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Zeiss ZF tests?

Alexander Black

Alexander Black

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Apparently there is not much difference between the Nikons and Zeiss ZF. Sanjin aka The Third Man did a bit about the 50mm (I think it was this lens), try a search of the forums.

The lenses are made in china by Cosina, so strictly speaking they are not Zeiss glass entirely.

They are also for still lens cameras so you don't get the benefit of the Zeiss cine lenses. You might just be better off going with Nikon, there is a far larger scope for different lenses to use and they are cheaper.
 
Ah, heh, in which case the PS+ primes might be much better. Looking around for a middle ground: I don't particularly want to spent $20k on a prime set but there's a "hole" at the top end of the red offering if you buy the 18-50.

_a
 
turing said:
Ah, heh, in which case the PS+ primes might be much better. Looking around for a middle ground: I don't particularly want to spent $20k on a prime set but there's a "hole" at the top end of the red offering if you buy the 18-50.

_a
Click to expand...

Hi Alex,

FWIW the P+S are rebuilt Zeiss ZF.

Stephen
 
I'd be glad to test the ZFs I'm just not going to buy them to do it. If any of you in the LA area have some I'd be totally down to test them.
Most of the reaction I've gotten from various reviews are poitive but not overwehlming. Nikon makes some wicked pieces of glass, especially in these focal lengths, so I would caution against buying based on the Zeiss name alone. Unless you can convince your producer they actually the new Mega Primes:gun:
 
I am tempted to say these would outperform modern Nikon glass. I have a lot of faith in Cosina, and own quite a few of their Voigtlander brand Leica M lenses. They perform VERY well, especially when you compare their price to the Leica equivalent.

Nikon is currently all about mass producing AF lenses, I doubt their quality control more than Cosinas. Plus with Zeiss providing the designs based on their master prime series, I think the quality would be superb.

_mike
 
They focus backwards. They are set up with Nikon focus barrels which is opposite of all the other cine lenses in the world. AC's will hate you. Or the smart ones will steal reversal gears from 300 f2's.


_mike
 
I don't know shit from shinola, but from the Zeiss website:
ZF lenses provide Nikon F-mount cameras with the creative potential and phototechnical performance available so far only in the Contax system. In addition, ZF lenses incorporate new technical advances from the ZEISS Ultra Prime®, Master Prime® and DigiPrime® lenses for motion picture cameras. Results have been seen in feature films like "Lord of the Rings", "Alexander", "King Arthur", "Air Force One", "Collateral", "King Kong" and many commercials and music clips.

Like the ZEISS lenses for motion picture, ZF lenses feature unusually high mechanical quality, fixed focal length, very precise manual focussing, reliability, and exceptional durability. Special attention is paid to guarantee absolute color matching throughout the whole range of lenses resulting in state-of-the-art image quality.

Nobody is looking for "megaprimes", just quality optics.
 
I like Cosina alot, and I'm not dissing the ZFs but the performance of a Nikkor 85mm 1.4, either the AIS or AFD version is a very high standard to achieve.
I'm not talking about the mass market plastic jobs here. I'm talking about pro optics designed to be used in war torn hot spots and by National Geographic photographers. The reality is these are lenses designed decades ago for the Contax line that have been retooled in china by Cosina and coated using some techniques borrowed from the Digi/Master primes. SO..... they will perform very well. But I doubt there will be any appreciable diffrence (except in price) from a similarly speced Nikkor kit.
NOW the P+S ZFs are more interesting to me, not because they will perform better, but because they are cinema specific, gears and all that.
The bottom line is al these lenses will be awesome on your Red, do really think the Zeiss name on your lenses will get you a better rental rate?
If so, buy them.

Personally I will have my Nikkor kit for lower budget and specialty shooting
and my Red primes/Zoom for the bigger projects. I might pick up one of those P+S ZF Macros though.
 
If I, uh, stumble on a set I'll fedex 'em down to you :)

Didn't know that the P+S lenses were just rehoused ZFs, vewwy intewwesting.

Anyone have any idea on street price for the P+S set?

And, happily, I could care less about the special name on the lens: I want good performance for the least amount of dosh ;)

_a
 
turing said:
If I, uh, stumble on a set I'll fedex 'em down to you :)

Didn't know that the P+S lenses were just rehoused ZFs, vewwy intewwesting.

Anyone have any idea on street price for the P+S set?

And, happily, I could care less about the special name on the lens: I want good performance for the least amount of dosh ;)

_a
Click to expand...

Hi Adam,

http://www.pstechnik.de/en/optics-zeiss.php

There is no price listed but I remember 2250 per lens, probably EURO.

Stephen
 
On the assumption red won't sell their 85 prime separately, that could be a very nice way of completing a set: 18-50 red zoom and a PS prime. Would have to test them for matching, blah blah, but under $3k ain't bad.

_a
 
turing said:
On the assumption red won't sell their 85 prime separately, that could be a very nice way of completing a set: 18-50 red zoom and a PS prime. Would have to test them for matching, blah blah, but under $3k ain't bad.

_a
Click to expand...

Hi Adam,

Except it's in Nikon mount & not PL. IMHO you dont want to be changing mounts if you can avoid it. I guess P+S will realise their error & bring out a PL Version!

Stephen
 
ZFs are all very good lenses. I owe ZF 50mm f/1.4. An excellent lens. Also I provided a short video shot with M2 adapter on HDV camera but after all the RED recent samples is not making sense to watch it.

Carl Zeiss Planar T* 1.4/50 ZF video test
http://www.reduser.net/forum/showthread.php?t=287

I have to wait for my RED camera to continue with the tests. Maybe somebody before can do any test with any Nikon F mount lens and post a short video. Maybe Evin has some plans in that direction!?
 
$2,200 or €2,200?
 
Evin Grant said:
Check out his review Sanjin,
http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/readflat.asp?forum=1030&thread=21244546
Click to expand...

Thanks Evin, a very good review. As we know each lens has good and bad sides. Also every lens has a sweet spot that is a different for each lens. That was my idea about a concept to collect a different brands of still photo lenses and try out to squeeze from them the best as possible. I think I do not need P+S Technik ZF variants. I do have a lot still lenses for enough fun with the RED when it comes.
 
Just incase anyone is on the fence about getting the Zeiss ZF lenses for red, I'll give you my 2 cents.

I found that they cost about the same +or- a few hundred as the same set of 2nd hand nikons on KEH. However you get them brand new with not one spec of dust, they feel really solid with the all metal housing and the focus turns about 300 to 320 degrees and is buttery smooth.

Picture quality wise I don't see any big difference compared to my nikons or sigma but I'm not the type to shoot res charts or care to zoom 400% onto a tree branch. What I do notice is that they all share the exact same color.
 
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