DXO: Best lens ever tested

Clavius · 01-30-2014, 05:02 AM

The Zeiss FE 55/1.8 is the best autofocus lens ever tested by DXO:

Sony Zeiss Sonnar T* FE 55mm f1.8 ZA lens review: Exemplary performance - DxOMark

On paper at least the Zeiss Sonnar T* FE 55mm f1.8 ZA may seem somewhat unadventurous and over-priced given the f1.8 maximum aperture. In reality the lens is a bright 1.8TStops, and image quality is outstanding. Even the $1,000 price seems quite reasonable.

jogiba · 01-30-2014, 06:02 AM

If it had OSS I would get it but I pre-ordered the 24-70mm F4 FE OSS Zeiss instead and will continue to use my 50mm F1.4 Pentax with PK-NEX adapter on my full frame VG900.

Na Horuk · 01-30-2014, 07:06 AM - **1 Like**

Oh, that's not the Zeiss Zeiss, its the Sony Zeiss..
Would be interesting to compare to the Pentax DA* 55mm. Pentax is f1.4, has distance marks, SDM, QS, its WR, doesn't cost as much, but its "APSC-only".. would like to see how the IQ compares in real world situations.
I'm not tying to put down that lens, its just something I always wonder when I read about "best" lenses - how big the difference really is. Oh, and this reminds me of the much larger Zeiss Otus, too. Another "best" lens, with different drawbacks (mostly weight, size, cost, lack of AF)

normhead · 01-30-2014, 07:44 AM

DxO has a body dependent method for testing lenses and their comparisons aren't worth anything. Them saying it is the best lens they tested on a Sony tells you nothing about how it stacks up against any Pentax lens. According to DxO no lens tested on a Pentax is any good, and they don't test Pentax lenses on other bodies, even though they could. You'd think with something like the Sony A7r having so many adapters, they'd use it as a standard comparison platform... but as I've pointed out many times, they aren't in the business of doing research, they are in the business of making money.

jogiba · 01-30-2014, 07:46 AM

Sony also makes quality lenses.
Sony 500mm f/4.0 G Telephoto Prime Lens SAL500F40G B&H Photo
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/892394-REG/Sony_sal300f28g2_300mm_F_2_8_G_Super.html
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1008119-REG/sony_sal70200g2_70_200mm_f_2_8_g_ssm.html
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/925817-REG/sony_sal70400g2_70_400mm_f_...telephoto.html

**Rondec** · 01-30-2014, 08:03 AM

I just wonder how much difference there is in this lens and all of the other 50mm f1.4 lenses out there. DA *55 is pretty good, but of course, it has never been tested on full frame. Voigtlander 55mm f1.4 is very well respected as are the 50mm f1.2 lenses. 1000 dollars for a 50-ish f1.8 lens seems a trifle steep...

joelR · 02-02-2014, 07:36 AM

Not really. Compared to the other premium "normal" primes it's a steal. Look at the Nikon 58mm. Yes the Nikon is a hair faster but the actual light transmission difference (t stops not f stops) is 1/3 at best. The Nikon is $1700! Bigger, softer, and only better corrected for coma. Same could be said for Sony's own ZA 50mm. I don't own the FE 55mm because I already shoot with the Contax G 45mm but I'm tempted.

jogiba · 02-04-2014, 06:09 AM - **1 Like**

Quote:

DxOmark (Click here) tested the Zeiss 35mm FE lens. The lens is the second best lens teste after the Sigma 35mm and Samyang f/1.4 lenses. These lenses score better mainly because of the greater Transmission (they ahve a much larger aperture). It has not the stellar performance of the Zeiss 55mm FE but the 35mm Fe is also made to be compact and not to be the best 35mm lens on market. And that’s exactly what DxO writes in their conclusion:

Although the Zeiss FE Sonnar T* 35mm f2.8 ZA doesn’t have the consistent performance and sharpness in the outer field of its sibling the ZE Sonnar T* 55mm f1.8 ZA, the fact that it is very close to the Sigma 35mm f1.4 DG HSM A in IQ (over the same aperture range) is a plus. On the downside, it lacks that model’s versatility in low light, naturally, but at least it’s a fraction of the size and weight and complements the small size and inherent portability of the A7 models.

P.S.: Also Lenscore (Click here) tested the 55mm and 35mm Zeiss FE lenses.

Also the 35mm Zeiss FE gets Dxomarked: Second best tested 35mm lens ever. | sonyalpharumors

BTW I have the Samyang (Bower) 35mm f1.4 that I use on my full frame Sony VG900 .

