Welcome to our community

Be a part of something great, join today!

Log in
  • Hey all, just changed over the backend after 15 years I figured time to give it a bit of an update, its probably gonna be a bit weird for most of you and i am sure there is a few bugs to work out but it should kinda work the same as before... hopefully :)

Zeiss vs. Nikon 35mm still lenses

PrairieSoul said:
An important issue about using still lenses... we are shooting "Moving Pictures". Still lenses are not designed for follow focus. If the subject or the camera is moving, (which it often is) then pulling focus is a serious issue. The whole point of T1.3/1.4 lenses is the depth of field. If you are shooting wide open and trying to keep a moving focal plane in focus, believe me, you do not want to be stuck on a still lens not designed for follow focus.

The best lenses: Zeiss Super Speeds T1.3

They are have a PL mount and a set of 5 (18mm, 25mm, 35mm, 50mm, 85mm) lenses rents for $300/day from most rental houses.
Click to expand...

Don't worry, with still lenses you can shoot a graet movie. It is all about your cinematography style. Getting more expensive lenses and cameras will not you make a great cinematographer at all. Read more about cinematographer style at the VITTORIO STORARO's trilogy 'Scrivere con la luce/Writing with Light' [1. 'La luce/The Light' (2001), 2. 'I colori/The Colours' (2002) & 3. 'Gli elementi/The Elements' (2003)].
 
I agree, we all have to remember that pants dont make the man. Great films have been made with lousy gear.

On that note, I'm considering buying a Redrock follow focus system, because its designed to work with still lenses. There might be an issue with 15mm vs 19mm rod support, but with everything designed to be fully modular, I cant see it being a deal breaker of a problem.

-John
 
PerfectOptics said:
I agree, we all have to remember that pants dont make the man. Great films have been made with lousy gear.

On that note, I'm considering buying a Redrock follow focus system, because its designed to work with still lenses. There might be an issue with 15mm vs 19mm rod support, but with everything designed to be fully modular, I cant see it being a deal breaker of a problem.

-John
Click to expand...

Try out microFollowFocus Indie Bundle and test a wide range of lens mounts, or choose just one and go. It is a very good lens test platform before RED ships. Also choose your camera with M2, HVX or HDV, all are really good value for money.
 
I like Ken Rockwell's review, and for a still photographer, it makes a lot of sense. You have amazing glass from Nikon and Canon, that can do a lot more than those Zeiss lenses for a lot less money. And honestly, after photoshop, nothing is really unnaceptable anymore, not even distortion...

But what makes the zeiss glass interesting is the mechanical, all manual construction, and the quality (because it's a manual glass built with today's technology, something pretty rare). Focusing with still lenses for moving images, (like we have to do with 35mm adapters) is very hard, and with autofocus, infinite turning focus rings is a REAL pain.

So the Zeiss glass makes me wonder if it's not a better investment, even though a little more expensive. A whole set would cover a pretty interesting range (25, 35, 50 and 85) for around $2600. Not bad at all.

But I'm probably going to start with the Nikons I already have...
 
Like always I go with a mixture. Trying to find for the best affordable solution. The mix will later include some original Zeiss/Contax and legendary Leica.
 
Yes, Chuck more in that way, hope the RED will make Zeiss/Contax mount...???...this year...
 
The Third Man said:
Yes, Chuck more in that way, hope the RED will make Zeiss/Contax mount...???...this year...
Click to expand...

Then there is the 200mm f2 apo-sonnar which you can fit with the Zeiss 1.4x and 2x mutars giving you a 280mm f2.8 and a 400mm f4. Has anyone been using the Zeiss Contax 17-35mm f2.8 ?

Chuck
 
chuck colburn said:
Then there is the 200mm f2 apo-sonnar which you can fit with the Zeiss 1.4x and 2x mutars giving you a 280mm f2.8 and a 400mm f4. Has anyone been using the Zeiss Contax 17-35mm f2.8 ?

Chuck
Click to expand...

This is odd. This lens sure looks like it focuses the same way as a cine lens.

http://cgi.ebay.com/exDEMO-Contax-C...63QQihZ008QQcategoryZ3340QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

And this one too.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dl...tToStoreCat&refwidgettype=cross_promot_widget

Chuck
 
Couple of points to mention here. First of all I think most people buying Zeiss lenses (myself included) have already tested Nikon's and chose the Zeiss instead of Nikon. The reverse is not always true.

