Tomorrow or After tomorrow (Sept 1-2) Zeiss will finally launch their exclusive new “Loxia” lens line for Sony FF E-mount cameras. There will be two of them coming now and three more lenses coming within the next 6-12 months. Here are more pictures and full description of the first two Loxia lenses:
Official Zeiss Press text:
Loxia lenses from ZEISS are perfectly suited to the many strengths of Sony α7 series cameras. Add to that their compact size and low weight, and you have a series of lenses you can use just about anywhere for high quality photographs and films.
High precision
• Precise and durable construction, low weight.
• The functionality of the Loxia lenses is perfectly matched with the camera functions of the Sony α7-series.
Perfect for photography and video
• High quality images thanks to proven optical design.
• Automatic activation of the magnification function when turning the focus ring.
• Optional switchable aperture lock, allowing for smooth adjustment in video mode.
• Consistent 180° focus rig rotation for all lenses in the series.
High quality construction
• Robust, all-metal construction for many years of use.
• Grippy focus ring for fine manual adjustment.
• A special gasket at the mount protects the connection between camera and lens.
Focal length 50 mm
Aperture range: f/2.0–f/22
Elements/groups: 6/4
Focusing range m/ft: 0.45–∞/1.48–∞
Field angle* (diag./horiz./vert.): 46.78°/39.38°/26.70°
Coverage** mm/inch: 255.1 x 168.3/10.04 x 6.63
Length mm/inch: 66.2/2.6
Diameter mm/inch (max.): 62.1/2.44
Weight* g/oz:
320/11.29
Filter thread: M 52 x 0.75
Focal length 35 mm
Aperture range: f/2.0–f/22
Elements/groups: 9/6
Focusing range m/ft: 0.30–∞/0.98–∞
Field angle* (diag./horiz./vert.): 63°/54°/37°
Coverage** mm/inch: 210.2 x 139.4/8.28 x 5.49
Length mm/inch: 66/2.6
Diameter mm/inch (max.): 62.1/2.44
Weight* g/oz: 340/12
Filter thread: M 52 x 0.75
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0 Responses
“Automatic activation of the focus magnification function when turning the focus ring” – Yes!
I just wish there was a firmware update to let me adjust the amount of magnification. That would make it perfect!
I hope it is optional. I want to turn it off :(((( Do You know that there is a posibility to focus without Manual Focus Assist and Peaks.
Of course there is, same as any E-Mount lens. Just turn focus assist off.
I know there are three settings for Focusing: AF, DMF and MF. I believe the AF setting wouldn’t be usable with Loxia lesnes, but if there is a posibility to switch DMF to get auto-assist and MF to make MF-Assist only on demand 🙂
I will wait till show up of MTFs and Sample Photos taken with Planar Loxia 2/50mm. I tried many Carl Zeiss (Jena) 45/50/55/58/60mm lenses with my NEX-7 and A7. ZM Planar 2/50mm was never at my scope but sample photos doesn’t show very good edge performance a f/2 (wide open). Probably none of lens shows good edge performance at wide open but my CZJ Prakticar 1.4/50mm (first lanthanum version) show exceptional performance at edges with f/2. It is has smaller MFD and it’s more affordable than ZM Planar 2/50mm. I feel more confortable with all manual lenses. My favorites are Carl Zeiss Jena Pancolar 1.4/55mm (for the soul) and Carl Zeiss Planar 1.7/50mm C/Y with helicoid adapter (for best performance). Using electronic diaphragm is a solution for EXIF information but it makes it more prone to fault 🙁 My Pancolar is over 50 years old and it still looks good and works perfectly 🙂
Best regards, WZ
lol is this a serious question? just turn it off in the menue and put the function on a button to switch it on only when you need it.
This was my first question when reading. If they write ‘automatic’, a Sony engineer needs to think of the switch-off-function while creating the menu options and an option to turn it on by a switch on purpose when I want it – it’s a Sony, if you know what I mean.
Focus assist and how it works is crucial. I’d appreciate if magnification would use a part of the EVF only to keep in life contact with composition.
Continuous 180 degree focus ring in all lenses! Nice!
wow, 66mm in length for all of them…
for reference that’s going to be smaller than the current Zeiss C Sonnar 1,5/50 ZM with adapter as the ZM is only 63mm as it is!
Now here’s hoping a wide, ultra-wide and portrait telephoto come and this time next year I could be the owner of 5 manual Loxia lenses!
Assuming these specs are accurate, this new Loxia line looks pretty well thought out. It’s nice to see, even with these lenses being manual focus, Zeiss chose to embrace other modern functionality.
Yes, and switchable aperture lock for smooth changes during video recording. I do find it kind of funny that they chose to release 2 focal lengths that are already covered by the Sony / Zeiss AF lenses though. Would have been a better plan to release 85mm & 24mm first & bring these later.
Agreed. Althaugh the 35mm is still nice to have. Much more interesting and of better optical quality than the 35mm f/2.8
How do you know it will be better optical quality?
Wishful thinking, it’s what keep photo rumors site going.
I can’t speak for Admin and his reasoning, but I think a lot of people assume a faster lens is a better lens.
How do you know it’s not better quality?
I don’t, but then I didn’t make that assumption.
You’re implying it’s not better, why?
I didn’t imply anything.
50mm & 35mm are simple to design for mirroless cameras at least compared to wide angle lenses. I believe that with these focal lengths they were able to enter the market earlier.
“Sony/Zeiss AF lenses”
Zeiss hardly have any relation to these AF lenses beside blue badge and marketing name.
It’s their glass, their optical design and their quality control. Isn’t that relation enough!?
ok, may be glass is german indeed (have some doubts about it)
but designer is japanese and quality control is only a buzzword
I couldn’t care less who designed it, who made the glass or if there is a Mattel badge on it, as long as the optical quality is good – and it is very good on the Sony FE primes.
35/2.8 just doesn’t worth its money: compare absolute resolution figures on a7r vs ones of 35/2 IS on 5d2. The latter has AA filter and its resolution is lower. And its resolution is only marginally worse than of 35/2.8. This shows that Sony slower, has no stablization and, most probably, worse optically. And this “zeiss” costs $200 more!
And, you probably know about lens rendition: some are very aware about that. And rendtion of both 35/2.8 and 55/1.8 supposed to be boring/lacking.
Boring is called “modern”. It is a matter of taste.
The 35 Sonnar probably has the least distracting OOF rendering of any RF 35mm lens.
Spoken just like somebody who hasn’t actually used them.
optical design, not the Sony cover around it. LOL
Sure, I’m saying about pure optical design: it is from Tamron and Sony itself, germans has nothing with it.
then why are the ZA Sony Zeiss lenses for E-mount all listed and explained on the Zeiss website? Becuase they have nothing to do with it?
http://www.zeiss.com/camera-lenses/en_de/camera_lenses/csc/sonnarte1824za.html
Just because you want to believe these are Tamron lenses and have nothing to do with Zeiss it must not be true. They are not manufactured in Germany as everyone can read on the lens but they use Zeiss optical design, glas and coatings.
Zeiss is used both as branding (as Canon brands the L lenses and there is some degree of coordination between Sony and Zeiss in the making of the lenses. They definitely use the Zeiss T* coating. The design patents for each lens are held by Sony on all the Sony Zeiss lenses.
