Zeiss 35mm f/1.4 Distagon ZM: The best lens for your Leica M
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- Опубліковано 10 січ 2021
- My thoughts and many sample photos with the Zeiss 35mm Distagon T* f1.4 ZM after nearly 4 years of professional and personal use. Is it a worthy Leica alternative, or perhaps even a better choice? Let me know what you think about the lens in the comments!
Please check out my blog entry on the Distagon ZM for more: andrewbphotography.com/zeiss-...
I love when someone comes with 4+ years of experience with a lens to talk about it. UA-cam is filled with one-time user "experts"
Thanks for the feedback! It definitely helps with knowing what you will actually see in use rather than what a lab test might show. I've had my share of surprises and disappointments with a lot of gear.
Hater detected
@@pabloliviero why hater?
@@gentrygarage I think Pablo misunderstood your comment.
@Ted Shields I counld not agree more.
Thanks for the video about a lens that I really love.
The Zeiss 35mm f/1.4 Distagon was also my first lens purchase for my Leica M6 rangefinder.
Later, I flanked it with 90mm f/2 and 21mm f/1.4 Leitz lenses. I use the three lenses I use on my M6 and an M10. I like the Distagon's 49mm filter thread because 49mm filters were what I used on my Pentax Spotmatic SLR.
The biggest problem I have with the lens is that it is not coded. On my M10, the lens profile must be manually set. Plus, instead of setting the profile for the 35mm f/1.4 Summilux, I was informed by Zeiss to use the 28mm f/2 for the profile.
New to the M system and looking for lenses. This review was FANTASTIC! You do a great job.
The Best review I've seen of this lens👍
You obviously love your photography and gear as much as I do!
Keep it up and I'll bet you end up with thousands of subscribers 🙌
Thanks for the encouraging words! Appreciate it! I do it because I love it, next vid is on the Cron vs. Lux ASPH...as I'm sure you already suspected ;)
Dude, you're rad! Thanks for this. I'm seriously considering this lens now.
Spotted the Voigtländer 35 f/2 Ultron ;) Can‘t wait for you to review this little gem!
Dig the work. Excited to see more of your work/Leica related stuff :)!
Thank you very much, finishing up my next Leica 50 comparison video as I write this
I had been using a 35mm f/1.4 Nikkor on my Nikon 35mm SLR body for years and loved the focal length and maximum f/stop. When I purchased my Leica M6 35mm rangefinder body, the first lens I bought for it was the 35mm f/1.4 Zeiss Distagon ZM.
Recently, when I purchased a Leica M10 digital rangefinder, I was told by Zeiss to set the lens detection code for my 35mm f/1.4 Zeiss Distagon ZM to 28mm f/2 ASPH 11604 M instead of a 35mm code.
Really like your reviews man!
Looking forward to the next videos.
Thank you Andrew for this great review ! :) The distagon is one of the very best lens I ever use. Period. (At least to my eyes). If one is looking for a small and discret lens to put on an M body, I still believe that it is not the best because of its size. It is actually not a big lens at all, but as M users we like "compact" things :) However, this lens has to be considered as a tool , more than "a match made in even with the M body". Because when it comes to image quality.... it is very very impressive. There is just something more that I never found on any other 35mm (summilux FLE and FLE II included). We can think that the Summilux (FLE) has more "character", but the distagon has its own identity too. It will not feat everyone because of the very high contrasty images it produces. But if you like it, you'll never go back. Also, if you use it on an SL body, it becomes a dream as the size is not really an issue anymore. Anyway, just wanted to share my opinion / experience on it ;)
Great job. Hope to see more of your work and reviews!! I am considering this lens vs the 35 Lux 1.4 FLE version. I also have the 50 1.4 black chrome and love it.
Thanks for watching, hope you found your lens!
Cheers fellow Montreal photographer! Good video since i'm considering this lens as well.
Very very nice explanation and wonderful pictures ! Thank you very much. Subscribing is kind of a no brainer for me as a Leica shooter ! Can't wait to see the Summilux vs Summicron comparison, because right now I was deciding which of the two to get. Warm regards from snowy Switzerland !
Thank you very much, appreciate it! The Lux vs cron video is going up in a few hours!
I use a Zeiss 50mm f/2 Planar ZM on my Leica MD 262 and couldn't agree with you more on how much detail these Zeiss lenses deliver...!
Thank you for providing such a striking review. Not a lot of people provided so many details to reveal the good and the bad.
I also like that you have showed and have explained so many images that the lens is kind of stripped down to its bones. Really great work!
Thanks for taking the time to watch, glad you found it informative!
