Review of Carl Zeiss Planar 1,4 / 50 T * (C / Y, Japan)

According provided by lens Carl Zeiss Planar 1,4 / 50 T * (C / Y, Japan) many thanks to Eugene.

Overview of Carl Zeiss Planar 1,4 / 50 T *

Overview of Carl Zeiss Planar 1,4 / 50 T *

This review features a Carl Zeiss Planar 1,4 / 50 T * with Contax / Yashica mount, 'Lens made in Japan' with serial number 6433159. I used the lens on the camera Canon 350D with adapter 'Contax / Yashica - Canon EOS'with a chip. Probably the CZ Planar 1,4 / 50 T * is the most expensive manual lens ever worn on my unpretentious Canon 350D. Focus on infinity is retained on the CZK Canon, using a conventional adapter without a lens.

The CZ Planar 1,4 / 50 T * is considered to be an icon of sorts among fast 50mm lenses, and for a reason. 1,4 / 50 lenses have gone through many modifications, the most recent of which is Carl Zeiss Planar 1,4 / 50 ZE T* for Canon and 'ZF.2' for Nikon.

Carl Zeiss Planar 1,4 / 50 T * Rear Lens

Carl Zeiss Planar 1,4 / 50 T * Rear Lens

The lens uses special T * lens enlightenment.

Carl Zeiss Planar 1,4 / 50 T * when focusing on MDF

Carl Zeiss Planar 1,4 / 50 T * when focusing on MDF

The focus ring is rubberized and rotates approximately 220 degrees. When focusing, the front lens does not rotate, but the trunk is lengthened. The MDF is 45 cm. The diaphragm ring is also rubberized. The aperture is set from F / 1.4 to F / 16 in full stop increments - F / 1.4, 2. 2.8, 4, 5.6, 8, 11, 16 without intermediate values, which is a small drawback. There is a scale for focusing distance and depth of field, as well as an infrared shift mark.

Carl Zeiss Planar 1,4 / 50 T *

Carl Zeiss Planar 1,4 / 50 T *

It is very strange that such a legendary lens uses only a 6-blade aperture, which at F / 2.0 and F / 2.8 creates a hole in the form of a circular saw, which affects the side of the lens.

Orifice plate Carl Zeiss Planar 1,4 / 50 T *

Orifice plate Carl Zeiss Planar 1,4 / 50 T *

On a fully open aperture, the lens creates a corporate cat-eye bokeh with lemon-shaped circles of blur at the edges of the frame. On a cropped camera, this effect is less noticeable, but still:

Bokeh lens

Bokeh lens. Focus on MDF

And here's what happens with a covered diaphragm:

Circular saw bokeh

Bokeh in the form of a circular saw. Focus on MDF

I also noticed that when focusing on infinity, the circles of blur from closely located light sources get a characteristic cut:

A small crop. Slices of circles on one side are clearly visible.

A small crop. Slices of circles on one side are clearly visible.

The lens is assembled very well - there are no backlashes or shortcomings. The blades of the diaphragm are matte black, as it should be, and the rubberized diaphragm ring is very, very rare.

View of Carl Zeiss Planar 1,4 / 50 T * on the central locking station

View of Carl Zeiss Planar 1,4 / 50 T * on the central locking station

When shooting highly contrasting subjects on open apertures, you can get a pronounced purple border:

Crop 1 to 1, purple border for contrasting objects

Crop 1 to 1, purple border contrasting objects. Especially distinctly this effect appears in the photo with metal parts that reflect light.

The lens can be used as a good portrait lens. On Canon APS-C cameras EGF will be 80mm.

An example of a portrait in the open

An example of a portrait in the open

The lens creates a very vivid image with a nice color and volume.

Example photo on the lens

Example photo on the lens

The lens has a brother - Carl Zeiss Planar 1,7 / 50 T *which is also a great lens and also an updated version - Carl Zeiss Planar 1,4 / 50 ZE T *.

Catalog of modern Carl Zeiss lenses can look at this link.

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The Carl Zeiss Planar 1,4 / 50 T * is a very good lens. Pretty damn sharp at F / 2.8. I didn't do a more detailed review of the lens, since a good Planar doesn't need details :)

Material prepared Arkady Shapoval. Training/Consultations | Youtube | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Telegram

Add a comment: Gregor

 

 

Comments: 36, on the topic: Overview of Carl Zeiss Planar 1,4 / 50 T * (C / Y, Japan)

  • Nikita

    It seems that you did not have enough time to take a sufficient number of pictures for review. It would be interesting.

    • Sergei

      Why more pictures. In my opinion, and so everything is clear. Glass gives a high-quality picture, but there are some disadvantages. Which, however, are noticeable only to the sophisticated photographer.

  • Sergei

    Helios helios, the picture is like 2.8 only the flu is narrow and the sharpness is slightly higher. The meaning of giving such money is not entirely clear.

