 Planar) the 35/1.4 Distagon has a floating element resulting in good performance up close. It has better center sharpness than for instance the 35L while it is comparable or slightly weaker in the corners (depending on version). It is not as sharp as the 2/35 until both are stopped down to about f/5.6.

I got this lens two days ago, so I am by no means an expert in using it, but I will post some of my early shots anyway.

denoir

23rd of July 2010 (Fri), 18:04

http://peltarion.eu/img/zeiss/rz35-5.jpg

http://peltarion.eu/img/zeiss/rz35-10.jpg

http://peltarion.eu/img/zeiss/rz35-6.jpg

Example of Rollei triangular bokeh when the lens is stopped down ( at f/8 )
http://peltarion.eu/img/zeiss/rz35-8.jpg

http://peltarion.eu/img/zeiss/rz35-12.jpg

denoir

23rd of July 2010 (Fri), 18:05

http://peltarion.eu/img/zeiss/rz35-13.jpg

http://peltarion.eu/img/zeiss/rz35-14.jpg

http://peltarion.eu/img/zeiss/rz35-15.jpg

http://peltarion.eu/img/zeiss/rz35-19.jpg

http://peltarion.eu/img/zeiss/rz35-16.jpg

http://peltarion.eu/img/zeiss/rz35-18.jpg

http://peltarion.eu/img/zeiss/rz35-20.jpg

http://peltarion.eu/img/zeiss/rz35-17.jpg

zincozinco

23rd of July 2010 (Fri), 19:02

cool man, I almost picked a C/Y mount some time back - looks good!!!

denoir

24th of July 2010 (Sat), 12:19

Thanks :)

http://peltarion.eu/img/zeiss/rz35-21.jpg

http://peltarion.eu/img/zeiss/rz35-24.jpg

http://peltarion.eu/img/zeiss/rz35-22.jpg

http://peltarion.eu/img/zeiss/rz35-25.jpg

http://peltarion.eu/img/zeiss/rz35-23.jpg

http://peltarion.eu/img/zeiss/rz35-26.jpg

cholla

26th of July 2010 (Mon), 05:46

Excuse me Sir ,

How did you get triangular bokeh shot ?

ciao

bkdc

26th of July 2010 (Mon), 05:51

How did you get triangular bokeh shot ?

The lens has a 3-blade aperture, and the bokeh is triangular.

banpreso

26th of July 2010 (Mon), 11:29

the c/y mount version of this lens sure isn't cheap!

it's amazing how well these lenses hold their value. the 100mm f2 planar, 35mm f1.4 distagon, and 28mm f2 distagon. all will put major dings in your wallet!!!

Combatmedic870

26th of July 2010 (Mon), 13:50

Who...3 blade aperture...never heard of that before...That produces some interesting bokeh.. :)

JelleVerherstraeten

26th of July 2010 (Mon), 15:41

That triangular bokeh is very nice!

Which one would you choose? The f/1.4 or the f/2?

zincozinco

26th of July 2010 (Mon), 17:19

check this out, im loosing my pants!!

http://cgi.ebay.es/Carl-Zeiss-Contax-35mm-f-1-4-Distagon-T-MM-Germany-/160457745351?cmd=ViewItem&pt=Camera_Lenses&hash=item255c06e3c7#ht_500wt_1154

denoir

26th of July 2010 (Mon), 18:56

That triangular bokeh is very nice!

Which one would you choose? The f/1.4 or the f/2?

Difficult choice - I have both and plan on keeping them as they are quite different. The f/1.4 is really nice wide open in terms of bokeh. The 35/2 is sharper. The sharpness-to-blur transitions are different as are the colors. The 35/2 is in line with the rest of the ZE glass while the 35/1.4 is different. If I had to pick one.. I don't know. If the 35/1.4 comes out in ZE version then probably it. Adapted 35/1.4 vs native 35/2 is a coin toss.

check this out, im loosing my pants!!

http://cgi.ebay.es/Carl-Zeiss-Contax-35mm-f-1-4-Distagon-T-MM-Germany-/160457745351?cmd=ViewItem&pt=Camera_Lenses&hash=item255c06e3c7#ht_500wt_1154

Well, that's not a reasonable price. I got my Rollei version (typically the same price as the Contax versions) for $1,000. It had some cosmetic scratches but the glass is perfect. A mint 35/1.4 typically sets you back $1,200 - $1,500. Anything above that is a ripoff - at least if you intend taking photos with it. The one in your link seems to be a collector's item rather than something that will be used.

Anyway, a few more shots:

http://peltarion.eu/img/zeiss/rz35-27.jpg

http://peltarion.eu/img/zeiss/rz35-29.jpg

http://peltarion.eu/img/zeiss/rz35-30.jpg

denoir

28th of July 2010 (Wed), 15:43

http://peltarion.eu/img/zeiss/rz35-32.jpg

http://peltarion.eu/img/zeiss/rz35-33.jpg

http://peltarion.eu/img/zeiss/rz35-34.jpg

http://peltarion.eu/img/zeiss/rz35-35.jpg

http://peltarion.eu/img/zeiss/rz35-36.jpg

http://peltarion.eu/img/zeiss/rz35-37.jpg

http://peltarion.eu/img/zeiss/rz35-39.jpg

http://peltarion.eu/img/zeiss/rz35-40.jpg

Lofty

28th of July 2010 (Wed), 20:25

That is some razor.....and I mean razor sharp stuff there sir!!!

denoir

29th of July 2010 (Thu), 08:10

Actually, the 35/2 is sharper at comparable apertures. The 35/1.4 has the benefit of being a stop faster and has a less dramatic and more subtle rendering style. The 35/2 has a more precise, more clinical feel to it.

