Why are Zeiss lenses manual?

[thedman]

It would change the way they provide such high mechanical quality. Dare I say that for me it's really the other way round: why doesn't Canon provide any digital full frame body that works reliably as a full time manual focus camera only? Answer: very few people would be buying something like this in this day and age. But I'd still prefer it.

You don't use live view for manual focus?

No. Never. I can't stand it. If live view was gone I wouldn't know it.

+1

As a landscape shooter I use live view/MF almost exclusively. I even set my autofocus lenses to manual and use them just as I use my Zeiss. I want absolute precision. Can't just hear a beep and hope it's correct.

 

[CarlTN]

I hear about the great Zeiss lenses, and read the great reviews on them.

My question is, why do they ONLY seem to do manual focus lenses? Could they not really clean up on the high end market by making them work with the Canon/Nikon AF systems???

Thanks in advance,

cayenne

Zeiss don't make AF lenses for Canon / Nikon because they are in league with Sony. Most or all of their ZF/ZE mount lenses are made in Japan. So Zeiss want you to choose the Sony system if you want their lenses that can autofocus. It's a similar reason Leica aligned themselves with the micro 4/3 system (Panasonic and Olympus)...because Leica's M mount lenses can be made to work on those smaller-sensored cameras...where they can't work on "full frame" or even aps-c DSLR's (none I'm aware of, anyway...the M mount might work on the EOS-M though...coincidence?).

 

[amewzing]

Once you get use to using MF on a lens built for MF it's really not that much of a problem. The throw on the focus ring allows you make super fine adjustments very quickly. I've shot a variety of things from landscapes to fast pace roller derby with them. I also like being able to compose an image exactly how I want to and then focus, verses focusing and then composing an image. Overall I'd say the compromise is worth it, once you learn how to use it.

 

[cayenne]

Once you get use to using MF on a lens built for MF it's really not that much of a problem. The throw on the focus ring allows you make super fine adjustments very quickly. I've shot a variety of things from landscapes to fast pace roller derby with them. I also like being able to compose an image exactly how I want to and then focus, verses focusing and then composing an image. Overall I'd say the compromise is worth it, once you learn how to use it.

Well, I could use it for video, where I have the camera on a tripod, and using liveview and can zoom in...but with my eyesight, I can't really do it right for stills on the fly with the viewfinder.


I guess manual lenses get a little less attractive as you age and sight goes a bit.


C

 

[dgatwood]

Zeiss manual lenses for Canon EF mount feature "focus confirmation, metering/operation with all modes (Av, Tv, M, P...) except A-DEP, lens data transmitted to EXIF, distance reporting for E-TTL II". This is not feasible without access to the lens protocol of the Canon EF mount.

Most of it, anyway. Autofocus is a bit more complex, requiring the ability to compute how far the lens needs to move. That's not quite as trivial as the other things on your list.

Also, at least some of the (original) patents on Canon EF mount and the electrical mount protocol must have expired some time ago [1987 -> 20 or 25 years thereafter -> 2007/2012?].

For patents that old, it's either 17 years from the date of issue or 20 years from the application date, whichever is longer, so theoretically some of those patents could still be valid if they got tied up in arguments with the USPTO for a decade or more. It's doubtful, though.

 

[Zv]

It would change the way they provide such high mechanical quality. Dare I say that for me it's really the other way round: why doesn't Canon provide any digital full frame body that works reliably as a full time manual focus camera only? Answer: very few people would be buying something like this in this day and age. But I'd still prefer it.

You don't use live view for manual focus?

No. Never. I can't stand it. If live view was gone I wouldn't know it.

+1

As a landscape shooter I use live view/MF almost exclusively. I even set my autofocus lenses to manual and use them just as I use my Zeiss. I want absolute precision. Can't just hear a beep and hope it's correct.

What's wrong with Live View? Why wouldn't you use it with the x5 & x10 zoom view? You must have immaculate eyesight if you can get focus bang on with viewfinder alone.