Ultimately, a Sony Zeiss lens is much more Sony than Zeiss but they have been designed to produce images that share the pure Zeiss lens aesthetic qualities.
” but they have been designed to produce images that share the pure Zeiss lens aesthetic qualities.”
…which as a result is almost everything that counts in terms of picture quality.
On a “real” Zeiss lens you also get even better built quality and “hopefully” better quality control.
APS-C E-mount too (24/1.8). But, where are their respective data sheets? ZE and ZF (and Otus) series has it for every lens.
Look, even touits with a strong rumour these lenses were designed by Fuji have it. Where are Sony “zeisses” datasheets?
So you don’t really know definitively, who designed the lens or what glass is used. Is this correct?
You can look in patents if you are interested in this. Links to patents for some sonyzeiss lenses were published by Egami and here on SAR.
I see, so that is why they proudly present these E-mount lenses on their own website??
http://www.zeiss.com/camera-lenses/en_de/camera_lenses/csc/sonnarte1824za.html
The Sony Zeiss lenses are an amazing combination of the electronics skills of a big electronics company and then the optics from a legendary optics company.
funny I also linked to that page without seeing your post first 😀
Fully agree with your opinion. The ZA lenses are amazing. Lightweight, optically great, fast and quiet autofocus (limited only by the cameras AF)
Welcome surpise.. 52 filter thread!
Weird size, meaning a step-up ring to 55 for me.
Or you could just buy a couple of new filters to go with your $1000+ lens?
Nice compact lenses and they both share the same body which should cut manufacturing costs. So the big question is how much will these lenses retail for, my guess both will cost +€1k
I would guess 1299 €, which is pretty interesting as an alternative to a Leica Summicron + adapter.
Zeiss doesn’t know how to convert feet to meters.
there are some errors in the description: what you see in “Focusing range” is the “Elements/groups”. The real “Focusing Range” is the first part go “Field angle”
Yes, this is it.
9 meters? Where do you see that?
Focusing range m/ft: 9/6
awesome 🙂
Can we also have 50mm f/1.4 and 35mm f/1.4?
55mm f/2
35mm f1.8
50mm f/1.8
30mm f2.8
I’m not trolling. We totally need more FE lens guys!
I know, but hopefully the lineup will fill out over the next year. It does state that there are others coming soon. Maybe anything wider or longer that performs well would be too large for FE mount? I mean look at the size of the 70-200mm and it’s f/4.
A 24mm and an 85mm would be nice at least.
So, these are weather sealed??? Still, I soooo wish they also had AF… 🙁
No.
Not quite sure what it means by the focusing range. Does it show minimum focus distance for the 35mm?
The minimum focus distance is the first value in the field angle. It’s 0.3m.
Admin, I think the lens details are a bit misaligned. The “Elements/groups” has to be copied to a new line for both lenses.
right. will fix this. thanks!
I hope they will perform as good as they look.
Is this a blue ring on the lenses? Because this will be really ugly near the orange ring of the cameras.
Are you a model or a photographer?
The blue ring next to an orange ring looks stupid and unprofessional imo. It won’t stop me from buying the lenses, but why can’t we have expensive camera equipment that doesn’t look like a colorful toy?
– From behind the camera you will not see it
– The camera / lens combo will be 99% black
– Blue & orange are complimentary:
That’s a really ugly logo.
https://c2.staticflickr.com/8/7185/6893945301_06f80ffc5f_z.jpg
(© nycismymuse.com )
It is not my photo but the dark with blue & orange highlights looks great.
Wow, they really managed a Biogon in this system.
So price?
around $1000 each I guess
1,999.99 but if you call now, you could get the second one half price!
All-metal, over 300g for that size sounds reassuring!
Well so much for 50mm Makro Planar theory.
Which leaves us with 35/2 Loxia. ZM 35/2 Biogon is a smear-machine on , lets hope Loxia doesnt use the same optical formula.
“The functionality of the Loxia lenses is perfectly matched with the camera functions of the Sony α7-series”
If the functionality is matched for A7-series, it would make no sense to optimise the optical design also for same cameras.
They’re targeting a fairly niche market so I’d be surprised if the optics are anything less than excellent (otherwise they’re stuck with bad reviews and a lens they can’t sell). It’s not like they can correct in camera…
Given the price they will cost ( most likely not inexpensive), the lack of AF, the choice of f2 over 1.4 and Zeiss’s track record – I think it is a safe bet that Zeiss will not put out lenses that are not suitably optimized for mirrorless/ digital or lenses that smear. Zeiss knows sharpness and how to achieve it.
Any news on a ff in the shape of nex7?
No news. I got news about A-mount cameras that I need to verify today. But no info about new E-mount FF yet…althaugh I got some exciing tidbits about the not so distant future 🙂
A-Mount 🙂 please post it fast as left only 16 days to Photokina.
Yeah I know. But I had some confusiong rumor. But I think I will solve the mistery soon….
Don’t worry about it, Andrea. We all know a-mount is blacklisted by Sony for Photokina (and all other shows). No need to pretend any longer with SR1s. Can’t wait for the same clueless Sony exec idiot from CES to show up and get asked about the a-mount and mumble a bunch of rubbish adding up to he doesn’t even know what an a-mount is.
What a boring, whinging old man. Change the record!!!
🙂 Thank You! 🙂
I have compared the size of thes lenses with some of my existing lenses I frequently use together with Emount camera: 66mm is 4mm smaller than the Minolta 24mm f2.8 including adapter,10mm smaller than the Minolta 35mm f2 inkl. adapter, and it is about 27mm larger than the Voigtlander 35mm f1.4 also inkl adaper.
These loxias are not really small. Hopefully they will perform.
It better perform significantly better than the 35mm f1.4 Voigtlander to convince me to give up this small gem of a lens.
What does better mean for you? To me, almost any 35mm lens is better than the CV 35mm 1.4 regardless of their size or mount.
Is the CV 35mm f1.4 not recommended?
It isn’t about being recommended or not. That’s why I ask what does better means for Andre. If you are looking for a classic-ish look and you don’t care much for bokeh and sharpness (across the frame) or great performance wide open, then the CV 35mm 1.4 can be a great lens. It comes in two flavours, single and multi-coated, which affect contrast and flare.
I like lenses to excel on everything: sharpness wide open, sharpness center-to-edge, chromatic aberration control, bokeh, distortion…but I know that not all can be achieved and I am willing to accept certain compromises.
Let’s imagine the case when I switched to Canon from Contax G (because of film economics and video) Zeiss did not have the 35mm ZE back then, so in order to use the body I needed, I got the better 35mm of the Canon line which is the L 1.4. That lens is very good, and it is better than the then Canon 35mm f2 (non-IS) in the aspects I mentioned before. However, the lens itself is not exceptional and I wasn’t convinced the way it rendered photographs. Although it was a stop brighter than the Contax G35, I felt the G35 could isolate subjects better than the Canon 35mm L. When the Zeiss ZE 35mm arrived, I got it and sold the Canon L because it gave me some of the traits of the Contax G but it had a bit of distortion (more than the Canon) and the chromatic aberrations were more obvious with it.
