Digglloyd is the first reviewer that has tested the new Zeiss ZM 35mm f/1.4 lens and writes:
It is unequivocally the star of the ZM lineup. In terms of operational excellence, I rank it above all my Leica M lenses.” And “Rendering Style Sets New Benchmark”.
But there is also a bad news:
but what a pity that the thick sensor cover glass of Sony A7-family cameras degrades its ultra high grade performance via ray angle (as with all wide angle M lenses).
I do hope Zeiss will release an optimized “Loxia” version of this lens in 2015!
Zeiss Loxia preorders:
Zeiss Loxia 50mm f/2 Planar T* Lens for Sony E Mount at BHphoto, Adorama., WexUK, CameraPro.
Zeiss Loxia 35mm f/2 Biogon T* Lens for Sony E Mount at BHphoto, Adorama, WexUK, CameraPro.
Zeiss Lens Hood for Loxia 50mm f/2 Planar T* Lens at BHphoto and Adorama.
Zeiss Lens Hood for Loxia 35mm f/2 Biogon T* Lens at BHphoto and Adorama.
Zeiss 52mm Front Lens Cap for Touit and Loxia Lenses at BHphoto and Adorama.
Zeiss De-Click Key for Loxia Lenses (5-Piece Set) at BHphoto and Adorama.
Zeiss Rear Lens Cap for Loxia E-Mount Lenses at BHphoto and Adorama.
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So a7r OK but a7 not OK?
I don’t know the answer to that Q (I share the scepticism like the other posters about the conclusion) but the A7 and the A7r have similar thickness glass (total ~2.5mm) on the sensor.
Anyway, this is great advert for the Cosina Ultron 35/1.7. 🙂
How is that a good advert? I haven’t seen a single photo from that CV lens yet. Have you?
Worth noting that I have seen photos from the 35mm 1.4 ZM on an A7r, but I can’t remember the site. They looked really good.
That is reassuring. In any event what Zeiss showed in Loxia 35/2 has made me decide against it. I now have a choice between Summarit 35/2.4, ZM Distagon 35/1.4 and the Cosina 35/1.7 (reports said that there are no corner mush with this lens on the A7r).
Anything particularly wrong with the Zeiss FE 35/2.8?
Well if you can wait and since it appears the Loxia 35/2 is only releasing on Dec 31, perhaps you should wait it out and see if they fixed the corner issues?
Yes, I will see if that happens. I really hope that it would. 🙂
Every lens looks good on the A7r in the center. It’s the edges and corners that would be problematic on the WA and UWA. I have high hope for the ZM 35/1.4 nonetheless. I know Lloyd said that the WATE would not perform well on the A7 series, but it turns out the be the most compatible. Some prefer the WATE on the A7 series than on the M240 (or M9) for that matter.
The samples of the 35mm 1.4 ZM I saw also had some edge samples and they looked OK. Needed better testing though as this was done at Photokina…so not much time with the lens.
Was this where you saw the sample photos?
http://www.stevehuffphoto.com/2014/10/03/testing-the-zeiss-loxia-zm-35-1-4-and-otus-lenses-on-the-a7r-by-dirk-de-paepe/
I would be very surprised if it performed better on the A7R.
These type of articles are very biased.
Any other DSLR or mirrorless sensor has the same thickness as on the A7. Leica does not, but their digital sensors perform like garbage.
So either you use film-era lenses with a sub-optimal sensor, or you get lenses optimized for digital and use a state-of-the-art sensor. That’s your choice today and it’s not going to change.
No. Look at Lensrentals.com, where they devoted articles to exactly this issue. The thickest layer is on top of m43 processors, by the way.
Mike or anyone that can chime in,
I have the latest versions of the Leica 35mm f/1.4 FLE and the Leica 50mm f/1.4 asph. My questions are:
1. Are these film-era lenses or optimized for digital?
2. Are these telecentric or retro-focus design?
The Leica 35mm works well on my A7R and overall is sharper than Zeiss/Sony’s FE 2.8 offering. There is softness wide open so was wondering if the new ZM would have similar behavior or better since it was designed for digital.
The Leica 50mm vs Zeiss/Sony 55mm f/1.8 is much closer and I use the Zeiss/Sony more often giving me AF when needed.
