Our reader Jim noticed an issue with the new Zeiss Touit 50mm macro lens:
I have recently purchased the Touit 50 macro for my Sony a6000 and was delighted with the combination until I found that the lens is unusable with the camera when the flash is deployed. There is a 3 second delay from pressing the shutter button to the flash and shutter operating.
He contacted Zeiss to ask for a solution and that’s their answer:
Yes, this flash problem with the Sony cameras could be solved with a firmware update for the Touit lens. A new firmware is under development and is scheduled to be released during this summer.
When a new firmware update is available, we will inform you by email.
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Kudos to Zeiss for acknowledging a problem outright and promising to fix it. Sony would do well to take heed.
Kudos to Zeiss for acknowledging the issue, but Most Importantly, Zeiss provides an ETA timeframe for the end user! Knowing what to expect and when
Yep, I told them about the problem a month ago. They said they didn’t know about it, but as they tested and confirmed within a few days that it’s a firmware problem which they’ll fix with an update. Didn’t get a timeframe at that time though, so nice to know when it’s coming.
So glad I didn’t wait for this lens and went with the SEL 50/1.8.
Just because of a bug which only happens under certain conditions and will be fixed soon?
If you don’t need the macro functionality, but wanted Zeiss, you could have gone with the SEL 55 F1.8. 😉
There is a fix buy the Sony 50mm SAL50M28, and use it on the adapter. You’ll save a boat load of cash, and it has better IQ.
SAL 50M28 – 425 EUR
LA EA4 Adapter (*1) – 240 EUR
compared to
Zeiss Touit – 870 EUR
Yeah, you save something, but it is not what I call “a boat load of cash”. And the Zeiss definitely has the better image quality.
(*1) LA-EA3 would not have autofocus capability, since SAL-50M28 does not have an internal (SAM/SSM) motor.
Paddle boat, and you can use the adapter with other decent A-Mount primes, like the 35mm f/1.8, or the 50mm f/1.8.
And why would you want to? The E-Mount 35mm f/1.8 has OSS and slightly superior optical quality, while the E-Mount 50mm f/1.8 again features OSS and better bokeh. There’s really no reason to buy the A-Mount versions at this point.
Also, the Touit 2.8/50M has fantastic image quality, certainly better than what you get with the Sony 50mm macro lens.
Why not!!! I own both systems, and like any of us possessing common sense I don’t buy two lenses for the sake both of having them.
Some of us are Alpha users who have a better understanding of both systems, and the 50mm Zeiss macro is nowheres as good as a the A-Mounts Minolta designed 50mm Macro. Plus you can also use it on the A7r.
The 35mm f/1.8 is a waste of money because it isn’t full frame. Only a moron would heavily invest in APS-C E-Mount lenses, the FE system is clearly the E-Mount’s future.
“and the 50mm Zeiss macro is nowheres as good as a the A-Mounts Minolta designed 50mm Macro”. Do you actually believe what you say here? I’d say case closed.
As for those who own both systems – sure, why not. But as for “only a moron would heavily invest in APS-C E-Mount lenses” – why? APS-C is a great sensor format, and I prefer it over 35mm sensors. This has multiple reasons. So why should I live with sub-par lenses just because I prefer another sensor format as you? Doesn’t make any sense at all.
Actually troll show us one article or review that says other wise. Case closed. Now go away little man.
Maybe you should research a little before you demonstrate your ignorance.
http://www.dyxum.com/reviews/lenses/Sony-AF-50mm-F2.8-Macro_review306.html
http://slrgear.com/reviews/showproduct.php/product/984
Wait. Why do you call me a troll? That’s a serious question, I don’t think I’ve said anything that would justify such a statement.
Also, as for reviews – just google. The SAL50M28 is a good macro lens, but not outstanding in any way. The Touit 2.8/50M shows an unbelievably good color rendition is is technically superior to the SAL50M28 in every way – just compare the test results for yourself. Or even better – try both for yourself. And that’s no surprise. The Zeiss is a modern lens design, and it’s designed to be a high-end lens, while the Sony one is based on a design which is decades old, and not developed with super high res sensors in mind.
I tested it. Had it been any good I would have snapped it up. It wasn’t even close. If Sony was smart it would have extended the barrel of the 50M28 for use with the NEX.
