Anybody using mainly Carl Zeiss lenses for your Nikon DSLR ?

[photobum]

This is quite cool...and affordable too! But how did u do the surgery? Or does the price include surgery done by them.

If you bring your camera to Orient Photo, I am sure they will not hesitate to install the split-prism screen for you. However, try to go there during 'off-peak' hours such as a weekday morning (they open at 10:30am).

To install it is not difficult, just tricky. You'll need patience and gentle hands.

 

[weekh]

I use ZF lenses on EOS.

 

[calebk]

I use ZF lenses on EOS.

Eh? You use all kinds of exotic lenses on your 5D leh.

 

[All Blue]

Hey, this sounds interesting. I'm currently using Nikkor on EOS. Would like to try CZ on cams. I noticed that much of the lens are primes. I'm used to zoom but using prime is a challenge for me.

 

[psychobiologist]

the first CZ lens that i wanted to get was the 85mm F1.4 actually, but eventually i got the 50mm F1.4, due to a couple of reasons/decisions i made.

85mm f1.4 is perhaps stunning in sharpness wide open with the creamy bokeh, but the min focus distance is 100cm, at f1.4, gives a DOF of 0.72CM

the 50mm F1.4 has a min focus distance of 45cm, at F1.4, gives a DOF of 0.41cm..

when it comes to working at 1m, 1.5m, 2m the corresponding DOF is

1 metre :
50mm F1.4 - DOF 2.15CM
85mm F1.4 - DOF 0.72CM

1.5 metre :
50mm F1.4 - DOF 4.92cm
85mm F1.4 - DOF 1.66cm

2 metres :
50mm F1.4 - DOF 8.83cm
85mm F1.4 - DOF 3cm

2.5 metres
50mm F1.4 - DOF 13.9cm
85mm F1.4 - DOF 4.73cm

3 metres
50mm F1.4 - DOF 20cm
85mm F1.4 - DOF 6.85cm

4 metres
50mm F1.4 - DOF 35cm
85mm F1.4 - DOF 12.3cm

thus.. given my preferred working distance, i'll be able to shoot better with the 50mm, than the 85mm. at F1.4
50mm, manual focus, i get almost 100% in focus shots.. the 85mm will be alot more challenging.. maybe for the more expert shooters..

considering to get a ZF wider prime i.e. the 25mm ZF subjected to pocket depth.. and perhaps in future the 100mm F2 macro. so.. why zeiss? i dont know.. there's something in the color and contrast/image that strikes me

 

[Hacker]

Nobody mentioned the 3D, naturalness and smoot transistional qualities from light to dark colors and vice versa.

No lens manufacturer has beaten Zeiss yet on edge sharpness for wide angle (21 and below) for RF and SLF. And definitely, they are not cheap, especially the German made ones (ZM 15mm and ZM 85mm for Leica M mount).

In short, you cannot go wrong unless your eyesight is poor like mine and manual focusing is critical (or use zone focusing or use RF).

 

[frantic]

in fact... ZF 85/1.4 is not good as Nikkor one...
but the others...

 

[psychobiologist]

in fact... ZF 85/1.4 is not good as Nikkor one...
but the others...

hmm.. any reasons why not as good?

i've been looking at many pictures from the ZF 85mm, and i find the contrast/sharpness at F1.4 above that of the nikkor

 

[JOHN LEE]

It has no-brand (Made in China) but good enough for me (a full-time professional photographer). No exposure compensation is required!

It is made from very high-quality polycarbonate. I don't find any flaw on mine. If you want to be cautious, make sure you check the split prism screen before leaving the store. Anyway, I have no problems with my purchases at Orient Photo so far (touch wood).

Service is excellent as usual.

This sound great! I don't think there should be any problem if Split Prism is use with the AF lens. Am I right?

BTW, where is this Orient Photo. Sim Lim 5th floor?

 

[lsisaxon]

It has no-brand (Made in China) but good enough for me (a full-time professional photographer). No exposure compensation is required!

It is made from very high-quality polycarbonate. I don't find any flaw on mine. If you want to be cautious, make sure you check the split prism screen before leaving the store. Anyway, I have no problems with my purchases at Orient Photo so far (touch wood).

Service is excellent as usual.

Hmmm... that sounds good.. Is it available for other bodies other than D200?

 

[psychobiologist]

This sound great! I don't think there should be any problem if Split Prism is use with the AF lens. Am I right?

BTW, where is this Orient Photo. Sim Lim 5th floor?

i'm just wondering if the AF indicators will still be there for this $60 screen, as the katz-eye one has the usual 11 points with the microprism n stuff around the centre AF point..

 

[lsisaxon]

i'm just wondering if the AF indicators will still be there for this $60 screen, as the katz-eye one has the usual 11 points with the microprism n stuff around the centre AF point..

If I'm not wrong, I think the brackets are on an overlay and not on the focusing screen itself.

 

[Quinty]

Another question..
Out of the various Carl Zeiss F-mount lenses..
Which of them would you rather get the Nikkor variant ?

By looking at the specifications of the Carl Zeiss lenses,
it can be concluded that they're heavier.

For some of them, the elements versus the groups ratio is lesser than the Nikkor variant.
Others could be more.
Heard that this factor will cause some loss of light within the lens.

Will this be a basis for you to get the Nikkor than the Carl Zeiss lens ?

 

[psychobiologist]

Another question..
Out of the various Carl Zeiss F-mount lenses..
Which of them would you rather get the Nikkor variant ?

By looking at the specifications of the Carl Zeiss lenses,
it can be concluded that they're heavier.

For some of them, the elements versus the groups ratio is lesser than the Nikkor variant.
Others could be more.
Heard that this factor will cause some loss of light within the lens.

Will this be a basis for you to get the Nikkor than the Carl Zeiss lens ?

i'll get a nikkor when i need the AF to catch stuff that i cannot shoot with MF (due to my inexperience)

i'll get a zeiss when my wallet is fuller, and when i'm looking towards a quiet.. slow.. no time contraints shoot.. ~

loss of light is not too much a concern for me as of yet due to to element number

 

[Quinty]

Bumping up thread to gather more replies.

 

[lsisaxon]

Bumping up thread to gather more replies.

Don't think you'll get anything more than what is already here. Afterall, it's a Nikon sytem, not many people will buy the new ZF lenses to replace their existing Nikkor all over again, plus they are MF so some people will hold back too. The most is just to get a couple of signature ZF lenses just for keeps.

 

[Ansel]

If you bring your camera to Orient Photo, I am sure they will not hesitate to install the split-prism screen for you. However, try to go there during 'off-peak' hours such as a weekday morning (they open at 10:30am).

To install it is not difficult, just tricky. You'll need patience and gentle hands.

Just one last question before the TS shouts OT. Does changing to the screen affect the AF operation of the D200 in any way? Does the AF still perform normally as usual?

OK, just to keep this post on thread, I do use ZF and CV manual lenses on my Nikon DSLR.

 

[lsisaxon]

Just one last question before the TS shouts OT. Does changing to the screen affect the AF operation of the D200 in any way? Does the AF still perform normally as usual?

OK, just to keep this post on thread, I do use ZF and CV manual lenses on my Nikon DSLR.

No it should not.. the AF path is through the half mirrored area and onto a secondary mirror reflected to the bottom of the mirror box opposite to where the focusing screen is, so the focusing screen has nothing to do with AF.

 

[weekh]

The ZF100 is :thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup:

 

[calebk]

The ZF100 is :thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup:
...

Oh, the poison.