Considering a Zeiss Distagon 15mm F/2.8 ZF.2 T*

BF Hammer

Senior Member
There is a used example at my local camera shop, listed at $850.

Zeiss Distagon 15mm F/2.8 ZF.2 T*


distagon15f2p8.jpeg

Would anybody have any experience with the lens to help me decide? I currently have as my widest FX lens a 20mm Sigma f/1.4 Art. Been eyeballing 14mm lenses this year, and considering a 14-24mm f/2.8 as my next lens to try to get.

The Zeiss is manual focus and of course no zoom. But... nice reviews. I think it would do well as an astro-landscape lens.
 

hark

Administrator
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Super Mod
Contributor
I have no experience with any Zeiss lenses so can't help you there; however, Zeiss has an incredible reputation for its glass. Were you able to try it and see how it feels and works? And how does its price compare with a preowned Nikon 14mm prime? I have the Nikon lens which is phenomenal. The thing is using such a wide prime can be limiting compared with a zoom although the prime tends to be lighter.

Be sure to remove front and rear caps (or possibly it comes with a pouch to protect the front element) and look through it to check for dust and fungus. My question is why is it only $850? Look up prices for other preowned copies - you'll see they tend to be a lot more.
 

BF Hammer

Senior Member
I have no experience with any Zeiss lenses so can't help you there; however, Zeiss has an incredible reputation for its glass. Were you able to try it and see how it feels and works? And how does its price compare with a preowned Nikon 14mm prime? I have the Nikon lens which is phenomenal. The thing is using such a wide prime can be limiting compared with a zoom although the prime tends to be lighter.

Be sure to remove front and rear caps (or possibly it comes with a pouch to protect the front element) and look through it to check for dust and fungus. My question is why is it only $850? Look up prices for other preowned copies - you'll see they tend to be a lot more.

The camera shop is 25 miles from me, so what I'm doing here is doing my homework before I go to look and try the lens. I will only go if I am prepared to buy. Comparing to KEH used prices, apparently this is a deal. May be this one has been in the store a while. I don't remember seeing it on the inventory list before. But a used 14-24mm G Nikon lens is selling in the $1050 to $1200 range typically unless you look at the beat ones. The Zeiss is listed as condition "EX".

As I see it, if you have to manual focus, ultra-wide range is the easiest to work with.
 

BF Hammer

Senior Member
As I read the information Cindy, auto exposure is fully supported and it provides focus confirmation in the viewfinder. And Exif data.

On a wide lens, you are more likely to manually focus for astro-landscape type images since it is night. For telephoto astrophotography I am increasingly using DigiCamControl to control the camera remotely. I discovered there is an advantage to using autofocus with that software as you can manually focus the camera using the software with no need to touch the camera directly. It all works with the focus motor.
 
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BF Hammer

Senior Member
I went to the store after work today. The lens is near perfect. I had to borrow one of the shop's D750 bodies to test it out. Yada yada yada... It's mine now. :D
 

Danno

Senior Member
I went to the store after work today. The lens is near perfect. I had to borrow one of the shop's D750 bodies to test it out. Yada yada yada... It's mine now. :D

Congrats on the new lens. I am sure you will be happy with it. That price is pretty nice as well.
 

BF Hammer

Senior Member
Just playing with it indoors so far I feel like I'm watching a Stanley Kubrick film. Never really handled a lens this wide before.
 

BF Hammer

Senior Member
Finally took this lens out for some real photos. I just did some scenery following a morning of harassing eagles with my clicking shutter.

I really had to adjust my composition mindset. This will not be a natural thing for a while.

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