Setting for Zeiss 35 1.4

[Leslie22]

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Question for those using the Zeiss Distagon 35 1.4 , What setting do you use in the lens recognition , I have mine turned `off , but is there a better solution , Thanks

 

 

 

 

 

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[lct]

I have no experience with the Distagon 35/1.4 but its vignetting looks similar to that of Summilux 35/1.4 asph lenses so i would be inclined to choose the following profile through the lens detection menu. Better have this confirmed by a Distagon user though:
35 f/1.4 ASPH 11663/11874/11883

[marchyman]

10 hours ago, Leslie22 said:

Question for those using the Zeiss Distagon 35 1.4 , What setting do you use in the lens recognition , I have mine turned `off , but is there a better solution , Thanks

 

Better?  Don't know.  But I prefer that image lens metadata match the lens I used, not some other lens that has similar performance.  I use Lightroom and assume that the Adobe corrections for the actual lens used is equal to or better than selecting the closest Leica lens.  I suppose that could be wishful thinking.

To get proper metadata required a minor tweak to my work flow.   I use a script that copies data from memory card to computer.  Once on the computer in the location I like I import the images to Lightroom in add-to-catalog mode.  I adjusted that script to let me update the lens metadata when copying images.   Another way I could have done the job is to use the Lightroom LensTagger plug-in.  Changing the script was easiest for me.  I set lens recognition to OFF in camera.

I do this for my C Biogon 2.8/35.  The process would be the same for any unsupported lens.

Edited April 9, 2023 by marchyman

[jimmielx]

I have the Distagon but am using it on an M9P and recently an M246.

I did experiment with the codes reportedly recommended by Zeiss below. However on my M9 I found that using the code created a colour shift on either side of the image which isn’t present when I use the lens uncoded. For that reason I use it uncoded. I assume that the M9 is correcting for a colour shift that is present in those corresponding Leica lenses which is not present with the Distagon and that shows an over-correction when applied to the Distagon.

As I understand it the BSI sensor on the M11 shows much less colour shift that the older sensors, so presumably the Leica codes would therefore apply less correction and might therefore work better on the M11.

My best advice would be to try selecting various different codes manually from the menu and see how it affects the image - compared to uncoded which would just show the lens performance unaltered by anything in camera. I would check for any unwanted colour shift - a shot straight up at a clear blue sky would do this. The Zeiss does also vignette a bit (as you’d expect from a fast 35) and applying a code would likely also reduce this, so that’s also worth checking, but given how simple it is to control this in Lightroom I wouldn’t give this too much consideration. Finally there is an advantage to choosing the correct focal length if you are going to use the camera’s auto ISO with slowest shutter speed based on a the focal length as the 6 bit code is how the camera knows this bit of information. An alternative is to use a fixed slowest shutter speed which I do anyway.

Hope that helps. I find it to be a spectacular lens, big, but not as big as reviews would have you think. The images are more than worth it - butter smooth bokeh, crisp yet smooth rendering, fantastic subject separation in a way that feels really natural. Love mine!

 

[Nimar]

2 hours ago, marchyman said:

Better?  Don't know.  But I prefer that image lens metadata match the lens I used, not some other lens that has similar performance.  I use Lightroom and assume that the Adobe corrections for the actual lens used is equal to or better than selecting the closest Leica lens.  I suppose that could be wishful thinking.

To get proper metadata required a minor tweak to my work flow.   I use a script that copies data from memory card to computer.  Once on the computer in the location I like I import the images to Lightroom in add-to-catalog mode.  I adjusted that script to let me update the lens metadata when copying images.   Another way I could have done the job is to use the Lightroom LensTagger plug-in.  Changing the script was easiest for me.  I set lens recognition to OFF in camera.

I do this for my C Biogon 2.8/35.  The process would be the same for any unsupported lens.

I briefly tried using lensTagger but only import once a week across 2 bodies and 5 lenses so was a faff. I wrote a wee script that could be easily updated to include Zeiss lenses and turns on the correct lens correction. 

https://github.com/sbramin/voigtlenser/blob/master/voigtlenser.sh

 

 

 

[Robert Blanko]

None at all.

i never felt the need for special correction. If vignetting is an issue, I fix it in post processing. It depends on the aperture anyway.

[Leslie22]

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Thank you all for your help. I will compare OFF with 28/2 and see how it goes. I agree the Zeiss is spectacular and not as big as it's reputation.

Thanks again

 

[marchyman]

19 hours ago, Nimar said:

I briefly tried using lensTagger

Yeah, I have it but haven't used it since testing after install.  I, too, use exiftool to update lens metadata.   Much easier for my needs.

[JiriS]

I also use the Distagon uncoded on my SL. 

I have created custom LCC profile in Capture One which automatically removes vignetting and the (slight) color cast (green edge) that I get with that lens. I usually add a bit of vignetting back in. 

Here is how to make the LCC profile: https://support.captureone.com/hc/en-us/articles/360002581657-Creating-an-LCC-reference-image

I have used semi-opaque piece of plastic (diffuser from LED video light) and shot through it against overcast sky. This created perfect image with just the “flaws” of the lens that Capture One will then correct for.

This doesn’t handle distortion, but I never had distortion issue with the Distagon.

 

[lct]

1 hour ago, JiriS said:

I have created custom LCC profile in Capture One which automatically removes vignetting and the (slight) color cast (green edge) that I get with that lens.

Do you mean color cast on the M11? Just curious as i have never seen red or green edges on the M11 with WA and UWA lenses so far. I have no experience with the ZM 35/1.4 though.

[JiriS]

I’m shooting with Leica SL (601) and there is a small amount of green color cast on the edges of the image. I haven’t tested with M cameras so it may be a non-issue for M. 

[Mikko Kankainen]

No color cast with M11 or SL2-S with this lens. It's a great lens. Nothing special, just a snapshot about a week ago. No correction in this sample image, there is some vignetting but it is easy to correct and there is a profile in Lightroom.

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Edited April 13, 2023 by Mikko Kankainen