Zeiss Lente Distagon T* 35mm F/2.0 ZF.2

Comments about Zeiss Distagon T* 35mm F/2.0 ZF.2 Lens for Nikon F Mount:

Ok, so you've heard all the glorious comments about this lens, and yes it is THAT good. Im always looking for an excuse to keep this on the camera..

So here i am to mention a negative i have with this lens, it is a small one but at times it can be an annoyance. I'm reffering to the lens hood. Every lens i buy, at the same time i purchase a Nikon NC filter and it stays on the lens for life. IMHO They are the best 'protection' filter you can buy without 'corrupting' your high quality glass.
Once you put the filter on, you cant get the lens hood on, the tolerance is that fine. You have to fit the hood, then finger tip screw the filter on in the recesses of the hood. So basically, the hood becomes irremovable. It is a small hood, but that extra fixed length does affect what size lens case i had to buy and how high the camera sits in the bag (making it harder to close the zip). Like i say a small niggle.

I use this as my walk around lens and get frustrated out shooting when i cant focus on moving targets. Then when im back editing, i get bummed out at the amount of great but out of focus shots i have to delete. But then.. when i come across a few perfectly focused shots (keepers), the lenses glory shines and all is forgiven.
Its a love hate relationship. Lots of love and a little bit of hate. But still it is my most used and most cherished lens. Like everyone says, once you get a zeiss, you want more. I did and i got the 50mm f2, a stunning lens in every way, but it sits gathering dust, because im too busy with the 35mm.

The Nikon 24-70mm 2.8 is my 'Gets the job done extremely well, ol' faithfull, never lets me down'.
The 35mm zeiss demands me to work it and thus rewards me such. Its the tool of an artist.

This lens has made me a better photographer.

Comments about Zeiss Distagon T* 35mm F/2.0 ZF.2 Lens for Nikon F Mount:

I have been using this lens for about a year now, and in addition to all the glowing remarks about this lens, I'd simply like to add that the overall balance of this Zeiss with my D300, especially without the grip, is about perfect as it can get.

I have had various versions of the Nikon, tried the 40mm and 58mm Voigts, and the Sigma's etc of this world, but nothing comes close to the holdability and balance of the Zeiss + D300 combo.

For this particular reason only, it has become favorite my walkabout lens.

I do own another Zeiss, the 100mm Makro-Planar, another outstanding lens in every respect.

Comments about Zeiss Distagon T* 35mm F/2.0 ZF.2 Lens for Nikon F Mount:

When I purchase the 35mm Distagon I expected a good lens with awesome construction. However, after using it for a few jobs, I soon realize that I got a GREAT lens with SUPERB construction.

This things has definetily been made to last, far more than any Nikon that I own (and I do own some of the best glass Nikon currently makes).

This lens is worth far more than it costs, I can assure you that.

Comments about Zeiss Distagon T* 35mm F/2.0 ZF.2 Lens for Nikon F Mount:

Choosing this lens was a very difficult task for me. I was torn between the Nikkor AF-S 35mm ƒ/1,4G, the Zeiss Distagon *T 1,4/35mm ZF.2 and this the Distagon *T 2/35mm ZF.2. I have always been wanting to try a Zeiss lens on my D3x, but the difference in price between the NIkon and Zeiss version of the 35mm ƒ/1,4 was too big. So, I decide to try the "cheaper" ƒ/2 version. The best buying decision I made this year.

This lens is remarkable. From it's solid build, beautiful design and impressive image quality certainly was worth far more than I paid for. Working only with manual focus is not easy however, and for action shots this might not be the best choice.

Now I find myself lusting for a few more lenses from the ZF line, wondering if I should trade all my nikons for these primes...

Comments about Zeiss Distagon T* 35mm F/2.0 ZF.2 Lens for Nikon F Mount:

Extraordinary optic; no field curvature, it blows the doors off my Nikkon 24-70 and 17-35 @ 35mm in terms of color rendition and even sharpness. Images just pop-out at you. Resolution on Nikon D700 cropped images suggests to me that it will deliver well on even 30 MP sensors.

