Nikon Zf Lenses

[LighthouseMEdia]

Has anyone looked at the Zeiss Lenses with Nikon mounts? they are the nikon zf lenses. To me the seem to offer a top grade lens without being too pricey. Any thoughts or suggestions regarding these lenses? They also seem pretty fast.

[Michael Schrengohst]

Those do look interesting!

http://www.zeiss.com/de/photo/home_e.nsf/Contents-Frame/8E8AE439A3FD6101C125711B005A77C4

[chuck colburn]

Here's a review on a zf lens and some others too.

http://www.16-9.net/lens_tests/zf25mm/index.html

[J. Bernard Vallon]

I asked some fellow nikon shooters about them and they said the quality difference between the zeiss 85mm 1.4 and the nikon 85mm 1.4 isnt significant enough to warrant the difference in price.

remember they ARE shooting with the 4k d2x, however the price difference of something like $500 is a lot more for photography than for cine. Especially when compared to cine primes.

[Evin Grant]

Here's the deal...
#1. Made under contract by Cosina in Japan
#2. Not any better optically than equivilent Nikkors (Except the 25mm*)
#3. Expensive when compared to EX condition used Nikkors.
#4. Same build quality as AI/AIS Nikkor lenses

That being said there is an argument for buying the whole set plus a 17-35 Nikkor and marketing yourself as having a Zeiss lens set. However there seems to be no compelling reason to buy these other than their name brand recognition on film sets.

*The 25mm has tested better than the Nikkor 24mm but not better than the 17-35mm f2.8.

[Paul Hazlett]

Does anyone think they can get away with showing up on a shoot (freelance, not your own project) with some nikon still lenses an not get the "what the
F@#k ?" look?

just wondering

[Evin Grant]

Sure, once they see the footage.

[LighthouseMEdia]

So there is really no difference in the glass quality or sharpness, breathing bokeh or anything else to justify the price? I had talked to Brian Valente and they had been testing the lens and said they got some really good results out of it. As far as people saying what the heck? They'll being saying that enough about the camera I don't think they'll ever get to the lens LOL

[tj williams]

Phaz.... whose set.. on a small indy or a regional spot probably so. on a major film.... NEVER. eventually everyone will again go down to the rental house...
not a bad thing really... The RED body is as close to a digital leatherman as we are likely to see...

[Evin Grant]

If you have a major film budget then you have no need to use still lenses (Except special applications) so I don't see the relavance. The rest will come around if the footage blows them away and the mechanics don't get in the way. That's really the whole deal. Who would of thought the HVX would have been accepted on major commercial shoots until it happened. Things are funny that way.