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Zeiss 85/1.4 size&wt vs. Zeiss 28-85 size&wt

L

ltsdnce

Hi,
Can anyone tell me how the CZ 85/1.4 compares in wt and size to the CZ 28-85? I have an Aria and the 28-85 and it is managable but heavy with the Aria. Is the 85 smaller and lighter?
Thanks,
Susan
 
H

hsballon

>susan, >it is much smaller and much lighter. the vs 28-85 is a heavy puppy. henry
 
K

kgardas

Member
> Can anyone tell me how the CZ 85/1.4 compares in wt and size to the CZ > 28-85? I have an Aria and the 28-85 and it is managable but heavy with > the Aria. Is the 85 smaller and lighter?

Susan,

even smaller than 85/1.4 is 85/2.8. I'm still considering this lens as a perfect match for my Aria. Please search this forum for more information about this lens and comparison with 85/1.4.

Cheers, Karel
 
K

koed

According to the lens specs, these are the weights:

Sonar 85/2.8 230 grams
Planar 50/1.4 275 grams
Planar 85/1.4 595 grams
Vario-Sonar 28-85 735 grams

So you loose only 140 grams on the 85/1.4, but it's a good bit shorter wich may help with the balance.

But I agree with Karel, if you looking for a light lens, go for the Sonnar 85/2.8. It's even lighter than the 50mm .You probably won't miss the 1.4 aperture setting as the 28-85 doesn't have it either.
 
V

vdipiet

I use the 85 2.8 lens with my Aria and it is a good match and also provides stunning images. The Aria matches very well with my 85 2.8, 50 1.4&1.7, 45 Tessar, 25 2.8 and the 28-70 VS zoom that was made with the Aria in mind. All of these lenses weigh less than the 85 1.4planar.
 
L

ltsdnce

Hi,
I like to shoot indoors and candid portraits. Can anyone comment on the whether the 2.8 would be adequate for indoor shots without using a flash? I would rather get the 2.8 because of cost and weight but would be disappointed if I couldn't use it handheld indoors. Comments from anyone who has used the 2.8 indoors would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks,
Susan
 
C

cesco

Hi Susan,

I own an Aria with the 35 f 2,8 and 85 f 1,4 lenses only. I love to shoot candids, portraits, landscape... Ok, I point the camera to everything that calls my attention upon.

I use to shoot in ambient light only as I don't own a flash and have never used one (as a matter of fact I would find myself to be truely embarassed if asked to do so).

I noticed that, indoors and outdoors as well, set aside considerations about different focal lenghts, in low light conditions the 85 f 1,4 allows me to shoot where the 35 f 2,8 wouldn't. I definitly will switch to the faster 35 f 1,4 version as soon as my wallet will show green light.

By the way, I don't care much about the weight of the lens (I'm surely not an incredible Hulk type of guy) but I just love the images of my 85 f 1,4.

Other more experienced comentators than me on this forum pointed out that the two lenses deliver different images. The f 1,4 is said to be an soft at full aperture with beautifull bokeh (I agree) whereas the other seems to be very sharp. Said this I'd like to add that I haven't compared by myself the lenses.

It's not which one is better, but which one suits best to your photographic stile, habits, subjects... maybe you should give both leses a try and decide with your impressions and your (test-)shoots at hand.

Regards

Francesco
 
K

kgardas

Member
> Comments from anyone who has used the 2.8 indoors would be greatly > appreciated.

I'm also very curious about this. I'm more and more convienced to buy 2.8/85 instead of planar85 and I would also like to shoot indoor portraits. Anybody here uses sonnar in this way? Sure, I can use 400ISO film instead of 100ISO, but anyway I would like your opinion. Thanks, Karel
 
K

kgardas

Member
> I own an Aria with the 35 f 2,8 and 85 f 1,4 lenses only. I love to > shoot candids, portraits, landscape... Ok, I point the camera to ... > I noticed that, indoors and outdoors as well, set aside considerations > about different focal lenghts, in low light conditions the 85 f 1,4 > allows me to shoot where the 35 f 2,8 wouldn't. I definitly will > switch to the faster 35 f 1,4 version as soon as my wallet will show > green light.

