[Tas]

Tas, thanks so much for the great lesson on how to shoot ultra-wides. Can't wait to try it out.

I too lust after the Zeiss 135mm. The cheapest I've seen used Zeiss ZF 135mm lenses is around $1600 USD. That's a bit too pricey for this guy. So, I'm instead considering a Zeiss ZF 100mm. It is rated well (see - LenScore ) and costs only about 2/3rds what the 135mm would cost.

The 2/100 is a great lens indeed and what's prompted my interest in the 2/135. Me getting one isn't a given though, they're not cheap and other priorities do have to come first. Still, the lenses I have are more than enough to keep me happy...

...for now.

2/100 ZK at f2


Tas

[Rich M]

Taz and Rich M, great images! You guys really have mastered the 21mm field of view. This is the widest lens I've had and I'll need lots of experience with it before I'm able to create artistic compositions like you guys.

By the way, I just received an email from David at Leitax in Spain. He said that from now on, he will be including an "extra aperture ball bearing" with every Zeiss ZF to Pentax K Leitax adapter that they sell.

This is good news.

I have been so impressed with Leitax. Not only with their high quality and well designed adapters, but also because they respond to their customer emails promptly. I wish that all photo equipment vendors were as customer focused as Leitax is!

From my experience, Zeiss USA and Precision Camera could learn much from Leitax as far as customer service goes. I have usually been disappointed from my contacts with Zeiss USA and Precision Camera customer service personel!

#1......I think Tas has mastered the 21 degree field of view........I'm still just mucking along.

#2.....David Llado ROCKS!!!

#3.....You have absolutely no trepidation or fear re: your lens conversions. I am so impressed (even though you did lose the first ball bearing lol). I mean, I'll do the easy ones....but the ZF conversions just looked gnarly. Kudos to you.

[Fenwoodian]

One final tip...

Before embarking on a Zeiss ZF to Pentax K Leitax conversion I strongly encourage you to watch this video - Cine-mod Tutorial | chris weatherly . While it specifically applies to converting a ZF lens for cinema/video, it none-the-less will help you to get familiar with the lenses components and techniques that are common to both types of conversions.

[jeffreybehr]

Shot over my back fence in a development, hand-held, K-1. Shot raw, developed and adjusted in ACR. Probably f5.6. This is a good example of the Zeiss liveliness or 'pop'.

My technically oriented buddy installed this adapter and another on a 21/2.8 in less than an hour. Both adapters fit tightly with no play.

[Tas]

Shot over my back fence in a development, hand-held, K-1. Shot raw, developed and adjusted in ACR. Probably f5.6. This is a good example of the Zeiss liveliness or 'pop'.

My technically oriented buddy installed this adapter and another on a 21/2.8 in less than an hour. Both adapters fit tightly with no play.

Beautiful stuff, and probably the first 2/135 seen on a Pentax.

I followed the link via the photo to check out the larger version and it looks brilliant. Focus looks spot on too. I had to do a focus adjustment so I could get the benefit of the AF in the viewfinder.

And you have the 21 adapted too which adds to the number posting here to four. Heady numbers indeed!

Have fun mate and post when you can. I'd love to see the 135 at f2...hint hint.

Tas

[jeffreybehr]

Beautiful stuff, and probably the first 2/135 seen on a Pentax.

I followed the link via the photo to check out the larger version and it looks brilliant. Focus looks spot on too. I had to do a focus adjustment so I could get the benefit of the AF in the viewfinder.

And you have the 21 adapted too which adds to the number posting here to four. Heady numbers indeed!

Have fun mate and post when you can. I'd love to see the 135 at f2...hint hint.

Tas

And here...
Abby Ramalama's Daily Photo - Daily Photography from Scottsdale, AZ, United Stat
...is the 135 at F2.

---------- Post added 07-11-16 at 11:48 PM ----------




My Five Zeiss Brothers

Shot over my back fence in a development, hand-held, K-1. Shot raw, developed and adjusted in ACR. Probably f5.6. This is a good example of the Zeiss liveliness or 'pop'.

My technically oriented buddy installed this adapter and another on a 21/2.8 in less than an hour. Both adapters fit tightly with no play.

Oh... My... Gosh....

[ranchy]

Wow all the zeiss lenses family portraits are all...

Well if there is a place to share my good news, it is here. I've a 50mm + 100mm Makro-Planar on the way in the post. I do hope to post some shots with these as time allows once they arrive!

[ranchy]

wow !!! 100mm Makro!!!! nice!!!! do share your shoot when you received both lenses

[ich947]

100/2 ZK @4.0

[ranchy]

100/2 ZK @4.0

wow nice shot..
drool..

[jeffshaddix]

Just finished my second conversion.

This one was a Zeiss ZF 28mm f/2. It's the old version without the electronic communications to the camera, therefore I did not have an "aperture lock" to remove AND it did not have the 3 tiny washers under the Zeiss mount that the newer ZF 21mm f/2.8 lens had.

To my surprise this one was completed in only about an hour, if I was not so slow/careful/clean I bet I could have done it in about 40 minutes.

I sanded this one down .23mm. I'm getting better at sanding down exactly how much I want to take off now.

Just like the Zeiss ZF 21mm f/2.8, when I mounted this lens on my K1 it fit PERFECTLY and NICE AND SNUG. Love those Leitax mounts - certainly premium quality!!

Just shot a few test photos outside, and they turned out great, even at infinity.

I have no further plans to convert any other Zeiss ZF lenses. I do hope that the experiences that I've shared here will help you to do your Leitax conversion. Just take your time, and I fully expect that you'll achieve the same great results that I did.

Dave in Wisconsin USA

P.S. I did NOT loose the aperture bearing this time.

Thanks for the report! I'm also looking into trying this with the 21/2.8. Just to be sure, when you mention sanding the mount, you are referring to the mount ring supplied by Leitax correct? Do you agree with their statement that the operation is fully reversible?

Cheers and looking forward to seeing more shots!

[Fenwoodian]

Thanks for the report! I'm also looking into trying this with the 21/2.8. Just to be sure, when you mention sanding the mount, you are referring to the mount ring supplied by Leitax correct? Do you agree with their statement that the operation is fully reversible?

Cheers and looking forward to seeing more shots!

You do NOT sand down the Leitax mount ring! You sand down the aperture ring.

It is only reversible if you are very precise with your sanding. Sand away too much metal and you might not be able to reverse it and use the lens again on a Nikon camera. If you don't sand enough off, then you won't be able to mount the lens on your Pentax camera.

I'm now in the process of converting my third Zeiss ZF lens. It's a Zeiss ZF 100mm f/2 macro. I'm finding that its' construction is very different than either the ZF 28/2 or the ZF 21/2.8 lenses that I previously converted.

I'm an engineer and have all of the special needed tools, and lots of prior experience modifying lens (have previously converted fifteen TV/Projector/X-ray lenses for use on DSLRs). If one does not have this type of background, you might consider having someone who does do your conversion. Believe me, there is more than one way you can mess up an expensive lens by doing this type of surgery if you don't know what you are doing.

I'll be posting some photos of the unique construction that I found on my Zeiss ZF 100mm macro lens that will cause you to realize just how incredibly different some of these Zeiss ZF lenses are from each other.

[HopelessTogger]

https://www.flickr.com/photos/56053365@N07/28471011485/in/photostream/lightbox/

Zeiss Distagon T* 2/35 ZK on K-1.

My little river reconstruction nearing completion. Been tossing it off for three years on this glorious project.