@@GenericPhotographer I own a few Zeiss (25mm, 35mm, 50mm and 85mm) lenses and I love them all. But they are all for Nikon F Mount and not for Leica.
@@oliverlison fantastic glass! Can’t ever go wrong with zeiss. I love my zf 85 1.4 planar, it’s a timeless classic.
great review. Thanks!
Superb video - if this is your first one, this bodes really well for the future! Factual, based on real-world experience. Thank you.
thanks for the kind words! Just uploaded another video, slowly getting there!
i've seen hundreds of lens reviews & this is the best one by far! thanks
Thank you! Appreciate the kind words
I am ”blown away” as the saying goes. The Distagon 35mm is something really special and I love the results I get from this gem. 💎
My other lenses fall shy in comparison. That’s the main downside with this lens 😊
Really?
Really!
Great video and great lens. Just realized that I have quite similar camera&lens choice, M2, Sliver ZM35/1.4 and Summilux 50/1.4 ASPH. The Sliver M2 and ZM35.4 combo is just a dream to shoot with.
Exquisite taste! Have to agree, I can shoot with that setup for the rest of my life and be happy, enjoy it!
Thanks. I seriously considered this lens, but went for a Voightländer. Reason: I love the wide view of the viewfinder of my MP, and lens blocked too much. Certainly with a hood. I am not a professional, so I can live with f2 at fully open.
Such a smart vid. Saving my pennies for this lens. #subscribed
Very nice photos! I want to take the silver ZM 35 1.4 but with the black body like yours. Does the combo make sense :D?
It is sharper than the lux wide open but not stopped down that’s why I bought it absolutely amazing it is still great resolving m10r. It is a brilliant lens and a classic i pair it with the Apo 50 summicron asph and nothing beats that combo in my opinion. Great video and best of luck reaching your first 1k subs❤️
Just making sure, you like the Zeiss 35 1.4 more than the summilux 35 1.4 or the other way around. I just got my M10 R last week with the 50 1.4 black chrome version. Cheers
@@rubelukeable if money is an issue Zeiss is the way to go if you don’t mind the weight, Summicron ASPH is the sharpest wide open and punchier than both the Zeiss and the lux with almost half the price of the lux as well light and has minimum finder blockage but be aware of glare, lux if you absolutely want the extra stop of light but you don’t want the cron and you mind the weight. Other factor is resale value and we know the winner here but i would say test them out in a leica store and then go check the Zeiss regardless of your choice all are fantastic Lenses and you can’t go wrong with any. my setup is m10r/M10M 50/90 APO and the 35 cron asph and I absolutely love the summicron and sold the Zeiss for the weight issue only but that’s a personal preference. M bodies are heavy and I usually have a rest strap so it is not fun and i walk 3 hours a day so the weight was not ideal but the lens is superb for the money and value and 99.9 % wont tell a difference even with the new 35 APO so yes i recommend it and it is a beautiful lens but you need to see all three before deciding
@@slickhatter9812 Appreciate the sound advice and suggestions. I plan to do just that. Wasn’t planning on looking at the 35 Summicron ASPH, but I will. Cheers
Great video and the photos. Thank you for sharing! Would like to see comparison with Leica 35mm F1.4
I have only briefly used a 35 Lux FLE and the previous ASPH, fantastic lenses, different colors and rendering. Neither are as punchy as the distagon but still very sharp, bokeh is a little harsher on the FLE as well, dont remember much of the ASPH other than the nice colors paired with a M240.
i have the exact same silver distagon for my m262 and its simply the best lens i have ever owned,its painfully beautiful to look at the images produced by this optic,
Amazing setup! I totally agree, and that lens and camera combo is really perfect, enjoy!
Hey M262 brother, I have the black Distagon. The 262 is a gem. I also have the ZM 35/2.8. A crazy good lens when you want to go light and don't need the speed. Both of those lenses for less than the Leica 35/1.4.
How does it compare with the Leica 35mm f/1.4 ASPH (Floating element)?
Nice one. Can't wait to see videos on the other metals and glass on that table! I've thought about that 35mm f1.4 a lot. The only reason why I haven't gotten it is the size and weight of it. Also, using the rangefinder at f1.4 is tricky for me. I know I can use the external EVF but I didn't get a M only to attach a EVF to it.
Thanks for watching, I'm excited to share more! 35mm 1.4 is a very forgiving focal length and the Distagon is no exception. It took very little time to get used the lens especially since the DOF is generous enough for you to be off from time to time. I totally agree with you, an EVF defeats the purpose of using these cameras in most cases. The size is bummer but the results speak for themselves, very few lenses today can resolve the amount of detail wide open like this one can. If you want to ease your way into the focal length before committing to such an expensive lens and can live with less corrected wide open performance or even slower glass, I'd suggest taking a look at some of latest Voigtlander offerings, their Ultron and Nokton lenses are fantastic!
