Originally posted by ivanvernon I just got a copy of the Carl Zeiss 100mm f 2.0 Planar T* lens, and I am super impressed with it. It is yielding better images than some of my lens that cost three or four times as much!
Now since this is the club for Zeiss users and experts, please tell me what my next Zeiss lens should be, something between 35mm and 85mm, not interested in long telephotos. I should note that I already have medium format lenses CZJ 80, 120, and 180, and that I am not interested in telephotos or super wide lenses. Other than that, myt only criteria is image quality.
If this request provokes discussion, that is fine too.
You might notice some hesitation of members to offer opinions, I know for me it's because lens choice is intimately tied to personal taste and therefore it is hard to know what to recommend to others. With that in mind I can say I have tried just about every Zeiss lens made in PK mount, plus others that were Leitax adapted, and have formed some opinions.
One is that while color, micro contrast, solid sharpness and build are more or less consistent in modern Zeiss lenses, there are nonetheless several "looks" people admire (or dislike). For example, there are lenses that are mega sharp, like the 21/2.8 and the macros, and those that render edges more gently like a Leitaxed 135/2. Some reviewers,
like this one, say the 28/2 "suffers' from field curvature and downgrade it for that, but for others
like this reviewer that trait is actually sought after because its “cinematic” character can be used to make a centered subject jump out in 3-D fashion (personally I agree with Ming Thein).
For me a softer edge rendering (acutance) is my preference, which is why the 135/2 and 25/2 were my all time favorite Zeiss lenses, and it is also why I sold my Zeiss 21/2.8 and macro 50. Yet I ended up selling the 135 and 25 too because of other priorities I have in terms of size/weight, and the focal lengths at which I typically shoot. The 135 is truly a masterpiece with high resolution without razor edges, rich color, beautiful bokeh, and no distortion. But it’s bigger and heavier than I want to carry. The 25/2 is fairly hefty too, but the main reason I gave that one up is because I shoot mostly above 50mm.
Still, IMHO, everyone needs a fast 35 prime in their kit, which is why I’ve kept my 35/2, and even that I’ve had up for sale several times, but so far have withdrawn. It is not as compact as I want, but I can’t find anything that fits my priorities as well except for a Leica 35/2 I’d have to Leitax and pay dearly for. I have a Leica 35-70 zoom, which is the best zoom I’ve ever tried (and it’s particularly good at 35mm, and relatively lightweight), but it is just f4. So for now I’m keeping Zeiss 35 (and actually for a Zeiss the 35/2 is relatively compact). One other Zeiss I’m keeping for my “true” wide angle is the Contax 28/2.8 (as wide as I ever shoot). That little thing is a close-focusing beauty, and quite the bargain for mint copies on Ebay.
All the rest of my lenses are compact gems. After Leica I’ve found the Voigtlanders are well suited to my priorities. I had a chance to test the Zeiss Planar 50/1.4 against the CV 58/1.4. Opened up until F4 where they equaled out, the Voigtlander trounced the Zeiss resolution-wise (though, to be accurate, I thought the Zeiss slightly bested the CV in terms of micro contrast from F4 onward). Voigtlander’s 75 is a tiny color-rich lens that thinks it's a Leica, and the relatively compact CV 125, while exquisitely sharp doing macro, actually renders a lot like the Zeiss 135 at further distances. Now, if the 135 were the same size, I might choose it over the CV125 for its slightly better color; but then, the 125’s close-focusing ability makes it capable of smoother bokeh than the 135/2 despite being a half stop slower and 10mm shorter in FL . . . i.e., it's a bit of a toss up when it comes to IQ alone.
So, after all that what Zeiss would I recommend that would fit into your parameters? The 35/2 of course! Unless, that is, you don’t mind a bulkier and pricier option, which would be to Leitax a ZF.2 Zeiss 35/1.4. I’ve not tried it but the shots I’ve seen are impressive.