**jeffshaddix** · 02-04-2014, 07:40 AM

I wish Zeiss would do a sonnar refresh of a 58mm for SLRs...not that it would be in Pentax mount anymore...

Lenses like this make me consider switching, I hope Pentax surprises us with something creative (and useful) soon.

Samyang was supposed to release a 50/1.2 this year, though it's been a while since new news has been released. Maybe they'll take the leap with all the competition and do more than another double gauss design. That said, Pentax mount didn't make their list on the original announcement, but that can change.

**Eric Auer** · 02-04-2014, 09:43 AM

Hey Joe, Is that Sony NEX-VG900 Full Frame.....................

jogiba · 02-04-2014, 10:03 AM

Originally posted by Corto-PA

Hey Joe, Is that Sony NEX-VG900 Full Frame.....................

Yes, same 24mp full frame sensor as the Sony A99 and RX1.
Full-Frame Interchangeable Lens Camcorder - NEXVG900 Review - Sony US

You Tube

jogiba · 02-13-2014, 06:23 AM

Quote:

I have been also told the focus now is on FE camera and lens releases. Particularly new FE lenses are needed to make the system grow. Hope that Sony will announce the next two FE lenses in late March-early April.

(SR5) Trusted sources: No A7000 APS-C E-mount coming in 2014. Main focus on FE from now on! | sonyalpharumors

I bet there will be a full frame A9000 with the world's fastest AF coming.

**Rondec** · 02-13-2014, 06:55 AM - **1 Like**

I just wonder. Do people shoot test charts all day, or do they actually shoot real life situations?

jogiba · 02-13-2014, 07:42 AM

Originally posted by Rondec

I just wonder. Do people shoot test charts all day, or do they actually shoot real life situations?

Like this ?
Flickr Search: Sony A7r

**Rondec** · 02-13-2014, 07:51 AM

This is an FE 55mm group Flickr: The Sony Sonnar T* FE 55MM F/1.8 Zeiss lens Pool and it doesn't look like anything special, more than what I see from other normal lenses out there.

01-30-2014, 05:02 AM	#1
Clavius Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: De Klundert Photos: Gallery Posts: 4,150	DXO: Best lens ever tested The Zeiss FE 55/1.8 is the best autofocus lens ever tested by DXO: Sony Zeiss Sonnar T* FE 55mm f1.8 ZA lens review: Exemplary performance - DxOMark On paper at least the Zeiss Sonnar T FE 55mm f1.8 ZA* may seem somewhat unadventurous and over-priced given the f1.8 maximum aperture. In reality the lens is a bright 1.8TStops, and image quality is outstanding. Even the $1,000 price seems quite reasonable.

01-30-2014, 07:46 AM	#5
jogiba Banned Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Millstone,NJ Posts: 6,491	Sony also makes quality lenses. Sony 500mm f/4.0 G Telephoto Prime Lens SAL500F40G B&H Photo http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/892394-REG/Sony_sal300f28g2_300mm_F_2_8_G_Super.html http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1008119-REG/sony_sal70200g2_70_200mm_f_2_8_g_ssm.html http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/925817-REG/sony_sal70400g2_70_400mm_f_...telephoto.html Last edited by jogiba; 01-30-2014 at 07:51 AM.

02-13-2014, 06:23 AM	#12
jogiba Banned Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Millstone,NJ Posts: 6,491	Main focus on FE from now on! Quote: I have been also told the focus now is on FE camera and lens releases. Particularly new FE lenses are needed to make the system grow. Hope that Sony will announce the next two FE lenses in late March-early April. (SR5) Trusted sources: No A7000 APS-C E-mount coming in 2014. Main focus on FE from now on! \| sonyalpharumors I bet there will be a full frame A9000 with the world's fastest AF coming.

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01-30-2014, 06:02 AM	#2
jogiba Banned Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Millstone,NJ Posts: 6,491	If it had OSS I would get it but I pre-ordered the 24-70mm F4 FE OSS Zeiss instead and will continue to use my 50mm F1.4 Pentax with PK-NEX adapter on my full frame VG900.

