# Tried out some Zeiss lenses this week (has turned into a focus screen thread)



## gregborkman (Jul 26, 2015)

I am extremely impressed. More so blown away by the image quality; the ability to blow images up to 200-300% looks a lot better on the two i used (21mm and 85mm) than any canon lenses I've used before.

Pros: 
Image quality
Sharpness
Lighter weight

Cons: 
No AF; was a little difficult to focus through the viewfinder (I'm assuming this would be easier with a Film body?)

Overall...they're worth it if you're not shooting sports.

What lenses have you used that have stood out as super clear and sharp?





^Zeiss Distagon T* 21mm 1/100 @ f/4.5


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## Zeidora (Jul 26, 2015)

*Re: Tried out some Zeiss lenses this week*

What camera did you use? Re MF, try switching out focusing screen to a matt one. For some bodies, there are Canon stock screens (Eg-S), for others you can get third party (www.focusingscreen.com). This has nothing to do with film vs. dSLR, but just with using the right focusing screen.

The only three Canon lenses I've ever used are the 180 macro, and it has lateral color not seen in Zeiss Makroplanar 100. The second is the 300/2.8 IS (I); never tried the Apo TeleTessar 300/2.8 so cannot compare. The manual f-stop would be an issue. If Zeiss comes out with a 300/2.8ZE, I may be tempted of ditching the Canon, particularly if it has better close focus. For the Canon MP-E 65, there is no alternative. I used to stack a Zeiss MP 100/CY with a Zeiss 50/1.4 to get > 1:1 (1.5:1~3:1 I believe) back in Contax RTSIII days.

The 21 is a well-known star performer. Works great for environmental portrait of plants. Otus 55 is also crisp. I think all the Zeiss lenses I have used are better than the Canon 180 L, which allegedly is one of canon's better L lenses.

For the other Zeiss lenses I've used, see below. Not sure what sort of shooting you do. If you frequently use a tripod, the MF is a non-issue. My other camera is an Arca 4x5", so I am used to very slow shooting. That is why I got a 5DsR to pair with my ZE lenses.


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## gregborkman (Jul 26, 2015)

*Re: Tried out some Zeiss lenses this week*



Zeidora said:


> What camera did you use? Re MF, try switching out focusing screen to a matt one. For some bodies, there are Canon stock screens (Eg-S), for others you can get third party (www.focusingscreen.com). This has nothing to do with film vs. dSLR, but just with using the right focusing screen.



I have a 5dmkiii. Tell me more about the focus screens, I also have a canon TX (i love how easy that one is to focus, would be nice to have the same ease of focus).

That 21mm was gorgeous, minimum focal distance was insane too.


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## Eldar (Jul 26, 2015)

*Re: Tried out some Zeiss lenses this week*



gregborkman said:


> Zeidora said:
> 
> 
> > What camera did you use? Re MF, try switching out focusing screen to a matt one. For some bodies, there are Canon stock screens (Eg-S), for others you can get third party (www.focusingscreen.com). This has nothing to do with film vs. dSLR, but just with using the right focusing screen.
> ...


You can order a custom made S-screen for the 5DIII, from www.focusingscreen.com. I have one, which works fine. It cost about 2.5x a standard Canon screen, but is still quite cheap. If you want to focus manually through the viewfinder, that is the only option I know of that works.


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## gregborkman (Jul 26, 2015)

*Re: Tried out some Zeiss lenses this week*



Eldar said:


> gregborkman said:
> 
> 
> > Zeidora said:
> ...



Would I be forgoing AF at all with a new focus screen?


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## Eldar (Jul 26, 2015)

*Re: Tried out some Zeiss lenses this week*

AF works just fine, but the viewer gets a bit darker, so lenses from f4.0 and slower becomes a problem. You can see how to change the focusing screen on the 5DIII on youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H1xUyqQNlys


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## Zeidora (Jul 26, 2015)

*Re: Tried out some Zeiss lenses this week*

Second Eldar's AF reply. For 5d3 you will need a small Phillips screwdriver to switch the screens. So you may only want to do it in a reasonably clean environment. Not particularly difficult, but would not do it on the sidewalk.


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## gregborkman (Jul 27, 2015)

*Re: Tried out some Zeiss lenses this week*



Eldar said:


> AF works just fine, but the viewer gets a bit darker, so lenses from f4.0 and slower becomes a problem. You can see how to change the focusing screen on the 5DIII on youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H1xUyqQNlys



becomes a problem how? I ask because currently my 100-400mkii has some AF issues in lower light at 5.6...I'm unfamiliar to how the camera evaluates AF.

