AF100 Zeiss Lens or Nikon

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dtzfilms

Well-known member
:Drogar-Thinking(DBGLadies, Gentlemen,
Some advice please.
I'm considering getting a AF100 package with Zeiss lens follow-focus, etc...

I have the following lens:

Nikon AF 70-200mm VR f2.8
18-200mm VR f5.6

85mm, f1.4 - Manual and Auto iris
50mm, f1.8 - Manual and Auto iris

The Nikon 85mm and 50mm I think I can use but they're in the Zeiss package. Would I see any difference in the image from nikon or the Zeiss? I'm considering selling all my nikons to get the Zeiss lens. I sure wish the 18-200mm and the 70-200mm would work with the AF100 but I doubt they do because neither of them have manual iris rings so I'd be selling those anyway. The 85mm nikon is 1.4 as is the Zeiss, but the 50mm nikon is f1.8 to the Zeiss f1.4.


The lens that come with the package are as follows:

  • ZEISS Distagon T* 2.8/21 ZF
  • ZEISS Distagon T* 2/35 ZF
  • ZEISS Planar T* 1.4/50 ZF
  • ZEISS Planar T* 1.4/85 ZF
Option A - sell all the nikons and get the Zeiss.

B - Sell the Nikon 70-200mm and the 18-200, keep the Nikon 85mm and 50mm, buy the Zeiss 21 and 35.

Both options with the novoflex adapter of course..

Enlighten me, please.
 
I have a complete set of Cinevised Nikon primes that I have used with everything from the RED to the 5d/7d and now the AF-100. They are fantastic.

That being said, the Zeiss have newer coatings, are built like tanks, and are color matched.

It all depends on your budget.
 
You can use your existing Nikon lenses even if they don't have the aperture ring; you just have to get one of the adapters that allows you to manually adjust the iris. Not as ideal as true native support, but certainly workable.

I would certainly try to work with your existing glass first, before selling it all to get all new lenses...
 
Barry_Green said:
You can use your existing Nikon lenses even if they don't have the aperture ring; you just have to get one of the adapters that allows you to manually adjust the iris. Not as ideal as true native support, but certainly workable.

I would certainly try to work with your existing glass first, before selling it all to get all new lenses...
Click to expand...

Hi Barry, so I have the nikon 50mm and 85mm with aperture rings BUT also have nikon 70-200mm AF VR f2.8, 18-200mm f5.6 without aperture rings - what adapters would work with these lens?
 
The only thing I might suggest is to look at something in the wider area thats a little faster like the Zuiko 14-35. I have those Zeiss lenses - very nice, but agree with barry.
 
You just need a adaptor suitable for G lenses, ie is able to move a small flange at the back of the Nikon lens. Novaflex are highly regarded. I am happy with Nikon lenses I am using but feel you may want something wider than 21mm you mentioned as the widest in your new purchase. You may find something like Nikon 14-24 f2.8, or 17-55 DX f2.8 (or Tokina f2.8) as very usefull. I have tried the 18-70 DX lens which would be similar to your 18-200 DX and find it difficult to manually focus. I find the pro lenses much easier to manually focus and give a smoother zoom.
 
Think one important factor is whether you have shot a lot in the past with cine style lenses or pro zooms. They all focus the same direction. The Nikkors focus the other direction. If you're not used to one of the other it's no big deal. If you are, pulling focus on the Nikkors will 'feel' strange. Ultimately that's why I went with Zeiss (though I still have a lot of Nikkon primes and love them too).
 
mcgeedigital said:
I have a complete set of Cinevised Nikon primes that I have used with everything from the RED to the 5d/7d and now the AF-100. They are fantastic.

That being said, the Zeiss have newer coatings, are built like tanks, and are color matched.

It all depends on your budget.
Click to expand...

Matt,

Does the color matching really make much a difference in your opinion?

Thanks much.
 
Cosimo Bullo said:
Think one important factor is whether you have shot a lot in the past with cine style lenses or pro zooms. They all focus the same direction. The Nikkors focus the other direction. If you're not used to one of the other it's no big deal. If you are, pulling focus on the Nikkors will 'feel' strange. Ultimately that's why I went with Zeiss (though I still have a lot of Nikkon primes and love them too).
Click to expand...


If you are talking about the Zeiss ZFs, they rotate the same way as the Nikons.
 
thanks folks, I think I'll stick with the nikons and the novoflex adapter. Brilliant!
My two concerns are - one - the f5.6 on the 18-200mm, I guess get something faster; two: the weight of the Nikon 70-200mm f2.8 VR - (1.5kg 3.20 lbs) I'm guessing I'll need support? Any recommended support to go with the RedRock Micro DSLR Cinema Bundle?
 
Be sure to look at adaptimax for nikon adapter. It's pricey but has a thumbscrew for aperture adjustment, so aperture will stay locked and enables much more precise adjustment. Also much more rugged system.
 
I am happy with my Redrock micro low riser base plate, carbon fibre rods and lens support assembly for my Nikon 80-200 f2.8 which is a heavy lens. I like the quick release on the base plate which allows me (if I have a light lens on) to quickly remove the camera from the supporting rods and hand hold with minimal weight. I am waiting until they release version 3 follow focus and I am also interested in the new RED carbon fibre matt box (not Redrock but RED digital cinema).
 
You may want to test different lenses and check if they don't cause a sensor flare - an internal reflections between rear element of the lens and the sensor surface/protective glass of the sensor. As described here in now deleted thread some lenses don't work well with AF100 and cause a problem. It is random and depends on the shape of the rear element more than any other factors.
 
I can highly recommend upgrading the nikon 50mm for the 1.4 version, it's in another league for quality right through the aperture range, and still a bargain. It's micro-contrast is superb.
 
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