http://peltarion.eu/img/zeiss/rz35-31.jpg

denoir

14th of August 2010 (Sat), 10:17

http://peltarion.eu/img/zeiss/rz35-41.jpg

http://peltarion.eu/img/zeiss/rz35-42.jpg

http://peltarion.eu/img/zeiss/rz35-43.jpg

http://peltarion.eu/img/zeiss/rz35-44.jpg

http://peltarion.eu/img/zeiss/rz35-45.jpg

http://peltarion.eu/img/zeiss/rz35-46.jpg

http://peltarion.eu/img/zeiss/rz35-47.jpg

http://peltarion.eu/img/zeiss/rz35-50.jpg

denoir

14th of August 2010 (Sat), 17:48

http://peltarion.eu/img/zeiss/rz35-51.jpg

http://peltarion.eu/img/zeiss/rz35-52.jpg

http://peltarion.eu/img/zeiss/rz35-57.jpg

http://peltarion.eu/img/zeiss/rz35-58.jpg

http://peltarion.eu/img/zeiss/rz35-59.jpg

http://peltarion.eu/img/zeiss/rz35-62.jpg

http://peltarion.eu/img/zeiss/rz35-63.jpg

http://peltarion.eu/img/zeiss/rz35-64.jpg

denoir

14th of August 2010 (Sat), 17:49

High ISO, wide open handheld night shots:

http://peltarion.eu/img/zeiss/rz35-72.jpg

http://peltarion.eu/img/zeiss/rz35-73.jpg

http://peltarion.eu/img/zeiss/rz35-74.jpg

http://peltarion.eu/img/zeiss/rz35-75.jpg

http://peltarion.eu/img/zeiss/rz35-76.jpg

http://peltarion.eu/img/zeiss/rz35-77.jpg

http://peltarion.eu/img/zeiss/rz35-78.jpg

banpreso

14th of August 2010 (Sat), 20:04

awesome pics! love the 3D look!

bkdc

14th of August 2010 (Sat), 20:14

denoir - have you had any difficulty focusing to infinity after mounting an EF adapter?

denoir

14th of August 2010 (Sat), 20:18

Thanks banpreso!

bkdc: Nope, no problems. The previous owner adjusted it to focus to infinity (very easy to do at least with the Rollei version). I chipped it so I've got AF confirm and EXIF as well now.

turbo_911

14th of August 2010 (Sat), 20:48

Wow those are some very awesome pictures. Also do you have any 100% crops @f/1.4 with no PP and no sharpening?

denoir

14th of August 2010 (Sat), 21:06

Thanks turbo. Sure, although you should not put too much stock into 100% crops - they seldom matter.

Full image:

http://peltarion.eu/img/zeiss/rz35-87.jpg

100% Crop:

http://peltarion.eu/img/zeiss/rz35-87_cc.jpg

It's sharp at f/1.4 and very sharp by f/2 and above. The corners shape up around f/2 as well. In terms of resolution it's comparable to the 35L, perhaps slightly better but as it has loads more micro contrast the images typically appear sharper (sharpness = resolution + micro contrast).

There is quite a bit of vignetting at f/1.4 as you can see in the full image above, but that's easy to fix in PP. CA is well controlled - better than its 35/2 sibling.

turbo_911

14th of August 2010 (Sat), 21:31

spacetime

15th of August 2010 (Sun), 00:07

That triangular bokeh really bothers me. However, I've seen some in the $700 range which is quite a bit cheaper than the C/Y version. How is the bokeh at f2 and 2.8?

denoir

15th of August 2010 (Sun), 05:19

That is very impressive. Its just I got Sigma 30mm f/1.4 and its a little bit soft at f/1.4 and gets sharper at f/2 and at f/2.8 is very sharp. Just wanted to compare, also thinking if the lens is a bit soft, could be it because of camera? Because when I did a test, I found its sharper at f/1.4 when I use outer focus points, but when I use middle focus point, its a bit soft.

Edit: Also do you have 100% crop of this image by any chance?

http://peltarion.eu/img/zeiss/rz35-62.jpg

I have the Sigma 30/1.4 as well and it's much softer at f/1.4. What you are describing though seems to be a problem with the AF calibration. The reason why the outer points lead to a sharper image is most likely because of the field curvature of the lens.

As for the crop, sure, but I don't know what you hope to get out of it - the 40D is a 10 megapixel crop camera, this was taken with a 21 megapixel FF so there are no conclusions you draw by comparing 100% crops.

Full:
http://peltarion.eu/img/zeiss/rz35-62.jpg

Crop:
http://peltarion.eu/img/zeiss/rz35-62_cc.jpg

denoir

15th of August 2010 (Sun), 06:22

That triangular bokeh really bothers me. However, I've seen some in the $700 range which is quite a bit cheaper than the C/Y version. How is the bokeh at f2 and 2.8?

If you've found one for $700, then there is either something wrong with it or it's a real bargin. The Rollei version is usually about 20-30% more expensive than the Contax version. This is because it's more rare but also because of the unusual three aperture blade design.

Anyway, you can typically get a mint copy of a Contax for ~$1000 while a mint Rollei will set you back about $1200-$1300 - if you can find one. I got mine for $1000 - and while it is optically perfect it's not in mint condition (there are minor scratches on the metal focus ring). Since I've bought it I've gotten (over at the FM forums) five of six offers for it - one guy offering to buy it for €1400 (~$1800). I've declined of course. The thing is that it's a lens from 1965 and the likelihood of getting a less than perfect copy is pretty high so copies that are proven to be good are valued. It's not something I would buy on ebay for instance.

