After a very long time the new Zeiss 50mm Planar is finally back in Stock thanks to BHphoto (Click here). This is a must have lens if you plan to buy the new 30+ Megapixel A-mount mirrorless cameras 🙂
Reminder: RX100 now sells for $50 less at Amazon US (Click here), SonyStyle US (Click here), Adorama (Click here) and Bhphoto (Click here).
Here are all other US deals:
Up to $200 savings on SLT cameras at Amazon (Click here).
The RX1R ships on August 8 according to SonyStyle US (Click here) and is in Stock at Adorama (Click here)
Earn 2,800 Sony Rewards points at SonyStyle US (Click here).
Save up to $900 on Select Sony NEX-VG900 Full Frame Interchangeable Lens Camcorder Bundles at Amazon US (Click here).
Save up to $70 on Select Sony Cyber-shot Digital Cameras at Amazon US (Click here).
Sigma 18-35mm f/1.8 A-mount lens will ship any day now at Amazon (Click here), BHphoto (Click here) and Adorama (Click here).
Still three weeks to wait for the Zeiss 50mm lens at Amazon US (Click here).
26 Responses
I rented this lens from lens rentals last week and used it in NYC. Have a look at my shots. I’m an amateur but I think a lot of my shots came out nice. I shot RAW with an A99. Feel free to pass on any feedback, try to be nice and if anything you can see what the new Zeiss can do. http://500px.com/fatninja/sets
One thing I should add is the 50mm is noticeably lighter than the 24-70 CZ and it was pretty easy walking around with it for 3 hours in NYC. I would buy this lens if I had the money but since I own the 24-70 I will probably just rent this lens again when desired.
Justin, thank you for your examples. Your shots are quite good, but they’ve been so heavily altered in post that it’s impossible to gauge the performance of this lens.
Nice lens. I would like to own it but it is too expensive for me.
Hice shooting, Justin. Did you have a filter on that lens?
No filter. Pretty heavy processing in LR 4. Not sure if I went to far with it but I was having fun pushing the limits of RAW. I normally shoot jpegs but now that I know how much more you can push and pull images in RAW I’m hooked. My intent was to go black and white with these but then I started seeing all of the colors in China Town and I was like ‘forget it’ I’m staying in color.
You went too far.
I have Minolta 50 1.7.
It costs 20 times less than that Zeiss.
Is that Zeiss produces 20 times better photos?
Are you familiar with the concept of diminishing returns?
Is a $2000 wine 20x better than a $100 wine? Is a $500,000 Ferrari 10x better than a $50,000 BMW? Will the upcoming zeiss 55mm be three times better than this lens at three ties the cost (rumored to be $4500).
For higher end items, the answer is no. The $100 may be excellent? The BMW will get you where you need to go in comfort & style and the next zeiss lens probably won’t be 3x sharper or resolve 3x more detail. There is less economy of scale at work for the higher end items among other things.
You forgot to mention the Hasselblad Lunar vs. the NEX7 😉
Lol, that’s just swindle suckers.
Does a car that costs 10 times more than other cars drive 10 times faster ?
I have a Minolta 50 1.7 that I got for $1. Does the Zeiss produce a photograph 1500 times better?
I already stated the answer is no, for a 10% improvement one may have to pay 100%+ more. To be fair, you have to compare retail prices. For a dollar, it’s worth it even if you only get one good shot out of it.
I am dying for someone to compare this to the sigma 50mm 1.4 hsm. This lens is now on sale for 400.00. I know for a fact its better than all the minolta 50mm and and sony because I tested it myself. I can’t afford the zeiss to compare but I am curious to know how much better it is if at all.
np. it is 30x better.
1500 for the best of the best autofocus 50mm prime is not that expansive. if you buy it in japan it is more affordable.
Got a mail from my photopusher today, sounds like the first copy in Denmark is headed my way tomorrow. (and I have the Min50 F1.4 and the Rokkor 50F1.2 ,but I see no problem paying a premium for the best, now the Zeiss 55F1.4 is only Canikon)
I would love to see a more compact E-Mount version for the FF-NEX soon…
I was happy past Saturday when I was out for buying some equipment.
My Retailer asked whether I want to buy something nice for my A99, and then he went into the store and came back with the boxed Zeiss. A couple of minutes later it was mine. 🙂
The lens is almost perfect. The SSM is the fastest AF I have ever used, and it’s very accurate too. The Zeiss typical colors and snappy contrasts are near to perfect, and the bokeh is very creamy. With the coating Zeiss almost eliminated flare, especially when the Sun is in the frame, even when wide open (in contrary to the 24/2).
There is only one thing to rave about – purple fringing is quite pronounced wide open.
All in all it is worth the price. I agree with Andrea; this lens is a must-have! (also a perfect partner for the A99)
@DiBok
Do you have any example images that you have posted anywhere that you can show us of the purple fringing? Is it simply magenta fringing along the edges of out-of-focus regions in front of the plane of focus (much like the Zeiss 85mm f/1.4 Planar for A-Mount has) or… Is it something worse? I sure hope the new Zeiss 50mm f/1.4 SSM doesn’t exhibit a general purple fringing the way that some lesser lenses do.