    • Sergei

      Here is the impression too)

  • Denis

    There is an opinion that Carl Zeiss surpasses the native Nikkor and Canon lenses, and that the best quality Carl Zeiss lenses do NOT give with Nikon cameras, unfortunately :(

  • i-hero-in

    Carl Zeiss has recently been on fire: released two super-duper fixes for Nikon - Carl Zeiss Apo Sonnar T * 2,0 / 135 ZF.2 and Carl Zeiss Distagon T * Otus 1,4 / 55 ZF.2. Both are expensive and outperform the previously unrivaled Nikkor 85 / 1.4G in quality. Their price tags, of course, are appropriate ...

  • Sergei

    Hello, Arkady. If you compare Nikonovsky 50 / 1.2 and this Zeiss, they are about the same for the price, which do you like more?

    • Arkady Shapoval

      Zeiss liked it more because it was easier to catch sharpness at 1.4 than Nikon's at 1.2.

  • Warfloom

    So gorgeous these dudes, Carl Zeiss, know how to weld.
    The quality of the lens, and the picture, is not far from Helios, and the price ...
    With simple calculations, if you take the price for helios, the same 58mm f2, which is 50 UAH on the forums, and the price for Karl, which is around 10 pieces .. we get a 200 times difference in price :)

  • Eugene

    I admit that at one time, yielding to general hype, I acquired various Soviet lenses (Jupiter 37A, Helios 44 with 13 petals, Zenith 50 1.7, Jupiter 9 white, etc.).
    After trying everything, after a while, I sold absolutely all the lenses (except for Jupiter 37A) and bought myself a carl zeiss planar 50 1.4 ... People who write here about the same quality of Helios, most likely never tried to shoot with Planars ... Otherwise, this would not be argued ... In my subjective opinion, I am very sorry, but Soviet (and Gadurov's) photographic equipment cannot be compared in quality with lenses made in Germany and Japan.

    • chlorat

      Eugene, it’s also somehow strange for me to read here phrases about the coolness of Helios. It reminds me of a comparison of cars. Well, the Zhigulenka has the same 4 wheels, body, steering wheel and seat; all the same as BMW, why overpay?
      Apparently they really did not hold Zeiss in their hands))

    • Gregor

      Agree

  • Exhausted

    Well, why is it so categorical? For example, the GDRovsky Orestegor 4/300 Meyer Optik Gorlitz. Monster. Well and Yu 37A you knowingly left. The lens is simply magnificent.

  • Michael

    Real Zeiss, only one made in Jena. Everything else is fake based on the brands purchased.

    • Marat

      Before the Second World War. Jena = Jena after the Second World War, the territory of the GDR. In terms of the quality of lenses, enlightenment, bokeh, evtifeev.com has a lot of useful things. Let's avoid unscientific categorization. They did a lot of worthy things in the GDR and the USSR, but try made in Japan. Planar 1.7 50 CY number 69ххххх - small, light, I don't want to let it out of my hands, especially with a crop, I took assistants and children for $ 200 for the second camera. 1.4 50 ZE on EOS 6d for 725 $ s / n 15xxxxxx I wear every day, even when I don't plan to shoot. Light, bokeh (bokehlicious - a term coined by digitalrev.com - there are reviews in an excellent translation of dslrus), ultra-fast, portrait-soft, I don't retouch ladies' faces, because it's not required. And time-consuming lesson - retouching filming. Slightly larger and heavier than 1.7, but the alloy carcass is the most balance.
      PS For dessert, the hare 85 1.4 zf.2 for $ 1150 through the violet (at the second-hand price from the states of $ 200) adapter novoflex nik-eos.
      Reasonably, why the zoo of expensive animals? In this focus, I personally needed a manual diaphragm on a new glass in a 6d carcass. A radical portraiture, soft but accurate. An expensive adapter is made jewelry in Germany, the new is significantly more expensive. The Chinese for 100 rubles do not suffer the finest quality, although for the amateur home, the plane itself.

  • damir

    I agree with Evgeny, those who have not tried the Japanese are praising Soviet optics. compare the picture on the site - this is not enough - you have to shoot a lot and in different modes ... The scoop had good optics only until the 60s, and then at the quality level of those years.

  • Igor

    How to put it on Nikon (if the lens mount)?

  • chlorat

    Arkady, a wonderful review! I would like to see another review of his relatives:
    Zeiss Planar T * 1.4 / 50 ZF.2 and Zeiss Planar T * 1.4 / 85 ZF.2

  • Ram

    There is a difference between the lens and the lens, I tested the lenses of the same company, both Japanese, German, and ours, there are successful copies, there are unsuccessful ones ...

  • Ivan

    You can safely take similar ones in focus and light - Takumar, Zuiko, Canon fd, Minolta and even on the extreme Mamiya sekor, much cheaper and the picture is not worse.

    • Vetal

      Rave. Another one. How much can you repeat do not compare Lada with BMW. There was a takumar. It was sold as it is not comparable with a planar.