Then I went from Canon to Sony when Sony released the NEX 7 and the 24mm 1.8 E, I remember looking at the very few samples available (they were not great, really) but I jumped the boat because the NEX 7 offered me a smaller camera. The Zeiss 24mm E is a very good lens, but it lacks signature anywhere beyond mid distances. It isn’t a great lens for infinity type of photographs but its a great lens for reportage (which is my work) and portraits if you master the lens at near distances.
That’s how I see 35mm. Today 98% of my work is done with 35mm and that has been the focal length for most of my work since 2008. Incredibly flexible for everything.
Agree about the so so performance at full opening, stepped down it is much better. I have compared it with the existing Sony 35mm Emount and the Sony is sharper both in center and across the frame at full opening, stepped down they’r performance is more equal. Originally I got the CV 34mm because I wanted a compact manual focus 50mm equivalent for my Nex7, size was of great importance. I prefer manual lenses when I’m using zone focus or hyperfocal setting, the CV is a joy to work with. I use it mostly stepped down. If I’m buying a new 35mm I rather pay for the Sony 35mm and get autofocus as a bonus than paying for a equally good manual focus lens. It does not make sens to me or my economy to have two manual focus 35mm lenses, so the Zeiss must be a sigificant step up to be interesting. I find the existing 35mm Sony Emount to be a exellent lens and a quite tempting purchase. Well thts how the math sums up in my head right now …
Ah! With that perspective then its a bit hard to find a replacement for you. In APS-C, a lot of lenses are better than what they would be on FF so your priority of size and speed is maybe unsurpassed by anything. If you do video and you are speaking about the Sony 35mm 1.8 OSS, then the OSS is just unbeatable, especially for video….
The lens is also kind of cheap but it would be 1/2 stop slower and your NEX 7 may not be as compact (although I am not sure since the adapter adds a bit so maybe the CV 35mm 1.4+adapter = Sony 35mm 1.8?)
The A7 is tempting, and I have tried and tested it. If I do go for it I think I’ll have the Sony 35mm f1.8. As long as I use the CV 35 stepped down I do belive (read wish …) it will cover my needs. When higher quality is needed I think the Sony will do the trick. My Nex 7 is beginning to fall apart, so I’ll have to make a desicion soon …
I miss my NEX 7, mainly because of the form factor. RX1+EVF is a bit clunky, but by no means chunky…just a bit at odds in the style department. That being said, if you do step up, the more MP, the more flaws you will see on your CV 35mm. I speak from experience. 24mp is the edge in the place where most lenses begin to shown flaws (some more than others) and the differences are clear enough, but not dramatically so…especially when you view online and not print. However, Sony is not offering an in-between stills cam with something like 18-20mp where most lenses will still do a great job.
If you do jump to A7, do not look toward the edges of your frame…;) You may be disappointed.
That being said, the NEX 7 is a very high density camera so if you have been happy with how your lens renders on it, then you may be happy with a lesser density cam like the A7 but beginning to feel unhappy with the A7r.
I do have the A900 and a nice handfull of lenses to go with it. So I do believe I am somewhat prepared on w hat the A7 demands from the lenses. The CV 35 have been used for
anything in the size and price range that’s better?
I believe that’s the smallest 35mm, so nothing else around that size if the length of it is the limit.
If 1.4 is also a limit, then no other 1.4 will cost the same. But, for that 1.4 you are giving away much sharpness and chromatic aberration to have 1.4, at that price, in that price.
If size or aperture are not limits, but price is, then for around £500 (which is what it costs in the UK) you could have a Canon FD 35mm f2, Nikon 35mm f2 Ai,-s, Canon’s current 35mm f2 (non-IS), maybe even a Jupiter 12 (which would be 2.8 but more interesting I think)
They look pretty small, the lens hood appears to double the length.
this simple industrial design is pure lens porn for my eyes 🙂
And size looks just right as well! Thanks Zeiss for these great lenses!
Why choose 50/2 MF over 55/1.8 AF, assuming same price?
Manual Focus.
Real mechanical coupling to the focusing system that enables precise and natural manual focusing. I find this especially important during the video capture.
Why choose Apo-Summicron M 50 over EF 50/1.8?
50/2 MF over 55/1.8 AF is a valid comparison as both are Zeiss designs, Planar vs Sonnar, unlike the weird Leica vs Canon example you just came up with.
Except, the 55/1.8 isn’t a Zeiss design, but a Sony one. That doesn’t make it any less of a lens – indeed, I think it’s worth recognizing that one of the best normals available today was designed in house by Sony.
The Leica vs Canon comparison holds – both the 50mm Planar and 55mm will have a different look, just like the Canon and Leica do. The 50mm Planar isn’t a 55/1.8 repackaged without AF.
Switchable aperture click, non-fly-by-wire manual focus, full metal construction, enough reasons for me.
FYI 55/1.8 are not of Zeiss design, just like the rest of ZA lenses, the 24/1.8 and 35/2.8 aren’t even a true Sonnar. I should stop sounding like a GAS patient.
because it is an obvious troll
Sounds very good. Now we need to see some RAW or from-RAW jpegs of these lenses and a couple of tests and stuff to really see if they are worth their salt.
I think 63* diagonal for the 35mm is bang on 35mm unlike the slightly narrower 24mm 1.8 E on APS-C or the wider RX1 Sonnar.
Very good. Looking forward to these.
I hear they cost loxia money
Manual 35/2 for mirrorless with 18mm flange – 340g! Sheesh! For comparison, Canon 35/2 for EF (46mm flange, so has to be retrofocus), WITH AF MOTOR INSIDE, is 210g.
“perfect for video”…
Except for the fact that they could have built in lens gears for the focus ring. Why not make it easier by simply adding it in to begin with? Not an honest expression from Zeiss at all.
It says ‘Perfect for photography and video’ and sadly it’s not possible to make a lens that’s ideal for both camps – so this compromise might be as close as you get to being perfect for dual-use
The clickless aperture is ‘perfect for video’, and for the tiny lenses it is still perfect for anyone wanting a compact video solution, who doesn’t want to use an add-on focus system.
But for me, adding gears would make it less appealing as a stills lens.
The thing is, gears will still work as a stills lens, but they won’t with a follow focus. I manually focus geared lenses all the time, and on other occasions with a follow focus instead. Gears won’t hurt either camp. It’s just a shame they decided to exclude it.
They add a fair bit of bulk and are uncomfortable and generally not that ‘clean’. Besides Zeiss have their cine lenses and probably don’t want to eat into that market too much with these.
Those were my thoughts too – less comfortable to use and add some bulk
Keep the lenses small and comfortable for manual focussing, and then use the add on systems to make them compatible with follow focus; particularly with small lenses like these ones.
So the only compromise is that those who want follow focus need to add any one of the numerous gear ring options
non-serious videographers can use zip-tie gears.
Great news!
I await a 28mm and 40mm.
I’d take a 28mm!
Rather a 21mm please !
Great! More wide angle and normal lenses…add that to the wide angle and normal lenses just released…and the wide angle and normal lenses released before…and the existing wide angle and normal lenses…and lots of newly anounced wide angle and normal lenses…plus a few portrait lengths here and there and theres an enormous selection of all the E mount lenses anyone can possibly ever want..unless of course you want anything other than wide angle, normal, or portrait lenses.
