{"id":1847,"date":"2016-02-20T13:36:19","date_gmt":"2016-02-20T12:36:19","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/phillipreeve.net\/blog\/?p=1847"},"modified":"2026-01-14T09:32:05","modified_gmt":"2026-01-14T08:32:05","slug":"review-carl-zeiss-planar-1450-cy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/phillipreeve.net\/blog\/review-carl-zeiss-planar-1450-cy\/","title":{"rendered":"Review: Carl Zeiss Planar 1,4\/50 (C\/Y)"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><a href=\"http:\/\/phillipreeve.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/DSC08255.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-1880\" src=\"http:\/\/phillipreeve.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/DSC08255.jpg\" alt=\"DSC08255\" width=\"800\" height=\"796\" srcset=\"https:\/\/phillipreeve.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/DSC08255.jpg 800w, https:\/\/phillipreeve.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/DSC08255-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/phillipreeve.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/DSC08255-300x300.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>The Carl Zeiss Planar 1,4\/50 with C\/Y mount is a typical representative of the 1.4\/50 class<\/p>\n<h1>Sample Images<\/h1>\n<figure id=\"attachment_1851\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-1851\" style=\"width: 800px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><a href=\"http:\/\/phillipreeve.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/DSC00081.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-1851 size-full\" src=\"http:\/\/phillipreeve.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/DSC00081.jpg\" alt=\"DSC00081\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" srcset=\"https:\/\/phillipreeve.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/DSC00081.jpg 800w, https:\/\/phillipreeve.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/DSC00081-300x200.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-1851\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Sony a7ii | Zeiss 1.4\/50 | f\/8 |<a href=\"https:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/96189377@N08\/24022758849\/sizes\/o\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"> full resolution<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure id=\"attachment_1865\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-1865\" style=\"width: 800px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><a href=\"http:\/\/phillipreeve.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/DSC07275.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-1865 size-full\" src=\"http:\/\/phillipreeve.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/DSC07275.jpg\" alt=\"DSC07275\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" srcset=\"https:\/\/phillipreeve.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/DSC07275.jpg 800w, https:\/\/phillipreeve.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/DSC07275-300x200.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-1865\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Sony a7ii | Zeiss 1.4\/50 | f\/2.8 | <a href=\"https:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/96189377@N08\/23762324994\/sizes\/o\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">full resolution<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure id=\"attachment_1875\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-1875\" style=\"width: 800px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><a href=\"http:\/\/phillipreeve.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/DSC09947.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-1875 size-full\" src=\"http:\/\/phillipreeve.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/DSC09947.jpg\" alt=\"DSC09947\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" srcset=\"https:\/\/phillipreeve.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/DSC09947.jpg 800w, https:\/\/phillipreeve.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/DSC09947-300x200.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-1875\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Sony a7ii | Zeiss 1.4\/50 | f\/1.4 |<a href=\"https:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/96189377@N08\/24094946250\/sizes\/o\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"> full resolution<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><!--more--><\/p>\n<h1>\u00a0Specifications<\/h1>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\">\n<ul>\n<li>Diameter: 62.5mm<\/li>\n<li>Length: \u00a041mm<\/li>\n<li>Weight: 290g<\/li>\n<li>Filter Diameter: 55mm<\/li>\n<li>Number of Aperture Blades:\u00a06<\/li>\n<li>Elements\/Groups: 7\/6<\/li>\n<li>Close Focusing Distance: 45cm<\/li>\n<li>Mount:\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/phillipreeve.net\/blog\/lenses\/zeiss-cy-lenses\/\">Zeiss C\/Y<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>More information in Zeiss&#8217; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.zeiss.com\/content\/dam\/Photography\/new\/pdf\/en\/downloadcenter\/contax_yashica\/planar1-4_50mm_yashica_e.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">official data sheet.<\/a><\/p>\n<p><em>The Carl Zeiss Planar 1.4\/50\u00a0usually sells for <strong>around $190-260<\/strong>\u00a0at <a href=\"http:\/\/rover.ebay.com\/rover\/1\/711-53200-19255-0\/1?icep_ff3=9&amp;pub=5575076376&amp;toolid=10001&amp;campid=5337792848&amp;customid=&amp;icep_uq=zeiss+distagon+28+2.8&amp;icep_sellerId=&amp;icep_ex_kw=&amp;icep_sortBy=12&amp;icep_catId=3323&amp;icep_minPrice=&amp;icep_maxPrice=&amp;ipn=psmain&amp;icep_vectorid=229466&amp;kwid=902099&amp;mtid=824&amp;kw=lg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">ebay.com <\/a>(affiliate link).