As for the bokeh, it is not easy to construct an image where you get triangles even at smaller apertures. However if you manage to get just the right distances then the bokeh goes from completely round at f/1.4 to completely triangular at f/5.6 or f/8. So at f/2.8 it's a very rounded triangle.

denoir

15th of August 2010 (Sun), 15:01

To more fully answer the bokeh question:

Focus is at MFD.

f/1.4:
http://peltarion.eu/img/zeiss/rz35-b14.jpg

f/2:
http://peltarion.eu/img/zeiss/rz35-b20.jpg

f/2.8:
http://peltarion.eu/img/zeiss/rz35-b28.jpg

f/4:
http://peltarion.eu/img/zeiss/rz35-b40.jpg

f/5.6:
http://peltarion.eu/img/zeiss/rz35-b56.jpg

Jam.radonc

16th of August 2010 (Mon), 08:29

Love the shots from the 35/1.4 Luka. Oh the triangles.. very unique.

Fodowsky

16th of August 2010 (Mon), 19:30

Wow. Very nice! I want one of these!

Do they have to be modified to fit a Canon?

denoir

17th of August 2010 (Tue), 08:07

Thanks guys :)

Fodowsky: Nope, you just slap on an adapter and it's ready to use.

denoir

17th of August 2010 (Tue), 15:27

http://peltarion.eu/img/zeiss/rz35-96.jpg

http://peltarion.eu/img/zeiss/rz35-97.jpg

http://peltarion.eu/img/zeiss/rz35-98.jpg

http://peltarion.eu/img/zeiss/rz35-99.jpg

turbo_911

18th of August 2010 (Wed), 14:19

Hmm, so the AF calibration, how do I fix it? I have to send it the camera to canon or is there something I can do by myself? lol

As for the crop, I just wanted to see that picture cropped, and its amazing. Love it.

Also love your work as well, very nice.

I have the Sigma 30/1.4 as well and it's much softer at f/1.4. What you are describing though seems to be a problem with the AF calibration. The reason why the outer points lead to a sharper image is most likely because of the field curvature of the lens.

As for the crop, sure, but I don't know what you hope to get out of it - the 40D is a 10 megapixel crop camera, this was taken with a 21 megapixel FF so there are no conclusions you draw by comparing 100% crops.

Full:
http://peltarion.eu/img/zeiss/rz35-62.jpg

Crop:
http://peltarion.eu/img/zeiss/rz35-62_cc.jpg

denoir

18th of August 2010 (Wed), 17:09

Hmm, so the AF calibration, how do I fix it? I have to send it the camera to canon or is there something I can do by myself? lol

As for the crop, I just wanted to see that picture cropped, and its amazing. Love it.

Also love your work as well, very nice.

Thanks. No, you don't have to send in the camera but the lens probably needs to take a trip to Sigma. It's a very common problem with the Sigma 30/1.4.

Anyway, a few more Zeiss 35/1.4 shots:

http://peltarion.eu/img/zeiss/rz35-92.jpg

http://peltarion.eu/img/zeiss/rz35-93.jpg

http://peltarion.eu/img/zeiss/rz35-94.jpg

http://peltarion.eu/img/zeiss/rz35-95.jpg

denoir

19th of August 2010 (Thu), 17:09

I'm actually very surprised that I'm the only one posting in this thread. On other forums, such as Fred Miranda, there are a ton of Zeiss 35/1.4 owners..

http://peltarion.eu/img/zeiss/rz35-100.jpg

http://peltarion.eu/img/zeiss/rz35-101.jpg

http://peltarion.eu/img/zeiss/rz35-102.jpg

http://peltarion.eu/img/zeiss/rz35-103.jpg

denoir

20th of August 2010 (Fri), 09:36

http://peltarion.eu/img/zeiss/rz35-104.jpg

http://peltarion.eu/img/zeiss/rz35-105.jpg

http://peltarion.eu/img/zeiss/rz35-106.jpg

http://peltarion.eu/img/zeiss/rz35-107.jpg

http://peltarion.eu/img/zeiss/rz35-108.jpg

banpreso

20th of August 2010 (Fri), 12:37

sometimes i wonder if i should sell my 35mm f2 ZE distagon for a 35mm contax zeiss f1.4... f1.4 is really tempting... full stop faster

bkdc

20th of August 2010 (Fri), 13:33

I've decided that denoir lives in an awfully gloomy cloudy world.

denoir

21st of August 2010 (Sat), 13:31

I've decided that denoir lives in an awfully gloomy cloudy world.

Yepp, it's called 'Stockholm'. ;) No, but seriously, I love a combination of overcast skies with the sun breaking through casting a side light on buildings etc. You have a massive soft box in the sky combined with a strong key light - it doesn't get better than that when it comes to lighting..

http://peltarion.eu/img/zeiss/rz35-109.jpg

http://peltarion.eu/img/zeiss/rz35-110.jpg

http://peltarion.eu/img/zeiss/rz35-112.jpg

http://peltarion.eu/img/zeiss/rz35-113.jpg

http://peltarion.eu/img/zeiss/rz35-114.jpg

denoir

22nd of August 2010 (Sun), 20:35

I'm not sure why I keep taking pictures of motorcycles.. I just happen to stumble upon them all the time :confused:

http://peltarion.eu/img/zeiss/rz35-116.jpg

http://peltarion.eu/img/zeiss/rz35-118.jpg

denoir

26th of August 2010 (Thu), 17:53

Three days without a post? That's just not right...

http://peltarion.eu/img/zeiss/rz35-126.jpg

JonK

26th of August 2010 (Thu), 20:14

Sorry to interrupt - any tech write ups on this lens im intrigued by the triangular bokeh

denoir

14th of September 2010 (Tue), 13:21

Sorry to interrupt - any tech write ups on this lens im intrigued by the triangular bokeh

