Zeiss Primes - overall information

Aerialsfilm M*

Aerialsfilm M*

Well-known member
Hey everybody,

I have a lot of questions about the Zeiss primes, so thanks in advance for those helping me out here. I'll put little numbers to the questions. :) Also, I'll try to fill in information I find somewhere else so people with similar questions can read this topic too.

First, I'm talking about the ZF lenses in particular. The idea is, I want to switch from Canon FD for my SGPRO to ZF lenses for my SGPRO as well as for my Canon EOS 350D.

Yup, I can hear you thinking already (those ZF lenses are for Nikon) and yes I am aware of that, but in that $40 ZF lenses review that was posted here some time ago, the reviewer mentioned he did the whole review with the ZF lenses on a Canon D1 body, to achieve full frame. (1) How did he do that? Any ideas of where I can buy some kind of an adapter that will let me put ZF lenses on my Canon 350D? If this exists, what is the downside to it? Will my image be f*cked?

(2) Secondly, the ZF breathing. Much has been said about it and little of it have I understood. Is it bad? Compared to standard Canon FD lenses? Is it a reason why I should not buy the ZF lenses? Because yes, I really do shift a lot in focus. If Canon FD lenses have a score of 7 on a grand total of 10 for breathing, where does that put Zeiss? Knowing more points is less breathing.

(3) What about the frame. Can you achieve full 35mm frame with ZF lenses? Or somewhere near?

(4) Are ZF lenses a problem for use with follow focus? Especially with the SGFF?

(5) What is thé place to buy them in Europe? :) I know Zeiss.com and the Zacuto website have them for online sale.

And as last, I know almost all people love Zeiss, but are there people that would not take ZF lenses? Why not? (6) Or why would you take Zeiss ZF lenses?

(7) Anyone has some cheap Arri Ultra Primes for sale from Zeiss? :) Naaah just kidding.

Thanks in advance for your answers and help. I hope I can help you out and others too with some information. :)

Maxim
 
Last edited:
1) http://www.camerahacker.com/Novoflex/EOSNIK.shtml it does have some play side to side so not suggested in combination with the sgpro.
3) yes
4) a new set should feel like butter if properly geared.
6) They are sharper than my nikon primes, especially wide open(but much more expensive and new)

I ac'ed a gig this weekend with my sgpro and a full set of zf primes 25,35,50,85,100 and they all worked like champs.
 
Hey Matty,

feel like sharing some of that footage? I can provide you some diskspace on my server if you'd like. Just because I have not seen any SGpro with ZF primes footage.

Thanks for the link to EOSNIK.
 
i just used ZF's on a P&S for a SVA shoot. They breathe about as much as Normal Canons do. some canons breathe more than others. the WA lenses breathe more. The telephotos dont seem to breathe as much.
 
Thanks all so far!

No news on image quality of the ZF lenses with a Canon body?
Timur, do you mean the ZF wide angle lenses breathe more than Canon wa lenses? I've seen you also have some Canon L lenses, how do they compare to the ZF lenses?

thx
 
not yet but it is supposed to be one of the best out there. BTW I think it is just focus confimation rather than autofocus. The zeiss primes are fully manual anyway so they will never autofocus.
 
Don't forget the (older) Zeiss Contax primes. With a EOS adapter you can use them on the Extreme (or M2). It's much cheaper, and the lenses are better build.

Arno
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top