ZEISS ZM lenses on M10?

[250swb]

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4 hours ago, Viv said:

No. Not really necessary.

It is for the wider lenses, say 21mm, but it's easy to do, there is a rebate machined into the lens flange designed to take paint for the coding, and you only need the black marks.

[Viv]

No. Not really necessary.

[Viv]

Thank you for the info. I will probably go for a 50 mm.

[pedaes]

10 minutes ago, Viv said:

Thank you for the info. I will probably go for a 50 mm.

Always a good choice. Leica have more fifties in the catalogue than any other focal length for a reason. 

[bags27]

And consider the Zeiss 50 f/1.5 Sonnar, if you're interesting in a slightly less contrasty, more "filmic" look. Often pretty cheap on ebay.

[Viv]

Yes indeed. That one is on my shortlist.

[genji]

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I have seven ZM lenses, from 25mm to 85mm. Depending on the focal length they range in quality from very good to superb. The only ZM I didn’t like was the Biogon 35/2 because the corners never got completely sharp with the copy I had. I replaced it with a C Biogon 35/2.8 and a Distagon 35/1.4, which I what I should have purchased in the first place.

If the C Sonnar 50/1.5 is on your shortlist, you should be aware that this (wonderful) lens exhibits severe focus shift. To confuse things further, some lenses are optimised for f/1.5 and others for f/2.8. The review I link to below states that Zeiss now optimises the lens for f/2. In other words, the focus shift issue is a hot mess of conflicting opinions and the only way to know for certain about any individual copy is to test it. My own copy is optimised for f/2.8, which suits me well.

I’d also be wary of having the 50/1.5 ZM as your only 50mm lens, unless you are totally enamoured with its unique rendering. 50mm is my favourite focal length and I have way too many 50mm lenses. But if I could only have one, I’d choose the Summilux-M 50/1.4 ASPH (beautiful rendering wide open, nicely sharp stopped down, floating element design that improves close range performance and eliminates focus shift). Otherwise, if I liked the look of the 50/1.5 ZM I’d pair it with the Planar 50/2 ZM, two complementary lenses for a fraction of the price of the Lux 50 ASPH.

Here’s a link to a comprehensive review of the C Sonnar 50/1.5 ZM:

https://www.35mmc.com/22/11/2015/zeiss-zm-f1-5-50mm-c-sonnar/

He’s using the lens on Leica film bodies, however, so I’d take his opinion that focus shift doesn’t matter in normal usage with a grain of salt.

[genji]

I have seven ZM lenses, from 25mm to 85mm. Depending on the focal length they range in quality from very good to superb. The only ZM I didn’t like was the Biogon 35/2 because the corners never got completely sharp with the copy I had. I replaced it with a C Biogon 35/2.8 and a Distagon 35/1.4, which I what I should have purchased in the first place.

If the C Sonnar 50/1.5 is on your shortlist, you should be aware that this (wonderful) lens exhibits severe focus shift. To confuse things further, some lenses are optimised for f/1.5 and others for f/2.8. The review I link to below states that Zeiss now optimises the lens for f/2. In other words, the focus shift issue is a hot mess of conflicting opinions and the only way to know for certain about any individual copy is to test it. My own copy is optimised for f/2.8, which suits me well.

I’d also be wary of having the 50/1.5 ZM as your only 50mm lens, unless you are totally enamoured with its unique rendering. 50mm is my favourite focal length and I have way too many 50mm lenses. But if I could only have one, I’d choose the Summilux-M 50/1.4 ASPH (beautiful rendering wide open, nicely sharp stopped down, floating element design that improves close range performance and eliminates focus shift). Otherwise, if I liked the look of the 50/1.5 ZM I’d pair it with the Planar 50/2 ZM, two complementary lenses for a fraction of the price of the Lux 50 ASPH.

Alternatively, you could get two lenses for one (slightly romantic rendering wide open, sharp stopped down) with the CV Nokton 50/1.2.

Here’s a link to a comprehensive review of the C Sonnar 50/1.5 ZM:

https://www.35mmc.com/22/11/2015/zeiss-zm-f1-5-50mm-c-sonnar/

He’s using the lens on Leica film bodies, however, so I’d take his opinion that focus shift doesn’t matter in normal usage with a grain of salt.

