There is nothing like the ZEISS Planar T F/1.4 50mm

June 23, 2020 ohm

For more photos and perhaps even less nuance, hit up the video below. The text behind this review and the video is the same (or as close to the same as I could manage).

Zeiss Makro Planar 2/100 - end of an era

February 25, 2018 ohm

I loved the pre-Milvus version of this lens, but when I sold my D800 I had no place to use it. It did't work on my M240, it didn't work on my Fujifilm X-T1- a fact the Leica SL and Novoflex's active EOS/SL adapter changed.

DPReview: Carl Zeiss Distagon T* 1,4/35 ZM user review

January 21, 2015 ohm

Here's a tantalising opener if I've read one:

Carl Zeiss ZM lenses is an amazing phenomenon is (sic) photography: despite their excellent quality and ergonomics, most Leica M shooters do not even know about them. The main reason for their relatively low popularity, besides snobbish attitude of “those with the best glass in the world”, is that at any focal length Leica optics surpassed Zeiss ZM lenses in speed. That is until now…

This review, written by DPReview forum member, Irakly Shanidze, is salted with well thought-out images (and the above freakish thing); and though it doesn't prove anything intrinsically different, or better, about the Zeiss, it is a worthwhile read.

Source: Carl Zeiss Distagon T* 1,4/35 ZM user review

Zeiss Loxia lenses are changing things

December 12, 2014 ohm

It's not just end users that are picking up on mirrorless. It's optical companies, like Zeiss, that are capitalising on the possibilities afforded by still-youthful mirrorless mounts that don't already have legions of long-time users.

Background Blur have a great writeup comparing the Sony 35/2,8, a Panasonic 20/1,7, and the Loxia 35/2. While I disagree with them regarding the Panasonic 20/1,7's OOF rendering (they call it 'distracting' and 'harsh'), I do agree that Loxia is a powerful alternative.

I'd like to see high-quality native manual focus lenses with electronic coupling come to more mounts.

Background Blur: Zeiss Loxia 2/35 First Impressions

A tale of two bokehs: Zeiss Biogon 2/35 ZM and Canon 35/2 LTM

May 5, 2013 ohm

Image taken with the X-Pro 1 and Nikkor 10,5/2,5 PC LTM

I’m one of those boring chaps that favours the 50mm equivalent focal length. I also do a lot of free-lensing and faux-macro with normal lenses. Fuji’s excellent X lenses just don’t work well for the way I shoot, and because I have perfectly good lenses already, I'm not in the market. Two lenses I’ve had for years: the Zeiss Biogon 2/35 ZM and the 2/35 Canon LTM, are favourites of mine.