\u00a0<\/em><br \/>\n<em>In Germany\u00a0you can buy it for <strong>160-230\u20ac<\/strong>\u00a0at <a href=\"http:\/\/rover.ebay.com\/rover\/1\/707-53477-19255-0\/1?icep_ff3=9&amp;pub=5575076376&amp;toolid=10001&amp;campid=5337792848&amp;customid=&amp;icep_uq=zeiss+distagon+28+2.8&amp;icep_sellerId=&amp;icep_ex_kw=&amp;icep_sortBy=12&amp;icep_catId=3323&amp;icep_minPrice=&amp;icep_maxPrice=&amp;ipn=psmain&amp;icep_vectorid=229487&amp;kwid=902099&amp;mtid=824&amp;kw=lg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">ebay.de<\/a> (affiliate link).\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>The younger MM version usually sells for a little bit more than the older AE version.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/phillipreeve.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/DSC00166.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-1855\" src=\"http:\/\/phillipreeve.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/DSC00166.jpg\" alt=\"DSC00166\" width=\"800\" height=\"656\" srcset=\"https:\/\/phillipreeve.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/DSC00166.jpg 800w, https:\/\/phillipreeve.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/DSC00166-300x246.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<h1>Versions<\/h1>\n<p>There are two versions of the Zeiss Planar 1.4\/50 T*.<\/p>\n<p>The older<strong> AE version<\/strong>\u00a0introduced in the mid 70&#8217;s. It\u00a0 will not allow\u00a0program and shutter-priority with film cameras. It was made in Japan from the beginning while other C\/Y lenses were manufactured in Germany \u00a0before production was moved to\u00a0in Japan (als called AEJ).<span style=\"color: #000000;\"> Unlike the later MM version the AE version has Ninja-star shaped bokeh circles stopped down, see the bokeh paragraph.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">The younger <strong>MM version<\/strong>\u00a0was sold from 1984 to 2005. It\u00a0can be identified by the green color of the f\/22 marking.\u00a0 If you want to buy a younger copy look out for a serial number which starts with 8. If you want to <a style=\"color: #000000;\" href=\"http:\/\/www.leitax.com\/Zeiss-Contax-lens-for-Nikon-cameras.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">leitax<\/a> your lens to Nikon\u00a0F-mount\u00a0or Sony A-mount you need to buy the MM version but the process might be irreversible.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>Zeiss still services\u00a0the MM version but not the AE version.<\/p>\n<p>Zeiss also sold the Planar to Rollei. The HFT Planar 1.4\/50 with QBM mount can be bought for a little less than the Zeiss version so if you want to use it on the Sony a7 series it is probably the smarter buy but you need a different adapter. <a href=\"http:\/\/www.fredmiranda.com\/forum\/topic\/1412458\/0#13409299\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Click here<\/a> for a short discussion of the Rollei lens.<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #800000;\">Reader Johan\u00a0shared this experience with us:<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #800000;\"><em>I wanted to alert you to a few differences between the Rollei mount and your copy. Don\u2019t know if these apply to all qbm mount copies but:<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"color: #800000;\"><em>my copy is made in West Germany<\/em><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #800000;\"><em>the aperture ring has half stops and ends at 16<\/em><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #800000;\"><em>there is no evidence of saw tooth effects when stopping down (but 6 blades remain annoying!)<\/em><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #800000;\"><em>the lens is missing the *T label. But flare resistance remains excellent so it definitely has good coatings!<\/em><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h1><b>Compatibility<\/b><\/h1>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/phillipreeve.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/DSC00177.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-1859\" src=\"http:\/\/phillipreeve.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/DSC00177.jpg\" alt=\"DSC00177\" width=\"800\" height=\"578\" srcset=\"https:\/\/phillipreeve.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/DSC00177.jpg 800w, https:\/\/phillipreeve.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/DSC00177-300x217.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>The Zeiss Planar 1.4\/50\u00a0 can of course be used on a <strong>wide range of Contax and Yashica film cameras<\/strong> but I know little about those so I can\u2019t tell you any details.<\/p>\n<p>You can also buy adapters to\u00a0use it on \u00a0<strong>Canon EOS<\/strong> cameras but in some cases the mirror will hit the back of the lens. Check out <a href=\"http:\/\/www.pebbleplace.com\/Personal\/Contax_db.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">this site <\/a>for more information.<\/p>\n<p>To use a C\/Y lens on a\u00a0<strong>Nikon F-mount<\/strong> camera you need to replace\u00a0the mount of your C\/Y lens. Check out <a href=\"http:\/\/www.leitax.com\/Zeiss-Contax-lens-for-Nikon-cameras.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Leitax<\/a> for more information. I can recommend their products, they are very well made.