Your absolutely wrong the Zeiss is a piece of garbage, but its the only piece of garbage available for the NEX cameras.
The Zeiss was rated worse than the much cheaper Tamron. The Sony/Minolta remains superior, in everyway
So yes, you are an irritating ill-informed troll.
First, according to Wikipedia, the definition of a “troll” is the following:
“In Internet slang, a troll (/ˈtroʊl/, /ˈtrɒl/) is a person who sows discord on the Internet by starting arguments or upsetting people,[1] by posting inflammatory,[2] extraneous, or off-topic messages in an online community (such as a forum, chat room, or blog) with the deliberate intent of provoking readers into an emotional response[3] or of otherwise disrupting normal on-topic discussion.”
So, in which way am I a troll? I just tried to hold a normal conversation, I always stayed on topic, didn’t say anything irrelevant and most importantly I did never have the intent to provoke anybody. Seems like you can’t take a normal conversation though.
If you tried it, great for you. I don’t know how you were able to get bad results with such an awesome lens though. I use it daily and never had any sub-par result. And I never read a review which didn’t say it has gorgeous image quality either.
Poki not a troll and he loves the IQ of this Zeiss Macro lens (so do I), nothing wrong with that.
He is enthusiastic but completely out of his mind. The 50mm Macro should have been ported over to the NEX, because its such an excellent performer. Its pretty well the industry’s best.
Don’t feed the little troll. He’s probably just another untrained amateur, with a big mouth.
Lol, this is starting to get funny. Was your comment (Mike) completely sarcastic or should I actually argument why this statement was insane?
Age has no bearing on lens quality. You sound like an novice, the Zeiss is probably not a modern design, just another old design updated for use with the NEX.
Sure, it’s true that age doesn’t make a lens design worse. But lens design has improved over the past decades. Just read “Modern Optical Engineering” from Warren J. Smith and look at what has been added in the past years – it’s a lot. Especially since digital sensors are still quite new, and there are many characteristics which weren’t taken into account decades back.
And yes, the Touit 2.8/50M is a completely new design. Did you even look at the design before making this statement?
Poki, 2 questions:
1) what are the specific advances made in macro lenses that affect IQ?
2) can you list succinctly what Smith says has been added in the past years, other than coating of the rear element?
I own the Min 100/2.8 macro, and it is absolutely fantastic. The design dates to 1986. All metal, zero distortion, super-sharp, great color and contrast–and it was the very first of its kind. So good that the current Sony is the same optical design.
Sony should have brought the SAL50M28 over to the E-Mount. Overall its a better lens. It IQ is outstanding, and its only 1/3 the price. However Sony seems to be milking the E-Mount users for every penny that can get out of them.
I use the 50M28 with the A7 and it produces stellar results.
Those reviews … the dyxum and SLRgear reviews are just user reviews, while the lenstip review doesn’t provide any scientific tests. And most importantly: None of those reviews compare it to the 50mm Touit. Heck, most of those reviews are years old without the Touit being even announced back then. They don’t make any point at all, except what I said: The SAL50M28 is a nice macro lens, but it’s not outstanding in any way.
Your an absolute fool. The Zeiss doesn’t rate highly anywhere on the internet. He’s right its over priced, and its performance is barely average. The highest review score was from photoblog (4 out of 5), and they were being unjustifiably kind.
Did you even read the review? The image quality score was 5 out of 5, and the whole discussion was about the image quality. Of course you can discuss the lack of a focus limiter switch and so on, but this was never our topic.
Overall this lens is a poor choice.
Umm.. do you mind explaining why you think so? Because that seems like a heavily personal opinion.
That’s why I passed on it @Shane. If I’m doing macro I’ll be using the 150mm Sigma well before dropping that kind of cash on a NEX lens.
The 150mm Sigma is a better investment, and worth the extra cash. Plus I can use it with my A7.
However if I’m using a 50mm Macro my NEX 7 is probably the worse camera to use. I normally grab the A77 because stabilization is very important for Macro.
The Sigma might be a better investment – IF you prefer longer macro lenses and IF you use a body with a 35mm sensor. But you can’t just think of your own situation and say lens A is a better investment for everybody than lens B.