In this case Zeiss are another 3rd party manufacturer, who seem to be looking to put out their own range of lenses for FE in competition with the Sony offerings and what sort of range would it be without a 50mm and 35mm.
They have a distinct appeal in contrast to the Sony 35 and 50mm lenses, being small and manual, and compared to adapted lenses they offer the benefits of the electronic communication with the cameras (exif data and options for automatic aperture control and, focus zooming)
I too would like to see some other focal lengths on offer, but you can’t blame Zeiss for making competing 35mm and 50mm’s
What amazes me is how everyone cheers..and I can’t wait….. every time a new one of these same focal length lenses comes out.
Meanwhile Sony is totally neglecting A mount to devote all thier latest technology to E mount..Its a fad…a bubble and its going to burst big time…and all the pissed off neglected A mount users are going to remember this when Sony comes crawling back.
You don’t know what you are talking about…
Reflex cameras are a thing of the past. Live with it.
Bull$hit!
You are only partly right…the mirror will go…but pocket liners will not replace serious cameras for serious photographers.
I am still not sure what seriousness has to do with A-mount.
Serious photographers with a mount? lol
Someone give barry his daily megapixel pills. Can’t hear that whining anymore!
a fad? You seriously think mirrorless is a fad?
Oh man, you better find your meds quick. A trend, maybe, a fad, no.
Sony bought Minolta to get into the game. It worked out ok, but not great. They certainly bought some respect from the photographers that understood the legacy and recognized the greatness of their most serious camera, the A900.
Now Sony is using their own playbook, realizing that they will not beat Canon and Nikon in the SLR space.
Barry and Earl just can’t accept that the modern SLR is a bloated turd and that a Pro would want to use something more compact.
When I carry 75 lbs of equiment strapped to me in the field….half the weight I used to have to carry……my 3 A mount bodies weigh less than 6 lb.
3 E mount bodies would still wiegh 3lb and not be usefull with any usefull lenses such as 180 macro or 600mm.
The controls are too tiny to feel and use quickly in the field…E mount is an amatuer tool for whimps who cant handle a few more ounces of camera.
Yes the mirror will go but real photographers will still want a real camera.
Whimps will only be able to handle E mounts with minniaturized short lenses to match thier equally short……
Thanks for the chuckle Barry.
Since when does ones ability to haul gear equate to photographic excellence? I would argue that my ability to pack more gear in a smaller volume a much greater advantage for my professional work.
As far as 180mm macros and 400mm telephotos, I’ll leave the snail and bird picks to the manly men like you.
Thats why we both use differrent cameras
With adapters, you can use A-mount lenses on E-mount cameras. Only wimps complain about using adapters and so-called “tiny” controls.
Adapters turn good Lenses into crippled lense that do not fast focus and/or have stabilization
I’m sure that all of the folks in this thread are passionate about Photography and I applaud that. I’m sure that you are even inspired by your chosen subject matter, genre and style.
What gets frustrating is when insults are hurled around which indicate that the system someone else has chosen is inferior because it doesn’t fit your needs.
As an example, I have no interest in carrying around 3 x 6 pound camera bodies. I also have no need for “any useful lenses such as 180 macro or a 600 mm “.
Ever.
Because of this, I will likely never consider carrying more than 5-10 lbs of camera equipment (minus tripod). My entire backpacking kit is significantly less weight even with camera gear.
For many of us, the DSLR feels like a relic and consequently many “real” photographers have chosen to move on. While it’s true that there isn’t as great a lens selection for native mirrorless mounts at this point, it will probably come. Perhaps slower than you like, but that is likely because the lenses you mentioned being most useful to you are incredibly rare and expensive. The lenses that are being rolled out are the ones that most of us rely on. They should certainly broaden that out and hopefully they will soon.
Perhaps you can’t move on because there are speciality lenses and even a few somewhat standard lenses that are only available for your big camera. I get that, but please understand that at this point Sony A7’s are outpacing or matching every full frame camera on the market in image quality and for this reason lots of people are moving there, away from big cameras.
It’s ok for us to have different needs without feeling personally attacked or to have it implied that we are wimps or not “real” photographers.
I’m really excited. I’d love to buy really expensive MF glass to shoot like it’s 1960 again. But wait… I guess I could just turn AF off so never mind. I guess if you’re desperate, you’re desperate. Gee, makes one wonder how excited if Sony announced great lenses with AF. ;^)
On a side semi-related note, is Sony even going to Photokina this year? Don’t think so. No point. ;^)
Sony is falsely propping up E mount sales by putting the latest technology sensors in E mount while witholding them from A mount….when the bubble bursts all the hot air will spill out.
It’s funny because you are the one experiencing the burst of a bubble. The bubble that was this crappy A mount system from Sony that nobody ever really used.
You invested in this shit system and now you pay the price of your stupidity.
When Barry bursts, all the bullshit will spill out.
I await the day you two finally leave Sony for good. We will celebrate for a whole week!
Translation: You can’t argue against anything I said but don’t like it anyway so want me to go away to live in your happy fanboy bubble? ;^)
Actual translation: Earl and Barry are a pair of geriatric retards who ‘think’ they contribute something useful, where in reality the only thing you provide is this constant annoying ‘ringing’ in our ears. Go jerk each other off and go buy another brand already.
Still no substantive response, troll. I rest my case.
‘when the bubble bursts all the hot air will spill out.’
are you talking about your brain?
The e-mount droolers like abortabort can’t see anyone wanting anything they don’t crave. Members of the ‘kill off the a-mount chorus’ they see the 2 as natural competitors that can’t co-exist. They lack the imagination (dare I say intelligence?) to see the 2 could complement each other nicely for many years to come if Sony’s inept marketing department had a clearer, more comprehensive vision? Witness all the SAR members who have bodies/lenses from both lines and see value in both for different use cases. I’ll add, now that I’m spending more time in the Canikon forums contemplating a switch-over I’ve notice a lot of Canikon DSLR lovers picking up Sonys or some other compact ILC, particularly for casual family outings.
With a screen name like abortabort it is very unwise of him to call people names.
P. S.
I has told to watch Sigma rumors for a post later today about thier 300-600…but I do not know what the post will say.
I’m expecting next week we might see some manufacturer information leak to build up interest in Photokina. So it wouldn’t surprise me if we get something solid from Sigma.
For example, the Canon EOS 7D II specs have really firmed up and Canon has started their Photokina lens sale. While Sony teases us with silly faux rumors of a 400mm f/4, Nikon just shipped one 2 days ago and Canon is rumored to be announcing one at Photokina. Sony pretty much cedes the entire pro/semi-pro/serious amateur sports/nature photography market to Canikon. Nice job, Sony!
Haven’t heard much about the new Nikon D750 FF. Unfortunately, it looks like it’ll be another 24MP (Sony sensor based?) one. I’d love to see a cheaper D810 because I’m choking on the price. ~$3,000 FleaBay gray market – and I’d much prefer dealing with an authorized dealer on a new body than some guy working out of the trunk of his car.