<\/p>\n<p>The easiest way to use a C\/Y lens on a digital camera is to buy a mirrorless camera. I can only\u00a0recommend to buy a full frame camera so the Sony Alpha 7 series cameras are your only choice (unless you have too much money and want a Leica SL). Check out this article for more information about how to use <a href=\"http:\/\/phillipreeve.net\/blog\/manual-lenses-sony-a7\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">manual lenses on the Sony a7-series<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h1><strong>Build<\/strong><strong> Quality<\/strong><\/h1>\n<p>Build quality is superb and the lens feels very solid.<\/p>\n<p>The barrel is made of metal with very low tolerances. Both focus and aperture ring are rubberized and easy to grip.<\/p>\n<p>All markings are engraved<\/p>\n<h1><strong>Size, Weight and Handling<\/strong><a href=\"http:\/\/phillipreeve.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/10\/Canon_nFD_24mmf2p8-7.jpg\"><br \/>\n<\/a><\/h1>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/phillipreeve.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/DSC00178.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-1860\" src=\"http:\/\/phillipreeve.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/DSC00178.jpg\" alt=\"DSC00178\" width=\"800\" height=\"594\" srcset=\"https:\/\/phillipreeve.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/DSC00178.jpg 800w, https:\/\/phillipreeve.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/DSC00178-300x223.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>The Zeiss Planar is well well balanced on the Sony a7. There are of course a bit smaller and lighter lenses but for handling the Planar is just the right size and weight.<\/p>\n<p>The <strong>focusing ring<\/strong> travels about 110 degrees from 0.45m\u00a0to 1m and a further 80 or so degrees to infinity. I think this is a very good transmission, focusing was easy at any distance. The focusing feel is\u00a0 quite nice: Very precise but not too smooth.<\/p>\n<p>The\u00a0<strong>aperture ring<\/strong> has full stops from f\/1.4 to f\/22 but it isn&#8217;t too hard to select half-stops because the focusing ring travels quite far and is well damped. I think it is <strong>one of the nicest aperture rings I have ever used<\/strong>, resistance is just right and every stop very distinctive.<\/p>\n<p>Honestly I wouldn&#8217;t know how to improve the handling of\u00a0the Planar 1.4\/50.<\/p>\n<h1>Lens Hood<\/h1>\n<p>I don&#8217;t own a hood for the Zeiss Planar 1.4\/50\u00a0but according to <a href=\"http:\/\/www.mir.com.my\/rb\/photography\/hardwares\/classics\/contax\/shared\/accessory\/hoods.htm\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">mir.com<\/a> there were two different hoods: The\u00a0<em>Metal Lens Hood No.4\u00a0<\/em>and the<em>\u00a0Soft Lens Shade 55mm G-11. \u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n<p>Since the Planar i quite flare resistant you don&#8217;t really need a lens hood.<\/p>\n<h1>Filters<\/h1>\n<p>The 55mm filter thread is made from metal<\/p>\n<p>The front of the lens does not rotate so polarizers are easy to use.<\/p>\n<h1>Image Quality<\/h1>\n<h3>Vignetting<\/h3>\n<p>At f\/1.4 vignetting is significant at 2.2 stops but that is usual for a 1.4\/50 lens. At f\/2 it is reduced to about 1.3 stops and by f\/2.8\u00a0vignetting is down to 0.5 stops which should be irrelevant for almost any application.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-2083\" src=\"http:\/\/phillipreeve.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/Zeiss_Planar_50mm_f1p4_vignetting.jpg\" alt=\"Zeiss_Planar_50mm_f1p4_vignetting\" width=\"728\" height=\"864\" srcset=\"https:\/\/phillipreeve.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/Zeiss_Planar_50mm_f1p4_vignetting.jpg 728w, https:\/\/phillipreeve.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/Zeiss_Planar_50mm_f1p4_vignetting-253x300.jpg 253w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 728px) 100vw, 728px\" \/><\/p>\n<h1>Flare Resistance<\/h1>\n<p>The flare resistance of the Zeiss 1.4\/50\u00a0is quite good especially if you compare it to other lenses from the same era. There is only a little veiling flare which causes contrast loss and only minor ghosting in very demanding situations. This sets the Zeiss apart from many other 50mm lenses, my <a href=\"http:\/\/phillipreeve.net\/blog\/minolta-mc-rokkor-58mm-11-2\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Minolta MC 1.2\/58<\/a>\u00a0is much worse and the <a href=\"http:\/\/phillipreeve.net\/blog\/canon-new-fd-50mm-11-4-review\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Canon nFD 1.4\/50<\/a> not much better.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_1863\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-1863\" style=\"width: 800px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><a href=\"http:\/\/phillipreeve.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/DSC00499.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-1863 size-full\" src=\"http:\/\/phillipreeve.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/DSC00499.jpg\" alt=\"DSC00499\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" srcset=\"https:\/\/phillipreeve.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/DSC00499.jpg 800w, https:\/\/phillipreeve.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/DSC00499-300x200.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-1863\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Sony a7ii | Zeiss 1.4\/50 | f\/2.8 | <a href=\"https:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/96189377@N08\/24364316606\/sizes\/o\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">full resolution<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure id=\"attachment_1872\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-1872\" style=\"width: 800px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><a href=\"http:\/\/phillipreeve.