You mean product sheet? Sure:
http://www.zeiss.com/C12567A8003B8B6F/EmbedTitelIntern/Distagon1.4_35mm_e/$File/Distagon1.4_35mm_e.pdf

http://peltarion.eu/img/zeiss/rz35-138.jpg

http://peltarion.eu/img/zeiss/rz35-140.jpg

http://peltarion.eu/img/zeiss/rz35-143.jpg

http://peltarion.eu/img/zeiss/rz35-144.jpg

http://peltarion.eu/img/zeiss/rz35-149.jpg

http://peltarion.eu/img/zeiss/rz35-156.jpg

http://peltarion.eu/img/zeiss/rz35-157.jpg

zincozinco

29th of September 2010 (Wed), 15:48

can we play in here with the C/Y version??

denoir

29th of September 2010 (Wed), 16:34

http://peltarion.eu/img/zeiss/rz35-166.jpg

http://peltarion.eu/img/zeiss/rz35-167.jpg

http://peltarion.eu/img/zeiss/rz35-172.jpg

http://peltarion.eu/img/zeiss/rz35-176.jpg

http://peltarion.eu/img/zeiss/rz35-177.jpg

denoir

29th of September 2010 (Wed), 16:36

can we play in here with the C/Y version??

Of course! Please do. I'm feeling very alone here ;)

http://peltarion.eu/img/zeiss/rz35-163.jpg

http://peltarion.eu/img/zeiss/rz35-164.jpg

http://peltarion.eu/img/zeiss/rz35-171.jpg

http://peltarion.eu/img/zeiss/rz35-178.jpg

http://peltarion.eu/img/zeiss/rz35-182.jpg

http://peltarion.eu/img/zeiss/rz35-183.jpg

zincozinco

29th of September 2010 (Wed), 16:42

Nice series again, ( im feeling repetetive but I really like your photos) There is alot of shooters around here who has the tecnique down to 100% but the comp kills it so many times. You have both! tech and comp! I dont have your imagination, I could never do what you do so I really enjoy your stuff! anyway a pat on the back...

Yeah i just picked one up on the bay for 600 euro... not cheap not expensive... hope its here by end of week, my 21 feels all lonely, i did not really want it with adapter again but what the heck its the 35 1.4 - the mother of all lenses....

p.s my 360 panos are killing me 10 hour days -stitching - i got the 12-24 (again..)

denoir

29th of September 2010 (Wed), 16:56

Thanks! I appreciate the kind words, and while you may find it repetitive, I certainly don't get tired :D

Congrats on the lens, €600 is a good price. I paid €700 for mine. I'm sure you'll enjoy it - it's a fantastic lens. It's the only lens that I have ever used that can produce images comparable to the ones you get with a medium format camera. The wide angle plus a very characteristic thin DOF can give a certain presence to the images that I have not seen with any other small format lens.

http://peltarion.eu/img/zeiss/rz35-193.jpg

http://peltarion.eu/img/zeiss/rz35-194.jpg

http://peltarion.eu/img/zeiss/rz35-196.jpg

jessartisan

29th of September 2010 (Wed), 18:46

Luka, I'm also a great admirer of your creativity and skill. I love seeing your photos. So inspiring!

denoir

29th of September 2010 (Wed), 19:31

Thanks!!

A couple more:

http://peltarion.eu/img/zeiss/rz35-191.jpg

http://peltarion.eu/img/zeiss/rz35-187.jpg

http://peltarion.eu/img/zeiss/rz35-159.jpg

http://peltarion.eu/img/zeiss/rz35-173.jpg

http://peltarion.eu/img/zeiss/rz35-175.jpg

jessartisan

29th of September 2010 (Wed), 19:51

Have you seen the ZE version samples? I'm curious what you think.

denoir

29th of September 2010 (Wed), 20:00

Yes I have. The ones posted on flickr are really bad but that's the photographer's fault. The photographer is Richard Schleuning, the marketing manager of Zeiss USA. A nice guy by all accounts but not the right person to show off, well, any lens.

Lloyd Chambers has posted a bunch of much better samples (http://diglloyd.com/index.html subscription required) as he had access to a pre-release version. I really liked what I saw. It seems to be similar to the old 35/1.4 in bokeh / sharpness to blur transition / DOF while the colors are more in line with the rest of the ZE lenses.

The only thing I'm really put off by is the size and weight of the thing. The old version is relatively heavy but very compact. I'm unlikely to resist the temptation when it goes on sale but having three 35mm Zeiss lenses seems a bit excessive..

denoir

3rd of October 2010 (Sun), 04:47

http://peltarion.eu/img/zeiss/rz35-198.jpg

http://peltarion.eu/img/zeiss/rz35-199.jpg

http://peltarion.eu/img/zeiss/rz35-200.jpg

zincozinco

3rd of October 2010 (Sun), 05:09

You tease!! mine is being shipped tomorrow......

1980

3rd of October 2010 (Sun), 13:32

Luka, it's beautiful! Great shots! What lens is it?
Where you get it? use it with adapter for 5D II?

denoir

3rd of October 2010 (Sun), 17:46

Thanks 1980. I think you'll find all answers on the first post on the first page on this thread ;)

Shockingly given that the name of the thread is "Zeiss Distagon 35/1.4 ...", it's a Zeiss Distagon 35/1.4. :D

Yes, it's adapted to EOS mount from Rollei mount and I've AF chipped my copy. I bought it from the FM Buy/Sell forums.

http://peltarion.eu/img/zeiss/rz35-201.jpg

http://peltarion.eu/img/zeiss/rz35-203.jpg

http://peltarion.eu/img/zeiss/rz35-204.jpg

http://peltarion.eu/img/zeiss/rz35-205.jpg

http://peltarion.eu/img/zeiss/rz35-206.jpg

http://peltarion.eu/img/zeiss/rz35-207.jpg

1980

6th of October 2010 (Wed), 07:06

Thank's, Luka! And again..., AMAZING PHOTOS! My respect to you!

