Very nice review, thanks. I use the M10 and own this Zeiss lens and the 35mm summicron asph. When I started with that Zeiss, I was a bit surprised to realise that it was impressively better than the legendary ‘cron at all apertures. In fact it is one of the very best lenses I ever used in my life, independently of focal length, systems, size, build, etc. But I still tend to grab the ‘cron when I go off for the day, because of its minuscule size and weight. So, I have often felt kind of regretful not to have bitten the bullet for the Summilux FLE, as, in my fantasies, it would replace both of my current 35mm lenses with no penalty other than financial. Your review reminds me that this desire is a bit senseless, as the difference in weight between the ZM and the ‘lux is a mere 60g (half the weight of my iphone and less than the keys or the change I keep in my jeans pocket). The difference in size is also objectively small, and you do well to remind us that the ‘lux extends as you focus. Your review also reminds me that this Zeiss is one of the very best lenses ever designed for the M system, on par with the 50mm ‘lux asph for example. At the end of the day, what I probably really want is a 35mm summicron redesigned for the digital age (not the merely cosmetic redesign of latest gen), like Leica did with the 50mm apo ‘cron, with no change in size/weight.
Purchased it 2 months ago after watching this, And I am super happy! thanks. It's a bit on the heavy side with the M10P. People who hold it with the camera are actually surprised how heavy it is compared to the size of the kit, Those who don't know what they're holding say "it's heavy I understand it's a different beast but I wouldn't walk with it". i actually purchased it a month after coming back from the yearly trip to London. Hopefully Boris J. will release everyone there soon and we'll be able to visit again :-) By the way: Shooting Leica doesn't say we don't care about the cost or the money. We just appreciate the best of the best, expensive stuff, and we are willing to invest in it. But it's hard earned money and hard to spend, The same as everyone...
What a refreshingly original review. Down to earth, real, and fun video. And, I agree, a reviewer that actually takes good pictures. Nicely edited,kept my interest all the way to end. Good job!
Endless great reviews later i took the plunge and bought the reviewed lens and i have to say its easily the best lens i have ever used,sharp as the sharpest knife,with beautiful rendition for people and places photography. I just cannot believe how good this lens is and the build quality is also exquisite. Red 35 reviews are always honest and reliable so it helped me make this great decision to buy the distagon.
A superb quality lens which is the daily worker on my M6 , fairly cheap, beautifully manufactured in Japan and so much nicer than most of the Sony / Zeiss glass. Great review - many thanks 😎😎😎
Cheers Mike! Yes indeed. And being a manual lens means that it will never die, providing you maintain it properly too! Yeah, will beat the Sony/Zeiss lenses any days :)
I have this lens and love it. Though it’s not much bigger than my slr 2.0 equivalent, on the m bodies it just feels massive. Better balanced on the Leica SL though and would say that image quality is on another level when paired with SL.
Hello, Thank you for a great video. Thank you for sharing and taking time to make these videos in general. I love how you integrate pics whichi (at the end of the day) is what we're striving to make). This lens looks great, I had the f/2 version and ended up selling it because it was a just a bit heavier and bulkier than the Voigtlander f1.4. The Voigtlander, IMHO, is much lighter than the Zeiss f/1.4 and faster than the Zeiss f/2 so it still has my preference BUT I must admit that I miss the sharpness of the Zeiss.. Thanks again :)
Great review. I just received one, the Zeiss 35/1.4 ZM, and this review really helped me decide for the Zeiss over the 35 Summilux ASPH. My one regret is the size of the lens, I purchased a mp240 to serve as a carry around rig, as its much smaller than the A7r3 I’m used to. The 50 Summicron is perfect size for that, unfortunately the D35ZM is not. It’s amazing IQ makes up for it though! The 3d pop and abrupt change from in to out of focus are incredible.
I've ended up with the Voigtlander 35mm Ultron f1.7 because of the size issue. It's a similar size to the Leica 50mm Summicron and only half a stop slower than the Zeiss 35mm 1.4 zm.
Great review, and timely. I've been going back and forth on fast 35mm lenses for a few months now, and this, among other reviews convinced me to pull the trigger on the Zeiss Distagon rather than the Leica Summilux. I already own the absolutely fantastic Leica 35mm f/2.5 Summarit and love everything about it, but sometimes there really is a need for speed. It will be nice to have the choice.
For me this has been your best review yet. I wonder if you have even noticed that this review is different to your MFT fast prime reviews. You seemed far more comfortable and less claustrophobic; the photos you took had space. You even mention it, these images pop. You cant use a low glass lens like this without exploring the space, it is intoxicating. It happened to me 3 years ago when I bought my X113 with 23mm summilux, it made all my previous photos look flat and lifeless. No its not the sharpness; though gosh its sharp, its microtones. I love Zeiss glass, my first big girl camera in 73 was Rollei SL35 with Zeiss 50mm Planar and 135mm Tele-tessar which I chose over Nikon. It was joined in the 80s by a Rollei 35s with a Zeiss 40mm f2.8 Sonnar. Paradoxically I hate rangefinder cameras even though I inherited IIIg and M3. I will shoot film in the M3 eventually I guess, just bought it a pink viewfinder for my 28mm but, I much prefer to use my Leica M fit lenses on my TL2, its my kind of camera. I prefer the handling with a focus ring, I hate the focus bar you usually get. I bought the Voightlander 28mm f2 but hate the focus bar, I would rather have this lens, I mostly use a Nikkor 35mm f2D at the moment on the TL2 with an M adapter, one of Nikons better lenses, it's lovely. Great video btw ;-)
Thanks Vici! A pink viewfinder? I would love to see that :) I do use my Zeiss Favorit TLR a lot and totally love how it renders things. I do like Zeiss and now I regretted that never bought the last Zeiss IKON rangefinder camera to complete my Zeiss obsession. But I settle with my M6 and digital M bodies.