@@GenericPhotographer Yep, got the Voigt 35mm f2 Ultron and Leica 35mm Summicron. Maybe I'll rent the Distagon one of these days before buying.
@@maxxandlouie solid choices! Rent before buying is always a great idea, hope you enjoy it! From what I hear the Ultron is very punchy and saturated, I'd love to see how they perform head to head.
hello..thanks for your videos..one question..how would you see the performance of this lens on the leica M11 Monochrome..?
Great video! As your from Montreal, wondered if you bought (or shopped at) Camtec? Bought some Leica gear from them and they're great!
Thanks fellow Montrealer! I swing by and annoy them very often. All of my Leica gear is purchased through them and I couldn't have it any other way, great store, and even greater service!
I started with Zeiss lenses on my Monochrom. And then I discovered the humongous lightleaks on long exposures.
The 3D pop is the micro contrast. I have been using Zeiss glass for years ~ currently the zf.2 mount, but going to a SL2S I may get the zm mount version to make the distance from lens tip to body shorter.
Totally! Bokeh and microcontrast in addition to the saturation and greater global contrast all make this and many zeiss lenses very 3D. I loved the size of the zm on the sl2. The zf.2 is a beautiful but huge lens. Should still be at home on the sl body.
@@GenericPhotographer My Zeiss Distagon 35 zf.2 is a 35/2. The m mount is 1.4 so another reason I may get it. I would still use the 35/2 on my Z6 and a7II. I owned the Otus set for a time, but technically too clinical and sterile. The sharpness is over the top so I sold them not to mention the size. OMG. I ordered the Voigt 50/2 APO vm but will own the Zeiss 35/1.4 zm.
@@GBB70 oh ok so it’s not the behemoth that is the distagon 1.4. Nice, enjoy the apo and the transition to M mount lenses. The size and performance make you question why anyone would shoot anything bigger anyways. Cheers!
1:20 Amazing shot. I see the same type of photography also here in Taipei, usually guys taking pics of girls with their iPhones. I see Leica shooters are also on this trend now.
Would love to see some comparison shots or even a video of this vs the summicron 35. i know one is 1.4 vs 2.0 but still it would be fun to see. love your videos.thanks for doing the start up timer check on the m 11 that i had requested.
The Summicron could be an interesting one to compare or try extensively nonetheless. Been considering doing the KOB for a while actually. And no problem, thanks for the suggestion, I was shocked at how slow it was.
@@GenericPhotographer leaving it on all the time whilst turning off pretty much every other feature i can go for 5 hours or so on a full battery and never miss a shot. so that's the move. i have the 11879 35mm currently and was coisidering the move to the zm 35 1.4 but the size and weight are the factors. it would be nice to see a comparison there . do you find the reds and blacks in particular are as punchy and saturated as the leica glass on the zm? i think that's the main concern for me besides the aesthetics.
Hey! I couldn't agree more with you about this amazing lens. Cheers!
Thanks Shawn! I love the work you produce with yours
Hey Shawn! You use this lens, too?! Nice! I've been researching it and looking to get it, too!
@@bryancaporicci901 yes! If you don't mind the size of it, it is truly incredible!
Great job with your first video. I see you have 50mm lux as well to go on :D and m10 ect :D keep it up :)
Thank you! Next video is the Lux vs Cron, finishing it up right now!
@@GenericPhotographer yeeey :D
great pictures. for warm part can we fix it with using white balance card? Also how it is compared to 35 mm2.4 flektagon
Thanks, can’t comment since I’ve never tried one but if it’s like my 35 summaron then expect a similar comparison. The zeiss is warmer, it has more vibrant red and yellow tints and is more saturated in general. Desaturating and lowering the temperature can help. I had a similar experience when I compared the 50 Summilux asph and the 50 Summicron v5, the lux is warmer at the same temperatures.
Hi Andrew, I will get the same lens within some days. Which polarizer do you use on this lens? I am asking because some filters are brighter, some are darker. And my second concern is the quality. For such a brilliant lens I do not want to take the cheapest on the market. Thank you, Florian
Did you make a choice? Personally, I think Wine Country Camera and Breakthrough Photography make killer filters.
this lens is great but let me know if its worth to get one when you already have zeiss 50 1.4 planar and 32 touit let me know your opinion as this lens is expensive
Tremendous video. I was torn between Zeiss and Leica. You answered my question. Zeiss it is. Love Leica, but the Zeiss pop is like no other. Thank you very much.