The idea of switching – most likely to Nikon – looks rather silly for an amateur hobbiest such as myself. It’s not that I don’t have the money. It’s that I have a hard time justifying spending so much on something I only fiddle with in my spare time or on trips and the like. But I’m so steamed at Sony right now I’ve just about had it. Being a Sony customer is akin to living with an emotionally abusive spouse. ;^)
Sigma rumors just came out and seeing a 300-600 at photokina is looking unlikely.
Yeah, saw it and posted a comment. Things are probably as I suspected before and Sigma was caught with their pants down on the Tamron 150-600mm. It’ll take some more time for them to formulate a response. I don’t think I’ll pick up the Tamron 150-600mm until I get a clearer picture of my options. I’m sure it’s a bit better than my 200-500mm it replaces but it’s still more of the same. I can afford to wait I think.
You have plans to replace your ailing Bigma?
Do you blame Sony for sigma or tamaron’s design choices?
this camera system is perfect for wide angle to portrait photography. Look at what Leica offers (on their website)
5 different 50mm lenses, 3 different 35mm at different speeds and sizes. Portrait until 90mm, wide angle until 16mm. All manual focus.
Can people take nice pictures with those lenses since around 100 years? They can!
They start with 35 and 50 because thAts the most sold focal length sucks but it’s true. Heck I would rather a 21, 24 or 85 ish first but won’t happen
You seem to have forgotten the old trolling that used to happen about E mount. How many 18-200 lenses do you need?
E mount FF has lenses to 200mm.
E mount APS-C has lenses to 210mm.
Like I said ….portrait length…you cant photograph wildife or birds with that short a lens nor can you do quality macro work.
Only Sony could be so foolish as to make the usefull lenses only in A mount and the most usefull sensrs only in E mount with no fully funtional way to adapt then.
I’ve been starting out in video and realising what a mistake my 35 and 55 e-mount for video was with the focus by wire! I see these have a focus ring and seems to be a constant focus from one of the points. Could somebody please explain why gears are important for a video lens and hence why it’s a negative that these don’t have them?
Cinema lenses are designed to be used with a follow focus ring. Still lenses require an adapter and since the sizes vary so much, you may need multiple adapters.
On my a99 when I don’t feel like focusing manually I use AF in combination with Focus Hold. I keep it depressed until I need AF or the subject moves back/forward (even better in combination with face tracking). The focus hold button on a mount lenses is helpful but I think e mount lenses lack this so you’ll have to use the button on the camera body for this method.
Alternately you could try inexpensive manual focus vintage m42 mount lenses like a Pentax super Takumar or minolta Rokkor. Manually focusing on these vintage lenses can be smoother than modern AF lenses.
Simple because with fly by wire you don’t have hard stops. Each focus pull will change slightly. When you use a follow focus you can mark your focus pulls and they will be the same for each shot.
It’s really starting to look like Zeiss simply re-housed the optics from the ZM 50/2 and 35/2, which would be bad news, at least for the 35, which smears on the A7 series.
Minimum focusing distance is totally different compared to ZM counterparts, so the optical formula is different.
Not really. But yes that ‘could’ indicate it’s different.
but the minimum focus distance of the zm lenses is limited due to the m-mount and the zm camera minimum focusing distance, not by lens design
Do you really see Zeiss releasing a lens specifically designed for the a7 that smears?
Agree. “proven optical design” also seems to indicate that.
I like what I see. 🙂
Admin…. PLEASE just separate A-Mount from E-Mount by moving E-Mount to it’s own rumor page I am sick of all the E-Mount rubbish… unless of course you think, the A-Mount rumor page would be mostly blank and all A-Mount fans would die of boredom instead of frustration.
Sorry to say but E-mount is the future. Just accept it.
So what you are saying is that the most important investment (thousands of dollars) we made on lenses and bodies in the RECENT past is relegated to having to use adapters for second class performance losing our image stabilization, better focus, no overheating, great battery life and no hacking/cludging in a lens adapter etc.. lol any self respecting photographer will leave SONY forever and go back to CaNikon if your right. I don’t think so ,Sony isn’t that stupid 🙂
E-mount fanboys keep confusing the fact that Sony’s incompetent marketing department’s neglect of a-mounts and subsequent inability to compete with Canikon with the death of the far more popular DSLRs in general.
The way I see it, DSLR is more popular than mirrorless but Sony SLT is not selling as good as Sony mirrorless. Very few Canikon shooters would get SLT as their secondary camera, but plenty of them have Sony mirrorless as a 2nd camera.
The important point there is full frame…
Not for long. Anecdotally, the majority of the professional shooters I know (say 30 pros) have at a minimum purchased a mirrorless for a second system and some of us have completely jettisoned DSLRs. The point being, not that mirrorless is more popular, but that there is tremendous interest in smaller, capable cameras that shave weight out of a pro’s bag. As soon as there is a FF mirrorless system with an AF system as powerful as dSLR and a lens ecosystem as good as say Fuji’s APS-C lineup (2-3 generations maybe?) I expect that dSLR’s will be well on their way into decline.
Buhuu. Technology evolves. Short flange distances offer simpler optical designs that are just not possible with mounts designed for mirror cameras. Good luck with your adapters. I have already sold most of my A-mount stuff. I recommend you do the same.
Sony is not stupid, they see the future and they are making it. As an A-Mount and E-Mount shooter, I understand the benefits of A-mount and what we lose when moving to an A7 body but there are also benefits to E-mount today, and conceivably many more to come. It is not hard to imagine the E-Mount AF system soon being as good if not better than the A-mount (see what they did with the A6000). Image stabilization will have to be in lens but that’s the status quo over in Canon/Nikon land so if you quit Sony you would be in the same position. Battery life is already bad in the current generation of A-mount (A77/A99) compared to Canon and Nikon so that argument is a dud. That leaves us with native FE lenses and here is where you either trust that Sony and Zeiss will deliver, or you don’t.
Sony is playing coy with A-mount users but the writing is on the wall, they will develop E-mount to a state that Canon and Nikon will have a difficult time jumping in late and competing. A-mount will get lip service and a few updates here and there to existing lenses and bodies but don’t expect much more.
Sony really has no choice – they cannot win against Canon and Nikon in the traditional dSLR market so they MUST win in the FF mirror-less space. Understanding that, how could they not look at E-Mount as the future?
Finally, a very sane and detailed analysis. 🙂
You’re right up to the point of saying Sony sees their future as mirrorless. It’s not necessarily the future for a very long time to come. Sony is hitting FEs hard including nearly selling a7s at loss-leader prices because nobody competes in this space. Yet, have they taken over FFs? Hardly.
Sony just doesn’t see themselves as being able to take Canikon head-on in DSLRs. Notice in cropped ILCEs they’ve consolidated their bodies and aren’t really doing much in specific lenses for them because suddenly they hit a lot of competition from Lumix, Fuji, Olympus, and Samsung. All relatively weak players who moved into this market niche because they can’t compete in DSLRs either, I suspect.
I’ve cheesed a lot of Sony fanboys off because I don’t agree that Sony can’t make some head-way in DSLRs given their engineering talent and huge tech base in sensors so I’ve pi$$ed and moaned mightily on SAR about it.
I should add they I highly suspect within 5 years at least one, if not 2, of those compact players will be out of the segment as it’s overcrowded. Specifically, I don’t see Samsung lasting despite their very deep pockets and engineering prowess. I also wonder if Olympus can gut it out.
