Comments on: Lens Test w/ Zeiss ZE and CP2′s, Canon L Series and Leica R Glass

By: Joshua Csehak

Joshua Csehak — Wed, 29 May 2013 20:35:10 +0000

Really useful test, thanks Shane! I also like the ZE halo, but you could get the same effect with diffusion, no?

Does the cp2 focus closer than the ze? B/c it starts way more out of focus in the tests. I also though its bokeh was probably the nicest out of the bunch.

There’s definitely some weirdness in the model’s forehead (purple/green fringing, looks like?) in the canon shot in this image: http://www.hurlbutvisuals.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/image7.png I’ve noticed some purple/green fringing in specular highlights with the canon 85 1.2 in the past, do you find the other lenses are much better with that, or was it a case of the model being in a slightly different position in each shot?

thanks again!
Josh

By: A Man and His Dog | ATOMIC STRAWBERRY

A Man and His Dog | ATOMIC STRAWBERRY — Fri, 01 Feb 2013 23:44:55 +0000

[...] Shane Hurlbut, ASC ” Zeiss The Zeiss glass produced Sharp, snappy, and contrasty images. Slightly cooler in [...]

By: Shane

Shane — Sat, 08 Sep 2012 16:39:55 +0000

Graham Willoughby, thank you so much for you kind words and support. The 35mm is the only one that we have found do that. It is very weird, I agree.

By: Graham Willoughby

Graham Willoughby — Sat, 08 Sep 2012 16:10:31 +0000

Shane, Thanks for all your info and the generosity of your resources. It’s simply fantastic.

I just can’t get over the flare of the ZE 35mm F2. Especially when compared to the 85mm of the same series. I’m curious, do you know if the ZE 35mm F1.4 (or any of the other focal lengths in this series) exhibit a similar kind of haze flare?

By: Shane

Shane — Fri, 10 Aug 2012 23:44:49 +0000

Alan Austin. Thanks for the kind words and support.

By: Alan Austin

Alan Austin — Thu, 09 Aug 2012 03:42:50 +0000

Really enjoy all the tests and info that you put up on your site – I’ve viewed many of the pieces many times…

Thanks!

By: Shane

Shane — Wed, 08 Aug 2012 13:32:41 +0000

Birk Kromann, yes that is correct, same glass just in a Cinema wrapper.

By: Shane

Shane — Mon, 06 Aug 2012 14:42:09 +0000

John Galeano, Duclos Lenses. Talk with Matt, he will hook you up.http://www.ducloslenses.com/pages/cine-mod (818) 773-0600

By: John Galeano

John Galeano — Fri, 03 Aug 2012 08:49:21 +0000

Can someone tell me where I can buy the focus gears used on the canon L lenses pictured above?… Thanks!

By: Birk Kromann

Birk Kromann — Sun, 29 Jul 2012 21:54:19 +0000

Isn’t the CP.2s the same as the ZE/ZF beside the housing? I have read several places that this is the only thing that separates them. The picture coming from both looks pretty similar IMO.

By: Chia-Yu Chen

Chia-Yu Chen — Fri, 27 Jul 2012 07:23:02 +0000

I just tested the 80-200 and its pretty much unusable when the subject is moving. The smallest focus pull feels like the lens is zoooming… Really odd..rack focus is impossible

Is this true to your 80-200?

By: Shane

Shane — Thu, 26 Jul 2012 02:48:22 +0000

chia-yu chen, yes a fair bit

By: chia-yu chen

chia-yu chen — Fri, 20 Jul 2012 06:02:19 +0000

hey shane,
does your leica 80-200 f4 breath alot?

By: Shane

Shane — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 02:12:05 +0000

Steve, what’s your question Steve?

By: Steve

Steve — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 00:47:54 +0000

Shane,

Any thoughts here? Looks like you responded to others, was hoping you could chime in on my question when you get a minute?

Thank you my friend,

Steve

By: Steinar Andersen

Steinar Andersen — Sat, 07 Jan 2012 18:26:07 +0000

would be very cool if you could post some high res stills also next time. As this would make video compression less of a factor, and the differences in the lenses could maybe be seen more clearly.

By: Steinar Andersen

Steinar Andersen — Sat, 07 Jan 2012 18:22:37 +0000

The blooming/halo flare from the 35mm Zeiss ZE was quite disturbing, though easily fixed with lenshood or mattebox. I didn’t see the same flaring in the 85mm Zeiss ZE. Very surprised to see the amount of breathing in the Zeiss CP.2 lens, same as the ZE, although it did have least amount of breathing it was considerble. Canon L’s were worst in that regard. Also very interesting to see the difference in the color reproduction of the lenses ranging form warm on the L glass, very warm on the Leicas and cool/very cool on the Zeiss…for some reason I like the cool and crisp look of the Zeiss glass but the huge amount of contast could be a problem if used with a very saturated contrasty picture profile. If you were filming with a log-profile it would help with details, I think.

By: Jim

Jim — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 10:56:15 +0000

Hey Shane, thanks for a great post on lenses…..as glass is everything(almost), I think.

What kind of picture profile do you use on the Leica’s when you shoot, say like on Act of Valor?
Do you use different picture profiles on different types of lenses?

Have you tested Minolta MC Rokkor or Pentax Super Takumar lenses?
I’ve seen some nice stuff from those lenses, but never seen you mention them.
They might not be as sharp as the Canon, Leica and Zeiss, but I don’t always find that sharpness is the key when I using HD video. I often like the softness, flare etc in the way lenses renders an image more than just this crazy sharpness race.
HD video is somethimes way to sharp in the first place in my opinion :-)

Anyway keep on rockin’ out those great, informing and inspiring post Shane!!

Jim

By: Darryl

Darryl — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 20:35:32 +0000

Hi Shane,
Thanks for this test you guys, you did a wonderful job,
What I found interesting is that Canon L seemed to let in more light than the Zeiss ZE even at the same settings, Knowing Canon is faster, But love the hair color from Zeiss much better, I own mostly Zeiss glass, Have a few L I use from time to time, But the color from Zeiss is more pleasing to me.

Thanks again

By: Thierry Dauga

Thierry Dauga — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 18:10:50 +0000

Thank you very much to you Shane and your team,
to take time to show us difference beetween this sensible 18 lens ! :D