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/DSC09498.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-1872 size-full\" src=\"http:\/\/phillipreeve.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/DSC09498.jpg\" alt=\"DSC09498\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" srcset=\"https:\/\/phillipreeve.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/DSC09498.jpg 800w, https:\/\/phillipreeve.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/DSC09498-300x200.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-1872\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Sony a7ii | Zeiss 1.4\/50 | f\/2.8 |<a href=\"https:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/96189377@N08\/23762354804\/sizes\/o\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"> full resolution<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h3>Distortion<\/h3>\n<p>The Planar\u00a0shows some\u00a0barrel distortion, a setting of +3 corrects it very well in Lightroom. This is actually more distortion than most other 50mm lenses will have.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_1866\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-1866\" style=\"width: 800px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"http:\/\/phillipreeve.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/DSC07791.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-1866 size-full\" src=\"http:\/\/phillipreeve.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/DSC07791.jpg\" alt=\"DSC07791\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" srcset=\"https:\/\/phillipreeve.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/DSC07791.jpg 800w, https:\/\/phillipreeve.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/DSC07791-300x200.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-1866\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Sony a7ii | Zeiss 1.4\/50 | f\/8 | <a href=\"https:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/96189377@N08\/22926728634\/sizes\/o\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">full resolution<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h3 id=\"attachment_1408\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Chromatic Aberrations<\/span><\/h3>\n<p>I can see no lateral CA which isn&#8217;t that uncommon for a 50mm lens but very good none the less.<\/p>\n<h3>Bokeh<\/h3>\n<p>At f\/1.4 bokeh isn&#8217;t very smooth, out-of-focus highlights have a well defined edge. Stop the Planar down to f\/2 or even better f\/2.8 and bokeh becomes quite smooth and very pleasant.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_1875\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-1875\" style=\"width: 800px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><a href=\"http:\/\/phillipreeve.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/DSC09947.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-1875 size-full\" src=\"http:\/\/phillipreeve.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/DSC09947.jpg\" alt=\"DSC09947\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" srcset=\"https:\/\/phillipreeve.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/DSC09947.jpg 800w, https:\/\/phillipreeve.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/DSC09947-300x200.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-1875\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Sony a7ii | Zeiss 1.4\/50 | f\/1.4<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure id=\"attachment_1869\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-1869\" style=\"width: 800px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><a href=\"http:\/\/phillipreeve.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/DSC08806.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-1869 size-full\" src=\"http:\/\/phillipreeve.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/DSC08806.jpg\" alt=\"DSC08806\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" srcset=\"https:\/\/phillipreeve.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/DSC08806.jpg 800w, https:\/\/phillipreeve.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/DSC08806-300x200.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-1869\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Sony a7ii | Zeiss 1.4\/50 | f\/2 | <a href=\"https:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/96189377@N08\/23762341644\/sizes\/o\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">full resolution<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure id=\"attachment_1864\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-1864\" style=\"width: 800px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><a href=\"http:\/\/phillipreeve.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/DSC00532.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-1864 size-full\" src=\"http:\/\/phillipreeve.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/DSC00532.jpg\" alt=\"DSC00532\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" srcset=\"https:\/\/phillipreeve.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/DSC00532.jpg 800w, https:\/\/phillipreeve.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/DSC00532-300x200.