Content Inhalt Carl Zeiss Qualität “Extremes“ – A Day – with the made Planarby T*Cosina 1,4/85 ZE
A Towering Das BusinessSuccess im Griff–– 2
Das your Put Carl Zeiss knowledge C Sonnar intoT*picture 1,5/50– ZM – ein außergewöhnliches 2008 photo contest
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Objektiv für außergewöhnliche 4
A photo documentary project
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Vertriebsaufbau für PhotoProdukte läuft erfolgreich
Measuring Messen undlenses objectively –
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Why do we Veranstaltungen 2007 need MTF curves?
‘Working with the Light‘ – Aufnahmen
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Photokina 2008 mit ZEISS Optik
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A newsletter for all who use, buy, sell, like, report about and are interested in Carl Zeiss camera lenses.
Carl Zeiss Camera Lens Division
Camera Lens News
27 30
December 2008
Camera Lens News Nr. 30 Carl Zeiss
December 2008
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„Extremes“ – A Day with the Planar T* 1,4/85 ZE The Planar T* 1,4/85 ZE is, as a short telephoto lens, the classic portrait focal length. The photographer René Budde from Hamburg was able to test the newest product from the range of Carl Zeiss lenses for a day. He talks to us about his experience. What sort of experience was it for you working with the Planar T* 1,4/85 ZE? René Budde After years of working with autofocus and zoom lenses, at the beginning you think that you are going to be restricted by manual focusing, but this attitude changes very quickly when you realize the creative opportunities that open up for you. While you are taking photographs, looking for the “right” point of sharpness, the original idea for the image can sometimes change. You can be drawn into the
The great thing with the Planar T*
scene and are effectively travelling
1,4/85 ZE is that you do not only
through the image. And in doing so
discover your surroundings under
you discover again and again new
85mm conditions, but you continue
aspects about the composition. That
to discover it through the viewfin-
it truly exciting!
der. This aspect, teamed with the precise focussing mechanism, is
What is different between the
simply great fun because you are
Planar T* 1,4/85 ZE and wor-
working with your camera rather
king with an autofocus lens?
than letting your camera work. You can put your personality into the
René Budde You give much more
image. You will photograph more
thought to the composition of the
consciously.
picture. You set the details, the distance and the depth of field. After that you have to move your whole body to vary the distances, and then finally make the “shot”.
Camera Lens News Nr. 30 Carl Zeiss
December 2008
The Planar T* 1,4/85 ZE is a
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Do you have any final words?
very high-speed lens. This is especially useful for creatively
René Budde The Planar T* 1,4/85
controlling the depth of field.
ZE is not an easy lens but it is not
How do you transfer that to
intended to be one. You should take
your photographs?
it with you more often so that you
About the photographer
can work more quickly with it. René Budde The intensity of light,
I have been waiting for the synthesis
the very slight telefocal length and
of a modern fully formatted D-SLR
the sluggishness because of the
camera and a lens like that for a ve-
weight make you long for there to
ry long time. If I am being honest, it
René Budde, who lives is Hamburg,
be natural light. My favorite light! In
looks good, it is as heavy as it looks,
has been working as a freelance
addition to this, the Planar T* 1,4/85
it can be precisely adjusted and its
photographer for twelve years. His
ZE draws the out-of-focus areas in
performance is utterly beyond ques-
work has already been on show to
a very harmonic way. This opens up
tion. More please!
the public in a number of exhibi-
several creative possibilities I can use
tions. First and foremost he takes
for my way of photography.
shots from the world of music, architecture and artistic, creative life. Reportage-style images from France, Portugal, Spain, Asia and the USA as well as portraits complete his portfolio.
Camera Lens News Nr. 30 Carl Zeiss
December 2008
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Pulse of the City – Carl Zeiss photo competition 2008
Carl Zeiss AG is launching a pho-
Decisive evaluation criteria are
All winning photos will be published
to contest on 15 December.
personalized composition and crea-
on the Carl Zeiss website. If you
tivity.
wish to take part in the photo contest
Under the motto “Pulse of the City“,
you can find further information
we are looking for interesting photos
The promotion lasts until 15 January
and the participation form at
showing the spirit of time of a
2009. After that, an international jury
www.zeiss.com/photo.
modern city. The focus will be on the
will assess all submissions and select
streets and avenues standing symboli-
ten winners. The famous people
cally for the pulse of a city. The use of
photographer Uwe Ommer will be
a lens from Carl Zeiss is obligatory for
participating as a jury member. The
participation in the contest.
ten winners will be awarded with exciting prizes such a Carl Zeiss SLR lens of choice, a Nokia N96 and the Carl Zeiss video goggles “Cinemizer”.
Exciting prizes at the Carl Zeiss photo contest
Camera Lens News Nr. 30 Carl Zeiss
December 2008
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‘Working with the Light‘ – A photo documentary project While not having the complete freedom of a painter‘s palette, to choose the color, light, shadow and composition from the given elements, a photographer always has the chance of time, exposure and new occasion, with which to create. Conceived and photographed as a documentary project, my approach to this portrait about ‘Fishermen’, is far more closely aligned to that of picture making. I very much like working within these two opposing disciplines of approach, when taking photographs. This was my main reason for choosing this location and this community
Getting involved
picture, my eyes and the lens, always
of people. The cycle of activities is
For all the above reasons I decided
working as one.
played out in a seemingly endless set
to work manually and only with‚
of possibilities - it’s a little like being
prime lenses‘, mounted on a Nikon
I chose to work with ZEISS ZF lenses
‚on stage‘, in a continuous play.
