06-26-2010, 09:04 PM
[quote name='adifrank' date='26 June 2010 - 08:00 PM' timestamp='1277575241' post='717']
Hi people, thanks so much for the response! I've read your comments carefully and they did in fact provide me with new information that I am sure will help me arrive at a decision.
Brightcolors said:
I was actually thinking very seriously about this lens. To tell you the truth, the thing that kind of put me off the idea was the Photozone review of it - [url="http://www.opticallimits.com/canon_eos_ff/505-zeiss25f28eosff"]see it here[/url].
Is this the lens you were referring to? It seems the Photozone reviewers were far from impressed. That being said, I DID read other reviews at other places which did speak highly of the lens... I don't know what to think of it.[/quote]
You have to be very careful. Not all review sites are as objective as this site, especially when it comes to specific brands of glass. There is a good reason why Zeiss hasn't started manufacturing this lens in a ZE mount yet. I reckon it just can't compete with existing Canon glass. They are working on a new design for the 25, however. Once that is done, yes, maybe.
There are two more lenses in this line-up, namely the Canon EF 28 F/1.8, and the TS-E 24 F/3.5L Mk II. If you don't mind MF, you don't mind it is slightly more expensive than the EF 24L II, the TS-E will give you by far the best optics in that range, and allows for quite some extra creative abilities because of its tilt and shift possibilities. And the 28 F/1.8 is one of those underrated little gems out there. I replaced mine with a 24L at the time, but I really hated to see it go, only because it was so good.
Another alternative could be the older 24L, Mark I if you like, which actually is an excellent lens and can probably be had for about half the price of the II in good, used condition. Prior to the 24L II, it was, even by 16-9.net, considered to be the world class leader in its focal length. The Mark II certainly isn't twice as good, so something to look at too IMO.
BTW, if you don't mind slightly longer, there stil are the 35L and the 35 F/2. The former is excellent and F/1.4, the latter is a little gem again, almost as good as the 35L, just that it isn't weather sealed, has an ArcDrive motor for AF (undestructable almost but a little noisy and slow compared to USM), and of course F/2. And the price is really sweet.
And then there also is the ZE 35 F/2, which is considered to be one of the best in the Zeiss lineup.
I don't think it is. The ZF means you still need an adapter, a good one for that matter, and all wil be manual, not only focusing, but also stopping down the aperture, and metering has to be down stopped down too. And see my remarks higher up <img src='http://forum.photozone.de/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt='
' />.
Before you go ahead, make sure the retailer you get it from has a very good return policy. Personally, I hated the IQ SOOC of the 5D II and ZE 28, and I know I deperately wanted to like it. It is also considered one of the lesser brethren in the family. I didn't like the vignetting, which somehow was much stronger than Photozone suggests, and I didn't think the IQ was that good either. Again, the ZE 28, just like the 25, is also not considered to be the best in the Zeiss lineup.
As I mentioned higher up, maybe it is worthwhile looking into a 24L older model. It'll cost you about half the price of the Mark II for a used one in good condition. And it'll give you F/1.4 plus AF, and great bokeh to boot (for a WA).
You may not have to <img src='http://forum.photozone.de/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt='' />.
HTH, kind regards, Wim
Hi people, thanks so much for the response! I've read your comments carefully and they did in fact provide me with new information that I am sure will help me arrive at a decision.
Brightcolors said:
I was actually thinking very seriously about this lens. To tell you the truth, the thing that kind of put me off the idea was the Photozone review of it - [url="http://www.opticallimits.com/canon_eos_ff/505-zeiss25f28eosff"]see it here[/url].
Is this the lens you were referring to? It seems the Photozone reviewers were far from impressed. That being said, I DID read other reviews at other places which did speak highly of the lens... I don't know what to think of it.[/quote]
You have to be very careful. Not all review sites are as objective as this site, especially when it comes to specific brands of glass. There is a good reason why Zeiss hasn't started manufacturing this lens in a ZE mount yet. I reckon it just can't compete with existing Canon glass. They are working on a new design for the 25, however. Once that is done, yes, maybe.