denoir

6th of October 2010 (Wed), 07:17

Thanks 1980! :)

http://peltarion.eu/img/zeiss/rz35-209.jpg

http://peltarion.eu/img/zeiss/rz35-208.jpg

http://peltarion.eu/img/zeiss/rz35-210.jpg

http://peltarion.eu/img/zeiss/rz35-211.jpg

zincozinco

7th of October 2010 (Thu), 14:20

I got mine today, as with any zeiss the C/Y feels solid, only problem I have is that the focus ring is NOT smooth, I have sent an email to germany and see how much they will charge for a service...
At first it does not feel as nice as the ZE,zf but then again its 20 years older..... however im sure it will give me the results im after. i went from ZE 50mm MP to 50L to this. this has less of a clinical feel to it than the 50mp which is what im after.

One of the below is f8 and the other1.4.... really need to give it a good test. It has a few marks on the front element which im sure does not matter and some specks inside :(

zincozinco

7th of October 2010 (Thu), 14:23

and these at 1.4 - which is where im going to roll with this baby... :)

zincozinco

9th of October 2010 (Sat), 14:08

It calls for a big challenge to MF with such depth of field as 1.4 - Im just back loading photos into aperture but had so much fun with this amazing piece of glass. it was the setting to an event and i had my 21 on tripod and this one on freehand. hoping I will share tonight... If i were american id say im STOKED!!! not sure about af confirm chip anymore as brings your eyes to the focus points where as without might be "easier"... anyway im STOKED!!!! :)

zincozinco

9th of October 2010 (Sat), 14:10

p.s i just found out by Zeiss in germany that my lens is made on the 6th feb 1978!!!! Rock On!!

zincozinco

9th of October 2010 (Sat), 15:57

wide open
http://golfcoursephoto.files.wordpress.com/2010/10/mg_1295.jpg

http://golfcoursephoto.files.wordpress.com/2010/10/mg_1359.jpg

denoir

9th of October 2010 (Sat), 16:58

Congrats Micke! It's cool that the population of this thread has now doubled ;)

Interesting shots. Slightly weird usage of selective focus but hey, whatever floats your boat :lol:

Too bad about the focus ring though. My Rollei (according to the date code made in late 1969) has a metal one very similar to the ones in the ZE line. It's possibly even slightly better. Pretty amazing for a 40 year old lens.

zincozinco

10th of October 2010 (Sun), 01:44

I talked to the guy who said he had it serviced about 3 months ago (in a zeiss dealer in spain) - cos they "greased it up" the ring should loosen with time.... anyway its a keeper.

zincozinco

10th of October 2010 (Sun), 01:58

these are from the other day, my daugher has a cold so she is not really on when dad jams the camera in her face...

no its not my pool....

zincozinco

11th of October 2010 (Mon), 16:45

its not alot im using it, yet.. - it seems it favours a blueeish white balance compared to the ZE/F/S versions. anyway im liking it....

denoir

11th of October 2010 (Mon), 17:17

Nice :) That last shot is definitely recognizable as a 35/1.4 Distagon shot.

http://peltarion.eu/img/zeiss/rz35-216.jpg

http://peltarion.eu/img/zeiss/rz35-218.jpg

http://peltarion.eu/img/zeiss/rz35-219.jpg

zincozinco

12th of October 2010 (Tue), 12:33

Nice, I really wanna get this out more, had it with me today but damn the 21 is sweet....

ki.

15th of October 2010 (Fri), 17:54

Hi,

this is a really great lense – and really nice pictures you both took with it.
I've got mine in QBM-mount as well a few years ago, when there was no adaptor for rollei to eos out.
Got it for 350,– Euros, together with the 1,4 Planar 50 mm and a rolleiflex SL 2000 F.
No one wanted to buy this stuff, so I got it that cheap (since it was expensive these days).

Unfortunately it fell together with my SL 35 E on the stone-ground of a Subway Station in Porto – when I was on holidays there.
My wife was pregnant with my son and we both were really lacking sleep. My advice: don't handle something precious like this lens, when you are in such a state …

Anyway, it still takes pictures but now has a big ding in the front element.

edit:
Sorry I forgot to ad some pictures taken with it:

http://ki-online.net/bilder/portugal2006_strandRauh01.jpg
http://ki-online.net/bilder/OrchideeNeu14x14.jpg
http://ki-online.net/bilder/Distel14x14.jpg

As you can see these were all analog. The flowers have been scanned on a drum-scanner and been taken on fuji velvia 50 Diafilm.
The shore was scanned on a simple film-scanner.

zincozinco

17th of October 2010 (Sun), 14:37

ki. thats cool, im looking into getting a scanner, we are just moving into a bigger place and i wont get a darkroom but I have a few years of negatives lying around.

here is one today on 5.6, im loving this lens on a tripod.... :)

http://golfcoursephoto.files.wordpress.com/2010/10/mg_3521.jpg

ki.

