jorge_torralba2 Posted January 25, 2008 Share Posted January 25, 2008 The 35 Zeiss on a D3 is just crazy sharp! I have posted some large attachments with 100% crops that show edge to edge resolution that is pretty impressive. I would like to see some comps with the Nikon 35 f2. I don't have one but would like to see you guys do something similar. These were not tests so please no scientific analysis here :) The 35ZF is just amazing. The way it holds the corners and edge sharpness is out of this world. The CA is noticeable with a dark object against a bright background like the street clock in the sample. Anyway, here it is. <a href" http://www.nikoncamerauser.com/forums/showthread.php?p=361#post361">HERE</a> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jorge_torralba2 Posted January 25, 2008 Author Share Posted January 25, 2008 Well, that did not work. Here is the link http://www.nikoncamerauser.com/forums/showthread.php?t=82 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vivek iyer Posted January 25, 2008 Share Posted January 25, 2008 Daniel Bayer has mentioned here that this ZF 35mm lens beat all the 35mm FL lenses that he had checked. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jorge_torralba2 Posted January 25, 2008 Author Share Posted January 25, 2008 I believe him. I don't mind the manual focus when I know I get results like the ones I posted. Now, where is that D3x :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ilkka_nissila Posted January 25, 2008 Share Posted January 25, 2008 It's a nice lens. Note that it's twice as big as the Nikkor 35/2 - so it had better be good! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
harvey_edelstein1 Posted January 25, 2008 Share Posted January 25, 2008 Nice lens but that it beats the Nikkor 35mm f2 is nothing that the Nikkor 35mm f1.4 ais hasn't done already. On Photodo the Nikkor f2 is 3.4 rating and the f1.4 is rated 3.9. Compared to the Nikkor f1.4 the Zeiss is larger, one third heavier and the difference between f1.4 and f2.0 is substantial. On Photozone.de the Zeiss review is average for a fixed FL lens on barrel distortion, center resolution is excellent but at the f2 and f2.8 setting there is pronounced vignetting. And these tests on Photozone.de are all done on D200 APS-C cameras so on a D3 FX sensor vignetting will be worse. One more thing edge resolution is fine but for a lens this expensive IMHO it should be better at F2 which is only moderately fast. I think the real deal here is the Nikkor 35mm f1.4 a fine proven lens. If you give up AF and settings from the command dial you may as well gain lens speed smaller size and less weight. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ilkka_nissila Posted January 25, 2008 Share Posted January 25, 2008 In a quick test, I can see little vignetting with the ZF 35/2 on the D3, less than the 28/2 Nikkor has. Nothing to be concerned about. The resulution wide open is better than on the 35/2 AF-D, and CA lower. Making it more useful as a fast lens. The D3 with its large pixels doesn't take full advantage of its high image quality, but once a D3X comes out we will have a chance to revisit the issue. Photozone reviews are made on a specific camera and their validity is excellent for that camera, but limited to it and similar cameras (the D200 for Nikon mount lenses). The D3 is entirely different. Lens performance on the D3 cannot be extrapolated successfully based on results of tests made with the D200. While the 35/1.4 Nikkor may be a great lens, it seems to be made of unobtainium at the moment (new), and doesn't even have a bayonet hood. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arthuryeo Posted January 25, 2008 Share Posted January 25, 2008 What about the resolution of the ZF 28mm/2 ? Also, before you buy, there're about 3-4 new Nikkors which are rumored to be released next week for prePMA. Surprise .... the Nikkor 28mm/1.4 Asph ED AF-S may be in there...and it will cost about 1/2 a kidney (human only), of course. :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