Francesco,

I would also like to use 35+85 in the future. I'm just curious, what film (sensitivity) do you use that 35/2.8 is not enough? As I read on this forum this lens is very good and true bargain. i.e. my plan is to use 35+85 both 2.8: 35/2.8 for price reason and 2.8/85 for small size reason and also from looking into the MTF diagram, this lens looks really excelent even wide open. The only thing which worry me a bit is that with 2.8 it will be a bit more difficult to focus properly even with so nice camera as Aria is. Could you be so kind and tell me a bit about it? i.e. is it so different to focus 1.4 in comparison to 2.8?

Thanks, Karel
 
L

ltsdnce

Francesco,
When you hold the Aria with the 85/1.4 attached, can you hold it by the camera body or do you have to hold it with the lens? I find with the 28-85 that I must hold the lens (and not the camera body) in order to comfortably shoot. It's a little awkward and takes getting used to, but it seems to balance better that way. I wish I could try the 1.4 and 2.8 before buying but I have no dealer near me.
Regards,
Susan
 
D

donger

i own a 85/1.4 and i use it on a rts II. i find that i must hold it by the lens. partly because it's manual focus, but also because of its weight. the lens that i can use while holding the body is the 50/1.7, the 85 and the 35 are both too heavy for anyone to hold by the camera only and shoot comfortably.
 
C

cesco

Here I am, sorry for the delay but I have been out for the weekend...

Karel,

I mostly use b/w 100 and 400 ISO films or color slides, sometimes color negs. Light conditions are often precarious indoors and 400 ISO films seldom gives you the chance to take fotos unless you shoot wide open or use higher speed films.

Right before Chrismas I have been shooting at an open air Christmas celebration at 10-11 pm with Fuji Neopan 1600 pushed to 3200 and Ilford Hp 5 pushed to 3200. This allowed me to use the 85 1,4 and the 35 2,8 slightly stopped down in some occasions.

Two weeks ago I took fotos while my brother in law was transforming a living pig into Salami and Prosciuto ham at 7 am. I used Neopan 1600 again, but pushed to 6400 ISO this time.

In both situations no flash has been used and, admittedly, results are not exactly encouraging as my fotographic skills are poor. OK these are not standart situations. But if you shoot indoors you will have good lighting conditions during late spring until to the beginning of autumn, lets say from 9 am to 17 pm if the day is going to be sunny. In my opinion its hard to define "standart situation". And I have been shooting plenty of 100 ISO films as well during winter time...

The 35 f2,8 and 85 f2,8 are true bargains compared to the their faster versions and, according to other contributors, they are excellent lenses indeed. I find both lenses I own easy to focus. Yes, a wider aperture makes it more comfortable to focus, but in poor light conditions the notion of comfortable is somewhat relative. Consider that I am not a pro, cameras and lenses are not necessarily and not only tools to me. For me it's pure pleasure to handle them and fun to shoot fotographs. I get a real bang out of mom's comment about how beautiful their kids look like on my fotos. I don't care very much about specs and mtf charts, but I have to care about my wallet and my wife's vetos. Again, its not which one is better, but which one suits better to my needs (including those of my wife).

Susan,

The 85 f1,4 is heavier than the Sonnar 2,8. I always hold the camera with one hand and the lens with the other. I have always done this way with al cameras and lenses I own. Besides, the Aria manual describes the right posture and way to hold the camera with the lens attached on it. I like the feeling of the 85 f1,4 in my hands and IMHO it's weight helps to reduce camera vibrations and natural handshake.

Regards

Francesco
 
P

paolosavio

Member
Hi Karel
My Xmas present was a 2.8 85...
I can give you some impressions after
some test shoots (the "usual" Xmas candids
at home and something around...)

The first thing to say about this lens is
that people in front of you do not "realize" what you are using :)

ok, let's stop joking!
You were worried about shutter speed: using natural light and 100 iso film (light coming from a window on a cloudy day), I preferred using a
tripod (I can't recall shutter speed, I guess it was around 1/15@2.8)

I have never tried the 85planar, if I had to describe how the sonnar renders skin I had to say "with strong contrasts"

Hope this helps
Paolo
 
L

ltsdnce

I now have the 85/1.4 and love the way it pops into focus. It is an absolute joy to use on the Aria. The specs say it isn't much lighter than the 28-85 but in actual experience I think it handles much better. Just my .02 worth.
Susan
 
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