Anyone tried Zeiss Planar 85/1.4 on Canon 5d ?

[WM]

Given the usual lists of compatible Zeiss/Leica R lenses on the 5d

body, I can't seem to find anyone who has tested the Zeiss Planar

85/1.4 on the 5d.

 

Trying it out is not an option for me, as the local shops here do

not have the Zeiss Planar 85/1.4, so will need to but it online.

 

Is there anyone out there who has used the Zeiss Planar 85/1.4 on

the Canon 5d ? (And whether there is a mirror clearance problem ?)

 

Thanks very much.

[mark u]

An answer here:

 

http://www.fredmiranda.com/forum/topic/306575/6

 

If you want some further comfort about mirror clearance, look at the Zeiss data for backfocus distances here:

 

http://www.zeiss.com/C12567A8003B58B9/Contents-Frame/8401A54783ED1154C12570F90049667D

[bobatkins]

Why?

 

The Canon EF 85/1.2L is a superb lens and the Canon 85/1.8 is very, very good.

 

While there may be good reasons to suffer with manual focus and stop down metering for widangles, I don't think there are any for 85mm lenses (unless you already happen to own one).

[kenghor]

One major problem with the 85 f1.8 is the extreme bad CA. It will even show up in a

white-text-on-black-background scene.

And this lens is well know for its back focus problem which I've encounter with on several

copies.

[jcolwell]

I use a Carl Zeiss Contax 85mm f/1.4 on the Elan 7 full frame film body (and 20D/30D dSLRs) with no problems, but I don't have a 5D to test it on. I've attached a photo of my Zeiss 85/1.4 with a generic (and completely satisfactory) Contax to EF adapter. There's not much sticking out. You might want to visit the Fred Miranda forum on <a href="http://www.fredmiranda.com/forum/board/55">Alternative Digital Systems & Lenses</a> for more details, as there's an active thread on this topic right now.

 

<p>The Carl Zeiss Contax 85mm f/1.4 is one of the best 85mm lenses in the world, bar none. The Zeiss 85/1.4 has higher photodo MTF test results and better PhotoNet user survey scores than the Canon EF 85/1.2, and so its probably fair to say they are both superb 85's. A used Zeiss 85/1.4 costs about $700 less than a used EF 85/1.2 in similar condition. Being limited to manual focus and manual aperture is not much of a problem when using a lens of this quality, especially if its on a tripod. Manual focus in low light is not easy with any lens, and so I've recently installed a Haoda split-prism focus screen in my 20D, it seems to do the trick quite well.

[matt_sallis]

I use the Zeiss 85mm f1.2 50 Year Anniversary lens on a Canon 5D, and have had no mirror clearance problems.

[digitmstr]

>>And this lens is well know for its back focus problem which I've encounter with on several copies.<<

 

I have owned 3 copies of the EF 85mm f/1.8 and NOT one of them has what you describe, including CA as you described it.

[jcolwell]

Matt, maybe you could mention this on the FM Alternative forum that I cited above. The thread called "Zeiss/Oly -> 5D Compatibility List" says that the "Sonnar 1.2/85 60th Anniversary Edition" will not work with the 5D. Is it possible that the 50th and 60th anniversary versions of the 85/1.2 are sufficiently different that one works with the 5D and the other does not ? Note that this discussion on the Zeiss 85mm f/1.2 lens does not answer the question on the Zeiss 85mm f/1.4 lens.

[beauh44]

"I have owned 3 copies of the EF 85mm f/1.8 and NOT one of them has what you describe, including CA as you described it."

 

Gotta agree with Giampi - Even though I've only owned one copy of the 85mm f/1.8 I've had zero problems with focus and the CA is no worse than say, the 17-40mm f/4L. This is an excellent lens at a good price.

[matt_sallis]

James, they list the 85mm f1.2 60 year, and 135mm f2 60 year as not working (although it should be noted that both are not sonnar but planar designs). I don't know if there is a mount difference with the 60 year models, but my 135mm f2 (non anniversary) works fine on my 5D as well.

 

I think there is some inconsistency with the 5D mirrors, which means that some will clash with lenses that work fine on another 5D body. I seem to have struck lucky as I have had no mirror problems with any of my lenses.

 

In the photograph of your 85mm f1.4, the mount, aperture lever and fin look identical to my f1.2

[jcolwell]

Matt, maybe it depends on the Contax to EF mount adapter. My generic adapters from China (5 of them, all in use) give the correct orientation for the adapted Zeiss lenses - which is, the aperture and focus index line is at 12 o'clock, and the Contax mount aperture control lever and lever-protecting tab are at 6 o'clock. It may be possible that some adapters put the lever/tab at a "higher" attitude (e.g. 5 or 7 o'clock), and it then strikes the mirror.

[ec1]

I use a Canon 5d with the Carl Zeis Plana 85/1.4 and had no mirror clearance issues.

 

HOWEVER, I noticed that all my Carl Zeiss lenses are more difficult to focus on the 5D

( appear to have far lower depth of field). Curiously, the 85 focuses easier and looks

sharper when mounted on the Contaxt extension ring. Even more curiously, I can only

achieve sharp focus at infinity with the 85 and 50/1.4, where as my 28 and 25 wide angles

always have a soft, unfocused infinity and are almost equally shallow in depth of field. I

never have any of these issues when using them on the Contaxt analog body cameras.

 

Any ideas why?

[kobi]

<p>A friend and I rented the ZE 85/1.4 and 50/1.4 for a week each from lensrentals.com. I exposed about 500 frames over a w/end with the 85mm on a 5D, and grew to love it. The colors are delicate and neutral. Compared to my EF 85mm/1.8, the shadows render more smoothly. I'm still shooting with the 50mm. As with the 85mm, the bokeh wide open is delightful. Having to focus manually takes some getting used to after being spoiled with USM autofocus all these years, but the focus rings on these two lenses make the transition relatively easy. Follow <a href="http://kobi.smugmug.com/gallery/6616139_DQWKE#430481270_28t9H"> this link for a small gallery</a> of sample images.</p><div></div>