ZF Lenses Moded by Duclos

[Humberto Rivera]

LEICA NOCTILUX-M and Summilux M Lenses

LEICA NOCTILUX-M and Summilux M Lenses

I have a question to which I would appreciate an answer if anyone knows ; can the LEICA NOCTILUX-M 50mm f/0.95 ASPH, and the Leica Summilux M 21mm, M24mm, and M35mm lenses all at f1.4 and all ASPH can they be adapted to a PL Mount? Weather by re-housing them or not? Along the same line of my question, will they maintain their use for the FF35 Camera? Can they be remarked for T-stops? If anyone knows what is the true Circle of Coverage that would also be appreciated? Details can be found at http://us.leica-camera.com/photography/m_system/lenses/ the information is down the page as they go by lens coverage along with a PDF file on each lens.

Humberto Rivera

 

[Matthew Duclos]

I have a question to which I would appreciate an answer if anyone knows ; can the LEICA NOCTILUX-M 50mm f/0.95 ASPH, and the Leica Summilux M 21mm, M24mm, and M35mm lenses all at f1.4 and all ASPH can they be adapted to a PL Mount? Weather by re-housing them or not? Along the same line of my question, will they maintain their use for the FF35 Camera? Can they be remarked for T-stops? If anyone knows what is the true Circle of Coverage that would also be appreciated? Details can be found at http://us.leica-camera.com/photography/m_system/lenses/ the information is down the page as they go by lens coverage along with a PDF file on each lens.

Humberto Rivera

Anything is possible..
It's just a matter of time and money and if it is worth it to an individual.
The lens is made for 35mm still frame (43.27mm image circle).

 

[Humberto Rivera]

Thank you Matthew for your answer, so it’s just matter to time and money.

I would think that we have to think ahead as to what kind of glass were going to considered, Leica, Arri, and Red certainly are a good start. But more importantly the frame itself, the FF35 seems like a good choice, because it reverses the numbers, the 2 to 1 image ratio now becomes the smaller of the choices as far as resolution (but still way over the S35), and the 1.85 and 16:9 become larger in image area. There could still be a bit of cutoff because we’re not really using the full 24mm of the sensor image height.

Humberto Rivera

 

[John Redfern]

I must say I'm really impressed by the Duclos presence and responses to this thread. Unlike a some of vendors (no names no pack-drill who leave a lot of unanswered questions.

I have 2 ZF lenses here on trial at the moment - they are standard still lenses. From what I've seen here there is no doubt that if I go for Zeiss I will get them from Duclos rather than source them here in the UK.

I do have one problem though, and that is breathing. These are the 50mm f2 Macro and the 100mm f2 Macro and it seems quite bad - compared to the Red Pro Prime 50mm which from tests shown here hardly breathes at all. I know very little about lenses so I'm wonder if anything can be done about this or is it just the way it is and once the lens is made that's it.

What do other ZF user think? Is the breathing bad?

John

 

[Andrew Walker]

I must say I'm really impressed by the Duclos presence and responses to this thread. Unlike a some of vendors (no names no pack-drill who leave a lot of unanswered questions.

I have 2 ZF lenses here on trial at the moment - they are standard still lenses. From what I've seen here there is no doubt that if I go for Zeiss I will get them from Duclos rather than source them here in the UK.

I do have one problem though, and that is breathing. These are the 50mm f2 Macro and the 100mm f2 Macro and it seems quite bad - compared to the Red Pro Prime 50mm which from tests shown here hardly breathes at all. I know very little about lenses so I'm wonder if anything can be done about this or is it just the way it is and once the lens is made that's it.

What do other ZF user think? Is the breathing bad?

John

The breathing is manageable and for the price you pay vs. the PL mount lenses you are getting some really nice glass at a great price. The Zeiss ZF lenses are crazy sharp and the mechanics are really nice. Of course if you wanted more pro glass you could get the compact primes that Zeiss sells. I have the 100mm f~2 and I really like that lens. There is breathing in it but again, manageable.