Magenta in the “front-focus area” and green in the “back-focus area”… That I can live with!
This thread over at Dyxum might provide some insight into that.
http://www.dyxum.com/dforum/zeiss-50-14-ssm-samples_topic99103_page4.html
Any news on the Zeiss 50mm macro for E mount? Still October. Need this so badly
why cant my $3,000.00 Sony RX1 do what my $750.00 RX100 Mark2 can???
WiFi &NFC
Shoot stills and video at the same time
disable video button , unless dial is set to Video mode
blazing fast auto focus
Anyone out there who is just getting the new Zeiss 50, please reply with whether the lens is marked Zeiss or Carl Zeiss. I’m curious if this lens will have the new Zeiss designation.
Also, here is a vacation full of test photos taken all with the Zeiss 50mm on the A99 or the RX1.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/97048644@N07/sets/72157634540324238/
Clarification: I have the Zeiss 50 and it says Carl Zeiss, but I bought it when it first became in stock at BH like two months ago, and I’m wondering if they delay has been because they changed it to now say just Zeiss.
Hanks!
Thanks @Al
I took a look at that Dyxum forum, http://www.dyxum.com/dforum/zeiss-50-14-ssm-samples_topic99103_page4.html and the image that’s been posted of the subway sign really shows exactly what I was expecting – magenta fringing in the front-focus area and green fringing in the back-focus area.
See here:
http://s5.uploads.ru/9kZ1A.jpg
But also… Thanks so much @Sean cook !!! Your vacation “test” photos are easily the most artful use of this new lens that I’ve seen yet! I really wish more people would “test” gear in the way that you have… I.E. shoot with the tool all week long and then post everything for others to form their own opinions of said tool.
From your images, I’ve been able to gather a LOT.
Firstly, the magenta and green fringing is no more pronounced in this new 50mm f/1.4 SSM Zeiss than it is in the 85mm f/1.4 Zeiss. I think the two lenses will match each other quite perfectly actually.
Here’s the best example I could find in your gallery on Flickr of the magenta showing up. This of course wouldn’t happen if the kayak paddle fell directly in the plane of focus instead of the plane of focus falling slightly behind the paddle:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/97048644@N07/9236293574/sizes/o/in/set-72157634540324238/
And in this case, the plane of focus fell just in front of the kayak paddle, so we’re able to see a bit of green fringing on the paddle: http://www.flickr.com/photos/97048644@N07/9233512997/sizes/o/in/set-72157634540324238/
In both scenarios, the fringing by no means ruins the image, and it could even be removed entirely by masterfully using Lightroom 4 or Lightroom 5’s defringe tool.
But Sean… As I went through your photos, what’s got me most excited is the way that the lens renders background blur while retaining razor sharp focus on the subject. I own the Minolta 50mm f/1.4 RS lens and I have to stop down to either f/2 or f/2.2 or f/2.5 in order to get decent sharpness on my subject. And when I do that, I lose quite a bit of that lovely blur that gives images shot with prime lenses their character. Ahhhhhh bokeh.
Anyhow… For any and all discerning professionals out there who know what they’re looking at and can tell by looking at these images that they are all shot wide open at f/1.4… These pictures REALLY demonstrate exactly how good this new lens is. Sean, you should be a SONY artisan 😉
Head and Shoulders Portraiture
http://www.flickr.com/photos/97048644@N07/9236344828/in/set-72157634540324238/lightbox/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/97048644@N07/9236353070/in/set-72157634540324238/lightbox/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/97048644@N07/9233476781/in/set-72157634540324238/lightbox/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/97048644@N07/9233517205/in/set-72157634540324238/lightbox/
3/4 Portraiture
http://www.flickr.com/photos/97048644@N07/9236238232/in/set-72157634540324238/lightbox/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/97048644@N07/9236280264/in/set-72157634540324238/lightbox/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/97048644@N07/9233463865/in/set-72157634540324238/lightbox/
Full Length Portraiture
http://www.flickr.com/photos/97048644@N07/9233569837/in/set-72157634540324238/lightbox/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/97048644@N07/9233464441/in/set-72157634540324238/lightbox/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/97048644@N07/9236245576/in/set-72157634540324238/lightbox/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/97048644@N07/9236268414/in/set-72157634540324238/lightbox/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/97048644@N07/9233505597/in/set-72157634540324238/lightbox/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/97048644@N07/9236304326/in/set-72157634540324238/lightbox/
Environmental Portraiture
http://www.flickr.com/photos/97048644@N07/9236255148/in/set-72157634540324238/lightbox/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/97048644@N07/9233524311/in/set-72157634540324238/lightbox/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/97048644@N07/9233513443/in/set-72157634540324238/lightbox/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/97048644@N07/9233564559/in/set-72157634540324238/lightbox/
Close Focusing Capabilities
http://www.flickr.com/photos/97048644@N07/9233521661/in/set-72157634540324238/lightbox/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/97048644@N07/9233506529/in/set-72157634540324238/lightbox/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/97048644@N07/9236289162/in/set-72157634540324238/lightbox/
I can’t stop drooling. Great stuff man. Cheers!