I shoot FF D-SLR (Pentax K-1) and own the following lenses: - Zeiss Distagon T* 2.8/25 ZK - Zeiss Distagon T* 2/28 ZK - Zeiss Distagon T* 2/35 ZK - Zeiss Planar T* 1.4/85 ZK What I can say about them is that they are built like tanks (all metal & glass rather than plastic & polycarbonate) and provide better sharpness and microcontrast across the entire frame (corner to corner) than my HD Pentax-D FA 2.8/24-70 ED SDM WR. Yes, because they are fixed focal length. And yes, because they are Zeiss. What I'd have liked is having the Distagon 2/25 (instead of or in addition to the 2.8/25) and the 1.4/35 (instead of or in addition to the 2/35), but unfortunately Zeiss did never produce those lenses with ZK (Pentax) mount. I'm more a "wide angle" shooter (landscapes and architecture), so in the end the one I use the most among the whole bunch is the 2.8/25. I'd have liked it to be faster though (2 or 1.4), but honestly speaking, it doesn't bother me that much, especially because in landscape and architecture photography what you're looking for is greater DOF (back in-focus = all frame in-focus), hence stopping down apertures what, in addition, also gives you better overall sharpness. So should I've had the 2/25 instead of the 2.8/25, it wouldn't have been much different in practice. Manual focus however can be (and in fact is) very tricky. If close focusing, I have to shoot several times moving the focus ring by small steps in order to hit the focus at least once, otherwise it's a hit/miss or trial/error lottery and it's certainly frustrating unless, like I said, you try several times on every close-focus shot to ensure results. As my type of photography is still and not action, I'm not worried at all, I just take my time. What I notice, in addition to better sharpness and microcontrast of the Zeiss lenses compared to others, is their ability to capture more light. That is because of the stunning quality of the glass they use on their optics. All manufacturers (Zeiss included) measure and advertise the brightness of their lenses according to the maximum aperture of their diaphragms, what we all know as "f-stop". The lower this number is (the more the diaphragm can opens), the "brighter" the lens. In other words, the lower the f-stop, the more light it captures. That's in theory, because in practice it's not just like that. There's another number that gives us the REAL brightness of each lens which is the "t-stop" and basically is the light that actually exits from the lens and arrives to the sensor (which is the REAL light captured by the sensor). Because this number is very difficult to be calculated and it needs special laboratory equipment for measuring (and it also depends on diameters, quality of glass, coatings, etc, and it can be "tricky" to measure), that's why the brands advertise only the "f-stop". The quality of the glass used by Zeiss and their light transmission ability is so high, that all their lenses capture (to the sensor = t-stop) more light than most of their competitors, that's why when you shoot with Zeiss you see that the results look in fact "different" to the competition and are oftenly seen as "overexposed", having to adjust the EV by -1/3 or even -2/3. That's because Zeiss' lenses are extremely EFFICIENT with light due to the high quality of their glass, and a Zeiss f/2 lens may well be equated to another manufacturer lens f/1.8 or even f/1.4 (an f/2 Zeiss lens has a much better t-stop number than any other brand "equivalent" f/2 lens, or most of them). If two lenses are advertised as f/2 but one of them uses far better optic glass, the t-stop (real brightness) of the latter will certainly be better too.
To me, being heavy actually is a good thing. It does mean the lens has been built with best materials (metal & glass rather than plastic & polycarbonate). Besides, I've never seen yet any SLR or RF camera that is not front heavy with lens attached. As you know, the strap is always attached to the body and the camera is in equilibrium only when there's no weight on the front, therefore when there's no lens attached. Other than that, I've enjoyed this video a lot. Good one! 👍🏻
I sold my summilux 35mm 1.4 asph because of focus shift , then I missed and buy it back then the same problem again and try this lens and decide this is a good replacement for my Lux .
Price does mean something, to some Leica shooters. A modest financial windfall did enable me to buy a pre-owned Summilux-M 50mm ASPH, and a new M10, in April 2018, as a retirement gift, for myself, but since then, Leica lenses that I have bought, have been pre-owned, and slower than Summilux, whereas I have been able to justify buying a new Zeiss Distagon 1,4/35mm ZM. This has been a wonderful lens, for me. I have no feeling of having settled for second-best. Thanks.
I understand you are talking about the voigtlander 35 mm1.2? What about the ultron 1.7?, that thing is sharp!. My reason to ask is that I do own the ultron( sold the 1.2), and wondering about this zeiss. The thing is, I can keep both , so will be an upgrade.. a better lens or I keep my voigt ultron? Thanks
Hi Jimmy, great review and photos. Have you used this lens to do any film work? I'm thinking of pairing it with the Sigma FP with an adapter. Hoping to do stills and video. Thanks!