So the viewer gets darker, is that just in specific areas of the viewer or overall darker?


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## gregborkman (Jul 27, 2015)

*Re: Tried out some Zeiss lenses this week*

Also if you guys could tell me about the specific one you purchased and what the pros and cons are, i'd love to hear feedback on them:
http://www.focusingscreen.com/privacy.php

I'm leaning towards the EC-b but I'd like to hear feedback first.


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## Zeidora (Jul 27, 2015)

*Re: Tried out some Zeiss lenses this week*

I used to have one with micrograms and split-indicator, but now prefer just plain matt screen, I think it is the Eg-S or a modification thereof. I do lots of macro, so the spit-indicator frequently darkens and is useless anyway, and DoF is so shallow that you can nail it with visual inspection of ground glass.

For more scenics, you may find the split-indicator helpful, mostly the horizontal one. The slanted one I never liked.

The AF confirm indication still works with MF lenses, so if you are unsure, you can check that way.


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## Eldar (Jul 29, 2015)

*Re: Tried out some Zeiss lenses this week*



gregborkman said:


> Also if you guys could tell me about the specific one you purchased and what the pros and cons are, i'd love to hear feedback on them:
> http://www.focusingscreen.com/privacy.php
> 
> I'm leaning towards the EC-b but I'd like to hear feedback first.


First, AF performance is not affected by the screen, it is just the viewer getting darker. From about f4.0 it is dark enough to be a problem, at least for me. Everything still works though. Since a more serious operation is required for the 5DIII, you should assess how much you will be shooting with manual focus lenses. If you plan to swap slower AF zooms and faster MF lenses often, I don´t think I´d recommend doing anything. Which means live view if you want to manually focus fast lenses.

I use S-screens. Ec-S on my 1DX and a custom made one from Focusing Screen on the 5DIII. I find those (much) more effective and efficient than split prism screens.


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## gary samples (Jul 29, 2015)

*Re: Tried out some Zeiss lenses this week*

I have a old 1Ds mark II 
that has been Gathering dust would love to get it set up for manual lenses
since it doesn't have lens micro adjustment makes it a wonderful candidate.


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## gregborkman (Jul 29, 2015)

*Re: Tried out some Zeiss lenses this week*



Eldar said:


> gregborkman said:
> 
> 
> > Also if you guys could tell me about the specific one you purchased and what the pros and cons are, i'd love to hear feedback on them:
> ...



Whats the standard stock screen that comes with the mkiii? and also what is the custom made one you ordered from FS like?


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## Eldar (Jul 29, 2015)

*Re: Tried out some Zeiss lenses this week*



gregborkman said:


> Eldar said:
> 
> 
> > gregborkman said:
> ...


Regarding the standard screen, I do not know anything other than it being a standard screen.

This is the screen I got from Focusing Screen; 
http://www.focusingscreen.com/product_info.php?cPath=21_134&products_id=1193


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## Mt Spokane Photography (Jul 29, 2015)

*Re: Tried out some Zeiss lenses this week*



Zeidora said:


> Second Eldar's AF reply. For 5d3 you will need a small Phillips screwdriver to switch the screens. So you may only want to do it in a reasonably clean environment. Not particularly difficult, but would not do it on the sidewalk.



Do not use Phillips, the screw heads are JIS and a Phillips screwdriver does not fit properly. Its very easy to ruin the screw heads using a Phillips. It will probably work ok for most as long as the screws are not too tight, but why risk it ?

The problem is that the camera screws look like Phillips, and the ones that are not in tightly remove fine. But a ruined screw head can cost big bucks to fix.

That's the inherent danger of repeating a post from another who is not aware of the issue.

http://www.rjrcooltools.com/jis.cfm


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## gregborkman (Jul 31, 2015)

I bought two of the custom ones today. The EC-A and the S Type.
Looking forward to getting using them both! Thanks for the recommendations and the helpful hints about JIS vs Philips head, will be using JIS to put these in.


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## Mt Spokane Photography (Aug 3, 2015)

gregborkman said:


> I bought two of the custom ones today. The EC-A and the S Type.
> Looking forward to getting using them both! Thanks for the recommendations and the helpful hints about JIS vs Philips head, will be using JIS to put these in.



A strange coincidence, I had bought a new leather belt that was supposedly reversible, and when I went to reverse it Friday, I could not take the tiny screws out with my high quality Phillips screwdrivers.\

Then, a light bulb went on - *JIS* I took the belt out to my studio and workshop, pulled out my JIS screwdrivers, and it worked easily. The heads were so small, and my vision so poor that I did not see the lack of a radius in the cross.


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