harvey_edelstein1 Posted January 25, 2008 Share Posted January 25, 2008 The photozone tests that show edge vignetting and so so distortion and resolution on the edge of an APS-C image will be even worse on the 50% larger FX format sensor. On FX the lens is not just seeing the sweet spot in the central image. The other point is that whether you talk about price/performance , size or weight the Nikkor f1.4 is a winner. I like the Zeiss lenses where they are a value play like my Zeiss 25mm f2.8 zm M mount rangefinder lens is as good as the Leica for half the price. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ilkka_nissila Posted January 25, 2008 Share Posted January 25, 2008 Harvey, I don't want to sound disrespectful but your deduction is flawed. The microlens system on the D3 is different from that in D200. The vignetting behaviour is different. Since the pixels are so much larger on the D3, there is no need for the lens to be as sharp as it has to be on the D200 to get comparable image quality. Talking about the sweet spot is basically Nikon marketing BS from a time they needed to make excuses for not having a full-frame camera. Just as view camera lenses don't need to have high resolution numbers, lenses on D3 have no need to score high on MTF tests made on DX cameras - the larger sensor area more than makes up for the larger pixel size especially at wide apertures. I have taken comparison shots with the Zeiss 50mm and 35mm at f/2 and basically the D3 beats the socks off the D200 in image quality at f/2 using these lenses. There is no sharpness issue whatsoever. And like I said, the vignetting behaviour is well controlled, as it is on the 28/2 Nikkor. The 35/1.4 may have less vignetting at f/2 than the Zeiss, sure, that is expected. But what does it matter, since every place I look up has "out of stock" or "back-ordered" on that lens. If you have one, great! Tough on those of us who didn't buy it when it was still available. Now, get yourself a D3 and do some testing on vignetting and sharpness before continuing to make false predictions of FX behaviour from tests made on DX cameras in public. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
harvey_edelstein1 Posted January 25, 2008 Share Posted January 25, 2008 I could do it on one of my film cameras instead. Bye the way several mint condition f1.4 ais are on the ebay, I am sure KEH and others have them. They made the AIS for many years and lots of my gear is used. There is no electronics here and the lenses are well made. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jorge_torralba2 Posted January 26, 2008 Author Share Posted January 26, 2008 Just for the heck of it, here is the 24-70 stacked up against the zeiss 85 on a d200 http://www.nikoncamerauser.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=103 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dmitriyk Posted January 27, 2008 Share Posted January 27, 2008 <i>Just as view camera lenses don't need to have high resolution numbers, lenses on D3 have no need to score high on MTF tests made on DX cameras - the larger sensor area more than makes up for the larger pixel size especially at wide apertures.</i><br><br>You'll eat those words when the D3x comes out. ;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ilkka_nissila Posted January 27, 2008 Share Posted January 27, 2008 Dmitriy, I don't need to eat my words since in the sentence you quoted I was talking about the D3, not D3X. :-) There are other reasons why I am not keen on buying more Ai-S Nikkors. They typically produce images with lower contrast and less saturated colors compared to Zeiss ZF lenses and AF Nikkors. I like high contrast photos with vivid colors. Without seeing a side-by-side comparison I am reluctant to believe that the 35/1.4 stands apart from other wide angle Ai-S Nikkors which I've used in terms of saturation and contrast. Given a choice I generally prefer fast but not ultrafast lenses. Often contrast, image quality when focused close, and image quality stopped down is a bit better in the slower lens. Anyway, all of these lenses are very nice and we should be happy for the variety. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rafa batlle Posted March 10, 2008 Share Posted March 10, 2008 Here is the 35mm F1.4 AIS at F11 on a D3. <a href=" title="Latiffa family by rafaelcasd, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2086/2270421928_b7b3d1ae2a.jpg" width="333" height="500" alt="Latiffa family" /></a> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rafa batlle Posted January 21, 2012 Share Posted January 21, 2012 <p>And here is at night<br> <a title="CCA Escondido_108_DM 11 1 2008 by Rafael CA, on Flickr" href=" src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3207/3033158307_bde2f493fd_b.jpg" alt="CCA Escondido_108_DM 11 1 2008" width="1024" height="681" /></a></p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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