Also, why would you ever need stabilization in a macro lens? After all, you’ll be using a tripod anyway.
I think Poki is a very valued member of the E mount community posting a lot at talkemount. I’m not sure why you all are attacking him. He owns this lens and I doubt any of you have even tried it. Maybe the A mount is the best ever macro but many users prefer native lenses over adapted lenses. I don’t understand the hate here today.
The a7r’s AF sucks & the shutter is too loud. i purchased 2 A6000s & upgraded my NBA seats (4th row) I must be a moron? The future is not now sorry but when they get it right i’m all in!
functional focus rings are nice for macro work. or any work. focus-by-wire without instant override (a la 85L) is frustrating.
Or better yet, a Sigma 70mm or Tamron 60mm (longer and better again)…
So frustrating. We have waited so long for this lens with so many delays and now this. Flash is very important for us underwater users who desperately need this macro lens. Please Zeiss fix it soon. Not by the end of Summer
Do you really use the internal flash of the camera for under water use? Because with external flashes it works fine (at least for me).
Actually, most modern underwater housings use fiber optics and slave to the pop up flash by mimicking it’s exposure time, so our external flashes fire when the internal flash goes off.
You say you’ve been using this lens with external flashes and there’s no delay? I may look into keeping my Nikonos cables since my NEX7 housing can take the Nikonos flash system, yet I love he simplicity of the fiber optic system.
We’ve been waiting 2 years or longer for this lens for our NEX UW rigs. Hopefully they’ll get it fixed soon and put it on sale for a while to off-set the level of discouragement they’ve created with all the delays and mishaps. Still glad it there though 🙂
Hey Marsh,
thank you for your insights, didn’t know how underwater photographers work. I had some more time testing the lens with various external flashes, and it seems that in most cases, the delay is present, even if the flash is connected via the hot shoe.
And yeah, guessing from experience with Zeiss, they probably release the firmware update within a few weeks. Still, the launch of this lens was incredibly bad, somebody at Zeiss messed that up pretty severely.
I feel you. I also shoot underwater. This is the most disappointing lens. Not only delayed launch but now a glitch. I won’t be buying this lens until they fix that issue…
How can this possibly happen? Cameras are too complicated for their own good, these days. Give me a Leica M3 with a digital sensor and I’d be happy. I don’t even want a screen for reviewing shots.
I turn the screen review feature off. If it’s my A900 I turn it completely off. Simplicity has its advantages I guess.
I do too. But the real issue that boggles my mind is that a camera would need a firmware update just function correctly with a lens. Give us simple brass and glass and no one will have any technical problems beyond their own lack of practice.
So in order to able to use this 1000$ lens, you have to buy it and send it in directly?
The Touit line is probably one of the biggest fails in lenses recently. You don’t even have the chance to wait until the stock with the old firmware get placed with the new ones because they’re hardly selling any.
Next summer it will be on sale for 50% of the price or maybe 33% with the other two. Zeiss learning the hard way how to price APS-C lenses, lol.
It’s a £780 50mm apsc macro without oss. I’m amazed they sell any, given that you can adapt a wealth of legacy and modern macros…
The flash delay is visible in other lenses to. If you run Sony wireless flashes there is a noticeable delay between shutter press and flash. This was noted in a review of the a77 using the H20A and H43A but not when using the built in flash to trigger the H43A. I can confirm that H20M used as a trigger for the H43M on the A7 shows the same delay.
It would be great if Sony would address these flash delays
Interestingly it looks like they fixed this for the a77ii – I use a metz 15-ms1 sometimes for macro and it’s a lot more responsive using the popup flash.
Thats good to hear
When is the “super sales” on this Tuoit?
Christmas, or next summer at latest.
Probably the best strategy: buy one of the alternative A-mount lenses with adapters (used) and if you still want the blue sticker, you can resell your stuff later at a small loss and get the Touits when they are on sale again.
Zeiss Tuoit= FAIL.
Have you used their lenses?
I missed the Double Zeiss touit deal. Can anyone know when the deal will probably be back? Some posters here don’t seem to think much of the Zeiss APS-C. Are there any better choices?
I’ve used the 12mm Touit… price aside, quality is exemplary.
Thanks for the reply. Appreciate it.
Anytime 🙂