Great review what is the focus throw like on this lens? Is it long or short? I’m looking to pic one up, I have the voigt 75mm and love the throw on that as it’s short. Thanks
Hey, i really wonder if you attempted to adapt those m mount lenses to your new Nikon Zf camera. I would really love to adapt these lenses on the Nikon. Is that sth you attempted or do consider? Thank you very much for your opinion on adapting M mount to Z
I think saw a listing for 35 mm bigon I don't remember if it was 2.8. Or 1.4 can't tell what Mount is this which is really annoying but for $200 you think it's worth taking the risk it looks in good condition. I would be using it on mirrorless
how is the Zeiss Biogon 35mm f/2 ZM for M10 ? being smaller it would not block the VF as much as this bigger f/1.4 Distagon . And how about Voigtlander 35mm f/1.7 Ultron VM compared to the above 2 Zeiss lenses ? Leica 35 Summicron has 11 aperture blades, and is very small, but even more expensive than faster f/1.4 lenses from 3rd parties. Voigtlander 35mm f/1.4 Nokton is not a good lens, having bad distortion.
Thanks Chirag for watching mate. Well, the Biogon is a wonderful lens and has some 'classic' Zeiss rendering. It's contrasty too and balances well with M10 (still a tiny big front heavy) and yes, it won't block the VF too much (until you use the hood). If you want the perfect combo for size and weight distribution, then the only way to go is Leica 35mm Summicron ASPH but as you mentioned, it's expensive compare to others. The Voigtlander 35mm Ultron is a weird lens, but they always trying to take the 'niche' approach. They have the 1.2 already and didn't want to compete in the f/2 market so they put out a Ultron with a 1.7. It's classic Voitlander rending and pretty decent performer. But I think optically the Zeiss is a tiny bit better. But, and a BIG but, is that Voigtlander has one of the best dreamy rendering in my book. I always love the look of Voigtlander VM lenses. Something about them. I love the Nokton a lot and despite its shortcomings, like distortion and heavy purple fringing at 1.2 and 1.4, I just love how the pictures turned out. I would use it on Monochrome but not colour Leica photography.
firstly, forgot to thank you for this video, secondly for the detailed + helpful reply. One Last Question : if you had to select any 35mm except Lux/Cron & Distagon, what would it be (out of the following) : f/1.7 Ultron OR f/1.4 Nokton OR f/1.2 Aspherical II OR Biogon ?
I have this lens too, but have only used it with my film Leica MP. I totally agree with this review. It’s a great lens and the only downside is weight and size. I prefer its rendering to the Summilux. I have ordered the Fujifilm M-mount adapter and look forward to trying it on my APS-C Fujis. It would be interesting to see a review of the wider Zeiss ZM lenses, like the 21mm.
Often wondered about this lens. Weight and size is quite a big negative. I was always under the impression that the Leica M was supposed to be light and portable. Thanks for the review.
Well, it's a little big and heavy for an M lens but it's still tiny compare to other full frame 35mm 1.4 lenses out there. One of the thing is that this lens' length is fixed and if you look at the Leica's Summilux 35mm, when it's set at closest distance, it's as long as this Zeiss. But the Leica moves in and out depends on distance you set.
I just think the big mistakes about all lens brands are focus, to much about sharpness and high apeture. I personally are moving away from super fast lenses. because slower lenses has something. different about it more romantic. And soft also less flat !
interesting, could you elaborate? i've always associated a romantic aesthetic with shooting wide open, but would be very curious to hear more from you about this as you imply the opposite; that a slower lens is more romantic. any particular lenses you suggest? i just got my first m camera (film) and looking for some suggestions.
i am thinking to get my first Leica camera in 2019 hopefully.. As a GFX and Xpro2 user, i want to sell my Xpro2 and get Leica M10p... What is your recommendation for 35mm lens? I usually shoot wide open..
Zeiss it is, for less than a third of the price and get 99.9 % of the performance (debatable frankly). I owned and sold the latest version of the Summilux 35mm ASPHH because I don't feel it justifies the premium over the Zeiss, I do still own the original Summilux Pre-ASPH which is a classic lens for analogue photography and black and white works. Or the Summicron 35mm is tiny and ultra sharp if you don't need 1.4. Leica's f/2 lenses are definitely better than Zeiss however, but the Distagon definitely lives up to all the expectation (bar the weight). Hope this helps.
Well, the Noctilux is a beast, a very unique look on its own though, nailing focus is difficult without peaking and EVF. It's not impossible but certainly more challenging on a consistent basis.
Arent these manual rangefinder Zeiss lenses made by Cosina ? I thought i read something about that. They also make the Voigtlander lenses, and as a result they are a bit similar (though Zeiss still provide their own optical design..). I remember seeing how their macro lenses were very close in build and performance.
Guillaume M yes they are but very different beasts altogether. I haves both before and I can tell you that you can’t compare Voitglander to Zeiss in terms of performance. Zeiss is way way better and to my eyes, even beats Leica. Voitglander is good fun but not perfect especially at 1.2 build is different too. Zeiss is more tight.
Thanks for the comparison :) 35mm (in FF terms) is my favourite focal length, i wondered how these 2 lenses compared as they are not so far away in price (especially when factoring the cost for a Leica body)...
