35 mm f2 Distagon rental fail ...

Mind you, the fail is likely on the user end ... :-)

 

I set the camera to manual on the dial and flipped the lever, set the non-CPU menu to 35 mm and f2 for lens 1. Made sure lens 1 was selected. Mounted the lens and it seems to work fine.

 

When I turn the aperture ring, it shows the correct aperture in the readout.

 

I can take pictures and focus etc. and the focus dot works too.

 

However, the aperture does not stay where it's supposed to be. It rolls back from f4 onwards back to f4. Between f2 and f4 I can set it and it stays in place. f8 and higher and it rolls back to f4 or so. Also, the lens does not focus to infinity.

 

What am I doing wrong or is it a dud rental? Seems to render nice though...

Which camera?

Is the Zeiss lens chipped?

As above.

I have the zeiss 35 f2 zf.2 version which is chipped. I set the aperture on a command dial, not with the aperture ring. On my D850, if I unlock the aperture ring and turn it, I get an error message(EE) from the camera, so can't even try to manually set the aperture.

Not focus to infinity? I had a Nikon 35 f1.4 once that that was the case, but my zeiss 35 f2 has no such problem.

D850. Not chipped...

Puzzled. Oh well.

Something wrong with the lens - actually, quite a bit wrong with the lens. A non-chipped lens should just work on the D850 - the non-CPU menu is just to enable matrix metering and to get sensible aperture values reported (without any info in the non-CPU menu, the camera would just report delta-values (steps from wide open)). The fact that the lens doesn't focus to infinity points to something wrong with the optical system - maybe the lens has been dropped or somehow become misaligned.

I have used non chipped Zeiss lenses on various Nikons. They work just like Nikkor ais lenses. Sounds like the lens needs repair.

It's unfortunate as I was using this lens to see if I liked manual focus lenses. I am debating a F1.2 50 mm Nikon. Thanks for all the feedback.

That is a rental lens, right? Just ship it back and request another one or a refund for the rent.

Yes, a rental. I already contacted them and they will refund me. It's in town here in Vancouver so a few steps from where I live. It's a new store so I hope this is a one off as I am looking forward to renting a bunch of lenses from them.

Moving on to your main reason(s) for wanting to own a 50mm f/1.2 Ai-S Nikkor; why?

 

If it's for a brighter viewfinder image - you won't get one. Likewise if it's to get 'snappier' or more accurate manual focus - that won't happen either.

 

There's a peculiarity of Nikon's optical viewing system that limits the effective viewed aperture to around f/1.8 maximum. Both in brightness and apparent depth-of-field. Obviously this is only in the reflex viewfinder image and not in the image captured by the sensor. So just wondering if what you see through the reflex focussing screen is a major factor in wanting an f/1.2 lens.

[uSER=2403817]@rodeo_joe|1[/uSER], I'm not too worried how the image shows up through the viewfinder. I mean, if people were worried about that Sony would be out of business (I looked through a brand new EVF camera the other day and was appalled how bad those things were versus a prism ... So no, not the requirement). I want the manual lens to slow down and force myself to work through a different way of shooting. Even working with the manual focus a bit this weekend, broken lens and all (Gaffer tape to hold the aperture), I found it quite refreshing to do and I certainly stood still more and observed subjects differently. I have a range of G lenses in my closet but nothing manual ...

The Zeiss Milvus 50mm f1.4 lens is a good lens. It holds up well all the way to 1.4. It would certainly be worth renting to see if you like it. I have posted a lot with it in the classical mechanical camera discussion group.

@James Bryant I received my Milvus 50 1.4 last Friday. It's an absolutely stunning lens. Even the first few shots proved a revelation in quality difference from any of my Nikon pro lenses. The cat was my third picture. No changes except a bit of cropping. Capture One V12 used for the output to JPG. f3.5, 2000 ISO at 1/200s

@James Bryant I received my Milvus 50 1.4 last Friday. It's an absolutely stunning lens. Even the first few shots proved a revelation in quality difference from any of my Nikon pro lenses. The cat was my third picture. No changes except a bit of cropping. Capture One V12 used for the output to JPG. f3.5, 2000 ISO at 1/200s[ATTACH=full]1320937[/ATTACH]

 

Beautiful picture and cat. Makes me want to pet it.

quality difference from any of my Nikon pro lenses.

Which ones?

 

Not that I'm remotely impressed with many/any of the latest pro glass from Nikon.

 

I'm happy to pay Sigma's prices for sharper lenses... Period.

Well my 85 1.4G is a bit soft for sure. As is the 50 1.4G, which this will replace. The only 2 lenses that are absolutely perfect are my 70-200 VRII and the 105 2.8 VRI. the 24-70 2.8G is good but not perfect and the 14-24 2.8G is good but maybe not the sharpest either. The 35 1.8 is also very, very good.

I tried 2 Sigma lenses and both were miserable failures. Didn't focus worth a damn, hunting focus and never got a good picture (unless I manually focused them) from either one so both were returned. If a company needs to provide you with a dock to tune up the lens you know there is something not quite right I think.

It does that with only the lens that you rented or with some other Nikon AI/AI-S lenses? The problem more likely to be on the AI coupling on the camera side than on the lens side. The coupling may be sticky and may not spring past 2 stops from max.

If a company needs to provide you with a dock to tune up the lens you know there is something not quite right I think.

Despite the first line of your post as to the overt softness of 2 of Nikon's expensive fast primes...!

 

Interesting.

Despite the first line of your post as to the overt softness of 2 of Nikon's expensive fast primes...!

 

Interesting.

I guess I don't get your point. There are good and bad copies of lenses. Mine may not be the best. But that's a whole different story than a company basically providing a utility or a tool to fix your lenses because it's expected to need it. Like buying a car that comes with a small mechanic to fix the inevitable failure. But I've learned that those who like Sigma lenses are usually firebrand fanatics. My lenses also bounced around the world in a motorcycle side case through 45 or so countries over the period of 2 years. That may have something to do with it too ...

It does that with only the lens that you rented or with some other Nikon AI/AI-S lenses? The problem more likely to be on the AI coupling on the camera side than on the lens side. The coupling may be sticky and may not spring past 2 stops from max.

It works flawlessly on the new Zeiss.

But that's a whole different story than a company basically providing a utility or a tool to fix your lenses because it's expected to need it.

If you mean the exact same sort of software utility Nikon Technicians use if you send your camera body and lens to be calibrated together? Then Yes they do!

 

those who like Sigma lenses are usually firebrand fanatics

Never!....... Now, where's my matches..?...:D

It works flawlessly on the new Zeiss.

I am not familiar with the Zeiss but the new Zeiss that does work does it has CPU?

I am not familiar with the Zeiss but the new Zeiss that does work does it has CPU?

I can use it either with manual aperture on the lens or with the CPU contacts and the dial when I set it to f16. Both work.