Carl Zeiss Distagon T* 28mm F/2 (C/y) Lens Review
The Carl Zeiss Distagon 2.8/28 has the reputation to be one of the best 28mm lenses ever fabricated. I put information technology on my Sony a7 and created an extensive review.
Sample Images
Specifications
-
- Bore: 62.5mm
- Length: 50mm
- Weight: 280g
- Filter Diameter: 55mm
- Number of Aperture Blades: six
- Elements/Groups: 7/7
- Close Focusing Distance: 25cm
- Mount: Zeiss C/Y
More information in Zeiss' official data sheet.
The Carl Zeiss Distagon 2.eight/28 unremarkably sells for effectually $200-300 at ebay.com (affiliate link).
In Germany yous can purchase it for 150-250€ at ebay.de (affiliate link).
The younger MM version usually sells for a little fleck more than the older AE version.
Versions
At that place are two versions of the Zeiss Distagon two.eight/28 T*.
The older AE version introduced in the mid lxx's won't allow programme and shutter-priority with film cameras. I remember information technology was made in Japan from the beginning while other C/Y lenses were manufactured in Federal republic of germany before production was moved to in Nippon (als called AEJ). I accept no definitive proof for that merely a collector who looked really hard for a made in Federal republic of germany re-create and compiled dozens and dozens of serial numbers couldn't find one. Unlike the later MM version the AE version has Ninja-star shaped bokeh circles stopped down. Check out my Contarex 2/50 review to run into an instance for that.
The younger MM version was sold from 1984 to 2005. Information technology can be identified by the light-green colour of the f/22 mark, run into image beneath. It was only manufactured in Japan. If y'all want to leitax your lens to Nikon F-mount or Sony A-mount you lot need to buy the MM version.
Some people merits that the coatings and the optical design have been improved when the MM version was introduced merely I couldn't detect whatsoever good source to back it up. This comparison shows a little amend performance for the MM version but I think it is within the margin of mistake.
Credit for much of this information goes to the great guys over at the FM forum.
Zeiss too produced the ZM Biogon 2.viii/28 which has a totally dissimilar optical blueprint and dissimilar mountain. And a C/Y 2/28 which has a dissimilar characteristic every bit well.
Compatibility
The Zeiss Distagon 2.8/28 tin of course be used on a wide range of Contax and Yashica film cameras but I know piffling about those so I can't tell you any details.
You can also purchase adapters to use it onCatechism EOS cameras but in some cases the mirror will hit the back of the lens. Check out this site for more data.
To utilize a C/Y lens on aNikon F-mount camera yous need to replace the mount of your C/Y lens. Check out Leitax for more information. I tin recommend their products, they are very well made.
The easiest mode to utilise a C/Y lens on a digital camera is to purchase a mirrorless camera. I tin just recommend to buy a full frame photographic camera and then the Sony Alpha 7 series cameras are your only option (unless you lot have also much money and want a Leica SL). Check out this article for more information well-nigh how to use manual lenses on the Sony a7-serial.
Build Quality
Build quality is superb and the lens feels very solid.
The barrel is fabricated of metal with very depression tolerances. Both focus and aperture ring are rubberized and easy to grip.
All markings are engraved
Size, Weight and Handling
The Zeiss Distagon 2.8/28 is near every bit large and heavy equally your average 1.four/50. Information technology is very well counterbalanced on the Sony a7.
The focusing ring travels about 100 degrees from 0.25m to 1m and a farther 20 or so degrees to infinity. I recall this is a very good manual, focusing was easy at whatsoever altitude. The focusing experience is just quite nice: Very precise but not too smooth.
Theaperture ring has full stops from f/two.8 to f/22 but information technology isn't too hard to select one-half-stops. I think it is one of the nicest aperture rings I have ever used, resistance is just correct and every stop very distinctive.
Honestly I wouldn't know how to improve the handling of the Distagon 2.viii/28.
Lens Hood
I don't own a hood for the Distagon 2.8/28 only according to mir.com at that place were two different hoods: TheMetal Lens Hood No.1 and the Soft Lens Shade 55mm G-12.
Filters
The 55mm filter thread is made from metal
The forepart of the lens does not rotate so polarizers are easy to apply.
Image Quality
Vignetting
At f/2.8 vignetting is significant at close to 2.5 stops. At f/4 it is reduced to almost i.5 stops and past f/8 a little less than 1 end.
Flare Resistance
The flare resistance of the Zeiss 2.8/28 is very good. There is very little contrast loss and only minor ghosting.
This is the very worst ghosting I could provoke and information technology is only visible because I pushed the shadows of this paradigm a lot:
A minor hulk like in this image was more common. The shadows were pushed every bit well which makes it more obvious:
Distortion
The distagon shows a modest amount of butt distortion, a setting of +3 corrects information technology very well in Lightroom.
Chromatic Aberrations
Lateral CA are well corrected for a wide angle lens but certainly visible on more than critical subjects so I would suggest to right them.
Bokeh
Bokeh is not a strength of the Zeiss.
Out of focus highlights a a defined edge and the transition zone is quite nervous:
OOF highlights in front of the point of focus are much smoother:
At the minimal focusing distance bokeh is quite nice but this is considering the lens itself is less well corrected and quite soft.
At longer distances the lens is sharper merely the bokeh quite harsh:
Sunstars
The Zeiss Distagon 2.eight/28 only has vi discontinuity blades and so sunstars only have vi-pointed stars. From f/11 they are well defined and at f/16 they are very prominent.