I heard the Leica Tri-elmar 16-18-21 works well on the A7’s because of the telecentric design.
I wonder if Mr. Chambers has actually tested the lens on an A7 or is just speculating. I have tried multiple 35mm lenses on the A7 and none show any noticable corner degradation wide open, including the high-performance Summilux ASPH FLE.
For the record the only lenses I’ve ever used that does show noticeable corner degradation on the A7 is the 15mm Distagon ZM and the Voigtlander 12mm Heliar Ultrawide.
According to his site: “The effects are shown with the complete MTF comparison in the review.”
He is just guessing and hasn’t tested it yet, a bit silly to make pronouncements on lens/camera combos he hasn’t tried, the sort of thing Ken Rockwell does, but perhaps he is really sure from the specs. It will be interesting to see some real world results. It does seem a bit mad for Zeiss to create such a wonderful lens but not to have an eye on its use on the A7 series.
It’s sharp, contrasty with lovely colours but from the photos I have seen so far still lacks the 3D pop of the old Contax 35/1,4 – I really wish they could make a modern lens that shared it’s dramatic fall off of focus.
I would love to see a photo using it on the A7s.
Yeah me too, I’m guessing he doesn’t have an A7S and is merely speculating. That said; Huff will get it done.
Well done sony
That’s probably why they are developing an E-mount version of that lens. Like i’m sure nobody will buy M-mount Biogon 35/2s anymore since the Loxia 35/2 is specifically for the camera, just makes sense.
anyone with multiple systems will buy the m-mount.
lol what a pity…just take the loxia 35 f2…
I wot for loxia 35 f2 ,85 f2 , 135 f2 , 100 f2 macro .
Count me in with the Loxia glass! Even so, I’m not as motivated with the A7 series in terms of ergonomics. Still, if anything will balance better on the mini-me design it would be the Loxia offerings. Okay, before I get flamed please know that I love my current Sony camera gear.
I am not enchanted with the ergonomics either. My NEX-7 is significantly better.
Sony showed, they can do it small. Why not show, that they can do it larger for people with large hands or those who want more buttons, a larger battery or larger lenses (no, not alpha, s.th. in between alpha and A7)?
It is not necessarily about size. I really don’t like the placement of the shutter and the feel of the dials, for example.
Steady on, you can’t possibly be allowed to like both systems.
Incredible rendering on the M240, but that vignetting is very high! Also: i love vignetting!
Curious to see the performance on an a7r. I’ve got a Contax G 35mm f2 right now, no smearing in the corners there. When you stop it down to f8 it’s incredibly sharp all over, but wide open it’s not that great
That lens is widely known as the weakest in the Contax G line up. Which doesn’t mean it is terrible—the G lenses are stellar—just that some softness wide open shouldn’t be surprising.
Hmmm.. I want this lens for my film rangefinders, but I want the E-Mount f/1.4 that comes in March… A fast 35mm is my only rangefinder lens that is on my list. I won’t do both and before this we will have some idea as to what bodies are coming to market.
What sort of a £1000+ camera is this A7 when it’s focussing is not that fast, only some lenses work with it (I have seen this said about other lenses and the A7), It’s no good with moving objects (I know, it’s great for buildings, scenery etc…but best use a tripod with them!), You have to use an adapter to use it with most decent lenses out there, it’s a waste of time thinking of using it for nature or many other difficult subjects (so why buy it when you can’t use it for Everything???), and it’s too small for anyone with real mens hands (without expensive add-ons, before anyone starts).
One day, all E mount users will move up to real DSLR cameras (be it A mount, or CaNikon) which will do Everything they want and more, without adapters, special lenses etc. etc. etc.
Wow, I think that’s beats the record here for the most stupid in a single post. That takes some doing. 10/10
Only to someone who, I’d guess, has probably never taken pictures of fast moving objects in difficult lighting conditions out in the fields and using a 300mm or bigger lens …… And if you have, I bet you use your A mount cams for that.
I agree, the A7 series are great for streetshooters, food shooters and most other things which don’t move or will keep relatively still if you ask them, shame they are no good for anything else!
LOL. I’ve shot my A7 with a Canon 500mm F4 on a tripod (you really can’t lift the lens properly). And with the Sony 300mm F2.8II, the Sigma 120-300mm F2.8 and a few other superteles. The camera is perfectly usable.