Guillaume M well, I can say the Voitglander is a great lens but definitely can’t match Zeiss. For the money, Zeiss is very good when compare to Leica :)
Well, cameras are tools, it's the pictures that count. I used it before as I was always a M film shooter before and continue with the digital when I gave up on Canon. They are pricey and frankly, over priced. But as I already had some lenses and it kind of made sense. But I love my Olympus as they are my workhorse cameras nowadays. Totally love the quality and I can easily say they are not that far behind and for a fraction of price too! Bargain! Don't I love the OM-D stylings too :)
Yeah, there was a picture of the M240 and it only shows some dealings around. In fact, that's more than ok for normal rain, just not heavy stuff. But it really doesn't make sense that even if the body is sealed, none of the Leica lenses are anyway... well.
@@Red35Photography sorry,i meant do you use a 6 bit code of say a 35mm summilux on a leica body or leave it uncoded? I have a 35mm summarit which the camera automatically recognises but that's not the case with a zeiss lens obviously.
Thanks for watching mate. Well, if you want 1.4 or faster, they do come with the price as being larger and heavier, with the exception of 50 Summilux ASPH and Summilux 35mm ASPH which I love. But if you look at Summiulx 28mm and 21mm, they are huge and heavy too. The best compromise for Leica are Summicron lenses as they are much lighter and smaller but then I love using 1.4 for low light work and it's valuable for me.
Your name looked familiar... and now I remember seeing your video recommending the Voigtlander 35mm 1.2 lens over the Leica 35mm Summilux. The Voigtlander is about the same size as this Zeiss lens, but the Voigtlander is about 90g heavier and has a larger filter size. So I'm a bit confused by this comment of yours. Why is this Zeiss too big but you are okay with the same size and heavier Voigtlander?
f1.2! The Summilux 35 which is f1.4 is way smaller and lighter. For something heavier and larger, I personally would want it to be faster, otherwise it’s not worth it.
Too big (finder blockage), too heavy, that flimsy focusing nipple and the fucking chrome front ring are really annoying. About image quality, yes it's sharp but it also has heavy coma and vignetting. What's worst, it totally lacks micro contrast and fidelity, meaning the picture look flat. Even the Zeiss 35mm f2 has a better 3D-pop but nothing comes close to the Summilux ASPH FLE, the picture seem to come out of the plane.
It's not too big, not too heavy (got it on my M10) and the micro contrasts are just great - maybe the best I've seen so far. You probably have never used this lens?
a reviewer who actually takes good photos !!
Cheers mate! Much appreciated your comment and have a nice day!
I agree! He's a good protographer! 👍🏻
Very nice review, thanks. I use the M10 and own this Zeiss lens and the 35mm summicron asph. When I started with that Zeiss, I was a bit surprised to realise that it was impressively better than the legendary ‘cron at all apertures. In fact it is one of the very best lenses I ever used in my life, independently of focal length, systems, size, build, etc. But I still tend to grab the ‘cron when I go off for the day, because of its minuscule size and weight. So, I have often felt kind of regretful not to have bitten the bullet for the Summilux FLE, as, in my fantasies, it would replace both of my current 35mm lenses with no penalty other than financial. Your review reminds me that this desire is a bit senseless, as the difference in weight between the ZM and the ‘lux is a mere 60g (half the weight of my iphone and less than the keys or the change I keep in my jeans pocket). The difference in size is also objectively small, and you do well to remind us that the ‘lux extends as you focus. Your review also reminds me that this Zeiss is one of the very best lenses ever designed for the M system, on par with the 50mm ‘lux asph for example. At the end of the day, what I probably really want is a 35mm summicron redesigned for the digital age (not the merely cosmetic redesign of latest gen), like Leica did with the 50mm apo ‘cron, with no change in size/weight.
Purchased it 2 months ago after watching this, And I am super happy! thanks. It's a bit on the heavy side with the M10P. People who hold it with the camera are actually surprised how heavy it is compared to the size of the kit, Those who don't know what they're holding say "it's heavy I understand it's a different beast but I wouldn't walk with it". i actually purchased it a month after coming back from the yearly trip to London. Hopefully Boris J. will release everyone there soon and we'll be able to visit again :-)
By the way: Shooting Leica doesn't say we don't care about the cost or the money. We just appreciate the best of the best, expensive stuff, and we are willing to invest in it. But it's hard earned money and hard to spend, The same as everyone...
What a refreshingly original review. Down to earth, real, and fun video. And, I agree, a reviewer that actually takes good pictures. Nicely edited,kept my interest all the way to end. Good job!
Endless great reviews later i took the plunge and bought the reviewed lens and i have to say its easily the best lens i have ever used,sharp as the sharpest knife,with beautiful rendition for people and places photography.
I just cannot believe how good this lens is and the build quality is also exquisite.
Red 35 reviews are always honest and reliable so it helped me make this great decision to buy the distagon.
A superb quality lens which is the daily worker on my M6 , fairly cheap, beautifully manufactured in Japan and so much nicer than most of the Sony / Zeiss glass. Great review - many thanks 😎😎😎
Cheers Mike! Yes indeed. And being a manual lens means that it will never die, providing you maintain it properly too! Yeah, will beat the Sony/Zeiss lenses any days :)
Fairly cheap?? Compared with the Leuca counterparts, yes. Compared with most other non-Leica M mount lenses including other Zeiss? No...