01-30-2014, 07:06 AM - 1 Like	#3
Na Horuk Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Slovenia, probably Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 11,186	Oh, that's not the Zeiss Zeiss, its the Sony Zeiss.. Would be interesting to compare to the Pentax DA* 55mm. Pentax is f1.4, has distance marks, SDM, QS, its WR, doesn't cost as much, but its "APSC-only".. would like to see how the IQ compares in real world situations. I'm not tying to put down that lens, its just something I always wonder when I read about "best" lenses - how big the difference really is. Oh, and this reminds me of the much larger Zeiss Otus, too. Another "best" lens, with different drawbacks (mostly weight, size, cost, lack of AF)

01-30-2014, 07:44 AM	#4
normhead Pentaxian Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Near Algonquin Park Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 40,451	DxO has a body dependent method for testing lenses and their comparisons aren't worth anything. Them saying it is the best lens they tested on a Sony tells you nothing about how it stacks up against any Pentax lens. According to DxO no lens tested on a Pentax is any good, and they don't test Pentax lenses on other bodies, even though they could. You'd think with something like the Sony A7r having so many adapters, they'd use it as a standard comparison platform... but as I've pointed out many times, they aren't in the business of doing research, they are in the business of making money.

01-30-2014, 08:03 AM	#6
Rondec Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Gladys, Virginia Photos: Gallery Posts: 27,653	I just wonder how much difference there is in this lens and all of the other 50mm f1.4 lenses out there. DA *55 is pretty good, but of course, it has never been tested on full frame. Voigtlander 55mm f1.4 is very well respected as are the 50mm f1.2 lenses. 1000 dollars for a 50-ish f1.8 lens seems a trifle steep...

02-02-2014, 07:36 AM	#7
joelR Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: US Posts: 211	Not really. Compared to the other premium "normal" primes it's a steal. Look at the Nikon 58mm. Yes the Nikon is a hair faster but the actual light transmission difference (t stops not f stops) is 1/3 at best. The Nikon is $1700! Bigger, softer, and only better corrected for coma. Same could be said for Sony's own ZA 50mm. I don't own the FE 55mm because I already shoot with the Contax G 45mm but I'm tempted.

02-04-2014, 06:09 AM - 1 Like	#8
jogiba Banned Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Millstone,NJ Posts: 6,491	Quote: DxOmark (Click here) tested the Zeiss 35mm FE lens. The lens is the second best lens teste after the Sigma 35mm and Samyang f/1.4 lenses. These lenses score better mainly because of the greater Transmission (they ahve a much larger aperture). It has not the stellar performance of the Zeiss 55mm FE but the 35mm Fe is also made to be compact and not to be the best 35mm lens on market. And that’s exactly what DxO writes in their conclusion: Although the Zeiss FE Sonnar T* 35mm f2.8 ZA doesn’t have the consistent performance and sharpness in the outer field of its sibling the ZE Sonnar T* 55mm f1.8 ZA, the fact that it is very close to the Sigma 35mm f1.4 DG HSM A in IQ (over the same aperture range) is a plus. On the downside, it lacks that model’s versatility in low light, naturally, but at least it’s a fraction of the size and weight and complements the small size and inherent portability of the A7 models. P.S.: Also Lenscore (Click here) tested the 55mm and 35mm Zeiss FE lenses. Also the 35mm Zeiss FE gets Dxomarked: Second best tested 35mm lens ever. \| sonyalpharumors BTW I have the Samyang (Bower) 35mm f1.4 that I use on my full frame Sony VG900 .

02-04-2014, 07:40 AM	#9
jeffshaddix Site Supporter Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Colorado Posts: 1,473	I wish Zeiss would do a sonnar refresh of a 58mm for SLRs...not that it would be in Pentax mount anymore... Lenses like this make me consider switching, I hope Pentax surprises us with something creative (and useful) soon. Samyang was supposed to release a 50/1.2 this year, though it's been a while since new news has been released. Maybe they'll take the leap with all the competition and do more than another double gauss design. That said, Pentax mount didn't make their list on the original announcement, but that can change.

02-04-2014, 09:43 AM	#10
Eric Auer Site Supporter Join Date: Jul 2012 Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,211	Hey Joe, Is that Sony NEX-VG900 Full Frame.....................

02-13-2014, 06:55 AM - 1 Like	#13
Rondec Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Gladys, Virginia Photos: Gallery Posts: 27,653	I just wonder. Do people shoot test charts all day, or do they actually shoot real life situations?

02-13-2014, 07:42 AM	#14
jogiba Banned Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Millstone,NJ Posts: 6,491	Originally posted by Rondec I just wonder. Do people shoot test charts all day, or do they actually shoot real life situations? Like this ? Flickr Search: Sony A7r

02-13-2014, 07:51 AM	#15
Rondec Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Gladys, Virginia Photos: Gallery Posts: 27,653	This is an FE 55mm group Flickr: The Sony Sonnar T* FE 55MM F/1.8 Zeiss lens Pool and it doesn't look like anything special, more than what I see from other normal lenses out there.