Reader Comment: Zeiss Milvus 35mm f/1.4 and “Not found anywhere else is the level of relevant information you provide”
Reader Claude D writes:
I am a new Zeiss subscriber. Just wanted to thank you very much for your very unique work. Nobody analyses lenses as you do, with all the relevant studies and the right perspective required by people looking for beautiful quality images. I particularly appreciate the care you take to analyze focus shift and field curvature. I encourage you to even increase the amount of information you provide for that issue, as it appears to me as being of a paramount importance. As a matter of fact, the warning you gave about the Sigma 40mm was very useful. Also, it would be very interesting to get more detailed analysis about "color rendering" of lenses, specially when comparing Zeiss vs Sigma.
After carefully studying your articles on Zeiss Milvus 35mm f/1.4, I finally decided to buy it. Not found anywhere the level of relevant information you provide.
For the Milvus 35mm 1.4, do you intend eventually to do testing on mirrorless like Nikon Z7 ? I currently use a Nikon D850 (totally satisfied), but eventually I may buy the next generation of Nikon mirrorless (Z8 ?). I wonder what will be the impact on the image quality provided by a "DSLR" lens like the Milvus 35mm 1.4.
Thank you again !
DIGLLOYD: focus shift and field curvature are critical considerations for high-resolution digital since they in essence throw off expected focus—and high-res digital is intolerant of small deviations, even with stopping down, even at f/5.6 and sometimes f/8. With cameras like the Panasonic S1R in 187-megapixel Multi-Shot High-Res mode, there is no margin for error. That is why some lenses, beautiful as they are for portraiture, are shockingly poor for general photography, such as the uber-expensive Leica 50mm f/1.4 Summilux-SL ASPH as shown in Grassy Meadow.
Moreover, the placement of the zone of sharpest focus can influence the visual impact negatively, drawing attention away from the intended target—focus shift and field curvature are very damaging in that regard—too sharp a background or a portrait with blurred nose and sharp ears is never a win if the goal is to set apart the subject.
As to shooting on the Nikon Z7, I intend to show more results on various mirrorless, not just the Z7. All such evaluations go into diglloyd Zeiss DSLR Lenses, such as Aspen on Sagebrush Hillside Across Creek for the Milvus 35/1.4. In the web browser each the table of contents page for "Z7" for other lenses I’ve done so far with the Z7. The main issue for me is the huge cost of owning all the new mirrorless—I cannot—so I have an availability/time challenge.