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-1864\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Sony a7ii | Zeiss 1.4\/50 | f\/2.8 | <a href=\"https:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/96189377@N08\/24022727039\/sizes\/o\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">full resolution<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>There is one catch though and that&#8217;s the aperture blades. They are quite straight and you will often see distracting hexagons in oof areas. The effect is stronger than I am used to from other manufacturers lenses.<\/p>\n<p>Additionally the AE Version of the Planar can show the saw-tooth-effect at f\/2 and to a very minor degree at f\/2.8, by f\/4 it is gone. As far as I know the later MM version has a different aperture design and does not show this behavior.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/phillipreeve.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/Blende.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-1849\" src=\"http:\/\/phillipreeve.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/Blende.jpg\" alt=\"Blende\" width=\"800\" height=\"800\" srcset=\"https:\/\/phillipreeve.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/Blende.jpg 800w, https:\/\/phillipreeve.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/Blende-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/phillipreeve.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/Blende-300x300.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>So while the lens itself has quite nice bokeh the construction of the aperture detracts from the experience.<\/p>\n<h1>Sunstars<\/h1>\n<p>if forgot to test this aspect but since the Planar 1.4\/50 only has\u00a0\u00a06 aperture blades so sunstars only have 6-pointed stars which won&#8217;t be too well defined.<\/p>\n<h1>Contrast<\/h1>\n<p>The Zeiss Planar has a lot of spherical aberration at f\/1.4 which reduces contrast to pretty low levels. At f\/2 contrast is improved a lot to good levels and it increases a little more at f\/2.8 from where it is very good.<\/p>\n<h3>Sharpness<\/h3>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/phillipreeve.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/Zeiss_Planar_50mm_f1p4_infinity.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-1879\" src=\"http:\/\/phillipreeve.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/Zeiss_Planar_50mm_f1p4_infinity.jpg\" alt=\"Zeiss_Planar_50mm_f1p4_infinity\" width=\"800\" height=\"2462\" srcset=\"https:\/\/phillipreeve.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/Zeiss_Planar_50mm_f1p4_infinity.jpg 800w, https:\/\/phillipreeve.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/Zeiss_Planar_50mm_f1p4_infinity-97x300.jpg 97w, https:\/\/phillipreeve.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/Zeiss_Planar_50mm_f1p4_infinity-416x1280.jpg 416w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>The full aperture series can be found <a href=\"https:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/96189377@N08\/albums\/72157659736095202\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">at flickr<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><strong>f\/1.4:\u00a0<\/strong>Very good resolution but lower micro contrast in the center. The midframe region is quite soft, as are the corners.<\/p>\n<p><strong>f\/2: <\/strong>Very sharp in the center but only in the center to about r=8gmm. Midframe and corner region are quite soft.<\/p>\n<p><strong>f\/2.8:\u00a0<\/strong>The center is excellent, the midframe region improves noticeably and is now good \u00a0but the outer half of the image circle is still not very sharp.<\/p>\n<p><strong>f\/4:<\/strong>\u00a0Most of the image is excellent to very good now, only the extreme corners after r= 18 remain soft.<\/p>\n<p><strong>f\/5.6: <\/strong>Almost of all of the image shows excellent sharpness now, noly the last few pixels in the corners are a bit soft.<\/p>\n<p><strong>f\/8: <\/strong>On a higher resolution camera you will see a very small drop in sharpness in the center, the extreme corners are a bit sharper than at f\/5.6<\/p>\n<p><strong>f\/11: <\/strong>The whole image is a bit less sharp.<\/p>\n<p>The short version: F\/1.4 is good enough for some portraits when you are after a less contrasty look or for night time photography, f\/2 gives very good results in a small central region, f\/2.8 is my go-to aperture when I want excellent sharpness in the center but the corners don&#8217;t matter an from f\/5.6 you get truly excellent results across the frame, only the last few pixels are soft.<\/p>\n<h3>Field Curvature<\/h3>\n<p>As the name of the name of the lens suggest the plane of focus is very flat. Zeiss writes in their <a href=\"http:\/\/www.zeiss.com\/content\/dam\/Photography\/new\/pdf\/en\/cln_archiv\/cln30_en_web_special_mtf_01.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">how to read mtf-curves<\/a>\u00a0paper that the corners after r=18mm are less sharp due to field curvature but at least on my a7 I could not confirm that. The best focus for a subject in the center was usually the best focus for a subject in the corners as well.<\/p>\n<p>My testing was done near infinity at f\/8.<\/p>\n<h1>Close Focus Performance<\/h1>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/phillipreeve.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/DSC00171.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-1858\" src=\"http:\/\/phillipreeve.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/DSC00171.jpg\" alt=\"DSC00171\" width=\"800\" height=\"682\" srcset=\"https:\/\/phillipreeve.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/DSC00171.jpg 800w, https:\/\/phillipreeve.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/DSC00171-300x256.