I really hope that Olympus makes it. There’s so much promise in their technology and design, but I think they are going to find themselves hamstrung by their small sensor and system of lenses designed around it.
I was hoping more would come of that partnership with Sony that was announced last year. Either Sony could pick up some of their stuff like their 5 axis stabilization. Or they could make an E mount body…or lenses.
E mount fanboys are very sensitive of the fact that their system is inadequite for anything but snapshots..wa, normal, and portrait..they become very defensive when reminded of this fact.
Well it takes a bigger fanboy to think the A mount is a real camera system. Canon and Nikon have won that race long ago… E mount has a fighting chance… heck it might even be the future winner.
Lol, yep I was actually hoping e-mount would be as good as a-mount but nah… it’s just not for me. I’m pretty happy with the A-Mount and hey we actually have some good lenses to choose from, so other than an updated body here and their I’m pretty happy with what we have, I think Sony see’s it that way as well.
Ok, I would like to see the e-mount improved but probably wont invest into it for a long time, I do see Sony as cutting edge and I actually don’t have much missing for the A-Mount at this time, we have a decent set of lenses to choose from. My 70 to 400 G lens amazes me every time I use it, as do most of my other Sony lenses and Sigma for that matter. Come to think of it I’m pretty happy with my a-mount setup as it is.
Hm, wasn’t Canon exactly like this when they invented their EF system and dropped everything before? Or Minolta? … And as far as I know there were not even adapters…
Not sure, but your probably right. I am hopeful a-mount will pickup steam soon.
No… it’s related to you having bad judgement.
Even manufacturers can go belly up. Would you have been happier if you were on another system and that happened?
Lol no not really I’m pretty happy with the a-mount . We actually have a great selection of lenses choose from. I do hope you get some e-mounts soon, sad to see with the same lens over and over just minor difference to slow stuff all the same size, seriously!
I use whatever that gets the job done best… and for that E mount gives the most options.
Don’t click on the articles you don’t like.
Woah! Steady on. That’s way too simple a solution.
wait! what?
A-what?
Please separate your head from your colon.
I’ve wanted to say this so many times. A and E mount are so completely different and I get the feeling that very few of us have an interest in both. I’m of the “move A mount off into it’s own site so I don’t have to see it” camp. It’s boring because we all know what’s coming…nothing.
Mirrored camera technology has been replaced, just like SLRs replaced Rangefinders and Rangefinders replaced view cameras. That doesn’t mean there isn’t a place for it, this just isn’t it. Mirrorless camera development is at the forefront and hence there are actually rumors. We are so close to the time when DSLRs don’t have any advantages over mirrorless and it’s pretty exciting to watch.
There’s a reason that there are so few rumors on the A mount (and DSLR Canon-Nikon) front.
The simple industrial design is just perfect. The best looking e-mount lenses so far!
Because the FE35 and FE55 are so overcomplicated?
I like the outlook of Mitakon Speedmaster 50mm, especially Dark Knight version 🙂
So sad. If there had been AF on these I would have bought the 35mm without a second thought (if the optical quality was good). I sorely miss an extra stop in the 35mm f/2.8.
I never really got why they decided to omit distance/dof scales on lenses for cameras that have such a long startup sequence/poor battery life.
I never got why they were omitted, period.
one second is not so long – at least for me…
Simple – because they’re focus by wire, electronically controlled.
That’s not an answer to my question but just different wording. Not many (originally) 1000$ lenses are focus by wire. Because it sucks. So again, why?
I have recently learned that with recent high density MP sensors, the DOF scale is more or less inaccurate since the circle of confusion deemed acceptable during film days (for which most DOF scales are understood) was considerably larger than the circle of confusion would want to have for acceptable sharpness on a sensor.
DOF Master website can allow you to change the circle of confusion according to what you want and, believe me, the DOF scales change dramatically and explains why was I not having the DOF expected when focused at distance X when using digital.
And now that we are in digital, one may need to adjust the expectations accordingly to what is acceptable sharpness on a photograph on X megapixels viewed at X distance on an X sized print/monitor. This pretty much tells me that with the years coming, a fixed DOF scale on a lens may mean little and you may want to have an app on your phone to help you fine tune the circle of confusion variant so your acceptable sharpness depth of field is achieved.
Agreed. Only distance scale on the lense makes sense. DOF depends on the sensor and should appear in viewfinder or display.
DOF scales have ever been a means of achivieving critical focus?
Maybe ask anyone who uses zone focusing of hyperfocal distance focusing methods. DOF scales did work well with film when you close down the aperture of, say, a 35mm lens to 5.6 and focus at 5m knowing that your depth of field, within the acceptable circle of confusion calculation made by X lens company, is from say 3m to 15m. I used that with my ZM 35mm shooting with a Bessa R4a and it works as expected.
Landscape photographers also use it, especially those using medium format, where depth of field is greatly reduced so you need to know which aperture focused at what distance can give you hyperfocal distance focus.
If you haven’t achieved proper focusing using depth of field scales before maybe you didn’t use them very well or maybe you had a bit of shake and couldnt see it working or I dont know.
For my part, they have worked extremely well with film. However, for digital, its another thing since the circle of confusion needs to be altered to accommodate pixel size.
How much are these gonna cost? I know they’ll be expensive but how expensive?
This is a promising system. For lenses we can choose from a complete range of Sony Zeiss Autofocus prime & zoom lenses or complete range of high-quality Zeiss Manual lenses. For the camera bodies we have A7 (general), A7R (high resolution), A7S (high ISO & Video). The future looks bright for Sony.
“complete range” of prime and zoom lenses? what world do you live in?
MAYBE it will be complete one day, but trouble is, Sony has a knack for losing interest in any one system long before it’s complete.
This is different as there is no competition.
I don’t see your point, I agree with Sebastian… You’re right, there is no competition in full frame mirrorless, but it has nothing to do with the fact that 2 primes (35 and 55) and 3 zooms (24 70, 28 70, 70 200) do not form a “complete range” of autofocus lenses… Even with the 16-35 coming soon, Sony is far from having a “complete range of Sony Zeiss autofocus prime & zoom”… Where are the 85 and 135, the macro lenses, the real wide angles primes? Who knows, it may be done in a couple of years, but for now, it’s not…
Do you use any complete system and own at least half of the lenses in that complete system?
The Contax G system had 7 lenses: 8/16, 2.8/21, 2.8/28, 2/35, 2/45, 2.8/90 and 35-70. See where the gap is at 24? see there is no longer lens than 90 although Leica had 135mm already? See also that there are no 1.4 variants.
That system lived for many years (died because Contax died whilst support lasted officially until 2012) and many still consider it to be an exceptional combo of lenses and performance and no one ever b1tched about it as much as they do today expecting a Canon/Nikon like line up of lenses.
I am an advocate of photography of gear you know well and master well. I do not believe people NEED 5 zooms and 8 primes to consider that a kit.
Except that your Contax G example has nothing to do with the actual situation in the FE line up. We are talking about TWO primes only, there is a huge gap between the 2 situations… I don’t say that it will not be a complete line up one day. I don’t say that Sony needs to create 50 primes and 30 zooms to be considered as a mature system. I don’t say that we need 1.2 primes. I just told Varn that we can not consider that the existing Sony FE lenses are a “complete range”.