17th of October 2010 (Sun), 18:13

thank you for this compliment
… we are just moving into a bigger place and i wont get a darkroom …
This sounds familiar to me, we moved this summer, but still the place is not big enough for a darkroom – I have to wait some more years … ;-)

im loving this lens on a tripod.... :)
Yes, that's excactly what denoir said, the lens gives you the feeling of a medium-format camera in the dimensions of a 36 mm camera.
That's why I sometimes have problems to use it as a lens for street-shooting. In my mind it mixes up with street/reportage on the one side and still-life / high resolution on the other side.
But the wide wide aperture also makes it a perfect lens for available-light-shooting without a tripod. So this counts for the reportage-lens – besides the focal length.

p360

12th of November 2010 (Fri), 12:31

I am craving for this. Still not available here in the States. :(

Fanto

12th of November 2010 (Fri), 12:47

Wow very sharp lens !

zincozinco

12th of November 2010 (Fri), 15:10

I am craving for this. Still not available here in the States. :(

mine was made in 1976... im sure you guys will have it by now as well.... :)

p360

12th of November 2010 (Fri), 16:04

mine was made in 1976... im sure you guys will have it by now as well.... :)

http://www.zeiss.com/C1256A770030BCE0/WebViewTopNewsAllE/4E1756D4AF56756EC125779000246827?OpenDocument

The Zeiss Distagon T* 1.4/35 wide-angle lens will be available in the first quarter of 2011 for $1,843, writes PhotographyReview.com.

Are we talking about the same lens?

Doc Fluty

12th of November 2010 (Fri), 16:17

gawd...

You can tell if a shot was done with a zeiss lens even if no one told you lol

These lenses seem to have a..cooler look to them.. almost as if every day was 4050 degrees.. with a light chilly breeze...

A older look.. more isolated.... I cant wait to expand my line up after this Christmas season

banpreso

12th of November 2010 (Fri), 17:19

that sample image is pretty awesome. the bokeh looks painting like

jdizzle

12th of November 2010 (Fri), 18:32

I want this lens! This or the 35 L. Still can't decide. :) I tried the 35 f/2 and I wasn't feeling it at all. For a little bit more, I could have 1.4.

banpreso

12th of November 2010 (Fri), 18:44

I want this lens! This or the 35 L. Still can't decide. :) I tried the 35 f/2 and I wasn't feeling it at all. For a little bit more, I could have 1.4.

ya know, to me it wouldn't be "a little bit more". for the same price you can have the 100mm mp. maybe you can wait and see how samyang does on their 35mm f1.4.

i would love to have f1.4 on my 35mm zeiss, but the f2 version is excellent already and is my favorite and most used lens.

jdizzle

12th of November 2010 (Fri), 19:01

ya know, to me it wouldn't be "a little bit more". for the same price you can have the 100mm mp. maybe you can wait and see how samyang does on their 35mm f1.4.

i would love to have f1.4 on my 35mm zeiss, but the f2 version is excellent already and is my favorite and most used lens.
I agree with your opinon but, I like to have 1.4 when I need it. The Zeiss 100 f/2 is nice but, it really isn't a FL I would ever use.:)

denoir

12th of November 2010 (Fri), 19:21

I'm pretty much set on not getting the new 35/1.4. The main reason is that it's too big. I use 35mm as a walkaround focal length and having a massive 35mm lens does not make much sense to me. I'm also very happy with the old version that I have. Finally, I'm considering another 35mm f/1.4 lens - the new version Leica 35/1.4 Summilux ASPH for my M9. The rendering while not Zeiss-like is really gorgeous. It's size, well:

http://peltarion.eu/img/luxdist.jpg

(Leica 35/1.4 on the left and new Zeiss 35/1.4 on the right)

In terms of raw optical performance the Leica will probably run circles around the Zeiss. The only real disadvantage of the Leica is the price. Around €4,000 ($5,000), ouch. :shock:

jdizzle

12th of November 2010 (Fri), 19:39

denoir

12th of November 2010 (Fri), 19:56

Congrats and best of luck with baby Julian! :)

As for the M9, if size isn't an issue then an M9 isn't a good choice anyway. The only real advantage the M9 has over a high end DSLR is the size - especially the size of the lenses. It's sensor is slightly better than the one on a 5DII, but not by much when you use top quality glass on the Canon. It can resolve a bit more detail but it's really not relevant for all practical purposes.

At the same time it's a primitive mechanical design from the 1940's that is subject to mechanical tolerances and error margins. Bump it into something and the range finder gets misaligned. Accurate focusing is only possible with wide angle and normal lenses. There are no tele lenses longer than 135 mm and anything beyond 90mm is completely unusable. Wider than 28 mm and you have to use an external viewfinder (focus through the regular and frame through the external). The framelines are wildly inaccurate for framing. The LCD is a joke as is the image review function (you only see a low resolution image and can't see if you have nailed focus or not) and you have no live view. The metering is exceptionally primitive etc etc

In short if you are not looking for a compact system then the M9 is a waste of money. As a compact system on the other hand it makes sense and one can forgive all the shortcomings. My standard kit of the M9 + five lenses weighs less than say a 70-200/2.8 lens and takes up less space. Excellent walkaround and light travel kit.

jdizzle

12th of November 2010 (Fri), 20:04

Thanks Luka.:) I appreciate your feedback on the Leica M9. I woulnd't mind the compact/weight of a rangefinder but, sadly I have to put it on the back burner. :) I'm stuck in Canon land for now. Hehe! :)

ohnoes

20th of November 2010 (Sat), 04:18

After careful consideration, I've decided that I'm going to reconfigure my gear list to be (almost) all Zeiss. Not so much because I want the "Zeiss" look, which is certainly amazing in its own right, but because of how well they perform overall. Also, I generally enjoy using manual focus. It's more of a challenge, yet it's much more involving (and fun).

The 35/1.4 (rollei, not the ZE version) is on my list right after I get the 100/2.0 lens. I'll have to sell a few things first before I get either, which may take a while. Apparently nobody's buying these days...I wonder why~

By the way, how's the vignetting on these lens? I'd think it'd be a bit of a problem with a full frame at f1.4...

dmstraton

9th of December 2010 (Thu), 16:48

I went all Zeiss and I love them. I found that I rarely used my telephotos or macros, teleconverter - sold it all after collecting it over the past five years. I now have the 21, 35, and 50MP and I think they are fantastic - you can tell a Zeiss picture: the bokeh, the color depth and the the crazygood micro-contrast.