 

[D Fuller]

Exactly, which is why the Zeiss ZF lenses are the best choice for budget, quality glass.

Matthew, are there any real advantages to the Compact Primes over the ZF's with your mods? And do you know if they plan to release the 100mm macro in the CP series?

 

[jimhare]

I haven't found the ZFs to have a big breathing issue, and I do a lot of racking. Maybe it varies from lens to lens. I also have Duclos mod and off the shelf non-modded and the difference is night and day.

 

[albert rudnicki]

"I do have one problem though, and that is breathing. These are the 50mm f2 Macro and the 100mm f2 Macro and it seems quite bad - compared to the Red Pro Prime 50mm which from tests shown here hardly breathes at all. I know very little about lenses so I'm wonder if anything can be done about this or is it just the way it is and once the lens is made that's it."

Macros are not design to perform like a regular lens.

 

[Tom Gleeson]

ZF Focus throw

ZF Focus throw

Having owned a set of Zeiss ZF for a year. I have become acquainted with their strengths and weaknesses. My main negative is the small focus throw on the lens barrels. It varies between the lenses but on a drama setup with focus marks you end up with marks in your focus ring only half a millimetre apart making accuracy very difficult. I know the ZF are better than many Nikons but in dynamic focus situations they are problematic.

The issue is not helped by my Duclos conversion. The focus ring they place on the lens is high quality but just too small. It needs to be a similar diameter and numbers of teeth to say the Cinevate or Redrock lens gears that have attempted to factor in the short throw of stills lenses.

Alternatively I could use a smaller drive gear on my Follow focus but the smallest gear Arri make is 35 teeth so I would need to manufacture one myself.

What have others done to make their follow focus "short throw lens" friendly?

 

[Larry McKee]

My Cinetech Titanium FF has a 25 tooth gear. That helps. I typically shoot with Nikon lenses, so I have gotten used to the shorter throw.

 

[Tom Gleeson]

Focus throw

Focus throw

The Cinetech Titanium FF with 25 teeth sounds good but it all depends on the gearbox inside. With traditional FF units on a PL Cine lens one full rotation of the FF wheel would rotate the lens from infinity to minimum. I would love to do that with the ZF. Any ideas?

 

[C.H.Haskell]

That 100mm looks awesome. But I think the next one on my list to get is the 21mm when it comes out next month. I wish Zeiss would make a faster 18mm because f~3.5 is a bit slow.

Considering the 18 as well...slow indeed but perhaps perform well with MX.

 

[Matthew Duclos]

Having owned a set of Zeiss ZF for a year. I have become acquainted with their strengths and weaknesses. My main negative is the small focus throw on the lens barrels. It varies between the lenses but on a drama setup with focus marks you end up with marks in your focus ring only half a millimetre apart making accuracy very difficult. I know the ZF are better than many Nikons but in dynamic focus situations they are problematic.

The issue is not helped by my Duclos conversion. The focus ring they place on the lens is high quality but just too small. It needs to be a similar diameter and numbers of teeth to say the Cinevate or Redrock lens gears that have attempted to factor in the short throw of stills lenses.

Alternatively I could use a smaller drive gear on my Follow focus but the smallest gear Arri make is 35 teeth so I would need to manufacture one myself.

What have others done to make their follow focus "short throw lens" friendly?

Actually, we can make the gear any size up to a 4" diameter. It's all up to the customer.

 

[JD Holloway]

use a hockey stick as a speed crank!

 

[Andrew Walker]

Considering the 18 as well...slow indeed but perhaps perform well with MX.

I never got the 18mm ZF but I did get the 100mm f2 ZF and that lens is awesome. I've now had my ZF lenses for over a year and they still kick ass. I've also been using them to shoot timelapse on my 5D2. The 50mm f1.4 is one of my favorite lenses to shoot timelapse on. When its gets closed down a little bit its crazy sharp.