I understand that but these two lenses are not a Sony initiative, so Sony isn’t responsible for the overlapping of focal lengths. Zeiss knows that a 35mm alone sells more than 24mm and 21mm lenses together (too special) and that 50mm is a clear easy lens to launch a new line of lense (which probably sells more than 35, 24 and 21 together)
Agreed, most (but not all) folks may only need a few primes and a couple of zooms. But they don’t all need the same ones. Some want an UWA, some love portrait primes, and if you do wildlife you’ll want something really long. That’s why it’s do hard to come up with a complete system.
I start to think that companies are cashing in on the “street” and “journalism” trend these days. Since those two disciplines are mostly boasting about 35mm and 50mm…there…the obvious choice for “the man/woman who wants to be ready for any eventuality without ever being in a situation too wide, or too long”
Why would anyone want a full collection of lenses when they are all the same focal lengths?
While these are the same focal lengths, I would choose the AF ones for video if I wanted to do video with the A7s, and the 35mm f2 because its a stop faster than what Sony offers, it could be as great as the RX1’s Sonnar and it is compact and affordable compared to the next nearest option, a summicron 35.
Not sure whether I need to explain everything so clearly: Only FF mirrorless -> no competition -> sell and earn lots of $$$ -> invest more and focus their resources -> more lenses and accessories -> complete system
This is why we see a slowing down in A-mount FF & APSC and also E-mount APSC, Sony is not stupid, this is an excellent business opportunity for them so they focus their resources on this system and push out 3 FF bodies in such a short time. Just my 2 cents.
Yep, it’s something that could happen (a complete range), I agree with you. There is no other system to choose in this category despite the lack of some classic prime lenses in the FE line up (24, 85). If your point was that Sony has found the right product to build a real line up, I agree. But if the complete system you are talking about may happen in a couple of years (Sony earns money, etc) for now, the “complete range of auto-focus lenses” does not exist. That was my point.
Agreed.
3 more lenses in the next year? Come on zeiss… Give us a-mount believers a faster set of primes! The other platforms have enjoyed 1.2f and faster for years. God knows first gen slt apsc guys need a low light hero.
It’s called the Sigma 18-35mm f1.8.
How can Zeiss make the following statement: ”
• The functionality of the Loxia lenses is perfectly matched with the camera functions of the Sony α7-series.”
It doesn’t seem like a “perfect match” to create manual focus lenses for an autofocus camera.
I think they mean the electronic functionality: aperture control (by the sounds of it, you can do it in camera too), magnification activation when turning the focus wheel (this is very new because neither Nikon nor Canon have it in ZE/ZF form), complete EXIF data and likely also profile software correction for vignetting, chroma aberrations and distortion if needed.
I don’t know why there is so much bashing of Zeiss MF lenses when the only Zeiss branded lenses ever to come out of the company as a third party manufacturer where the Touit lenses. All other AF lenses were partnerships.
This isn’t bashing Zeiss for releasing MF lenses. I am merely questioning the statement mentioned above. A perfect match would be to support all functions, including AF.
Personally I’d like to see a manual 1.8 or 2.0 zoom like a 16 to 35, 35 to 90, 20 to 50, 50 to 100… I don’t know if any of those are possible but I’d rather have a manual zoom then manual prime. I could justify the price because then I’d be getting to focal lengths in one.
Size comparison: a Canon 6D with the Voigtlander 2.0/40mm Ultron or 2.8/28mm Color Skopar MF lenses is 1cm shorter, 1cm wider and 1cm higher and 150gr heavier than a Sony A7 with a Zeiss Loxia, but has a battery life for about 1200 pictures and an OVF, whilst the Sony battery is flat after about 250 shots and the EVF is debatable. The Sony / Loxia combo surely is smaller, but not in a relevant way to make the size an argument for changing system.
Could you then please be happy with your combo and go to your forum?
Most here are Sony users and owing sony equipment and are looking for further sony equipment and giving a damn on what size and weight a Canon combo has unless they don’t need it without any other choice,…
hm interesting did you notice that these two lenses you want to put on your tiny canon 6d can also be used on the a7?
‘but has a battery life for about 1200 pictures and an OVF’
if you buy the a7 you want to have an evf so what do you want to tell us here?
but i would definitely take the battery power…
I want to put the hype in relation to the facts without degrading Sony’s achievements. Loxia is definitely not small. An A7/Loxia combo still is very interesting for other reasons.
Those two lenses look terrific! I hope the price will be reasonable, since the cost of a motorized AF system is not there. Some people here are asking for more APS-C E-lenses from Zeiss, but those two look small enough to comfortably be used on an A6000. I’m seriously thinking of getting the 35mm ( actually 52mm ) for mine.
What you call reasonable price is relative. You also have to consider how many of these they think they will sell. If you want an idea of the price, just look at the equivalent lenses in the ZM range. These will have the same RRP or more I suspect.
You have a point there, Jonathan, let’s wait and see! Anyway, the Loxia looks simpler and “cleaner” than a typical ZM, so I’ll keep my fingers crossed!
I’m waiting, but I’m actually really interested in the SLR Magic Hyperprime 35mm f/0.95 Cine. I’d be interested to see a comparison between the Zeiss 35mm and the SLR Magic. If the SLR Magic performs pretty much as well or better at f/2 as the Zeiss, the main advantage for me would be that the Zeiss is smaller, although for APS-C I already have Sony’s 35 1.8 if I want a small lens. I bet the Zeiss will deliver really good results, tho.
Low weight? 340g and 320g is not low weight IMHO.
For best IQ 340gr is lightweight 🙂
Better than Summilux 50 asph 335g and Zeiss Sonnar T* FE 55 f1.8 281g,
the latter also with autofocus?
The Summicron C 40 for Leica CL is also a f2 lens at 130g.
That is more my idea on lightweight.
50mm:
Focusing range m: 0.45–∞
How many Dia blades on each? Would love to add both to my collection. Especially the 35.
I’m definitely not impressed with the Loxia 50mm’s speed and weight given it is a manual focus lens in a digital age. For comparison, the entirely all metal construction 1972 S-M-C Takumar 50mm F1.4 has more elements&groups than the Zeiss Loxia and is much faster but yet weighs 250 grams compared to the Loxia’s 320 grams. Also If you compare the 50mm Loxia to the equivalent speed SMC Pentax-M 50mm F/2 the difference is even more startling as the Pentax-M weighs *only* 138 grams — less than half of the weight of the Zeiss Loxia.
The Zeiss Loxia 35mm f/2 lens weighs 340 grams compared to the 242 grams of the entirely all metal construction Super-Multi-Coated TAKUMAR 35mm f/2.
Of course I expect the Zeiss Loxia 35mm and 50mm lenses to be sharper and have less aberrations and flare than the Pentax/Asahi lenses from two generations ago but given the much higher expected prices of the Zeiss lenses I think that most people are better off just using the Pentax SLR lenses with an adapter on the A7 series especially if they just want a faster 35mm lens.
Zeiss already designed and sold small, fast and high quality AF primes for their Contax G series of range finders so there is no good reason why they could not have released similar quality fast autofocus lenses for the Sony A7 series rather than simply rewarming old M-mount manual focus models from decades before.
