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Notes on the 50mm Comparisons
Comparing a few crops or only one scene does not tell the whole story, so multiple comparisons are used to fill out the picture.
The two Zeiss 50mm lenses show very different behavior. The twin issues of field curvature and focus shift both contribute to wildly differently conclusions, depending on where one looks in the frame. And even though the 50mm f/2 Makro-Planar is a macro lens with an expectations of a flat field, it actually has a curved field (at the edges/corners).
For more on testing lenses fairly, and on field curvature and focus shift and other optical challenges, see Making Sharp Images.
Image processing and presentation
Except as noted, all images processed identically in Photoshop CS5 with Adobe Camera RAW 6.3. Sharpening as shown at right was chosen to accentuate fine detail.
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Diglloyd Guide to Zeiss offers comprehensive integrated coverage of Zeiss DSLR lenses for Canon and Nikon. Nearly a decade in the making, it covers everything you need to know for every lens in the ZF.2, ZE, Milvus and Otus lines. Guide to Mirrorless and Zeiss ZM rangefinder lenses in Guide to Leica.
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- Aperture series from wide open through stopped down, showing the full range of lens performance and bokeh.
- Optical quality analysis of field curvature, focus shift, sharpness, flare, distortion, and performance in the field.
Want a preview? Click on any page below to see an excerpt. And see Lloyd’s articles for Lenspire.Zeiss.com.