Contrast
Contrast is groovy from f/2.8.
I am usually very cautious with claims I can't support with some information so take my impression with a grain of salt: To my eyes the images I took with the Zeiss 2.8/28 C/Y stood out considering of their plasticity and contrast.
Sharpness
The full aperture series can exist found at flickr.
f/two.8:The heart is excellent, the midframe region is good only the outer one-half of the image circumvolve is not very sharp.
f/4: Very trivial difference to f/2.8
f/5.6: The edges of the frame have much improve dissimilarity and they are a little sharper. The corners remain soft.
f/8: A significant improvement can be seen in the corners. With the exception of the extreme corners and a small dip around r=15mm it is very sharp across the frame.
f/xi:The center is a trivial less sharp just the extreme corners improve a chip.
F/two.eight gives first-class results every bit long as your subject area is more or less in the primal half of the prototype and non too close. For landscapes I would recommend to stop down to f/8 . If the farthermost corners are of import you can stop downward to f/11 and trade a little less sharpness in the center for better corners. I think this is a very good performance for a wide angle lens.
Field Curvature
The Distagon does show a significant amount of field curvature. At r=15mm the plane of focus is closest to the camera. Across this point it bents backwards. The extreme corners are focused significantly behind the center. If y'all have the Distagon 2.8/28 set to f/xi and accept a flat field of study at infinity even the extreme corners volition be sharp but the rest of the frame will be out of focus.
Shut Focus Operation
The Zeiss ii.8/28 has a shut focusing distance of 25cm which results in a reproduction ratio of one:6 which is decent for a 28mm lens.
The Distagon does not feature floating elements and then performance suffers quite a flake at shorter distances. F/2.viii is downright soft, f/4 is okay and yous should end down to f/5.6 for good sharpness. For very good results I would recommend f/eight or even f/11.
Alternatives
Sony Fe two/28 – The Sony has AF, is faster and information technology has nicer bokeh. It is also sharper in the extreme corners at f/eight if you don't correct the baloney, if y'all do the Zeiss is a piffling sharper across most of the frame. The FE 2/28 vignettes a lot and information technology has very significant distortion. Information technology is a picayune smaller than the Zeiss Distagon if y'all include the adapter but twice as expensive. Build quality is no contest, the Zeiss wins. See this post for a comparing of both lenses.
Sony FE 4/16-35 ZA OSS –Iv times every bit expensive, two times as heavy just more flexible considering it a zoom and because it is stabilized. Baloney is more pronounced. Sharpness at f/8 is very shut with an advantage for the FE Zeiss in the extreme corners.
Olympus OM 3.5/28 –A very small and very affordable lens which is only a little less sharp and contrasty than the Zeiss two.viii/28 simply it has less field curvature. Build quality is not as prissy as that of the Zeiss.
SMC Pentax G 3.five/28 (52mm filter thread) –Even though it usually sells for half the price of the Zeiss two.viii/28 it comes very close to it in performance. I think the Zeiss is a tad sharper only at f/8 the farthermost corners of the Pentax are sharper and it has less CA. Build quality is quite good.
Nikon Ai-S 2.8/28 –I don't own it but from what I have seen and read it is a piffling weaker at longer distances. The big reward of the Nikon is that it has a very short minimal focusing distance and floating elements. And then it is much more suited for short distance work.
Also check out this interesting comparing on the a7rII on FM with the Pentax 3.5/28, Olympus iii.5/28 and Nikon AI-Southward 2.8/28.
Determination
good
| average
| not practiced
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The Zeiss Distagon 2.eight/28 T* is a very enjoyable lens and well suited for landscape photography.
Few lenses are built as well and handle as nicely as the Zeiss 2.8/28. To me this is an important attribute of a lens, I don't shoot for money I shoot because I savor the process and the stop issue.
For my landscape photography the Zeiss Distagon two.8/28 performed very well, by f/eight information technology is very abrupt with the exception of a few pixels in the corners. It handles most back lit situations with ease and considering it it doesn't weight me down much I frequently take it with me.
Of course information technology isn't a perfect lens. While the centre is first-class from f/ii.8 you should at least stop down to f/v.half-dozen for good corners. Vignetting is also very obvious at f/ii.viii and to a bottom degree at f/4. The functioning driblet at shorter distances is a bit of a letdown.
The Zeiss is a fleck more than expensive than other manufacturer's competing lenses but it is as well a little better. Compared to today's Sony Iron lenses the toll/functioning ratio is crawly and you get a lot for your money.
I can recommend the Zeiss Distagon two.viii/28 T*, in fact I enjoyed shooting with it a lot and I think it is ane of the very best manual 28mm lenses you tin can buy. If you look for a very versatile 28mm lens the FE 2/28 is a better versatile solution but I enjoyed the Zeiss 2.8/28 more considering it is built so well and has a real focusing ring.
The Carl Zeiss Distagon 2.8/28 unremarkably sells for effectually $200-300 at ebay.com (chapter link).
In Frg you tin can buy it for 150-250€ at ebay.de (chapter link).
If this review was helpful to you, please consider using i of my affiliate links. I will earn a small commission on your purchase and it won't cost you anything. Thanks!
Zeiss Distagon 2.8/28 T* Sample Images
All images are processed in Lightroom from Raw. Many more full resolution samples in my Zeiss Distagon 2.eight/28 flickr album.
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I take two hobbies: Photography and photographic gear. Both are related merely to a minor caste.
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