I could care less about manual focus, quite enjoy it. These lenses make me think.

Oh, and they are built like a brick outhouse.

DS

p360

9th of December 2010 (Thu), 17:03

This will be my next lens.

Canons feel inferior now that I am getting comfortable using Zeiss and their MF. Absolute joy to use, they all are.

banpreso

9th of December 2010 (Thu), 17:29

is there a meaningful difference between the rollei mount and the contax mount zeiss glass? is there a difference between the HFT coating and the T coating? is the rollei 50mm f1.4 HFT planar same as contax zeiss f1.4 planar?

zincozinco

10th of December 2010 (Fri), 17:33

You are all canon, zeiss and leica ... Ive gone for a d700..:cool: so my 35 is up for grabs... Im not sure if im switching yet but ....

p360

29th of January 2011 (Sat), 21:10

Patiently waiting...!!

jdizzle

30th of January 2011 (Sun), 06:50

Is it available already?

Doc Fluty

30th of January 2011 (Sun), 07:01

im thinking verizon will get the iphone before this lens comes out.. oh wait....

p360

30th of January 2011 (Sun), 09:08

Is it available already?

The EDA here in US is February, according to B & H.

jdizzle

30th of January 2011 (Sun), 09:46

The EDA here in US is February, according to B & H.

That's what I was asking. :)

zincozinco

3rd of February 2011 (Thu), 04:47

im sure its april / may :(

jdizzle

7th of February 2011 (Mon), 09:13

April or May?

p360

7th of February 2011 (Mon), 16:51

B & H says March.

511217

Velorium

30th of March 2011 (Wed), 02:06

Subscribing before I forget.

Al Hung

3rd of April 2011 (Sun), 00:56

BH says May now. Where are they getting this info from? First it was Feb, then March, then April and now May...

jdizzle

3rd of April 2011 (Sun), 01:12

BH says May now. Where are they getting this info from? First it was Feb, then March, then April and now May...
Just wait till they change it to June. :p

LiberationFrequency

3rd of April 2011 (Sun), 01:22

Subscribing because I want it...

When is this bad boy coming out already...

1980

6th of April 2011 (Wed), 11:30

It's Available already!!! :)

1980

6th of April 2011 (Wed), 11:36

http://www.popflash.com/zeiss-lenses/zeiss-35mm-f/1.4-ze-distagon-t-canon-ef-mount-usa-new/

1980

6th of April 2011 (Wed), 11:46

http://cgi.ebay.com/ZEISS-35MM-F-1-4-ZE-DISTAGON-T-CANON-EF-MOUNT-USA-NEW-/190519867343?pt=Camera_Lenses&hash=item2c5bde77cf

banpreso

6th of April 2011 (Wed), 11:54

lol it allows me to "make offer"

p360

7th of April 2011 (Thu), 12:07

Just ordered one from here (http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=&A=ShowProduct&sku=733913&is=REG&Q=).

banpreso

7th of April 2011 (Thu), 12:11

Just ordered one from here (http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=&A=ShowProduct&sku=733913&is=REG&Q=).

congrats! it is indeed shown as in stock! maybe you'll be the first of us to post samples. looking forward to it!

p360

7th of April 2011 (Thu), 12:19

^ Thanks, mate. EDA: next Thursday.

If things works out as I hope, I'll be selling my beloved 35L soon.

Correction: “If things work out....”. Sorry for the grammatical error.

banpreso

7th of April 2011 (Thu), 12:35

^ Thanks, mate. EDA: next Thursday.

If things works out as I hope, I'll be selling my beloved 35L soon.

hahahaha next thursday? if i were you i would've gotten next day saturday delivery. lol i can't wait that long!

1980

8th of April 2011 (Fri), 00:08

pratman64, can't wait to see youre samples! Congrats!!! :)

p360

8th of April 2011 (Fri), 10:29

Thanks, 1980. I am expecting delivery on Wednesday.

Double Negative

13th of April 2011 (Wed), 11:09

Thanks, 1980. I am expecting delivery on Wednesday.
It's Wednesday - where are the pics?! ;)

p360

13th of April 2011 (Wed), 11:23

^ It’s only 9:22 AM here in AZ. Let’s give the Brown some time to see what it can do for me. :D

jdizzle

13th of April 2011 (Wed), 12:18

Waiting for Mr. Brown to come around too but, it's not a lens! Anyways, can't wait to see samples. Over at FM the shots are amazing wide open!

Double Negative

13th of April 2011 (Wed), 12:57

^ It’s only 9:22 AM here in AZ. Let’s give the Brown some time to see what it can do for me. :D
Just being impatient... :p

p360

14th of April 2011 (Thu), 10:54

Distagon T* 35/1.4 ZE

A couple of quick test shots. Only WB was adjusted in PS; no other PP was done.

@ f/1.4:

http://pratyush360.com/img/s3/v23/p588331566-4.jpg

And this one was shot at f/1.6:

http://pratyush360.com/img/s1/v19/p875218642-4.jpg

Appears to be bit soft wide open. But it quickly sharpens up at f/1.6 and beyond.

Your thought?

jdizzle

14th of April 2011 (Thu), 14:56

^Looks good at both apertures. :)

Double Negative

14th of April 2011 (Thu), 15:37

Looks very similar to the 1,4/50 and 1,4/85 Planars wide open...

p360

14th of April 2011 (Thu), 17:47

Looks very similar to the 1,4/50 and 1,4/85 Planars wide open...