I have this lens and love it. Though it’s not much bigger than my slr 2.0 equivalent, on the m bodies it just feels massive. Better balanced on the Leica SL though and would say that image quality is on another level when paired with SL.
Hello, Thank you for a great video. Thank you for sharing and taking time to make these videos in general. I love how you integrate pics whichi (at the end of the day) is what we're striving to make). This lens looks great, I had the f/2 version and ended up selling it because it was a just a bit heavier and bulkier than the Voigtlander f1.4. The Voigtlander, IMHO, is much lighter than the Zeiss f/1.4 and faster than the Zeiss f/2 so it still has my preference BUT I must admit that I miss the sharpness of the Zeiss.. Thanks again :)
Great review. I just received one, the Zeiss 35/1.4 ZM, and this review really helped me decide for the Zeiss over the 35 Summilux ASPH.
My one regret is the size of the lens, I purchased a mp240 to serve as a carry around rig, as its much smaller than the A7r3 I’m used to. The 50 Summicron is perfect size for that, unfortunately the D35ZM is not.
It’s amazing IQ makes up for it though! The 3d pop and abrupt change from in to out of focus are incredible.
Indeed, you can't argue with the Zeiss 'Pop' and if this is something that you like, you can't beat the Zeiss! Thanks for watching by the way!
I've ended up with the Voigtlander 35mm Ultron f1.7 because of the size issue. It's a similar size to the Leica 50mm Summicron and only half a stop slower than the Zeiss 35mm 1.4 zm.
Paired with my SL2 the balance is very good and the micro contrast is amazing! I’ve hesitated 3 times to get the lux. The Zeiss is that good.
Great review, and timely. I've been going back and forth on fast 35mm lenses for a few months now, and this, among other reviews convinced me to pull the trigger on the Zeiss Distagon rather than the Leica Summilux.
I already own the absolutely fantastic Leica 35mm f/2.5 Summarit and love everything about it, but sometimes there really is a need for speed. It will be nice to have the choice.
Thanks Andrew! Much appreciated mate! Well, enjoy your lens and let me know how you get on! Have a nice day my friend!
For me this has been your best review yet. I wonder if you have even noticed that this review is different to your MFT fast prime reviews. You seemed far more comfortable and less claustrophobic; the photos you took had space. You even mention it, these images pop. You cant use a low glass lens like this without exploring the space, it is intoxicating. It happened to me 3 years ago when I bought my X113 with 23mm summilux, it made all my previous photos look flat and lifeless. No its not the sharpness; though gosh its sharp, its microtones. I love Zeiss glass, my first big girl camera in 73 was Rollei SL35 with Zeiss 50mm Planar and 135mm Tele-tessar which I chose over Nikon. It was joined in the 80s by a Rollei 35s with a Zeiss 40mm f2.8 Sonnar. Paradoxically I hate rangefinder cameras even though I inherited IIIg and M3. I will shoot film in the M3 eventually I guess, just bought it a pink viewfinder for my 28mm but, I much prefer to use my Leica M fit lenses on my TL2, its my kind of camera. I prefer the handling with a focus ring, I hate the focus bar you usually get. I bought the Voightlander 28mm f2 but hate the focus bar, I would rather have this lens, I mostly use a Nikkor 35mm f2D at the moment on the TL2 with an M adapter, one of Nikons better lenses, it's lovely. Great video btw ;-)
Thanks Vici! A pink viewfinder? I would love to see that :) I do use my Zeiss Favorit TLR a lot and totally love how it renders things. I do like Zeiss and now I regretted that never bought the last Zeiss IKON rangefinder camera to complete my Zeiss obsession. But I settle with my M6 and digital M bodies.
Jimmy, congrats on the 10K subs!! Excellent work as always, love the channel :-)
Thanks Tim!!! Much appreciated your support mate! Have a wonderful day.
Great vid! Just one thing I noticed: the min focus dist is 70 cm, not 7 cm (that would be macro).
Love my Voigtlander 35 1.4 Nokton Classic images and the size of it is a huge plus over the others...
I shoot FF D-SLR (Pentax K-1) and own the following lenses:
- Zeiss Distagon T* 2.8/25 ZK
- Zeiss Distagon T* 2/28 ZK
- Zeiss Distagon T* 2/35 ZK
- Zeiss Planar T* 1.4/85 ZK
What I can say about them is that they are built like tanks (all metal & glass rather than plastic & polycarbonate) and provide better sharpness and microcontrast across the entire frame (corner to corner) than my HD Pentax-D FA 2.8/24-70 ED SDM WR. Yes, because they are fixed focal length. And yes, because they are Zeiss.
What I'd have liked is having the Distagon 2/25 (instead of or in addition to the 2.8/25) and the 1.4/35 (instead of or in addition to the 2/35), but unfortunately Zeiss did never produce those lenses with ZK (Pentax) mount.
I'm more a "wide angle" shooter (landscapes and architecture), so in the end the one I use the most among the whole bunch is the 2.8/25. I'd have liked it to be faster though (2 or 1.4), but honestly speaking, it doesn't bother me that much, especially because in landscape and architecture photography what you're looking for is greater DOF (back in-focus = all frame in-focus), hence stopping down apertures what, in addition, also gives you better overall sharpness. So should I've had the 2/25 instead of the 2.8/25, it wouldn't have been much different in practice.
