Zeiss Makro-Planar T* 50mm f/2 ZF.2 Lens for Nikon F-Mount Cameras

Comments about Zeiss Makro-Planar T* 50mm f/2 ZF.2 Lens for Nikon F-Mount Cameras:

I compared this lens to my 10 year old Nikon 50mm f/1.8 (no D) lens. I shot several photos of a couple of bouquets using both lenses. I mounted my D700 camera on a tripod, and used the same focus point with both lenses. Since this was indoors, the light didn't change much between exposures. Note that I paid about $90 for this Nikon lens, that makes it about 14X cheaper.

First off, I loved holding and using the Zeiss lens. The closest analogy I can make is to my medium format lenses, and that's high praise indeed. The focus is smooth and sure, and I *love* having REAL distance and depth of field scales engraved on the lens. It's true, once you hold one, you'll want to own it!

I was not blown away by the images. The color was good, but it didn't appear significantly better than the Nikon, if at all. I didn't compare sharpness in great detail, because I discovered a flaw in the lens: when I set the aperture through the electronics (camera to lens), it didn't close down all the way. It was about a third of a stop too open, resulting in a slight but very noticeable over exposure. I detest over exposures, much more so than under exposures. If I used the aperture ring, then it closed down properly.

Just goes to show, no matter how good or expensive the lens, you have
to put it through its paces. I found at least two other references on the internet to other folks who found the same problem.

I'm taking off one star for the flaw; in a lens this expensive, QA should be better (isn't that what all those papers are supposed to be telling you?). And another star for not blowing away a 14X cheaper lens. Perhaps there were other flaws in the lens that hurt image quality, but I rather doubt it.

The working distance of any 50mm lens isn't great, so you either better be patient or have a lot of flexibility in your macro situations with this lens. But that's not a fault of the lens, just a function of the focal length.

I compared some macro shots taken with the Zeiss to my Nikon 200mm f/4 macro lens. Using the Nikon is SO much easier, as the Nikon has a far greater working distance, and a tripod collar. Still, I will say that the color looked pretty comparable between the two at 1/2 life size.

I returned my copy. I may try another Zeiss lens again sometime.

Comments about Zeiss Makro-Planar T* 50mm f/2 ZF.2 Lens for Nikon F-Mount Cameras:

I have had the Zeiss 100 and the 21 going on two years. These two lens are without peer!! I added the 50MP a year ago to cover the middle range.

It took some time to get used to manual focus (again). I have learned to get confirmation in the view finder that the subject is in focus - and to use the "preview button" when shooting wide open as this lens is subject to focus shift. Otherwise the beauty of the Zeiss lenses, this one included, are superb!

I was in a photography class recently, when the teacher commented on the color, clarity, and bokeh of my pictures. He wound up saying the reason the pictures were so great was because I was using the Zeiss lenses.

When my friends look through my pictures, they alway pause at the pictures that are made with the Zeiss lenses. They do not know which lenses I shot the picture with - but the overall beauty of the pictures capture them - I'm the one that knows that it was taken with a Zeiss.

I shoot with a Nikon D3s - have the "best" Nikon zooms and fixed lens - but I always reach for the Zeiss if I can. Highly recommended!

Comments about Zeiss Makro-Planar T* 50mm f/2 ZF.2 Lens for Nikon F-Mount Cameras:

Great lens, just wished the focus was shorter...

Comments about Zeiss Makro-Planar T* 50mm f/2 ZF.2 Lens for Nikon F-Mount Cameras:

sharp in focus areas. smooth out of focus blur. no noticeable geometric or color distortions.

Comments about Zeiss Makro-Planar T* 50mm f/2 ZF.2 Lens for Nikon F-Mount Cameras:

Very good lens, sharp, sharp, sharp, love it

Comments about Zeiss Makro-Planar T* 50mm f/2 ZF.2 Lens for Nikon F-Mount Cameras:

A good basic lens. Very well made and ample sharpness to function as advertised.

Comments about Zeiss Makro-Planar T* 50mm f/2 ZF.2 Lens for Nikon F-Mount Cameras:

I wrote a very positive review on this site for the Nikon 55/2.8 AI-S, based on using it for thousands of shots over 30 years. I still stand by that review, but I have to say this Zeiss is in a different league. Why? 1) the color rendition is phenomenal. I have never seen more accurate color straight out of my D3s. 2) the bokeh, which is at best acceptable with the Nikon, is truly exceptional with this Zeiss. 3) the extra stop, with the shallower depth of field, offers significantly more creative opportunities.
As with fine audio equipment, fine lenses are rarely completely described by specs alone. If you have a good camera and you are critical of your results, I'm betting this lens will deliver for you in spades.
To be completely objective, the Nikon has one advantage - it is significantly smaller. That's it.

Comments about Zeiss Makro-Planar T* 50mm f/2 ZF.2 Lens for Nikon F-Mount Cameras:

This is one of the best lenses in the world. I am a fine arts photographer by profession, and this is the only lens I have been using on my D3x for the past two years. There is virtually no CA, and that equates to outstanding resolution. But it is the smoothness of the bokeh at f4 to f8 that really makes this a useful tool, creating fluidic depth to the shot. While I prefer a 35mm fl lens, the 50mm is something that you can grow to love, trading width for depth. Perhaps HCB was right, and the 50 is one of the most powerful focal lengths.

In any regard, your not going to find a better lens. The build quality is superb. The image quality is stellar. The only problem in owning this lens is that you are out of excuses in regard to the quality of your work! :)

Comments about Zeiss Makro-Planar T* 50mm f/2 ZF.2 Lens for Nikon F-Mount Cameras:

This lens becomes the prime lens on my D700. It provides absolutely image quality and supremely rich colors. Plus, I mostly use it as macro lesn due to its remarkable 1: 2 production ratio, although my 105mm can do better. So far, I haven't find out any weakness of this lens, except it's a manual focus lens.

Comments about Zeiss Makro-Planar T* 50mm f/2 ZF.2 Lens for Nikon F-Mount Cameras:

I was not sure that I really need this lens but now that I have used it for two weeks I am wondering, why it took me so long to order it.

Sharpness across the whole picture on the D3X, super color fit, and wonderful out-of-focus bokeh.

Manual focus is really no issue and I am totally happy.

Comments about Zeiss Makro-Planar T* 50mm f/2 ZF.2 Lens for Nikon F-Mount Cameras:

This Makro-Planar is very sharp at F2 with max resolution across the frame at F5.6. I use the lens regularly at F16 and beyond without noticeable degradation in sharpness due to diffraction.

It is a very versatile lens. It is glued to my D3s all the time. Its great for panoramas since it produces very little distortion and vignetting; makes it very pain free to stitch. This focal length is great for full body portraits. Being a macro lens you can also use it for very tightly cropped face-shots.

The ZF.2 mount works with Aperture Priority Mode and also has focus confirmation which I've found to be highly accurate. I use this lens with no manual focusing screen on the D3s. From my experience I've found that MF on DSLR is much more accurate than the Rangefinder systems.

The only problem I have found is that this lens comes with a terrible lens cap. It easily comes off and very hard to put back on. Be sure to buy the 67mm Nikon lens cap with your purchase.