I can also track objects through the frame with PDAF. Saying that the A7 cannot shoot action is pure nonsense.
Now that is dumb. Why not just use a real camera? Ir both circumstances you have to add some kind of attachment to the camera to make the lens work.
I’ve shot my EP5 with an adaptor plus 2X teleconverter on a minolta 500mm F8 relex lens. 2000mm for the WIN.
Oh so for the 1% of photographers who shoot a 300mm lens at night the DSLR might be the better tool then. No problem, most people don’t shoot a niche like sports or birding at night 😉
If you do so, just stick with your DSLR but don’t come here and troll.
I’ve used my A7 and the 70-200mm to shoot my kids soccer and my keeper rate was about 90% that of my 1DMKIII. I would suggest that many people don’t know how to use their cameras and such comments without using a camera seems a bit off to me. I will admit that I have also shot sports with my manual focus Contax SLRs. That was much more challenging. I have lots of real DSLR cameras and they will in time evolve and these two camera segments will merge.
Oh, Carl has not understood anything 😀
By the way, try using this lens on a “real DSLR”, it’s so more “compatible”.
Lloyd overreacts to corner issues. Even if it’s 70% as good as on the M240, it’s excellent.
I emailed him and asked if he had actually tested the lens on any of the A7 cams. His response was “no” based on MTF from Zeiss. Furthermore he WILL NOT be testing it on the A7S. I don’t care what the MTF says…I NEED REAL WORLD! I’ll bet the lens rocks on the A7S as many other negative MTF lenses have. The Voigtlander 15 Heliar comes to mind.
Yeah, that is freaking rediculous. MTF charts are worthless outside of providing real world results.
This proves that you shouldn’t take one reviewer too serious. In this case it isn’t even a reviewer, but a speculator. A good review is one that discusses many investigations on one case. And I can tell you, there aren’t many in the photography world.
Get ready folks, the complaints about How Sony should have used thinner sensor cover glass (probably same thickness as Leica so they’ll be no performance degradation) is coming.
Glass cover does not degrade image quality per se, it is part of the optical system. Just like clear filter in old cats.
Lensrentals.com discussed that: http://www.lensrentals.com/blog/2014/06/the-glass-in-the-path-sensor-stacks-and-adapted-lenses. See this and follow-up articles. So it has an effect.
Yes, I know. I mean that sensor cover glass is part of Loxia formula, sort of, but not of ZM.
Exactly. It would have been smart on Sony’s side to go with a different cover glass, having not many lenses initially. But the Loxia lenses are probably quite nice and the people wanting to spend a lot of money on Leica and Zeiss glass are not that many.
Hmm, don’t think they can change it now, with the amount of lenses they are releasing it’s suicidal for them to change it. However, I’m pretty sure they’re engineering reason why Sony opted for a thicker cover glass then a Leica M for example.
I got no issue with cover glasses and how adapted glasses at least those RF ones won’t perform optimally as it’s called adapted for a reason.
Sony E got the same cover glass as Sony A.
In theory, Sony can engineer sliding filter which takes place it optical path when SEL lenses are used and removed when film lenses are used. But they don’t really wish that, they wish you to buy their lenses.
Engineer a sliding filter will mean additional mechanical parts which results in higher cost and also due to the space constraint (need to add the relevant mechanical parts for sliding movement, find space to have an additional filter and etc etc) for E mount cameras, I highly doubt it’ll ever happen.
The a7s handles wide angle lenses much better then the a7 or a7r. These cameras are not all the same.
Given that even the voight 21 has no issues on the a7s but lots on the other cams I would anticipate no issues on the a7s
You should distinguish between corner smearing problem and color cast/vignette problem
What would be those “many issues” precisely and what are your expectations of the lens?
Considering the new Loxia 35 f2 there won’t be a Loxia 1.4 version in the near future (3-4 years). There are also the Sony Zeiss FE 35 f2.8 and a rumored faster Sony Zeiss FE at the same focal…
the faster FE35 1.4 isn’t just a rumor anymore 😉
The FE 35mm f/1.4 is not a rumour. It has been announced and I expect it to be stellar.