Manual focus however can be (and in fact is) very tricky. If close focusing, I have to shoot several times moving the focus ring by small steps in order to hit the focus at least once, otherwise it's a hit/miss or trial/error lottery and it's certainly frustrating unless, like I said, you try several times on every close-focus shot to ensure results. As my type of photography is still and not action, I'm not worried at all, I just take my time.
What I notice, in addition to better sharpness and microcontrast of the Zeiss lenses compared to others, is their ability to capture more light. That is because of the stunning quality of the glass they use on their optics. All manufacturers (Zeiss included) measure and advertise the brightness of their lenses according to the maximum aperture of their diaphragms, what we all know as "f-stop". The lower this number is (the more the diaphragm can opens), the "brighter" the lens. In other words, the lower the f-stop, the more light it captures. That's in theory, because in practice it's not just like that. There's another number that gives us the REAL brightness of each lens which is the "t-stop" and basically is the light that actually exits from the lens and arrives to the sensor (which is the REAL light captured by the sensor). Because this number is very difficult to be calculated and it needs special laboratory equipment for measuring (and it also depends on diameters, quality of glass, coatings, etc, and it can be "tricky" to measure), that's why the brands advertise only the "f-stop". The quality of the glass used by Zeiss and their light transmission ability is so high, that all their lenses capture (to the sensor = t-stop) more light than most of their competitors, that's why when you shoot with Zeiss you see that the results look in fact "different" to the competition and are oftenly seen as "overexposed", having to adjust the EV by -1/3 or even -2/3. That's because Zeiss' lenses are extremely EFFICIENT with light due to the high quality of their glass, and a Zeiss f/2 lens may well be equated to another manufacturer lens f/1.8 or even f/1.4 (an f/2 Zeiss lens has a much better t-stop number than any other brand "equivalent" f/2 lens, or most of them).
If two lenses are advertised as f/2 but one of them uses far better optic glass, the t-stop (real brightness) of the latter will certainly be better too.
I'm using one with my Leica SL. This lens is amazing.
To me, being heavy actually is a good thing. It does mean the lens has been built with best materials (metal & glass rather than plastic & polycarbonate).
Besides, I've never seen yet any SLR or RF camera that is not front heavy with lens attached. As you know, the strap is always attached to the body and the camera is in equilibrium only when there's no weight on the front, therefore when there's no lens attached.
Other than that, I've enjoyed this video a lot. Good one! 👍🏻
I sold my summilux 35mm 1.4 asph because of focus shift , then I missed and buy it back then the same problem again and try this lens and decide this is a good replacement for my Lux .
Why didn’t you try the fle version (with almost solve this problem)?
Nice balanced review and some good pictures as well,,would have like a mention about finder blockage on a biggish lens maybe?
Price does mean something, to some Leica shooters. A modest financial windfall did enable me to buy a pre-owned Summilux-M 50mm ASPH, and a new M10, in April 2018, as a retirement gift, for myself, but since then, Leica lenses that I have bought, have been pre-owned, and slower than Summilux, whereas I have been able to justify buying a new Zeiss Distagon 1,4/35mm ZM. This has been a wonderful lens, for me. I have no feeling of having settled for second-best. Thanks.
I understand you are talking about the voigtlander 35 mm1.2? What about the ultron 1.7?, that thing is sharp!. My reason to ask is that I do own the ultron( sold the 1.2), and wondering about this zeiss. The thing is, I can keep both , so will be an upgrade.. a better lens or I keep my voigt ultron? Thanks
ZEISS = quality, period
Absolutely :)
liked it Charlie as usual.... but i'm getting bored of Thames Walk or London for that matter..... do Oxford or Cambridge now they are on hols.
Yes, hopefully we will venture out of London soon for sure!
Hi Jimmy, great review and photos. Have you used this lens to do any film work? I'm thinking of pairing it with the Sigma FP with an adapter. Hoping to do stills and video. Thanks!
Great review what is the focus throw like on this lens? Is it long or short? I’m looking to pic one up, I have the voigt 75mm and love the throw on that as it’s short. Thanks
Thanks again, love your reviews!
Thanks Jess!! Much appreciated mate!
It is a great lens. Mine gets lotsa use. It looks & feels more like a 90mm than a 35, though. ;)
Haha, I feel you man. I know exactly what you mean!
The CA on the Voightlander lenses put me off but I’ll say the 35mm APO is nice!
Hey, i really wonder if you attempted to adapt those m mount lenses to your new Nikon Zf camera. I would really love to adapt these lenses on the Nikon. Is that sth you attempted or do consider? Thank you very much for your opinion on adapting M mount to Z
It looks like a long lens. When you look into the viewfinder, can you see the tip of the lens?
How much does it block the viewfinder? I’m thinking of buying the zm 35f2 or the 35f1.4. Any suggestions? Thank you.
please make a comparation between distagon 35mm vs VM 35mm 1,2 ver 3, thanks jim
I think saw a listing for 35 mm bigon I don't remember if it was 2.8. Or 1.4 can't tell what Mount is this which is really annoying but for $200 you think it's worth taking the risk it looks in good condition. I would be using it on mirrorless
How does this lens perform with finder blockage? the length looks like it would get in the way.
how is the Zeiss Biogon 35mm f/2 ZM for M10 ? being smaller it would not block the VF as much as this bigger f/1.4 Distagon .
