oldtigger Loc: Roanoke Virginia-USA

waiting for the lumber yard to open i killed some time at the camera store playing with a:
Zeiss 100mm F/2 Makro Planar ZF.2 Manual Focus Macro Lens for the Nikon.
Was very impressed with quality.
Anyone have any experience with one?

lightcatcher Loc: Farmington, NM (4 corners)

No experience with it but knowing Zeiss lens it would be a great one to own.

GRITCH Loc: San Jose, CA

I have had this lens for a couple of years. It is tack sharp. Manual focus can be a challenge depending on subject, but it is a super lens, notwithstanding the price.

davidrb Loc: Half way there on the 45th Parallel

Not the same, but I have and enjoy a Planar T1.4/85 in the Canon ze mount. Two things you will learn, patience and more patience. Unless you shoot on a regular basis with manual focus lens this is going to be a learning experience. But the results can be spectacularly sharp and crisp. The focus mechanism is fine machining and the glass, while Japanese is as good as any of the "L" series lens I have. With no stability or auto focus they require attention to detail. Fine lens.

A-PeeR Loc: Houston, Texas

No experience but I have toyed with the idea of buying a used copy. Came very close once but the seller and I were off by a couple hundred bucks. One thing to note - native maximum magnification is 1:2.

oldtigger Loc: Roanoke Virginia-USA

if it hadn't been for the 1:2 i would have bought it on the spot.
I really liked the edge falloff and the sharp crisp center and the color is to die for.
The nikon 105/2.8 G i've been using for the past couple months just doesn't seem to have any personality.
Not exactly a technical term, but i think you know what i mean.

A-PeeR Loc: Houston, Texas

I know exactly what you are talking about and that's why I've been toying with the idea of buying one. I like the Leica 100/2.8 as well, again a 1:2 lens. Could always add tubes for 1:1 but that just seems like sacrilege to me. If I ever see either for the right price, toss in the Zeiss 50mm/f2 Makro too, I'll buy it.

William Royer Loc: Kansas

Wonderful lens! I have, over the last several years, been primarily using the Zeiss lenses rather than the Nikon zooms on my D800/810. (Unless I either need a longer lens or am doing action requiring AF. ) The maximum 1:2 is certainly not a show-stopper, but may bother others. The manual focus does take some practice to nail, but is eminently do-able. You might pick up a magnifying eye-piece to help in focusing precision. (For Nikons, the DK-17M magnifies by 1.2x, which is just enough to help without overdoing it.) Also, one aspect I very much appreciate about this Zeiss 100 is that it is also an great general purpose short telephoto, as well as an excellent close-up/macro lens. The Nikon 105 micro is an excellent macro/closeup, but imo does not do well as a short telephoto/infinity. Don't know what camera you're using, but on a FF I'll bet you'll love the results with this lens.