This is used in our medical field images.

Comments about Zeiss Distagon T* 35mm F/2.0 ZF.2 Lens for Nikon F Mount:

Great optic quality and construction.

Comments about Zeiss Distagon T* 35mm F/2.0 ZF.2 Lens for Nikon F Mount:

I have more than one year experience with the Distagon T* 35mm f/2 ZF.2 on a D700. I can only confirm what others already wrote: this lens is superb!
Pictures are razor sharp (the sharpness is limited by the 12MP image sensor) and crystal clear (the macro and micro contrast are unbelievable). Details in shadows and highlights are preserved very well.
Colours are with high saturation, very natural and simply wonderful (the most pleasant I have ever seen).
Flare is controlled very well. This means that the contrast remains high when highlights come in the scene.
I like the unsharpness (Bokeh) shown by this lens also very much. I love to shoot it in the range f/2.4 - f/3.3 for this purpose.
Build quality is excellent, nothing to complain about. Manual focusing is very smooth and accurate.
In extreme cases some CA and colour fringing can be noticed, but this is minor and not worse than high quality lenses from other brands.
The only cons are no AF (what I don't mind, except for action photography) and noticeable vignetting wide open or close to wide open. (Note: vignetting can easily be corrected in PP if desired.)
I have several Nikkor prime lenses. This Zeiss is better than any of the Nikkors I own and it is the only lens that I can shoot throughout it's entire aperture range without noticeable loss of IQ.

Comments about Zeiss Distagon T* 35mm F/2.0 ZF.2 Lens for Nikon F Mount:

A great low light performer. Sharp picture with less Noise than other. Priced inexpansive now. Go get one now before the dollars sinks.

Comments about Zeiss Distagon T* 35mm F/2.0 ZF.2 Lens for Nikon F Mount:

Beautiful glass worth the money.
Fast (great for lower light scenes)
Clear bokeh
Glass elements in groups that averts chromatic abrasions
Manual aperture dial

Comments about Zeiss Distagon T* 35mm F/2.0 ZF.2 Lens for Nikon F Mount:

I use this lens with the Nikon D3 (and F3!). My two favorite lenses are this and the Zeiss 85mm. These lenses are as well built and precise as anything including Leica M. I rarely use an autofocus lens.

Comments about Zeiss Distagon T* 35mm F/2.0 ZF.2 Lens for Nikon F Mount:

One of my favorites in my lens collection! 35mm is my favorite prime. I currently have two 35mm for DX and 2 for FX (and one more that I just bought recently & in transit....a Voigtlander 40/2 pancake which is the 5th one). This Zeiss 35/2 is obviously for my FX and it just beats my Nikon 35/2 in color rendition, contrast, and sharpness (barely on this one), but it is the overall look of the picture that counts and this one excels over all of them (which includes a Tokina 35/2.8 and Nikon 35/1.8). Of course, it comes at 3 to 4 times the price of any of these, but it is totally worth it! Manual focusing is a breeze and the end results are just more fulfilling! Quality and manual-focusing feel is top-notch! It is true what they say, once you have a Zeiss, you would want to buy more of them. The Zeiss 50/2 Makro-Planar is next on my list.

Comments about Zeiss Distagon T* 35mm F/2.0 ZF.2 Lens for Nikon F Mount:

Some of the best optics you can buy. The only complaint is the fitting of the lens hood. It stays loose and wiggles once mounted. Not what I would have expected from Zeiss. Very minor problem and the only reason I didn't give 5 stars. Bottom line is that it is the optics that count and there is none better.

Comments about Zeiss Distagon T* 35mm F/2.0 ZF.2 Lens for Nikon F Mount:

Fantastic Sharpness and warm colors. Better than any Nikkor mid-range prime or zoom in my opinion. Worth saving up for! Check it out; you won't be disappointed!