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>The Zeiss 1.4\/50 has a close focusing distance of 45cm\u00a0which results in a reproduction ratio of 1:8 which is average\u00a0for a 50mm lens.<\/p>\n<p>The Planar does not feature floating elements so performance suffers quite a lot\u00a0at shorter distances. \u00a0I would avoid anything under f\/2.8\u00a0and for best results you need to stop down to f\/8 but even then the\u00a0Planar is clearly less sharp than at longer distances.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_2143\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-2143\" style=\"width: 800px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-2143 size-full\" src=\"http:\/\/phillipreeve.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/DSC08813.jpg\" alt=\"DSC08813\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" srcset=\"https:\/\/phillipreeve.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/DSC08813.jpg 800w, https:\/\/phillipreeve.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/DSC08813-300x200.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-2143\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Sony a7 | Zeiss Planar 1.4\/50 | f\/8 | <a href=\"https:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/96189377@N08\/24316828883\/sizes\/o\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">full resolution<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure id=\"attachment_2142\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-2142\" style=\"width: 874px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><a href=\"http:\/\/phillipreeve.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/closeup.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-2142 size-full\" src=\"http:\/\/phillipreeve.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/closeup.jpg\" alt=\"closeup\" width=\"874\" height=\"493\" srcset=\"https:\/\/phillipreeve.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/closeup.jpg 874w, https:\/\/phillipreeve.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/closeup-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/phillipreeve.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/closeup-800x451.jpg 800w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 874px) 100vw, 874px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-2142\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">100% crops at close focusing distance: f\/2 on the right is pretty soft, f\/4 on the left is okay<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h1>Alternatives<\/h1>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/phillipreeve.net\/blog\/sony-fe-1-855-za-sonnar-t-review\/\">Sony FE 1.8\/55 ZA<\/a>\u00a0&#8211; Optically it\u00a0offers smoother\u00a0bokeh without the nasty hexagons, very good corner sharpness from f\/1.8 and even better flare resistance. Stopped down to f\/5.6 the difference will be minimal. The Sony lens of course offers AF but the manual focusing experience sucks. The FE55 is also quite expensive at $999.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/phillipreeve.net\/blog\/review-zeiss-loxia-planar-250-t\/\">Zeiss Loxia 2\/50 <\/a>&#8211; Smaller, sharper and more expensive.\u00a0This modern manual lens is even more pleasant to handle and\u00a0my recommendation for anyone who is willing to pay good money for a very pleasant experience. It is \u00a0of course a stop lower but f\/1.4 isn&#8217;t of much use on the Planar anywauy. The bokeh of the 1.4\/50 is smoother but the Loxia has 10 aperture blades so you won&#8217;t have to deal with annoying hexagons.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/phillipreeve.net\/blog\/zeiss-milvus-distagon-1-450-rolling-review\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Zeiss Milvus Distagon 1.4\/50<\/a> &#8211; Three times as heavy, 8 times as expensive. But you get great bokeh and sharp corners from f\/1.4, flare resistance is also exceptional. Handling is a lot nicer with the old Planar.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/phillipreeve.net\/blog\/minolta-md-50mm-2-review\/\">Minolta MD 2\/50<\/a> &#8211; This super affordable lens has practically zero distortion and sharper corners at wider apertures. Build quality is a bit plasticky, the benefit of this is a very low weight of just 150g. The Planar feels a lot nicer, it has more contrast and nicer bokeh.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/phillipreeve.net\/blog\/canon-new-fd-50mm-11-4-review\/\">Canon new FD 1.4\/50<\/a> &#8211; The Canon is a bit sharper at f\/1.4, it has 8 aperture blades and it costs about a third of what the Zeiss costs. Sharpness stopped down is very similar but the Zeiss has better contrast. The Planar feels much nicer, it has better flare resistance and it has the nicer bokeh (did I already mention that the 6 aperture blades are annoying?).<\/p>\n<h1>Conclusion<\/h1>\n<table>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td><strong>good<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"color: #008000;\">flare resistance<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #008000;\">excellent sharpness at f\/5.6<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #339966;\">bokeh<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #339966;\">build quality and handling<br \/>\n<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<td><strong>average<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>size and weight<\/li>\n<li>price<\/li>\n<li>distortion<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<td><strong>not good<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">soft corners at wider apertures<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">only 6 aperture blades<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">sharpness at close distances<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p>The Zeiss Planar 1.4\/50 T* is a very enjoyable lens and well suited for a wide range of applications.