Zeiss ZE 21mm for Canon

Zeiss has introduced its fourth premium manual-focus lens in the ZE series, the Zeiss Distagon T* 21mm ƒ/2.8 ZE, fully compatible with Canon EF mount. (The 18mm ƒ/3.5 was introduced two weeks ago. The other two are the 50mm and 85mm ƒ/1.4's.) The new lens covers 24x36mm "full frame." The street price has not yet been determined, but the Nikon and Pentax versions each sell for $1,490.

Zeiss USA's Rich Schleuning has posted a flickr page of sample pictures taken with the new lens.

Mike

UPDATE: In response to a reader's question, I asked Rich about upcoming ZE Zeiss lenses for Canon EF mount. He tells me that although the four listed above are the only ones officially announced so far, "additional lenses will be announced over the next two months, including the 2/28, 2/35 and the 2/50 and 2/100 macros." —Mike

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Comments

[David]

I want one (drool) for Nikon.

[Manuel Zamora-Morschhäuser]

Not that this isn't good news for us Canon shooters, but please Zeiss, we all love to see the rest of them, too! Especially the 35mm f2 ;-)

[Kees]

Zeiss will bring out the 25 mm and 35 mm for Canon before the end of this year. That's what one of the Zeiss reps answered in an e-mail when I asked a few weeks ago.

[Eric Chan]

Kees, was there any word from Zeiss about the 100 f/2 for ZE?

[Eolake Stobblehouse]

I know they don't have autofocus, but you can get electronic focus confirmation with most Canon cameras, right? (Otherwise my eyesight is not good enough for a manual focus lens.)

Very tempting.

I wonder why both a 18mm and a 21mm?

[David A. Goldfarb]

I've been using the 35mm/f:2 in ZS (M42) mount for several months now on my Canon New F-1 and EOS 40D, and I've been very pleased with it.

For the 40D, I ordered a chipped M42 adapter from Hong Kong that can pass focal length info (though not aperture) to the camera, which allows for focus confirmation. I generally find manual focus on the 40D trickier than on a camera designed for manual focus, but the EF-S focusing screen is an improvement in that regard over the standard screen.

Here are some 35/2 shots with the EOS 40D on my flickr site--

http://www.flickr.com/photos/davidagoldfarb/tags/zeissdistagont35mmf2/

[John A. Stovall]

I shoot the C/Y Zeiss 21/2.8 Distagon and just want to know does this lens compare to that classic?

I hope for a side by side comparison somewhere soon.

[Kees]

Hi Eric, the 100 mm will also be available before the end of this year. If necessary, I have the e-mail from Zeiss to prove it. (I could forward it to Mike.)