Edited September 7, 2019 by genji
Added suggestion about CV 50/1.2

[Viv]

Thank you for your very informative comments.

I am aware of the focus shift problem with the Sonnar 50. For this reason, I may opt for the 50 Planar.

[james.liam]

Lloyd Chamber (diglloyd.com) has one of the more exhaustive analyses of ZM lenses on Leica M. Worth the subscription to get a sense of what works best on M bodies. IIRC, the 50 Planar was solid if unremarkable. 

 

In re: 50 Sonnar, Zeiss optimizes the focus for f/2.8 (they did the same for the 35 f/2 Biogon) so it isn’t the sharpest tool in the chest wide-open because of focus shift. Zeiss will adjust the Sonnar to optimize for f/1.5 if that’s where you’d shoot it most. 

Edited September 10, 2019 by james.liam

[pedaes]

31 minutes ago, james.liam said:

Lloyd Chamber (diglloyd.com) has one of the more exhaustive analyses of ZM lenses on Leica M. Worth the subscription to get a sense of what works best on M bodies. IIRC, the 50 Planar was solid if unremarkable. 

 

In re: 50 Sonnar, Zeiss optimizes the focus for f/2.8 (they did the same for the 35 f/2 Biogon) so it isn’t the sharpest tool in the chest wide-open because of focus shift. Zeiss will adjust the Sonnar to optimize for f/1.5 if that’s where you’d shoot it most. 

If you are looking for in depth objective reviews and comparison testing have a look at Sean Reid. Also subscription I am afraid.

https://www.reidreviews.com/articleindextable.html

[james.liam]

Reid does selective reviews, excellent that they are. Lloyd has systematically done so for every ZM lens ever made.

[genji]

3 hours ago, james.liam said:

Reid does selective reviews, excellent that they are. Lloyd has systematically done so for every ZM lens ever made.

Sean Reid approaches the task of reviewing as an artist, Lloyd Chambers as a technician.

[J.Nordvik]

I have been using digital M since 2011. About 50% of my pictures have been taken with a ZM Planar 2,0/50.

It is not a perfect lens, but it do not have any serious problems either. 

 

I had to have it calibrated at Oberkochen, so there might be some problems with QC.

[james.liam]

1 hour ago, genji said:

Sean Reid approaches the task of reviewing as an artist, Lloyd Chambers as a technician.

There’s a place for both when choosing your instrument of choice. 

[Viv]

5 hours ago, james.liam said:

There’s a place for both when choosing your instrument of choice. 

Quite right. Photography is both an art and a craft.

[RexGig0]

18 hours ago, james.liam said:

There’s a place for both when choosing your instrument of choice. 

True, and, there can be a place for multiple instruments, with some photographers. 😀 I have accumulated three Fifties, a Summilux-M ASPH, a pre-APO/pre-ASPH Summicron, and an Elmar-M, in less than two years. 

To cite a non-M example, in the Canon EOS EF system, I “upgraded” to the EF 35mm f/2 IS, and EF 35mm f/1.4L II, after acquiring my 50MP 5Ds R. Not only do both of these lenses have their place, but, I find myself wishing I had kept my first-generation EF 35mm f/1.4L, for the sake of art.

Now, I know; never sell or trade a known-good lens, in order to finance the acquisition of its potential replacement. The imperfections of the first-generation 35/1.4L, that caused it to be omitted from Canon’s list of recommended lenses for the 5Ds/5Ds R, were what made the lens’ character. I especially loved the first-generation 35/1.4L on APS-C cameras, which I still have.

[srlv712]

What lens detection profile do you guys use for the Zeiss 35mm f2 Biogon on an m10? 35 summicron pre-Asph or Asph? 

[Guest]

I use the zeiss 25mm f2.8 coded manually to 21mm 1134 after some research as its a cracking lens,i love it.

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Hallo,

Look here: Leica M

[gotium]

On 8/29/2019 at 1:32 AM, Viv said:

Thank you all.

I am gravitating towards either the Distagon 35/1.4 or the 50 Planar.

 

I think the distagon 35/1.4 is about the best lens you can get on the M system.