And how about Voigtlander 35mm f/1.7 Ultron VM compared to the above 2 Zeiss lenses ? Leica 35 Summicron has 11 aperture blades, and is very small, but even more expensive than faster f/1.4 lenses from 3rd parties.
Voigtlander 35mm f/1.4 Nokton is not a good lens, having bad distortion.
Thanks Chirag for watching mate. Well, the Biogon is a wonderful lens and has some 'classic' Zeiss rendering. It's contrasty too and balances well with M10 (still a tiny big front heavy) and yes, it won't block the VF too much (until you use the hood). If you want the perfect combo for size and weight distribution, then the only way to go is Leica 35mm Summicron ASPH but as you mentioned, it's expensive compare to others. The Voigtlander 35mm Ultron is a weird lens, but they always trying to take the 'niche' approach. They have the 1.2 already and didn't want to compete in the f/2 market so they put out a Ultron with a 1.7. It's classic Voitlander rending and pretty decent performer. But I think optically the Zeiss is a tiny bit better. But, and a BIG but, is that Voigtlander has one of the best dreamy rendering in my book. I always love the look of Voigtlander VM lenses. Something about them. I love the Nokton a lot and despite its shortcomings, like distortion and heavy purple fringing at 1.2 and 1.4, I just love how the pictures turned out. I would use it on Monochrome but not colour Leica photography.
firstly, forgot to thank you for this video, secondly for the detailed + helpful reply.
One Last Question : if you had to select any 35mm except Lux/Cron & Distagon, what would it be (out of the following) :
f/1.7 Ultron OR f/1.4 Nokton OR f/1.2 Aspherical II
OR Biogon ?
I have this lens too, but have only used it with my film Leica MP. I totally agree with this review. It’s a great lens and the only downside is weight and size. I prefer its rendering to the Summilux. I have ordered the Fujifilm M-mount adapter and look forward to trying it on my APS-C Fujis. It would be interesting to see a review of the wider Zeiss ZM lenses, like the 21mm.
thanks Erik! Yeah, it should perform equally good on APS-C cameras as I've used it on my OM-D M4/3 system as a portrait lens!
Often wondered about this lens. Weight and size is quite a big negative. I was always under the impression that the Leica M was supposed to be light and portable. Thanks for the review.
Well, it's a little big and heavy for an M lens but it's still tiny compare to other full frame 35mm 1.4 lenses out there. One of the thing is that this lens' length is fixed and if you look at the Leica's Summilux 35mm, when it's set at closest distance, it's as long as this Zeiss. But the Leica moves in and out depends on distance you set.
what a beautiful lens indead!
it is massive though!
thanks for sharing this
You are welcome mate! It's massive but still tiny compare to any other AF 35mm lens :)
indead or indeed? 🤔😄
I just think the big mistakes about all lens brands are focus, to much about sharpness and high apeture. I personally are moving away from super fast lenses. because slower lenses has something. different about it more romantic. And soft also less flat !
interesting, could you elaborate? i've always associated a romantic aesthetic with shooting wide open, but would be very curious to hear more from you about this as you imply the opposite; that a slower lens is more romantic. any particular lenses you suggest? i just got my first m camera (film) and looking for some suggestions.
its 70 cemtimeters not 7 or you should say decimeters
great images
Dear Jimmy... I just bought it for my M11 60 MP hahah...lets see how it works.... bought it at a sale for $1000.
Would you also recommend for analog cameras like MP or M6?
The Distagon ZM is a superb lens on digital or film.
I think it’s negative is only the size compare to the Leica and the weight , however the differences in price is a lot to justify the Leica easily
Spot on mate.
if I want to use this lens for my Leica CL (L-mount), what type of adapter do I need?
M to L or M to T
It looks very big if you compare it Leica 35mm lens but the price and quality is amazing
Sure it's bigger but only just frankly when compare to Summilux when fully extended (with hood). But you can't argue with the performance.
i am thinking to get my first Leica camera in 2019 hopefully.. As a GFX and Xpro2 user, i want to sell my Xpro2 and get Leica M10p... What is your recommendation for 35mm lens? I usually shoot wide open..
Zeiss it is, for less than a third of the price and get 99.9 % of the performance (debatable frankly). I owned and sold the latest version of the Summilux 35mm ASPHH because I don't feel it justifies the premium over the Zeiss, I do still own the original Summilux Pre-ASPH which is a classic lens for analogue photography and black and white works. Or the Summicron 35mm is tiny and ultra sharp if you don't need 1.4. Leica's f/2 lenses are definitely better than Zeiss however, but the Distagon definitely lives up to all the expectation (bar the weight). Hope this helps.
Red35 Photography thank you for the reply man! Also i love the character of 50mm F0.95 lens... Especially for black and white photos
Well, the Noctilux is a beast, a very unique look on its own though, nailing focus is difficult without peaking and EVF. It's not impossible but certainly more challenging on a consistent basis.
