Zeiss ZE SLR Lens on the AF100

D

dLAND

Member
Zeiss has this very interesting kit of DSLR lenses, which we thing on buying for our AF100.
Has anybody used them?
Our main concern is definition, since we plan to improve the quality of our images recording full 1920x1080 on an external recorder, on 4:2:2, the lens will have to be good for that.

Apparently the Bokeh is nice, the iris has 9 blades. I guess the glass will be sharp as well, as we would normally expect from Zeiss.

I am aware that an adapter will be necessary and that it will be no communication between the lens and the automatic features of the camera. Normally I set my aperture based on the waveform or zebra, so no automatic exposure matters.

I would love to hear any practical experience that somebody coul tell us about those lenses.
Many thanks.
 
That would work, but if you're getting them strictly for cine use, you might get the ZF (Nikon) version instead. It's a more versatile mount, easily adapted to many other cameras if needed.
 
Zeiss 50mm f1:1.4 ZE (Canon mount) with Kipon adapter on the AF100 is my best, best ever, setup for MCUs in low light.
 
I have been reading more and it seems that there is no Aperture Ring on the lenses. How do you open and close the blades if there is no communication with the camera?
 
@ OP .The ZE doesn't have an aperture ring on it and is canon mount and communicates with canon bodies. if you would like to future proof yourself to be able to use it on any camera in the future then the ZF with the aperture ring would be better. Get a nikon to m4/3 adapter to mount it. You can also look into a cinemodded set of these lenses from Duclos lenses. They modify these still lenses and optimize them for cinema usage. There set costs $9k (ZF which is nikon mount) for 5 of the best Zeiss lenses of the bunch and it comes with a case. http://www.ducloslenses.com/Duclos_Lenses/zf2set.html
 
Last edited:
Ah, good to know. I checked the Zeiss site, and having only ever used the ZF series, I assumed they all had aperture rings. My bad.

So yeah…get the ZFs.
 
Or if you are on the frugal side like me, have a look at used Zeiss Contax lenses. They are less expensive than new Zeiss ZF lenses, focus cine-wise, are fully manual, have a larger variety available, and nobody is going to be able to tell the difference quality wise. There are also a number of C/Y to M4/3 lens adapters available.

Just a thought!
 
Stephen Mick said:
That would work, but if you're getting them strictly for cine use, you might get the ZF (Nikon) version instead. It's a more versatile mount, easily adapted to many other cameras if needed.
Click to expand...

+1 for the more versatile mount; the Nikon mount is like the poor man's PL mount :Drogar-BigGrin(DBG)
 
Fellow AF100 junkies...

I too am looking to buy the duclos zf lens set. My wife also shoots nikon, and we could purchase them on an equipment lease from the bank in the name of the business.

the zf 50 2.0 macro vs the zf 50mm 1.4 - i can't decide. the macro is more expensive... but I am wondering when I would use it.

what do you guys think?
 
Scott Wellington said:
Fellow AF100 junkies...

I too am looking to buy the duclos zf lens set. My wife also shoots nikon, and we could purchase them on an equipment lease from the bank in the name of the business.

the zf 50 2.0 macro vs the zf 50mm 1.4 - i can't decide. the macro is more expensive... but I am wondering when I would use it.

what do you guys think?
Click to expand...
Buy both :)
 
Buy the lens(es) that give you what you want as a result (ie "look").

There will be a diferent look to each of these ...zf 50 2.0 macro vs the zf 50mm 1.4..and a different functionality. Thats why they make the two of them.


Scott Wellington said:
Fellow AF100 junkies...

I too am looking to buy the duclos zf lens set. My wife also shoots nikon, and we could purchase them on an equipment lease from the bank in the name of the business.

the zf 50 2.0 macro vs the zf 50mm 1.4 - i can't decide. the macro is more expensive... but I am wondering when I would use it.

what do you guys think?
Click to expand...
 
I keep reading on those lenses and it seems that the Nikon version has a MANUAL IRIS RING.

Even though B&H told me that the Canon version has this ring, I have read many reviews that say they don´t. Has anybody used the ZF version to confirm that?

Many thanks.

[h=1]Zeiss Lens for Nikon F-Mount Cameras[/h]
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top