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Zeiss Distagon T* 1.4/35 ZM availability? Has anyone gotten a serial version yet?


SiriusLux

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My silver copy of the ZM 35/1.4 will be delivered next week

 

I will not do a "test" but I do intend to shoot the heck out of the lens on the M9, MM and M240 and share some files here for those interested

 

Also will do some side by side shots with the 35/1.4 ASPH as well as the 35/1.4 ASPH FLE and share my thoughts

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Nice lens ......

 

but my copy seems to be back-focussing enough at 1.4 to make use even at medium distances impractical with RF only wide open. :o

 

will ring my dealer tomorrow and see if they have a replacement ..... otherwise it will be a trip back to Zeiss.....

 

at least it's nice to know that Leica isn't the only company that can't get these high performance lenses 100% right out of the box .... :rolleyes:

 

ps ......and no ... it doesn't appear to be focus shift ..... and I have two M bodies and the problem is identical on both...... and confirmed with RF/LV/EVF comparisons .....

Edited by thighslapper
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Nice lens ......

 

but my copy seems to be back-focussing enough at 1.4 to make use even at medium distances impractical with RF only wide open. :o

 

will ring my dealer tomorrow and see if they have a replacement ..... otherwise it will be a trip back to Zeiss.....

 

at least it's nice to know that Leica isn't the only company that can't get these high performance lenses 100% right out of the box .... :rolleyes:

 

ps ......and no ... it doesn't appear to be focus shift ..... and I have two M bodies and the problem is identical on both...... and confirmed with RF/LV/EVF comparisons .....

 

 

That's discomforting to know

 

But atleast the turnaround times I've experienced with Zeiss are around a week to ten days, and a pleasant surprise to find a bottle of nice wine packed along with my lens

 

Could you share some images if you don't mind?

 

My Vorfreude is getting to an all time high as the delivery time is getting closer, albeit somewhat dampened by you saying your copy is back focusing

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Are you saying the hood was included with the lens? I don't think that is the case....

 

Hi Gary,

 

only got back from vacation now, so that's the reason for my late reply.

What I was trying to say is that the originally ordered lens shade came with the delivery of the lens as well, so it was included in the delivery however not included in the price of the lens.

Regards, Joerg

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Nice lens ......

 

but my copy seems to be back-focussing enough at 1.4 to make use even at medium distances impractical with RF only wide open. :o

 

will ring my dealer tomorrow and see if they have a replacement ..... otherwise it will be a trip back to Zeiss.....

 

at least it's nice to know that Leica isn't the only company that can't get these high performance lenses 100% right out of the box .... :rolleyes:

 

ps ......and no ... it doesn't appear to be focus shift ..... and I have two M bodies and the problem is identical on both...... and confirmed with RF/LV/EVF comparisons .....

 

Mine is back focusing by around 1cm at mfd, as tested on a ruler. Interesting also that by stopping down, the dof seems to be extending backwards (away from the camera). Taking this into consideration I think it's easy to compensate for it, so at least on my copy, it's not bad enough to warrant a trip to oberkochen.

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I will not do a "test" but I do intend to shoot the heck out of the lens on the M9, MM and M240 and share some files here for those interested

 

So far, I have found the Le monde de la photo review to be the closest to my experience.

 

It is bulkier than the FLE (exacerbated by the exorbitantly priced Japanese lens shade, which is not even reversible), which is very slightly better centrally, wide open, but the field of focus seems flatter and more uniform (see Tim Ashley's fair account). The bokeh is comparable between the two, at least indoors.

 

Anyway, I'm always taken aback at how good either of these is in comparison to the much bulkier Nikon equivalent, even on a much less capable sensor; I have not looked at the Sigma Art.

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Mine is back focusing by around 1cm at mfd, as tested on a ruler. Interesting also that by stopping down, the dof seems to be extending backwards (away from the camera). Taking this into consideration I think it's easy to compensate for it, so at least on my copy, it's not bad enough to warrant a trip to oberkochen.

 

Mine's 4-5cm out at 1m and still pretty obvious at middle distances with things like flowers .....

 

At f2.8 and above the DOF jumps alarmingly .... and as you say deepens backwards primarily which covers any miscalibration fairly easily.

 

Anyway, even at this knock-down price (when compared to Leica) it is off to be changed or adjusted ....

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not taken many shots but here are a few that might help ......

 

This pair are f1.4 and f4 ....... lens set manually to Leica 35/1.4 (latest) .... still some vignetting ..... I will have to try some other settings ....

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my lens is back focussing ....so here is a crop from the f4 shot only (I have applied my usual sharpening and NR) .....

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and this is why it's going back for adjustment/replacement ........ focus point is on the bright spots on the 3rd tourmaline from the front ........ f1.4 then f2.8 .... :o

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Hard to find anything outside to use f1.4 on in daylight without an ND filter ......

but here is one as the sun went down yesterday ......

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Edited by thighslapper
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My local church .......

 

bit of chroma a 1.4 .... easily disposed of .....

 

bear in mind this lens is back focussing so the candles are a bit off anyway ...

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I must say I was vey tempted by this lens, even if (as Sean Reid suggests) pleasure in using it is compromised by putting up with considerable weight and also some viewfinder blockage. Then I began wondering how many pics I would take at below f4/5.6, which my existing (lightweight) 35 f2.8 Biogon does very well indeed. Would the resolution at f4 be significantly better with the Distagon, say with architectural pics?

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I must say I was vey tempted by this lens, even if (as Sean Reid suggests) pleasure in using it is compromised by putting up with considerable weight and also some viewfinder blockage.

 

Weight and size is frankly not noticeable in use ..... and viewfinder blockage is pretty minimal .... which anyone regularly using a Leica learns to completely ignore anyway.

 

Images at 1.4 do have that extra 3d effect and subject emphasis that makes use of very fast lenses quite special.....

 

Like the Noctilux .... you don't take this lens out for a day and take pics at f5.6 ...... :rolleyes:

 

ps ..... lens number 2 appears tomorrow .... so we will see if the focussing issues are a sporadic or generic issue....

Edited by thighslapper
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