Carl Zeiss 25mm/f2.8 Distagon ZF.2, wide angle,the most advanced version of the legendary Distagon : Photo Concept

Carl Zeiss 25mm/f2.8 Distagon ZF.2, wide angle,the most advanced version of the legendary Distagon

Posted by admin on August 4, 2010 in Equipment Review · 0 Comment

The wide angle Zeiss Distagon T* 25mm f/2.8 ZF.2 Lens is the most advanced version of the legendary Distagon, a high performance manual focusing lens with close focus capabilities, first introduced in 1961. The Distagon T* 25mm f/2.8 ZF.2 is a recalculation of this design for use with modern SLRs and DSLRs using either full-frame or smaller sensors.

The ZF.2 lenses feature an electronic interface (CPU) which supports all important operating modes such as shutter priority, aperture priority and programmed auto exposure or manual exposure settings even on non-AI compatible camera housings. On camera models without an electronic interface, the aperture is manually set on the lens aperture ring.

Increasing the versatility of this 25mm f/2.8 lens is its close focusing distance of only 6.7″ (0.17m), providing a wider perspective than the usual macro focal lengths. Combined with a digital SLR with a 1.5x crop factor, the lens has an effective focal length of 38mm and becomes a moderate wide angle lens.

This precision lens delivers breathtaking images. It is ideally suited for nature and landscapes, but you can get amazing perspectives on almost any subject from portraits to products…all you need is your creativity.

This legendary Zeiss wide angle lens has an amazing close-range adjustment providing a unique way of showing detailed objects in their surroundings.
The optical construction helps control flare and reduce stray light, resulting in brilliant images.
The almost circular design of the aperture produces an exceptional “bokeh”, beautifully reproducing the out-of-focus areas of the image.
The ZF.2 lenses are an enhanced version of the ZF lenses. They feature an electronic interface (CPU) which enables the ZF.2 lenses to support all important operating modes such as shutter priority, aperture priority and programmed auto exposure or manual exposure settings even on non-AI compatible camera housings.
Photographers no longer have to set the parameters in the camera menu (as they did with earlier lenses) as the ZF.2 lenses now transmit standard data such as focal length, speed and the aperture setting to the camera. This data can then be viewed in the EXIF data of each picture.
The silver fork coupling on Nikon AI-compatible cameras is not available on ZF.2 lenses. For this reason, you cannot use light metering on older cameras (F, F2, Nikkormat, etc.).
This lens features a precise focusing mechanism with a large rotation angle. Operating it manually means controlling the picture with your fingertips.
Zeiss lenses are famous for the exceptional quality of the pictures they provide. They boast optimum control of glare and stray light to ensure brilliant images. No matter how demanding the subject, perspectives, colors, and lighting situations are reproduced perfectly – over the entire full-frame image field.

Superior wide-angle performance combined with extreme close-up potential. This all-round wide-angle lens features a MOD (minimum object distance) of only 6 cm from the front element. Its impressive sharpness is clearly beyond the best color films available today. It also features long-life all-metal barrel of very high precision. Compatibility of ZF Lenses: Nikon Nikkormat series, F, F2, F3, EL, FA, FE, FG, FM, FM2/A, FM3A; You can use the Carl Zeiss ZF-lenses on these cameras without limitations. The aperture transfer works either with the AI lever or with the shank-coupling. Nikon F50, F55, F60, F65, F75, F80, F401, D50, D70, D70s, D80, D100, Kodak Pro 14n, Fujifilm FinePix S3 Pro (cameras without AI lever) While manual focus lenses (Carl Zeiss ZF-lenses) can be fitted to these cameras,the cameras will provide no metering to assist exposure. The cameras can be usedin manual exposure mode in conjunction with an external exposure meter. Nikon F70, F90/x, F100, F301, F501, F601, F801, F4, F5, D1, D1X, D1HF70, F90/x, F100, F301, F501, F601, F801, F4, F5, D1, D1X, D1H Manual focus lenses (Carl Zeiss ZF-lenses) can be used on these cameras with limitations on exposure modes and metering options. With manual focus lenses onecan use the exposure modes A (aperture priority) and M (manual). For metering one can use centerweighted or spotmetering. Note that it may be necessary to activate a custom mode setting in order to us