You won’t regret that decision. I love mine to death
I got this lens as well and love it's rendering and look. It's the best lens I have ever touched, even better than the Leica Q's 28mm Summilux. May I ask you if you underexpose your shots to keep the highlights? Because sometimes I struggle with it's contrast in scenes where my background is pretty dark and the person's face is bright.
Thanks, absolutely agree! I always try to underexpose by at least .3 stops in general, and by around 1 stop in backlight scenes or landscapes with a lot of sky.
@@GenericPhotographer Thank you for your respond! Very nice to hear, I almost shoot -0.3 all the time, sometimes -0.7, so we are doing the same, good to know! 🙂
How abt using this lens for video works ?
Have you adapted this to a sony body by chance? I too am a sony shooter mesmerized and financially in a place where i could make the move to leica if I wanted, but Id like to experiment with the lens on my a7r4 first.
Use it on my a7II and Nikon Z6. Every bit as good as he describes.
Voightlander , makes close focus adapter for NEX to M buy that if you want close .
Of course, I’ve had mine for as long as I’ve owned the lens, it helps big time!
Nice video, how will it behave on a Leica SL2 ?
wonderfully. Why wouldnt it work well on the SL?
i’m sold. i’m getting one asap.
happy to have helped!
Have you used the Biogon 35mm F2?
I have... it's phenomenal, easily as good as the Summicron ASPH 35mm f2, ever-so-slightly warmer rendition.
My favorite ZM lenses are the 21mm and 28mm f2.8 Biogons. Both are as good if not better than their modern Leica equivalents.
i sold mine to get the FLE but i really miss this lens.
Both great options, enjoy the FLE!
What is FLE?
@@janfrosty3392 the Summilux 35 ASPH also known as : FLE
@@MarcS4R Thank you Marc.
Oh man someday somehow I will end up getting Leica.
Is it Gauss formula?
Just wished they made a 50mm version of this lens' optical formula
Absolutely, however the 50 Summilux is a good substitute
Any downsize for using this lens on the a7R?
Increased vignette, corner smearing and astigmatism. Stopping down fixes it quite well
How does this lens perform on the SL 601?
Why wouldnt it perform well?
@backfilms - Instagram ( all shot in Pentax and Zeiss)
It might be a stupid question, but if there are two 35mm lenses, one with f/2, other with f/1.4, why would anyone chose the f/2?
I can always step down the aperture of the f/1.4 to 2, not the other way around.
Size, cost and release date come into play. I hear you tho. Each serve a purpose, some people don’t need a fast wide angle lens, take street photographers for example.
Keep it up
Absolutely, got some good stuff coming soon! Thanks for watching!
I own 35mm zeiss distagon f/2 on Pentax mount but can't find 1.4 version. Anyone seen i
They did make 1.4 for zf and ze mounts not sure about the Pentax one. At least the Pentax ones depreciate to make then a very budget friendly used option. Keep in mind those are all different optical formulas from the distagon I used in the video
@@GenericPhotographer thanks for the reply what you mean depreciate? And budget friendly? It still was expensive.
Leitax conversion.
Why not shoot Sony A7riv with 35mm f1.4 distagon ?
Completely different system my friend. A7riv didn’t exist 4 years ago, I’ve used it on the a7rii numerous times, the performance (as mentioned in the video) is much worse on Sony cameras than it is on film or Leica sensors. If you’re referring to the ZA distagon, that thing is massive and suffers from poor sample variations. I considered looking for a good until I tried this lens on a Leica.
The cons of this lens were not mentioned except for those in the comments below
The only thing I can see I didn’t mention is the issue of coding. What did I miss?
Ahhhhhhhh....those hands, man.
All the better to hold cameras with 🙏
@@GenericPhotographer Im sorry lol.....but wow
This lens is as good as Leica summilux asph or even better as non focus shift that Leica asph does , price wise is far cheaper but not quality built , the only negative is the size bigger . I sold my summilux after try this lens and I’m glad that I found a good replacement .
這個影像素質跟尼康差不多。
I don't understand the obsession with 'vignetting'. If you look at Instagram most people use it (the edited version) like it going out of fashion
It is too big and heavy for Leica M bodies. The Summilux lenses, all of them, have qualities that are obviously lost on you.
I use some Zeiss lenses for technical work, for the Zeiss forensic level of sharpness. But that's only a fraction of my workflow.
If somebody has no negative point about a lens either he lies or doesn't understands optics
fantastic but ugly lens😂
@genericphotographer I bought this lens while travelling and its loose in my Leica M4 mount. Rocks slight back and forward when focusing - does this happen to you? I have contacted Zeiss support multiple times and got no response. Is yours locked tight in the mount or can you check this with an analogue body?