Not long ago, I wrote about the awesome Zeiss 100mm f2 makro planar. Despite modern marvels such as silent autofocus and vibration reduction, Zeiss makes lenses which, in comparison seem old fashioned. They are manual focus, offers no VR and aren't even weather sealed. For manual prime lenses exceeding a thousand bucks, it's a lot to ask for a metal lens with zero features. I tell you what, if zeiss charged double what they charge now, it'd still be worth the price!
There are other alternatives in the 35mm range though, none come close to the zeiss' resolution, color rendering and beautiful out of focus areas. I've owned and used nikons' 35mm 1.4 AIS, 35mm 1.8 DX and the F2 and the Zeiss 35mm f/2.0 Distagon T* ZF
blows them away.On full frame bodies, the entire frame is sharp dead center and corner to corner. Vignette is there but barely visible. When I set vignette control to Low on my D700, it's not even noticeable.
Manual focus handling is very smooth. Luckily, I received a pretty good copy that doesn't feel like turning a wrench. The 35mm range is perfect for walk around, street and light landscapes. It's not the lightest 35mm around but it's light and comfortable enough, when paired with my d700 (without the grip) this acts as a poor mans' Leica just a bit bigger and heaver.
Even though it isn't a macro lens, this little zeiss is able to focus pretty close, as close as 8 inches from the lens. It's extremely versatile. I usually have this lens on my camera most of the time, It used to be the 100 f2 makro but, now it's the 35 f2. My 100 f2 makro still stays in my bag for portraits and products.
I'd recommend you purchase the lens through amazon, here: Zeiss 35mm f/2.0 Distagon T* ZF
Zeiss recently released cpu chipped lenses. No, they still don't autofocus, they are more expensive by several hundred, are optically the same. Except now, The lens now shows up in the EXIF data, whereas before it only showed the aperture and focal distance. With the new ZF.2, since the aperture rings aren't full manual, you're able to shoot in shutter priority whereas before you could not. These refreshed lenses have a ZF.2 extension so you know they're chipped: Zeiss 35mm f/2.0 Distagon T* ZF.2 Series
5 comments:
I just bought the ZF.2 35mm Distagon - looking forward to using it. I now have four of the Zeiss primes; I love them!
Congrats! I might be done for now. I can't justify getting the 50 f2 makro just yet. I really like the 100 f2 makro, truly a classic.
Totally agree on the 100mm, a revelation. Coming to NY with the family in July, you can borrow my 50mm for 5 minutes!
July huh? I may already have the lens by then lol. My wife will kill me if she read this. Anyway, July seems a long ways from now, as I look out and see tons of snow falling.
I'm back in the South of France right now and there has even been snow here - very unusual! Now its raining, no chance to take out the 35mm yet!
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