Arent these manual rangefinder Zeiss lenses made by Cosina ? I thought i read something about that. They also make the Voigtlander lenses, and as a result they are a bit similar (though Zeiss still provide their own optical design..). I remember seeing how their macro lenses were very close in build and performance.
Guillaume M yes they are but very different beasts altogether. I haves both before and I can tell you that you can’t compare Voitglander to Zeiss in terms of performance. Zeiss is way way better and to my eyes, even beats Leica. Voitglander is good fun but not perfect especially at 1.2 build is different too. Zeiss is more tight.
Thanks for the comparison :) 35mm (in FF terms) is my favourite focal length, i wondered how these 2 lenses compared as they are not so far away in price (especially when factoring the cost for a Leica body)...
Guillaume M well, I can say the Voitglander is a great lens but definitely can’t match Zeiss. For the money, Zeiss is very good when compare to Leica :)
Wrong! try the new 1.2 40/50mm they are insane!
some cameras and some lens put their stamp.on the photograpth we should have no camera loyalty we should just pick the camera and lens to do the job.
#morecharli ?
I can't afford these :( its OK em5m2 + panaleica 1.4 is good enough for me already. thanks Jimmy :) very informative as always.
Well, cameras are tools, it's the pictures that count. I used it before as I was always a M film shooter before and continue with the digital when I gave up on Canon. They are pricey and frankly, over priced. But as I already had some lenses and it kind of made sense. But I love my Olympus as they are my workhorse cameras nowadays. Totally love the quality and I can easily say they are not that far behind and for a fraction of price too! Bargain! Don't I love the OM-D stylings too :)
Ive seen m240 inside and its not weather sealed, there is a tiny rubber piece inside but realistically it would be the same without it ;]
Yeah, there was a picture of the M240 and it only shows some dealings around. In fact, that's more than ok for normal rain, just not heavy stuff. But it really doesn't make sense that even if the body is sealed, none of the Leica lenses are anyway... well.
You have some truly good photography showcased in this review. Well done Jimmy. Zeiss Distagon is a true classic; always delivers.
PixelMagic thanks mate! Much appreciated ;)
What do you code this lens as?
stephen edmunds I don’t code it ;) the mechanical mount will select the correct frameline in the viewfinder.
@@Red35Photography sorry,i meant do you use a 6 bit code of say a 35mm summilux on a leica body or leave it uncoded?
I have a 35mm summarit which the camera automatically recognises but that's not the case with a zeiss lens obviously.
Lovely review
Is the Zeiss still made in Germany?
No, it's made in Japan.
Zeiss 15mm f/2.8 made in Germany.
Nice photographs :)
krish arts & photography cheers Krish!! Much appreciated and have a lovely day!
Red35 Photography Have a great day sir 🙂👍
at first , I wanna ask ,where is ur hat, lol . And I think beret is nice for you , but it is not convenient when you are shooting.
Hahha thanks Cary, I do have a beret, may be I will try it for the next video... I still prefer my old hat though and I just got another one!
Anyone wanting incredible lenses look into the Voigtlander 40mm 1.2 & 50mm 1.2 new version they are fucking incredible!
Stephen Gatley what about the VM 35 f1.4 sc and mc and don’t forget the heliar 15 mm vIII
I can't afford a Leica but if I could I'd buy a Nikon D850 or a Fuji GFS instead.
very nice！
thanks for watching!
The lens is too big of a size for Leica.
Thanks for watching mate. Well, if you want 1.4 or faster, they do come with the price as being larger and heavier, with the exception of 50 Summilux ASPH and Summilux 35mm ASPH which I love. But if you look at Summiulx 28mm and 21mm, they are huge and heavy too. The best compromise for Leica are Summicron lenses as they are much lighter and smaller but then I love using 1.4 for low light work and it's valuable for me.
Your name looked familiar... and now I remember seeing your video recommending the Voigtlander 35mm 1.2 lens over the Leica 35mm Summilux. The Voigtlander is about the same size as this Zeiss lens, but the Voigtlander is about 90g heavier and has a larger filter size. So I'm a bit confused by this comment of yours. Why is this Zeiss too big but you are okay with the same size and heavier Voigtlander?
f1.2! The Summilux 35 which is f1.4 is way smaller and lighter. For something heavier and larger, I personally would want it to be faster, otherwise it’s not worth it.
@Phototristran > With the hood attached, many lenses are a pain to use via the rangefinder. But the external EVF solves the problem.
You don't know what big and heavy is until you've felt the Noctilux... hahaha
it's too big for snapshot
Miss your hat :)
ahhah cheers mate! Don't worry, I just got another one, exactly the same one!
Too big (finder blockage), too heavy, that flimsy focusing nipple and the fucking chrome front ring are really annoying. About image quality, yes it's sharp but it also has heavy coma and vignetting. What's worst, it totally lacks micro contrast and fidelity, meaning the picture look flat. Even the Zeiss 35mm f2 has a better 3D-pop but nothing comes close to the Summilux ASPH FLE, the picture seem to come out of the plane.
It's not too big, not too heavy (got it on my M10) and the micro contrasts are just great - maybe the best I've seen so far. You probably have never used this lens?
Not really that hard to make a better lens than Leica. The bar is pretty low.
turn down the music, PLEASE
Professional Leica photographer is laughable hahaha