Expecting more from this one.

jdizzle

14th of April 2011 (Thu), 18:03

Let's see some pics of the lens on your camera Pratt. :)

hillavoider

16th of April 2011 (Sat), 07:23

looks very similar to my 50 1.4, i was REALLY hoping it would be super sharp and have the cool colours of zeiss but...... please post more pics i would really appreciate it

i just bought a rollei 35mm CZ 1.4 any recommendations for an adaptor and chip to 5D2?

Denoir you should be a salesman for rollei adaptors and lens!

p360

16th of April 2011 (Sat), 14:09

From f/1.4 to 1.8, it doesn’t look sharp enough to me. I tried shooting in a couple of different times of day, but same results. At f/2, it is super sharp.

So, I have decided to return it to B & H. They don’t have any more in stock. So, I ordered one from popflash photo. Should be here my mid-next-week. Hoping for a better copy.

jdizzle

16th of April 2011 (Sat), 14:11

p360

16th of April 2011 (Sat), 14:22

^^ Well, yeah. May be it’s me. May be I expect nothing short of stellar performance from a lens that costs over $1,800. But then, why shouldn’t I..?

My 35L performs better at those apertures. So, why not try a different copy and see...?

jdizzle

16th of April 2011 (Sat), 14:51

p360

20th of April 2011 (Wed), 21:13

Let's see some pics of the lens on your camera Pratt. :)

Here you go, Julian:

Something very quick, please don’t mind the quality of pics.

http://pratyush360.com/img/s3/v26/p889112611-3.jpg

http://pratyush360.com/img/s1/v20/p1009104180-3.jpg

BTW, my second copy, one from popflash photo is MUCH better than the first one. It’s very sharp, even wide open.

The lens is much longer and heavier than 35L. I don’t know why. However, I don’t mind the weight; I am used to carrying 70-200 II for hours. This lens feels very good in hands.

jdizzle

20th of April 2011 (Wed), 21:52

^That looks hot! :) Congrats!

p360

20th of April 2011 (Wed), 23:27

^ Thank you.., thank you..!! :D

Feudal1

28th of May 2011 (Sat), 09:41

Several photos taken with the new Zeiss 1.4/35mm Distagon lens, both shot wide open at f/1.4:

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5027/5749189638_3da2b4ef48_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/lens_light/5749189638/)
Summer Flowers (http://www.flickr.com/photos/lens_light/5749189638/) by Golfer Chris (http://www.flickr.com/people/lens_light/), on Flickr

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5141/5749189596_937aa2b1d5_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/lens_light/5749189596/)
Summer Flowers (http://www.flickr.com/photos/lens_light/5749189596/) by Golfer Chris (http://www.flickr.com/people/lens_light/), on Flickr

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5186/5749189576_74bfe5f11c_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/lens_light/5749189576/)
Summer Flowers (http://www.flickr.com/photos/lens_light/5749189576/) by Golfer Chris (http://www.flickr.com/people/lens_light/), on Flickr

p360

28th of May 2011 (Sat), 09:51

^^ Nice, Chris..!

Feudal1

28th of May 2011 (Sat), 09:59

^^ Nice, Chris..!
Thanks!

I see in your gear list that you have a number of Zeiss lenses, including the 85mm and 100mm. I want to add one of these two lenses to my current 35mm. I'm leaning towards the 85mm - how do you like that lens? Is the focus shift difficult to deal with? How is the sharpness and contrast of the images shot wide open at f/1.4? Any other comments on handling and image quality for the 85mm are greatly appreciated.

I like to sometimes shoot flowers (mostly in spring), but I don't do much real macro work, so I'm thinking I probably don't need the 100mm lens (especially with the close focusing distance of the 35mm), but I have read (and seen) that the image quality is amazing on the 100. It would be nice to have both lenses, but I only have the funds for one of the two.

p360

28th of May 2011 (Sat), 15:16

^^ Honestly, I just recently purchased 85/1.4, and haven’t had much time to shoot with it. But from what I can tell, it’s very sharp wide open, if you are aware of its limitations. If you shoot wide open at or near MFD, your results will be soft. But move a little back, and this lens will rival 85L in sharpness. The bokeh is very pleasing as well. And you probably know all about the Zeiss colors and contrast. This lens lives up to those high standards.

sodjdobe

13th of August 2011 (Sat), 16:39

Hi guys!
I just bought a zeiss 35 1.4 HFT on ebay so Ill be joining the club very soon. You (especially denoir) really hooked me on this lens with your amazing photos. I got it for 730EUR...pretty regular price right?

Well, Ill be posting some sample photos soon but for now I need your opinions or suggestions about the adaptor. I use a canon 5D classic, will I be able to focus to infinity with this lens?

Best regards...

hillavoider

21st of August 2011 (Sun), 22:50

buggz

22nd of August 2011 (Mon), 20:56

EDITED: desaturated the reds, and used the CONVERT to profile rather than assign.
When I used assign to colorspace sRGB from ARGB, the reds shifted, a LOT!
Dunno why I've had it my head to use assign all this time...

http://cornbread.com/~buggz/CYZ-RoseBud-desat-convert.jpg

Quick laptop edit from last weekend.
5DMkII and Contax/Yashica Zeiss 35/1.4, wideopen?
Think so, hard to remember...

http://cornbread.com/~buggz/CYZ-RoseBud.jpg

CheshireCat

27th of August 2011 (Sat), 01:51

Several photos taken with the new Zeiss 1.4/35mm Distagon lens, both shot wide open at f/1.4:

Are the 9 blades also visible wide open ?!

Orio

7th of November 2011 (Mon), 19:48

Could anyone please enlighten me on the procedure to adjust infinity focus for the Rollei version of this lens?
I loosened the screws as indicated, the focus ring went "free", but I was not able to shift the focus.
EIther I am doing something wrong, or there is a missing step in the description.
Thank you.