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01-06-2013, 02:39 AM   #1
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Tamron or Carl Zeiss

Hi Guys,

I have a Canon EOS 40D and I use a Tamron Adaptall 2 28mm f2.5 wide angle lens.

I have the opportunity to buy a K mount Carl Zeiss 28mm f2.8 lens.

Should I replace the Tamron or is it just a sideways move?

Thanks in advance.

01-06-2013, 06:02 AM   #2
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Zeiss will always trump Tamron.
01-06-2013, 06:22 AM   #3
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Which Zeiss? The Eastern or Western Germany one?
But basically yes, Zeiss is a very valued brand with great lenses. As long as you can learn to live with manual focusing.
01-06-2013, 06:34 AM   #4
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if you have a Canon 40D - why are you buying a pentax K mount lens?

01-06-2013, 07:41 AM   #5
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Thanks foto guy, I thought as much.

Na Horuk - how would I tell the difference?

Digitalis - I love prime lenses, I only ever use manual controls and old m42 or K mount lenses are much better value for money than their modern-day equivalents.
01-06-2013, 07:48 AM   #6
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Try getting a K-01 so you can enjoy more of those "Much better value for money" lenses (;
01-06-2013, 07:52 AM   #7
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QuoteOriginally posted by kaiserz Quote
Try getting a K-01 so you can enjoy more of those "Much better value for money" lenses (;
No thanks, I'll stick to my loverly 40D & Adapters

01-06-2013, 10:13 AM   #8
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QuoteOriginally posted by Christopher Finch Quote
Na Horuk - how would I tell the difference?
This only applies to old lenses, from back when Germany was in two parts. Zeiss aus Jena (or something like that) is Eastern and not quite as great as the Western stuff. These lenses usually also say "Made in.." somewhere on them. But if the lens is a modern Zeiss, then its probably good in terms of build and IQ. You can also check out the lens reviews on this sire.
And the K-01 would actually be a nice Pentax body for m42 lenses. High quality 16MP sensor, very low AA (which means sharper photos), has focus peaking (great for manual focusing), good metering with manual lenses (doesnt have to move mirror to meter/preview).. and you can get it super cheap with a great 40mm prime. Just sayin
Edit: Just get an adapter without a flange, so you keep infinity focusing. No point in using a flanged adapter to short contacts on a mirrorless.
01-06-2013, 11:15 AM   #9
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I had a good look at the K-01, and although it looks like a really interesting camera, it falls quite a bit short of the functionality of a medium range DSLR like my 40D. In short, I like my old beast and I think I stick with it.
01-06-2013, 01:38 PM   #10
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There are several "kinds" of Zeiss 28mm/f2.8 available.
  • Jena - After WWII the original Zeiss facilities were in the Russian sector of Germany, or the DDR. Hence, it took on the name of the town, Jena. Very good lenses, but not quite as good as its West German counterpart. Around the front element, it says Zeiss Jena, also made in the DDR.
  • Carl Zeiss - Oberkochen Germany - The management and most of the engineers fled from Jena (the Russian zone) and set up shop in West Germany at Oberkochen, where they are currently located. They have and still make a wide range of optics for various uses. In terms of 28mm f2.8 lenses you are probably looking at two different but similar opportunities.
  • Contax - The Contax Carl Zeiss 28mm f2.8 Distagon T* lens. Carl Zeiss has their own brand of camera (or did), called Contax. It was produced from 1975 to 2005. They partnered with a Japanese firm Yashika. The lenses have a C/Y mount, which is very similar to the Pentax K mount. The flanges are thicker. There is a C/Y to EOS adapter available. Cannon shooters use these lenses quite a bit.
  • ZA, ZE, ZF ZK - This is the current version. There are several mount versions available, including one for Canon, two for Nikon, one for Sony, one discontinued for Pentax (ZK, and the M42 version. These lenses are made in Japan by Cosina, way over build, heavy and are wonderful pieces of glass.
Here is a review that touches on the differences between the old Contax and the current CZ designs.You can obtain Contax lenses on ebay at a significant lower cost than a new Z lens from Zeiss. The lens speeds are slightly different, along with the mounts. Since you are going to shoot on a Canon body, the mount really does not matter, just get an EOS adapter.


Last edited by interested_observer; 01-06-2013 at 01:52 PM.
01-06-2013, 09:23 PM   #11
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Back to the OP's question...

Your Tamron is a very capable lens and was highly rated at the time it was made. The Zeiss (assuming ZK) is also very nice and can be adapted to your Canon without any modification to the lens. What you do is your choice. I also own the Tamron. If I was presented with a good deal on a ZK Zeiss I would buy it, compare it to the Tamron and keep the one I liked best...or maybe keep the Tamron to use on one of my various vintage film bodies.

As for Zeiss Jena vs. Zeiss Oberkochen...both are known for excellent product assuming that the Jena lens was made in Germany. At one point there was a series of Jena-labeled K-mount lenses that were made in Asia. If your Zeiss Jena 28mm is one of those, I would definitely pass. They are not so good To the best of my knowledge, there were no Zeiss Jena lenses in K-mount made in Germany.


Steve

(The non-German Zeiss Jena lens story is a messy matter. It is enough to say that the East German entity had nothing to do with the design, manufacture, or marketing of these lenses.)
01-06-2013, 11:57 PM   #12
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Steve's right - the good (and some not so good) East German Carl Zeiss Jena lenses will be in M42 and Praktica Bayonet mounts. K-mount CZJ lenses were made in Japan and aren't anything special at all (especially when compared to something as good as the Tamron 28/2.5). As further proof, these lenses may still have the (Japanese) gold "PASSED" sticker on them!
01-07-2013, 12:33 AM   #13
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QuoteOriginally posted by stevebrot Quote
The Zeiss (assuming ZK) is also very nice and can be adapted to your Canon without any modification to the lens.
The OP's Zeiss option is 28/2.8, while the ZK 28 is f/2.

Now that the ZK lenses are out of production,
and there's a shortage of K-mount Zeiss lenses,
it would seriously upset the Optics Gods
if you took one to use on a Canon!
01-08-2013, 09:39 PM   #14
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QuoteOriginally posted by lytrytyr Quote
The OP's Zeiss option is 28/2.8, while the ZK 28 is f/2
Thanks for pointing this out. That being the case and if it is K-mount, it is one of the Asian-made faux Zeiss Jena lenses. These are of the same quality as the ubiquitous house-brand primes that were common during the late 70s and early 80s. Zeiss Jena had nothing to do with their design, manufacture, or even marketing. They also did not even get a share of the profits!

The story I heard was that these lenses were sold by a British distributor who owned the marketing rights to the Zeiss Jena name (in other words, they owned a license to the trademark) in Britain. They re-badged generic Japanese, Korean, and Taiwan optics as Zeiss Jena. The better ones were the same as Soligor of the same vintage (probably Cosina-made). The less good ones were...well...less good. There were also zooms whimsically labeled as Jenazoom!!!

There are a couple of very heated threads on the Web in regards to these lenses.


Steve
01-09-2013, 12:48 AM   #15
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QuoteOriginally posted by stevebrot Quote
if it is K-mount, it is one of the Asian-made faux Zeiss Jena lenses.
In that case, the Optics Gods would merely be amused to see it on a Canon.
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