New Zeiss 50mm for Canon DSLR

[budjames]

I lusting for a really sharp 50mm prime for my Canon 1Ds MkIII and 30D bodies. I was curious if anyone has used the new Zeiss 50mm prime w/Canon mount and could share their experiences and some sample prints.

Thanks.
Bud

[spotmeter]

I lusting for a really sharp 50mm prime for my Canon 1Ds MkIII and 30D bodies. I was curious if anyone has used the new Zeiss 50mm prime w/Canon mount and could share their experiences and some sample prints.

Thanks.
Bud

I bought the Zeiss 50mm ZF for my Canon 5D. It is the same as the ZE, which has the Canon mount. It tested sharper, especially in the corners, than the Contax 50mm and the Canon 50mm 1.4. Its a really nice lens to use. It is all metal and the focus is silky smooth.

[budjames]

I bought the Zeiss 50mm ZF for my Canon 5D. It is the same as the ZE, which has the Canon mount. It tested sharper, especially in the corners, than the Contax 50mm and the Canon 50mm 1.4. Its a really nice lens to use. It is all metal and the focus is silky smooth.

Do you have firsthand experience with how the Zeiss 50mm compares with the Canon 50mm 1.2 L lens?

Thanks for sharing.
Bud

[spotmeter]

Do you have firsthand experience with how the Zeiss 50mm compares with the Canon 50mm 1.2 L lens?

Thanks for sharing.
Bud

I've never used the 1.2. You may want to go online and check out their respective MTF graphs.

[sojournerphoto]

Do you have firsthand experience with how the Zeiss 50mm compares with the Canon 50mm 1.2 L lens?

Thanks for sharing.
Bud

Sean Reid has a test on his website - it's a paysite, but well worth a read.

Mike

[Chris Crevasse]

I second the recommendation that you consult Sean Reid's website ("Reid Reviews").  In one review, he compares the Zeiss ZE 50/1.4 with the Canon 50/1.2.  In another, he compares the 50/1.2 with the Sigma 50/1.4 and the Canon 50/1.4.  Both reviews provide a thoughtful counterpoint to the numbers-driven reviews on other websites.

[Jimlizard]

I've used the Planar T* 50mm f/1.4 (Contax/yashica) on the 5D and i just sold it because i'm changing my system. Maybe you can try, since it's much cheaper than the new version and probably as good.
The quality is wonderful and i found it much better than the Canon 50mm f/1.4 USM i used to have.

I already tried a lot of excellent 50mm primes, including:

Olympus OM 50mm f/1.4 (latest version)
Pentax Super Takumar 50mm f/1.4
Pentax Super Takumar 55mm f/1.8
Carl Zeiss Planar T* 50mm f/1.7
Carl Zeiss Planar T* 50mm f/2.0
Leica Summicron-R 50mm f/2.0 (E55)
Yashica ML 50mm f/1.4
Canon EF 50mm f/1.8
Canon EF 50mm f/1.4 USM
Nikon Ai 50mm f/1.4

The Planar T* 50mm f/1.4 was the one I kept, although most of the others were also amazing. Ok, the Canon f/1.8 produces an awful bokeh and the built quality is terrible, although it still very sharp.
The 50mm f/1.7 version is almost as good and cheaper, but it doesn't have the same aperture.

I also used the Planar T* 85mm f/1.4 (I still have it for sale on the forum) and it's also an amazing lens.

[conurus]

This is another incarnation of the Planar 50/1.4, the Contax N (autofocus converted to Canon EF), shot wide open to show the bokeh and rendering characteristics.

[DaveCurtis]

If you can afford the extra cost and don't need f1.4, the Zeiss 50 f2 macro (nikon mount) is much sharper. You will need to use an adapter to Canon of course.