[serothis]

I'm genuinely surprised no one has bid. I have one and I love it.

[bvg]

CZ 35/2 + Pentax K-5

[serothis]

For those interested in doing the leitax conversion here's some food for thought. Zeiss just hacked and slashed their prices because of (or coincidentally coinciding with) Sigma's recent new releases. This could mean a more affordable prices on the used market.

Big price drop on the Zeiss 15mm, 18mm and 135mm lenses after Sigma’s announcement | Nikon Rumors

[Ketsuppi11]

Bought 50mm Makro-Planar :O
I never thought that I would get a change to buy this lens so I "had" to buy when one came available.
I really like how the lens handles. It's "fat and short" which I prefer over "skinny and long". In many reviews people have been complaining about stiff focusring but in my copy it's very similar to my 2/28mm. And image quality seems to be very nice, now I just need a K-1. Anyone want to sell their little used K-1 cheaply?

First few shots with 50mm Makro.

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[Miguel]

I was disappointed that Ricoh didn't announce any ultrawides recently and decided to seek out something that met my requirements. While I like the example shots out there, the DFA 15-30mm was just too heavy and bulky for me. Luckily someone near me was selling a Zeiss 18mm f3.5 in near-mint condition for a irresistibly low price. The lens is relatively moderate in both weight and size, and looks rather cool on the K-1. Plus it's a Zeiss. The mount was for Nikon f mount however, but seemed worth doing the Leitax conversion. Who knows when Ricoh will release something close in native mount?



Yesterday I found an apt location in Seattle to test and learn the lens at Schmitz Park which is one of the few wild forests left. There is an artful overpass above the park which seems an appropriate subject for something with such a wide focal length. As with my other Zeiss lens (35 ZK/f2) there is an engaging learning curve that I'm just starting to ascend here. The 18mm seems very sharp. The Leitax conversion took about a half hour--most of that time tweezer wrestling with this tiny ball bearing that kept falling out, but now the lens functions super well. I use it in AV as the shutter speeds change appropriately in synch with my turning the aperture ring. It's easy to put it at or around f8, focus near infinity and start shooting. The one adjustment I'm learning to make is a half-to-full stop compensation, but this is not consistent. And the K-1 allots so much wiggle room with exposure that this is not a huge issue. Oh, the hood vignettes so much that it's useless.

Under the Overpass as Schmitz Creek, Seattle



From above, Schmitz Park Creek to the right



M

[les3547]

I was checking out my new Zeiss 21 seeing how an extreme crop held up for detail. Besides that it's sharp from edge to edge, the detail in this incredibly detailed shot shows up remarkably well. It appears purplish because that is how the vines in early Spring actually look:

Full:





Crop — you can see lots of detail even through all the wires. The dog is there everyday with his owner (not sure which guy it is) and blissfully runs around all day searching for gophers (which are ridiculously abundant here):

[Fenwoodian]

I have not done much shooting this winter. But now, in preparation for lots of shooting this spring, I thought I'd get to know one of my newer Zeiss lenses, the ZF 35mm f/1.4 Distagon.

Below are a few, quick, handheld, natural light shots I took at f/1.4 and f/2 with my K1. Click here for a larger copy of one of them. I believe that they may be some of the first photos taken with this lens posted on this forum.

I searched Flickr and could not find a single photo taken with this lens on a Pentax K1. I would not be surprised if I have one of the very few copies of this lens in the Pentax K mount (I did the Leitax conversion myself).

I think that I like the bokeh, and look forward to using it more this spring...

---------- Post added 03-09-17 at 09:38 PM ----------

I was checking out my new Zeiss 21 seeing how an extreme crop held up for detail. Besides that it's sharp from edge to edge, the detail in this incredibly detailed shot shows up remarkably well. It appears purplish because that is how the vines in early Spring actually look:

Full:





Crop — you can see lots of detail even through all the wires. The dog is there everyday with his owner (not sure which guy it is) and blissfully runs around all day searching for gophers (which are ridiculously abundant here):

Les, that certainly is a sharp sharp lens. Look forward to see even more from you with the Z21

Regards,
Dave

---

Last edited by Fenwoodian; 12-23-2017 at 12:13 PM.

[Fenwoodian]

This weekend I Leitaxed another Zeiss ZF 28mm f/2 Distagon lens.

It came with the wrong sized Zeiss hood - it had a Zeiss hood for the Zeiss 50mm f/1.4 Planar lens. To my surprise when I finished the conversion and mounted it on my Pentax K1 with the 50mm hood on "there was absolutely no vignetting"!

So, those of you who already own a Zeiss 28/2 lens, if you want to get even better protection for your front lens, consider buying the Zeiss hood for the Zeiss 50mm f/1.4 lens. Also, I expect a hood from the Z35/2 would also work well too.

[savoche]

One from wintery conditions with the Planar 50/1.7 (ZK).

[bvg]

CZ 35/2, K-5

[savoche]

From a few years back - the CZ Planar 50/1.7 was very true to the colours of the sky this cold winter day. I believe the low temperature created ice particles quite low in the atmosphere, and that these became tiny prisms creating these surreal colours as the sun set. I have never seen anything like it before or since.

[les3547]

Zeiss 21:

[Tas]

the Zeiss 21mm is, or very close to, the finest lens I've ever used

It is truly a wonderful lens, and I have to agree that more of our people would do well in giving one of these a go. I particularly like using this lens wide open at 2.8 when shooting close to a good foreground subject. It's out of focus background and vignetting at that aperture are one of the reasons I sought this lens (here's an example: Reclining roo | Street art, Brisbane, Queensland. | Grant | Flickr ). It does focus breathe which is annoying but as wide angles go the Zeiss pop adds to creating wonderful broad vistas like that you've captured here. Hope you get some more opportunities with this lens soon Les.

Tas

[MJKoski]

Indeed. Only two wide angles are above it on my short list: Canon 24mm T-SE mk2 and 17mm TS-E. Mostly thanks to their unique abilities. Loxia 21mm is about the same as 21mm Distagon but in a neat package.

Penron 15-30 is very boring lens when it comes to shooting experience and fails big time with filtering.

[Chris Mak]

I am somewhat surprised, that I have not seen the (relatively recent) Zeiss 25mm f2 on this thread yet. It was never produced in ZK mount, but should be relatively easy to Leitax convert.
For me personally, 21mm is just too wide. I used the 28mm f2 for years and liked it, but it always was just not wide enough, and therefore lacking the touch of wide angle perspective that I like, just before perspective distortion takes over.
I use the Zeiss 25mm f2 on the Sony A7r with an adapter, but should I eventually go for the K1, then a Leitax mount should do fine.
The 25mm is a newer design, and has virtually no CA's and also a very lively color rendering and high resolving power, that makes it suitable as a landscape lens. If you do like the very wide angle look of the 21mm distagon, then that is still a great lens.


Chris