Saturday, October 29, 2011

Zeiss ZM C Sonnar update

Having settled down into the "zone" with the Sonnar, I ran into a flaw in my plan to get around the focus shift issue: when photographing my kids, who don't normally sit still except when they're sleeping, it can be difficult to first focus correctly and then shift the ring by just a frame width. By then, the're long gone! Another problem is with focusing on lower contrast subjects, especially faces (the usual target when photographing the kids :) Lower light also compounds the problem. I ended up with quite a few misfocused shots, and there were plenty of opportunities that I missed completely because I was busy messing around with the RF patch. A better solution was needed. My search for a 50mm Summilux ASPH has been unsuccessful so far so it looks like I have to get in line with everybody else and wait the 2,3 or 4 months that Leica needs to make one.

In the meantime, digging around, I found out that Zeiss can adjust the lens to optimise the focus shift for shooting wide open. So I contacted them, made the arrangements and sent it in. Ten days later it was back from Oberkochen and focus is now perfect at f1.5 and f2. At smaller apertures, the DOF compensates and the subject is always in focus, even though the DOF zone is shifted slightly behind the subject. I rarely shoot it at more than f2 though, and since the adjustment I've gotten more and more beautiful shots, and i'm liking the lens even more. I would go so far as to say it's my favourite lens of all I've ever tried. I'm curious if that will change when the Summilux gets here.

Here's the 100% crop from f1.5

and the same crop from f2.8:



I should also add that, to their credit, Zeiss performed the adjustment free of charge as the lens is within their 2 year warranty.

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