A lot of people are quick to point out that ZF's are made in Japan and are nothing special, when it comes to light that they have never actually used them and are relying on some random internet reporter to think for them.

I recently purchased a set of 4 Zeiss ZF lenses (25, 35, 50, 85). Here's my take on it. They are really sharp. Mechanically they feel solid. The set only costs $3050.00... A tiny amount in the grand scheme of things. Plus, there is a HUGE marketing appeal of saying you have Zeiss lenses.

The only real disappointment with ZF was discovering that not all of them have 270-degree focus scales. They are, in fact, all different. They vary from a measly 90-degrees on the 35mm, to 270 degrees on the 50mm and 85mm, to a full 360 degrees on the 25mm. Weird huh?

Overall I am happy with my purchase and plan to supplement the set of 4 with a Nikon 18mm to round out the set. But you can believe as soon as Zeiss makes an 18mm in the ZF line I will promptly replace the Nikon with the Zeiss and never look back. They are just simpler, better lenses.

That's my opinion. Thanks for listening..
 
The Third Man said:
hope the RED will make Zeiss/Contax mount...???...this year...
Click to expand...

They don't need to. You can buy a Contax/Canon EOS adapter right now for under 50 bucks and begin using those lenses TODAY. No need to wait on RED...
 
I wanted to say that yesterday I also received a brand new set of the Zeiss lenses. Although I haven't had time to fully test them yet, I can still say that so far I like what I see. For now I'll be using them with a Letus Extreme adapter (supposedly far better than Redrock) and an HVX. For Red I have a Canon super16mm 8-64mm zoom which is good enough until I can afford Arri's or 'real' 35mm Zeisses. I am also waiting for Red to catch up with all of their lenses. Maybe Red will win out in the end?

By the way, that review that somebody posted earlier in the thread (that wasn't too favorable towards Zeiss) is from a still photography guy who whished the lenses had auto focusing on them... enough said with that! :)
 
The ZFs are very fine lenses, I just think as a low budget option they don't offer much more than the equivalent Nikkors at twice the price. The P+S technic ZF mods may have more to offer, despite being over three times as much they do offer built in focus gears, 80mm uniform fronts and most importantly very clear distance and witness marks. I'd also assume the focus is smoother and easier. My biggest complaint about the regular ZFs I've played with is their stiff focusing, not good for fast moving follow focusing. The P+S set is $11,200 for all four but that is still just slightly more than 1/2 the price of a 20 year old Zeiss PL mount standard speed set. (Which is what I own am very happy with).
 
P+S Technik Zeiss re-housed

P+S Technik Zeiss re-housed

Has anyone used-test the re-housed Zeiss lenses by P+S Technik (Nikon Mount). The price point 2.500 US is not bad if their functionality comes close to cine-lenses. A documented opinion would be very helpful for me and others looking for the possibility of using Nikon mount lenses with the red.
Panos B.
 
No it's not just you, but they did not aim at adapters only...
Zeiss got smart and start realizing the importance of the marketing game, which is not that bad.
They take small small steps, probably that's why we don't see any real wides just yet.
Yes, Cosina makes them, but they are very much Zeiss, so don't worry they will perform as promised.
Nikons are great, and when you compare them separately they are... great; and maybe of too little difference to justify the price,but not untill you get a set and shoot with it. You'll find your self smiling.
In my opinion it's the best still lens substitute for a high end PL prime lens.
That said I own the 50 and 85 and I am going to get some more :)
Cheers
 
Evin Grant said:
The ZFs are very fine lenses, ...
Click to expand...

Thanks Evin

I always enjoy your lens posts. The reason I went with Zeiss over Nikkor, besides their 'good enough' quality even if a bit more expensive than Nikkors, is that I personally saw a value in being able to type out the letters 'Zeiss' on my kit list. I have sometime some idiot clients who don't trust anything unless it is vaguely the same thing that they somehow heard to be the best. These people suddenly become experts and insist that everything must be name brand. So fine. Now I can say that we have 35mm Zeiss optics... even if the Canon S16mm Zoom that I have is much much better for cine applications (which also costs a ton more). It's just that when they hear 'Canon' they begin to frown. Go figure.
 
hey
where are you found the zeiss 18mm zf lens??
it not exist yet!!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top