In regards to Sony and their lackluster camera systems, I think that if a real camera/photography company like Fuji, Olympus or Pentax ever decide to build and release full frame mirrorless cameras , the reign of the Sony Alpha mirrorless cameras will be over. The only reason why Sony is not taking giant losses on their DSLR, NEX and A7 cameras is because they can source their image sensors and electronics in-house. Sony knows how to design and manufacture image sensors but seem to know (or care to know) very little about Art, Photography, Photographers or how to build long-lived camera *systems*.
I’ve already decide to pass on these guys. Not interested, I’ll stick with auto focus and use manual when it suits my fancy- which isn’t all that often. I understand the whole advantages of dedicated MF aperture rings and whatnot. For the prices I’m imagining, it’s not worth it IMO.
I desperately want a native ultra-wide…
I desperately want an ultra-wide native…
Go to Vancouver, there’s a lot of ultra-wide natives… To each their own! 😀
All lenses for FF E mount are welcome. But I am not buying it! Next lens for me will be 16-35 FE so I can retire Sony10-18 and Canon 16-35 that is to big and slow AF with adapter.
Remember this system is just a year. In two years nobody will complain about lack of glass!
Let’s hope the Sony Zeiss 16-35mm measures up. If it gets close to my Nikon 16-35mm I’ll be a happy man.
I am so worried about this one. If the wide end of the 24-70, the crazy distortion, and the corners of most adapted lenses is any indication of the road ahead… the UWA zoom may disappoint a lot of people hoping for prime lens performance.
oh yes, there will be a lot of people complaining about lack of cheap FF E-mount lenses. (I’m fine with Zeiss and G lenses only).
And I wonder why some people think there is a need for cheap FF lenses. Sony has APS-C cameras for those who want to enjoy photography on a smaller budget.
Asking for cheap lenses for a high resolution FF sensor is like asking for 99$ tire set for your 400hp Porsche.
Now we only need a 35mm/1.4 and 50 or 55mm/1.4 and the system can be officialy called complete.
Ok… this made me laugh.
These are nice, but the AF 55 seems like a better bargain.
Re weight: The Leica R 50mm summicron, which is amazing, is f2 double-gauss (planar) design (like this 50mm) and is 290 grams. http://www.l-camera-forum.com/leica-wiki.en/index.php/50mm_f/2_Summicron-R_II
They’re pretty affordable on ebay. Cheap entry into the leica world.
Not only FE 55 is better bargain, but it’s a better lens than the ZM 50/2.
Loxia 50/2 is looking like a rehoused ZM 50/2 (identical 6/4 design!) I’m not expecting anything special after this leak. Zeiss say they’re doing a Planar with a “proven optical design”- Planar is a proven lower quality lens than the FE 55.
Loxia 35/2 is not identical, it’s slightly different to 35/2 ZM. Hopefully that’s enough to not smear…
Better? You mean from the perspective of a Charts N Graphs photographer, right? Because anyone with a modestly discerning eye can tell the difference in how those two lenses render.
Uh, why did they start with 35 and 50??? Come on, super quality native ultra wide is what we have all been waiting for ever since the A7 series was launched! Zeiss, are you listening? Please speed up releasing a 14, 18, and 24 or something like a tri-elmar. Wanna sell these lenses? That’s the open door right there. Get with it please.
We’ll get an UW at some point, probably at least one of the three due in 6-12months. You won’t see a Zeiss only branded zoom or ‘Tri-Elmar’ though. It looks highly likely these are developed from the ZM range. No zooms there.
The Sony Zeiss 16-35mm will be shown at Photokina I suspect. Let’s hope it’s a winner.
tri-elmar? rofl why on earth? or have I not discovered the frame line feature in my a7r?
Working in advertising photography over 35 years I have to say, that these start-up optics in FE line up are welcoming choice from Zeiss. They are going to nicely refine 24-70mm Zeiss FE and shortly coming 16-35mm Zeiss FE as well.
I am crossing fingers, that 85mm FE is coming soon as well.
Let’s see what Photokina-2014 is going to show.
So far so good Sony aka Zeiss.
I’m not sure what you mean by “They are going to nicely refine 24-70mm Zeiss FE and shortly coming 16-35mm Zeiss FE as well”. Could you explain?
Maybe because they’re zooms and these are primes the latter is a refinement over the former
“So far so good Sony…” aka Sony.
I thought they were supposed to be small… pancake like lenses. These are hardly on the small side of things. Why exactly did they go manual focus if they are still going to be this big?
Pancake vs. non-pancake is about length. AF vs. MF is about thickness.
These lenses are still fairly small. They’re no bigger than the diameter of the lens mount. And the a7 bodies looking like miniature SLRs give the illusion that the lenses are big.
No. Noone said so small like you say (pancake). I dont like pancake lenses anyway.
But they said “very fast”, maybe they’re gonna announce faster ones, too.
I mean, I don’t mind having a 50 or 35 f/2, actually. I think it’s fast enough on FF. IF it is sharp wide open.
I remember testing the ZM 25/2 Biogon on the a7r and it was fine in the corners. So a modern purpose built 35/2 will be better.
25/2 ZM doesn’t exist. I have pictures from 35/2 ZM and it’s horrible. Awful smearing.
I hope for Zeiss’ sake Loxia is different.
Sorry, it was a ZM 25/2.8.
Do you really think they will hype this much and release the same lens in a different barrel? This is not a cine lens you know ;D
How many think Olympus will reveal a e mount compatable full frame at Photokina? There are some serious rumors out there suggesting it will sport a sony 32MP sensor but maybe no image stabilization. That makes me wonder why they’d do it. I have no doubt Olympus could build a better camera than Sony. I consider it fact at this point. If they’d be allowed to implement 5 axis I wouldn’t even look at the Sony FE’s. The fact that design and build wise they’d also be ten times better is simply icing on the cake.
this would be very welcome 🙂
35/2 is 9/6, 50/2 is 6/4. Too similar to the ZM 35/2 and 50/2; how more traditional you could get nowadays with a 6/4 Planar, when even the cheap SLR 50/1.8s are at least 6/5 or 7/6?
Very likely that they took the ZM optic designs, “improved” the minimum focusing distance (doable from the beginning, they just left it at 0.7m for rangefinder coupling on the ZM), added electronic contacts, put everything into a new barrel, fetched through Wikipedia for a bird name, and called that a day.
more elements for your AF? Or more elements for more weight and size?
Over Priced Toys. Where is the A99II?
A-mount stuff is now available at toysarus.com in 5 different colors
How ignorant. You call lenses toys and demand another camera. What do you do with it? Playing around in the menus?
Hahha. Yeah. I guess Sony knows its audience, releases 4 cameras for every decent lens.
If they could come up with a 12 mm f.2,0 Then i would buy one. Because at that wide angel. I did not have to think about autofocus. And if they made that with a possebillity to use screw filters. Then i would sing in Church
12mm… f2? That is crazy talk.
Press release: There is a gasket on the mount
What Zeiss really means: Hey, our engineers took 10 minutes to fix your light leak problem and offer some actual (not fairy tale) weather protection that you couldn’t be bothered with in your own stuff, Sony