<\/p>\n<p>Optically the Planar 1.4\/50 is a typical\u00a0 fast normal lens. Wide open it shows lots of &#8220;character&#8221; which is a kind way to say that it has a lot of aberrations and is quite soft. Stop it down to f\/2 and performance improves a lot and you will get sharp and contrasty images with nice bokeh as long as your subject is in the center of the image. From f\/2.8 the center is excellent but you need to stop down to f\/5.6 to get a very sharp image. The Planar 1.4\/50 shares these attributes with many other 50mm lenses. There are three aspects where it can set itself apart from most of the competition: Flare resistance, contrast and build quality. But there are also a few less positive attributes: It has only six aperture blades which can be a distraction and it is quite abit more expensive.<\/p>\n<p>Few lenses are built as well and handle as nicely as the Zeiss 1.4\/50, bothe the focusng and aperture ring are among the best I have used. To me this is an important aspect of a lens,\u00a0I don&#8217;t shoot for money I shoot because I enjoy the process and the end result.<\/p>\n<p>I think the price is only partially justified by the performance, you certainly pay a premium for the Zeiss brand. Other 1.4\/50 lenses which are very similar in performance sell for half as much.<\/p>\n<p><strong>All in all it is a versatile and capable lens which changes it&#8217;s character a lot as you stop down. At f\/1.4 it displays many aberrations which can distract from your subject and while the center improves very fast you need to stop down to f\/5.6 to get really excellent across the frame performance. Compared to other 50mm lenses it is very expensive but compared to many modern lenses it is still very affordable.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><em>The Carl Zeiss Planar 1.4\/50\u00a0usually sells for <strong>around $190-260<\/strong>\u00a0at <a href=\"http:\/\/rover.ebay.com\/rover\/1\/711-53200-19255-0\/1?icep_ff3=9&amp;pub=5575076376&amp;toolid=10001&amp;campid=5337792848&amp;customid=&amp;icep_uq=zeiss+distagon+28+2.8&amp;icep_sellerId=&amp;icep_ex_kw=&amp;icep_sortBy=12&amp;icep_catId=3323&amp;icep_minPrice=&amp;icep_maxPrice=&amp;ipn=psmain&amp;icep_vectorid=229466&amp;kwid=902099&amp;mtid=824&amp;kw=lg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">ebay.com <\/a>(affiliate link).\u00a0<\/em><br \/>\n<em>In Germany\u00a0you can buy it for <strong>160-230\u20ac<\/strong>\u00a0at <a href=\"http:\/\/rover.ebay.com\/rover\/1\/707-53477-19255-0\/1?icep_ff3=9&amp;pub=5575076376&amp;toolid=10001&amp;campid=5337792848&amp;customid=&amp;icep_uq=zeiss+distagon+28+2.8&amp;icep_sellerId=&amp;icep_ex_kw=&amp;icep_sortBy=12&amp;icep_catId=3323&amp;icep_minPrice=&amp;icep_maxPrice=&amp;ipn=psmain&amp;icep_vectorid=229487&amp;kwid=902099&amp;mtid=824&amp;kw=lg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">ebay.de<\/a> (affiliate link).\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>If this review was helpful to you, please consider using one of my affiliate links. I will earn a small commission on your purchase and it won\u2019t cost you anything. Thanks!<\/em><\/p>\n<h1>Zeiss Planar 1.4\/50 T*\u00a0Sample Images<\/h1>\n<p>All images are processed in Lightroom from Raw. Many more full resolution samples in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/96189377@N08\/albums\/72157659736095202\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">my Zeiss Planar 1.4\/50\u00a0flickr album<\/a>.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_1421\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><\/figure>\n<figure id=\"attachment_1874\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-1874\" style=\"width: 800px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><a href=\"http:\/\/phillipreeve.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/DSC09935.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-1874 size-full\" src=\"http:\/\/phillipreeve.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/DSC09935.jpg\" alt=\"DSC09935\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" srcset=\"https:\/\/phillipreeve.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/DSC09935.jpg 800w, https:\/\/phillipreeve.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/DSC09935-300x200.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-1874\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Sony a7ii | Zeiss 1.4\/50 | f\/8 | <a href=\"https:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/96189377@N08\/24094943780\/sizes\/o\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">full resolution<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure id=\"attachment_1871\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-1871\" style=\"width: 800px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><a href=\"http:\/\/phillipreeve.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/DSC08842.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-1871 size-full\" src=\"http:\/\/phillipreeve.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/DSC08842.jpg\" alt=\"DSC08842\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" srcset=\"https:\/\/phillipreeve.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/DSC08842.jpg 800w, https:\/\/phillipreeve.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/DSC08842-300x200.