D3 camera body. In this way, I always
and the Distagon T* 2,8/25 ZF in
gained complete involvement with
particular because of their many
the subject, always going to the
exceptional qualities. The very fine focal adjustment available, let me decide just how and where it should fall, to suite my vision of the picture. The unique ‚close focus capability‘ meant that I could often make a picture, in a completely different way – It opened up my approach, to looking. I like very much, that visual ideas should flow in both directions through the lens.
Camera Lens News Nr. 30 Carl Zeiss
December 2008
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Therefore, pictures do not require lots of manipulation, to match the original composition. It was the high degree of versatility with this lens that gave me the confidence to take the project forward - always looking at the moment - always open to the options - and always, very much, ‚ Working with the Light‘.
About the photographer Harsh light – No issue
breathtaking. Many people avoid
The ‚brilliant‘ quality of the light in
photographing during the middle
this part of Cornwall was quite
part of the day - when the sunlight is
coincidental, but often made things
really harsh - but with this lens,
very difficult. On long days spent
I found another level of photography.
working with vivid, saturated colors and eye dazzling, whites. I found the
Color rendition was also excellent
ability of the Distagon T* 2,8/25 ZF
and, more importantly, very
Hugh Symonds has been
to ‚look into the light‘, without
consistent. ZEISS optics produce a
passionate about photography
internal reflection or flair, simply
very natural look to the image.
all his life. It was a major creative element in his Fine Art work whilst studying at Art College. His experience continued to broaden and develop, when he started working in the commercial film industry. Although the ‚digital revolution‘ has brought many changes to the working process of photography he still gets a thrill when looking through a camera lens - mind and body complicit - and hears the shutter roll. More photographs from this series can be seen at HYPERLINK „http://www.hupix.net“ www. hupix.net.
Camera Lens News Nr. 30 Carl Zeiss
December 2008
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A Towering Success – Carl Zeiss at photokina 2008 This year’s photokina in Cologne was a trade fair of superlatives. More than 1,500 exhibitors from 49 countries attended the trade fair; this impressive figure was only topped by the throng of visitors. Slightly less than 170,000 visitors from 169 countries made their way to photokina. As ever, Carl Zeiss was also there. At a booth measuring some 430 m², visitors had the opportunity to immerse themselves in the “World of Carl Zeiss.” The highlight was an over-sized, walk-through lens. Interested visitors were able to learn how much precision and love of detail goes into manufacturing lenses for cinematography and photography at Carl Zeiss. The highlights on display “From the wide universe right down to your pants pocket,” past highlights were on display from the history of the Carl Zeiss Camera
Of course, the smallest lenses from
Another visitor was amazed at the
Lens Division. These include the
the product range could not be
razor-sharp focus of the lenses used
famous 0,7/50 mm “light giant”
overlooked: camera modules used
for Google Earth images. “It is truly
Planar lens. A “Moon Hasselblad”
in Sony, Nokia and Logitech devices.
fascinating; you can even see the
featuring a Carl Zeiss Biogon 5,6/60
Many visitors were also surprised
individual roof tiles.”
from NASA’s Apollo 11 mission was
that they continually come into
also on display.
contact with Carl Zeiss products in their everyday lives – either on a trip to the movies or when “surfing” on Google Earth. “I had not realized that Carl Zeiss also manufactures lenses for cine production,” said one enthused visitor. “The Lord of the Rings” films are my all-time favorite movies.”
Camera Lens News Nr. 30 Carl Zeiss
December 2008
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On a photo safari with ZEISS
Innovations at the trade fair
“I can finally use ZEISS lenses on
A real magnet for onlookers was
The photographers focused, in
my Canon camera. This will provide
the “Lagoon.” Visitors had the
particular, on the new products on
me with entirely new creative
opportunity to test the latest Carl
display at the trade fair:
opportunities.”
Zeiss products on the spot. All
the Planar T* 1,4/50 ZE and the
lenses were combined with the
Planar T* 1,4/85 ZE with an EF
And even the newly launched
latest camera models. An artificial
bayonet.
Distagon T* 2,8/21 ZF attracted
garden proved to be an intriguing
a great deal of interest at the advice
and diverse photographic backdrop.
counters. This lens was legendary
The very brave armed themselves
and very popular in the earlier
with a Makro-Planar T* 2/100 and
Contax system. With outstanding
dared to get close to a life-size lion,
performance data, this updated
which was on loan from Steiff for
version will once again set new
the duration of the trade fair.
benchmarks in this focal length class.
Camera Lens News Nr. 30 Carl Zeiss
December 2008
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Measuring lenses objectively – Why do we need MTF curves?
Carl Zeiss employee measuring MTF of a lens.
MTF – these three letters are today
But what exactly does MTF stand
a magic word with photographers
for? What is in reality behind terms,
and with anyone, who is interested
such as contrasts, sharpness,
in detail in the technical quality of
resolution capacity, local frequency,
his photographs. For decades, we
sagittal or tangential? And what
from Carl Zeiss have been publishing
does this actually have to do with
the MTF curves of our lenses. Today,
photography? Does my picture look
other manufacturers do so too.
better if my lens has an MTF curve
Also, it is possible to find similar
like the ones in the textbooks?
data in numerous test reports, either in print or online. There is
Dr. Hubert Nasse, Senior Scientist
ample discussion material.
with Carl Zeiss AG, has exhaustively investigated this subject. Read on if you want to become an expert too.
Publisher’s Imprint Camera Lens News A newsletter for all who use, buy, sell, like, report about and are interested in Carl Zeiss camera lenses. All information in Camera Lens News is given to the best of our knowledge at the time of publication. Publisher: Carl Zeiss AG, Oberkochen Camera Lens Division Marketing 73446 Oberkochen Germany Tel. +49 (0) 73 64 – 20 175 E-Mail: photo@zeiss.de Internet: www.zeiss.de/photo