Zeiss 100mm f/2 Makro-Planar or Zeiss 135mm f/2 APO-Sonnar?
Related: apochromatic, Thomas H, Zeiss, Zeiss 100mm f/2 Makro-Planar, Zeiss 135mm f/2 APO-Sonnar, Zeiss APO, Zeiss DSLR Lenses, Zeiss Lenses
Thomas H writes:
I have been reading with interest your coverage on the Zeiss 135/2 APO-Sonnar versus the 100mm f/2 Makro-Planar.
I'm saving up for my first Zeiss lens and wondering which is a better choice. I'm interested in close-up / macro photography, but am not overly concerned about the 100/2 not being 1:1. I believe that the 135/2 is going to be 4:1.
Do you feel that an update will be made to the 100 f/2 or is that still going to be the reference macro lens? Should I just wait and save more money for the higher end line that is coming out? I did end up getting the 800E so want to make sure the glass is appropriate.
DIGLLOYD: I would not expect an update of the 100mm f/2 Makro-Planar for 2013 (and perhaps never), but I would expect a new lens in the Zeiss UP (Ultra Performance) series (that’s my own invented terminology until Zeiss formalizes the concept naming).
While the 100mm f/2 Makro-Planar has some regrettable longitudinal chromatic aberration (LOCA) notable in the f/2 - f/2.8 range with makes focusing somewhat more ambiguous, it nonetheless outperforms by f/2.8 even excellent lenses at their best aperture, delivering pin-sharp results to the corners even wide open and showing absolutely outstanding results by f/4 (when focused with precision).
The 135/2 APO-Sonnar should perform even better at distance, but might not perform as well at close range for macro work, but I don’t have sufficient information to say yeah or nay at this point.