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-1871\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Sony a7ii | Zeiss 1.4\/50 | f\/8 | <a href=\"https:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/96189377@N08\/24282324582\/sizes\/o\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">full resolution<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure id=\"attachment_1854\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-1854\" style=\"width: 800px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><a href=\"http:\/\/phillipreeve.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/DSC00108.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-1854 size-full\" src=\"http:\/\/phillipreeve.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/DSC00108.jpg\" alt=\"DSC00108\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" srcset=\"https:\/\/phillipreeve.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/DSC00108.jpg 800w, https:\/\/phillipreeve.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/DSC00108-300x200.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-1854\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Sony a7ii | Zeiss 1.4\/50 | f\/2.8 | <a href=\"https:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/96189377@N08\/24022771309\/sizes\/o\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">full resolution<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure id=\"attachment_1852\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-1852\" style=\"width: 800px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><a href=\"http:\/\/phillipreeve.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/DSC00086.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-1852 size-full\" src=\"http:\/\/phillipreeve.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/DSC00086.jpg\" alt=\"DSC00086\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" srcset=\"https:\/\/phillipreeve.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/DSC00086.jpg 800w, https:\/\/phillipreeve.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/DSC00086-300x200.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-1852\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Sony a7ii | Zeiss 1.4\/50 | f\/5.6 | <a href=\"https:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/96189377@N08\/23763776813\/sizes\/o\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">full resolution<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure id=\"attachment_1853\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-1853\" style=\"width: 800px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><a href=\"http:\/\/phillipreeve.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/DSC00103.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-1853 size-full\" src=\"http:\/\/phillipreeve.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/DSC00103.jpg\" alt=\"DSC00103\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" srcset=\"https:\/\/phillipreeve.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/DSC00103.jpg 800w, https:\/\/phillipreeve.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/DSC00103-300x200.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-1853\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Sony a7ii | Zeiss 1.4\/50 | f\/1.4 | <a href=\"https:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/96189377@N08\/24364360266\/sizes\/o\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">full resolution<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h1>Other Articles<\/h1>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/Phillip-Reeve-525402494292511\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">My<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/Phillip-Reeve-525402494292511\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"> Facebook page<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/phillipreeve.net\/blog\/manual-lenses-sony-a7\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Manual lenses on the Sony a7 \u2013 a beginner&#8217;s guide<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/phillipreeve.net\/blog\/affordable-manual-lenses-for-the-sony-alpha-77r7ii7rii-and-7s\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">15 affordable manual lenses for\u00a0the Sony a7 series<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/phillipreeve.net\/blog\/lenses\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">My other lens reviews<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>This site contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase using any of the links marked as affiliate links, I may receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. This helps support the creation of future content.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Carl Zeiss Planar 1,4\/50 with C\/Y mount is a typical representative of the 1.4\/50 class Sample Images<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[419,169],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1847","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-vintage","category-zeiss"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v25.5 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Review: Carl Zeiss Planar 1,4\/50 (C\/Y) - phillipreeve.net<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"In-Depth Review of the Carl Zeiss Planar 1.4\/50 C\/Y on the Sony a7 containing technical analysis and many full resolution sample images.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/phillipreeve.net\/blog\/review-carl-zeiss-planar-1450-cy\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Review: Carl Zeiss Planar 1,4\/50 (C\/Y) - 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