Quote:I think my dilemma has been narrowed down to these alternatives:
Since I'll have plenty to learn about and get used to for a while once I get my new Canon 5d mII (my first ever dSLR) - maybe its a good idea to stick with what I am most familiar with. This being a good prime wide (24,25 or 28mm) lens. Three ways to go with this in mind, as I see it:
(a) go all out, maybe even surpass my budget by a couple hundred bucks and get the best prime glass I can currently afford. This would probably be the Canon EF 24mm f/1.4L II USM AF. $1700 at B&H.
(<img src='http://forum.photozone.de/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/cool.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt='' /> being a bit more tight on my wallet and going for the Zeiss 28mm f/2.0 Distagon T* Lens - which seems to score higher on reviews (also here at Photozone). I'm not discouraged by manual focusing at all, being very accustomed to it. $1283 at B&H.
There are two more lenses in this line-up, namely the Canon EF 28 F/1.8, and the TS-E 24 F/3.5L Mk II. If you don't mind MF, you don't mind it is slightly more expensive than the EF 24L II, the TS-E will give you by far the best optics in that range, and allows for quite some extra creative abilities because of its tilt and shift possibilities. And the 28 F/1.8 is one of those underrated little gems out there. I replaced mine with a 24L at the time, but I really hated to see it go, only because it was so good.
Another alternative could be the older 24L, Mark I if you like, which actually is an excellent lens and can probably be had for about half the price of the II in good, used condition. Prior to the 24L II, it was, even by 16-9.net, considered to be the world class leader in its focal length. The Mark II certainly isn't twice as good, so something to look at too IMO.
BTW, if you don't mind slightly longer, there stil are the 35L and the 35 F/2. The former is excellent and F/1.4, the latter is a little gem again, almost as good as the 35L, just that it isn't weather sealed, has an ArcDrive motor for AF (undestructable almost but a little noisy and slow compared to USM), and of course F/2. And the price is really sweet.
And then there also is the ZE 35 F/2, which is considered to be one of the best in the Zeiss lineup.
Quote: © if I can confidently disregard the not-so-hot review of the Zeiss 25mm f/2.8 Distagon T* ZF and count on it providing excellent crisp images, this would probably be the wisest choice for me.
I don't think it is. The ZF means you still need an adapter, a good one for that matter, and all wil be manual, not only focusing, but also stopping down the aperture, and metering has to be down stopped down too. And see my remarks higher up <img src='http://forum.photozone.de/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt='
' />.Quote:Being about half the price of the Canon 24mm/1.4L II, it will leave me with the option of getting a 2nd lens in the near future - $826 at B&H.
Before you go ahead, make sure the retailer you get it from has a very good return policy. Personally, I hated the IQ SOOC of the 5D II and ZE 28, and I know I deperately wanted to like it. It is also considered one of the lesser brethren in the family. I didn't like the vignetting, which somehow was much stronger than Photozone suggests, and I didn't think the IQ was that good either. Again, the ZE 28, just like the 25, is also not considered to be the best in the Zeiss lineup.
As I mentioned higher up, maybe it is worthwhile looking into a 24L older model. It'll cost you about half the price of the Mark II for a used one in good condition. And it'll give you F/1.4 plus AF, and great bokeh to boot (for a WA).
Quote: This Option is kind of what Scott - California suggested:
... but I'd rather get a better wide lens and give up the 85mm lens for now.
You may not have to <img src='http://forum.photozone.de/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt='
' />.Quote:If anyone has any further insight regarding what I've managed to figure out, I'd be happy to hear it.
Thanks!!
p.s.
I'm currently not in North America, though I might be moving to New York in a couple of years (...not quite West Coast). I don't doubt the quality of Chromira printers, but the inkjet printer I'm talking about is no ordinary inkjet printer. It is a specialty printer for photography, the staff is photography dedicated and they sit with you patiently going over each and every color-correction and test print-out. They use specialty fine-art paper imported from Germany (don't remember the paper company name... I'll find out and post back on it). It's a different beast when compared to other techniques of printing, but the outcomes are really unique and amazing. This guy opened up his shop about a year ago and photographers are swarming.
Peace!
HTH, kind regards, Wim
Gear: Canon EOS R with 3 primes and 2 zooms, 4 EF-R adapters, Canon EOS 5 (analog), 9 Canon EF primes, a lone Canon EF zoom, 2 extenders, 2 converters, tubes; Olympus OM-D 1 Mk II & Pen F with 12 primes, 6 zooms, and 3 Metabones EF-MFT adapters ....