      • Ivan

        Vetal, I do not think that is nonsense :) Takumar and Rokko from Minolta, this is not Lada for you :)

        • Ivan

          Rokkor, an eyelid :)

  • Ivan

    And for the reviews, thank you very much.

  • Angry

    Zeiss decided to put these former Contax mount lenses in Nikon mounts instead, and that's how we get these ZF lenses. These are new lenses made in Nikon mount.

  • AV

    I have been engaged in photography for many years. During this time I went through a lot of photographic equipment: Soviet, then Pentax, Nikon, and
    Canon ... But the lenses of such legendary companies as Leica and Carl Zeiss never fell into my hands / now
    just Zeiss / .Yes and in my environment no one has ever had such miracles. Apparently, everything was determined by the price
    question. Meanwhile, the Internet is full of legends about these glasses. I myself have not believed in miracles for a long time, but it was very interesting
    at least once in my life to hold such a miracle in my hands and really experience it. Recently, such an opportunity presented itself
    -and here I am the happy owner of Carl Zeiss Planar 1,4 / 50 Tx /C/YC/. The lens is old, film times, but
    in very good condition and has an excellent pedigree: he participated on a Contax camera in creating photo masterpieces at various photo exhibitions. The previous owner of “Karl” praised him very much. I will not describe the lens, it is given in the article above.
    The first thing you need to test the lens with a Contax mount on a modern DSLR adapter, as
    Contax disappeared from the market forever along with all film technology. The option of installing "Karl" on
    Canon: C / YC adapter with a chip. It is easily placed on the f / a and successfully works on Canon when installing the program
    AV. I used a simple Canon EOS 500D. I immediately had to give up work through the viewfinder and go
    to work on a monitor in Live View, where you can set a digital zoom of 5x or 10x. It’s enough for
    accurate visual focus. Even before the test, it was found that on apertures 5.6-11 image
    just perfect across the entire frame. But aperture 1.4 is what? Opinions were divided on the one hand,
    seemingly a good correction of aberrations, on the other hand, noticeable residual spherical and chromatic aberrations.
    About the latter it is written above, as for spherical, this caused certain questions. Zeiss certainly could
    fix it almost completely, but partially eliminated, leaving to a small extent. Why? I had to pick up the primers and look for something. The answer was found in FV Magazine No. 6 1998 p.23 in an article by Andrey Sheklein:
    ... Excessive sharpness with maximum contrast is the lot of optics designed primarily for everyday reporting, shooting for newspapers, magazines ... Nikon optics are a clear example of this direction.
    For artistically generalized images, photographers prefer some tenderness, lyricism inherent in lenses.
    Leica ... [the hero of our article] Planar has always belonged to this elite group ...
    Tests of my "Karl" 1.4 / 50 confirmed his clearly portrait character on 1.4. Want more sharpness - apertures
    rut. About 18 years have passed since the writing of the article by Sheklein. During this time, much has changed. The photograph has become
    completely digital, radically changed the methodology for calculating optics. Now all polls are manufacturers
    opticians calculate it for maximum sharpness and contrast. To soften such an image in Photoshop is not
    represents no complexity. Changed the methodology of calculating optics and Zeiss. Its latest developments, lenses
    Otus series are universally recognized as a kind of world champions for exceptional sharpness and contrast at all
    aperture. I am applying several test photos. Do you agree with my conclusions, decide for yourself.
    An interesting question remains open: Zeiss optics production is extremely conservative, the catalog has not changed for many years, and they are proud of it! As far as I know, there are still many old Zeiss catalogs
    lenses designed back in film times. He made a huge advertisement, created a whole folklore "a la Zeiss", [the same for Leica] Whether the quality of these products meets the price tag is up to you. And less folklore.

  • AV

    Dear Arkady! I could not post photos to the previous comment. Tell me how to do it.
    Sincerely A.V.

    • Arkady Shapoval

      Mono attach 1 photo to one message up to 1 MB in size. You can simply provide a link to the place where they are located.

  • anonym

    A selection of test photos https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B9JEBcaGDOOLX2t4Zi0xN0M5bkE to Article
    A.V. about Carl Zeiss Planar 1,4 / 50 T * / see above /.

  • AV

    A selection of photos for the article A.V.
    https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B9JEBcaGDOOLX2t4Zi0xN0M5bkE

  • anonym

    Selling in perfect condition in Moscow Carl Zeiss 50 1.4 ZF. avitos12@mail.ru 22500

  • Anfisa

    Sell ​​planar carl zeiss 1,4 / 50, write diesa740@gmail.com

  • Sergei

    Carl Zeiss Planar 1,4 / 50 T * works on Canon, but on Nikon for some reason it works like a macro, the adapter ring is thicker than on Canon, maybe the segment somehow influences ... what can you tell?

    • Rodion

      Well, the flange C / Y is not suitable for Nikon. Conclusion: do not use on Nikon. Or decide to alter the shank)))

  • Sergei

    Why then are they producing adapter rings C \ Y for Nikon, if the flange distance does not coincide? ((

    • Gregor

      You were told. For macro

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