Dutzie Loc: I'd like to know

I'd be interested to hear from the people that have used them...

speters Loc: Grangeville/Idaho

You should be more specific, there are many, many lenses out there with those specs (and there are plenty of reviews too) ......and you should compare 1.2 vs 1.2 and 2.0 vs 2.0!!

Dutzie Loc: I'd like to know

sorry..canon 50mm f1.2 vrs ziess 50mm f 2.0

Darkroom317 Loc: Mishawaka, IN

Are you talking about the latest versions?

Dutzie Loc: I'd like to know

Ziess # 1762-841 50mm F/2 macro planar "T" and Canon 50mm f1.2L usm

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

I've used both, but not at the same time. The Zeiss is a wonderful lens. Built like a tank, all metal from what I remember. Colors are dreamy with more contrast than the Canon. But, a manual focus lens. On a Canon 7D the focus point would light in the display when the lens was focused. I don't use the beep on my cameras, but I'd assume this feature works when the camera detects the focus being manually achieved.

The Canon also has a lot of character in terms of color and maybe a more natural contrast, not as noticeable SOOC as the Zeiss. I haven't used in low light to exercise the fast maximum aperture. Rather, I've been focused on the depth of field f/1.2 provides. The OOF just melts away but the closer the subject, the more difficult this lens is to handhold and keep the intended focus point. I've been experimenting with a single focus point in these situations to assure my brain and the lens / camera are one on the exact point of focus.

There was a Canon rumor this week a mark II may be in the works for the Canon f/1.2 ...

davidrb Loc: Half way there on the 45th Parallel

You are comparing apples to oranges. The lenses are totally different, both offer great photographs.

Dutzie Loc: I'd like to know

thanks, 1 for Zeiss

SharpShooter Loc: NorCal

How can you possibly compare them. I've used both the Canon 50 and the 85 f1.2(just put 2000 rounds on the 85 over the weekend!).
The Canon is a blazingly fast Rocket-ship. The Zeiss is like an old man hobbling down the road!!
I'm sure the Slow Zeiss is sharper, but what good is that at f2?!?!
If you're a Maverick, only the Canon will do. If you're just another old man hobbling down the road, well the choices are pretty darn obvious!!! :lol: :lol:
SS

Dutzie Loc: I'd like to know

thanks sharp shooter. I'm an old man hobbling down the road. Fast asnf blazing has been long gone... :o(

SharpShooter Loc: NorCal

Dutzie, maybe you should give one of the f1.2's a whirl!! Might put a little pep back in your step!!
BUT, you'll need to shoot a Canon to do that!!! :lol: :lol:
SS

kymarto Loc: Portland OR and Milan Italy

From photozone.de, a reputable site for lens tests:

CANON

Technically the EF 50mm f/1.2 USM L is a mediocre performer with respect to its resolution characteristic. The center resolution is quite fine even at f/1.2 but the border quality is very poor till at least f/2. At f/2.8 the center quality is boosted to excellent levels whereas the border quality remains fairly low and you need to stop down to f/4 in order to achieve good quality results here. The peak performance is reached at f/5.6.
Please note that the quality of the lens is fine within the APS-C image circle and normally you will place your main subject within these limits.

All-in-all one of the weaker MTF curves that we've seen here. To be fair - the lens is simply designed to produce usable results at ultra large apertures and in this focal length class this is obviously only possible by compromising the peak performance. If you do not believe our findings here feel free to check the original Canon MTFs for this lens - they suggest a similar characteristic here.

Center resolution at f2: 3051 line widths per picture height
Corner resolution at f2: 1715 lw/ph

at f5.6 center:

The EF 50mm f/1.2 USM L is quite prone to lateral chromatic aberrations (color shadows at harsh contrast transitions) - an average CA pixel width around 2px is unusually high for a prime lens.

Maximum magnification (close focusing) 1:6.7


ZEISS

Macro lenses tend to be great performers and the Zeiss is no exception to the rule. At wide-open aperture the lens is already extremely sharp in the center whereas the borders/corner are a little softer but still in very good territory (just). The quality increases gradually the more you stop down and the global peak is reached around f/5.6 with an excellent center-to-edge quality. Diffraction is the limiting factor beyond f/8 so even Zeiss cannot fool physics. However, the results are still usable even at f/22.

Center resolution at f2: 3363 lw/ph
Corner resolution at f2: 2743 lw/ph

The Makro-Planar produces a very minimal amount of lateral CAs (color shadows at harsh contrast transitions). This is not field relevant and an excellent performance in this category.

Maximum magnification 1:2

*********************************************

I can tell you which lens I would choose in a heartbeat, and it's not the Canon...

To be fair, I have a Nikon f1.2 lens, and I appreciate the rather mediocre performance wide open for portraits and dreamy soft-focus shots. However this is not a lens I use if I want good sharpness in normal shooting. Nor can I use it for close-up photos without going to some trouble, and then the quality is "interesting" (actually I really like the look}.

However if you want sharpness and contrast and an absence of color fringing, with the added bonus that you can focus to about 1 inch from a subject, the Zeiss is a much wiser choice, being one of the best 50's out there in terms of quality.

Here is an example of a shot with the f1.2 wide open used as a macro:

(Download)

twowindsbear

I'm really curious. Is the Zeiss lens totally compatable with the Canon camera system - auto focus, auto exposure,etc etc etc? Will it even 'fit' onto a Canon camera? If not - what's the point of compairing the mertis of the lenses? Perhaps there should be a discussuion of the Canon lens on a Canon camera vs the Zeiss lens on a Leica camera?

Darkroom317 Loc: Mishawaka, IN

Yes the Zeiss lens is a Canon mount lens. It does not have autofocus

imagemeister Loc: mid east Florida

Many have adapted the Minolta 58mm f1.2 to Canon mount - for it's superior BOKEH. Manual focus - like the Zeiss.