Comments about Zeiss Distagon T* 35mm F/2.0 ZF.2 Lens for Nikon F Mount:

The Zeiss Distagon 35mm f/2.0 ZF.2 is a great, well built tool. It is sharp as a tack and focuses easily on a D700.

Comments about Zeiss Distagon T* 35mm F/2.0 ZF.2 Lens for Nikon F Mount:

This wonderful piece of glass might well be the best lens I've ever owned, including some Leica M glass, when I had my M8.

There is simply nothing negative to say about this lens: It's tack sharp, beautiful to look at, handle and focus and it meters very accurately.

Colors are rendered beautifully, the images really have that 3D feel and 35mm is the perfect focal length for most of my shooting on my D700.

Now if only Zeiss could build a lens cap.

Comments about Zeiss Distagon T* 35mm F/2.0 ZF.2 Lens for Nikon F Mount:

I used this lens and two other Zeiss ZF.2 lenses with a Nikon F3x on my recent trip to Patagonia, Torres del Paine, and a trip through the channels around Tierra del Fuego. The contrast and clarity of the images is superb. Photos including the sun in the image with snow covered mountains and ocean are dramatic and stunning with no ghosting or flare. Close focus allows semi-macro photography. Automatic aperture control makes allows you to take advantage of the exposure controls while maintaining manual focus for precision.

Comments about Zeiss Distagon T* 35mm F/2.0 ZF.2 Lens for Nikon F Mount:

Having used a Leica M6 in my film days, I was blown away by the obvious optical superiority of their glass to the Nikon and Canon professional lenses I have used then and since (including Canon 200 f1.8 and Nikon f2, Canon 135 f2, Canon 85 1.2, 300 2.8, canon 24-105, Canon 24L, nikon 24-70, 70-200 etc). Now that I currently use Nikon (and used Canon) for my portrait, wedding and commercial work, I miss my Leica glass that I sold since the digi-switch and miss the simplicity of a solid, well built, optically sharp prime lens. This 35 f2 is super-sharp at f2 and is an incredible step up from the Nikon 24-70 even wide open. Amazing the difference... A solid and well-built product, a joy to focus, and I look forward to give it a spin in backlight. Compare this to the 16-85 f4-5.6 Nikon and it is almost like HD TV vs standard TV. Even compared to the so-called best of professional nikon 24-70 and 70-200, this little guy is in a class of its own, like the Leicas. Can't make a comparison between the Leicas and Zeitz because I used the Leica only with film but with the Zeitz 35 f2 I can confidently say will be significantly sharper than any Canon or Nikon zoom glass I've tried. Compared to their prime wide angle lenses I feel that it is quite a bit sharper as well.... Nikon and Canon's excellent fixed telephotos can only compare.... I cannot shoot a wedding w/o my 24-70 and 70-200 for their versatility but the 35 is far superior in sharpness and if I can do without the zooms advantages, I'll pull out the zeitz. I'll get over its odd longish narrow snout feel to it on my camera...

Comments about Zeiss Distagon T* 35mm F/2.0 ZF.2 Lens for Nikon F Mount:

Distagon 35mm is a wonderful zeiss lens. Near flat field curvature, sharp corner to corner, chiseled crisp image, pleasing contrast and bokeh. With D700, focusing is easy (this is a manual focus lens), ZF.2 includes cpu, so EVIF is recorded and no switching to non CPU lens is needed. Just attach the lens and shoot away. Often described as '3D' or 'popping' picture quality. No haze, extremely clean and defined image gives sense of volume and depth. Compared to renowned Nikkor 24-70mm f2.8 at 35mm, I was surprised to see how well ZF.2 35 f2 performed. Distagon images were Slightly more defined at times. Easily out-resolving the D700's 12mp censo, this lens is also future proofed. Distagon ZF.2 35 is a class of its own. Highly recommended.