Carl Zeiss??

[mpython77]

Has anyone ever used any Carl Zeiss lenses on a Nikon D200 or any other Nikon digital camera like a D80 or even a D2x?? Are the optics really that much better than say...... a Nikkor DX lens?

 

[Don Simon]

Hmm... are these the new Zeiss lenses? I think they are made by Cosina (this is no bad thing). I would imagine the quality of the lenses is outstanding, and the build quality will definitely be... but bear in mind they are manual-focus lenses. They may not work on dSLRs lower in the Nikon range than the D200 (like the D80), as old manual-focus Nikons don't. Also you would be paying a lot for a manual focus lens to use on a camera designed primarily for autofocus use. Personally I would have thought these would be of interest to people with a lot of money and a particular interest in Zeiss glass... everyone else should be happy with good Nikon glass.

 

[Sw1tchFX]

http://www.kenrockwell.com/zeiss/zf50.htm

 

[Garbz]

Yes and no. If you ignore Ken Rockwell's "opinions" (how can more than 4 lenses on his page be the sharpest he has?) and go to some actual testing:

http://www.photozone.de/8Reviews/lenses/zeiss_zf_50_14/index.htm
http://www.photozone.de/8Reviews/lenses/nikkor_50_14/index.htm

You'll see the Zeiss has fantastic sharpness. It outclasses the sensor of the D200, probably not the D2X though, but the D200 is the test camera in this case. Vignetting is insignificantly different, and the chromatic abberation is better on the Nikon lens although still reasonably small.

Now is it worth twice the price? I say no, but then you do get the bragging rights, which I can't afford. If you just want a brilliantly sharp lens as your only criteria, look at the Nikkor 50mm f/1.8, it's much cheaper than both the others, come within a wisker of being as sharp as the CarlZeiss, and beats both in vignetting and CA.

 

[mpython77]

Now is it worth twice the price? I say no, but then you do get the bragging rights, which I can't afford. If you just want a brilliantly sharp lens as your only criteria, look at the Nikkor 50mm f/1.8, it's much cheaper than both the others, come within a wisker of being as sharp as the CarlZeiss, and beats both in vignetting and CA.

I appreciate the links to the reviews, it has helped me greatly as I have a D200 and was looking at the Zeiss 50mm. When it comes to the 50mm lens I am strictly manual. I think it is just because that's what I started out with on my first SLR. This was one of the things that I liked about the Zeiss 50mm, manual and great build quality.

I still do not think that it is really worth double the amount of a Nikkor, even though I would be proud to shoot with a fantastic piece of German engineering. Then again, that is nothing more than just "bragging rights". Thank you for your help.