Contents 120 Years of Lenses
Rediscovering the
from Carl Zeiss
2
Amber Road
30 years of “BILLY”
5
Dr. Hubert Nasse about „Bokeh“
Fire shapes in the cold and dark
6
9
14
A newsletter for anyone who enjoys using, writing about, buying and selling Carl Zeiss camera lenses.
Carl Zeiss Camera Lens Division
Camera Lens News
35
April 2010
Camera Lens News No 35 Carl Zeiss
April 2010
Page 2
Lenses make History 120 years ago Carl Zeiss produced its first camera lenses They’ve been to space; they’re
moon landing were taken with Carl
Hollywood favorites; and they’ve
Zeiss lenses, as were numerous
been the constant companions
Oscar-acclaimed films, such as Barry
of demanding photographers
Lyndon, The Lord of the Rings trilogy
around the globe for 120 years –
and Slumdog Millionaire. One of
Carl Zeiss lenses.
Germany’s best-known cameramen, Michael Ballhaus, has been working
The first photo lenses came on the
exclusively with ZEISS lenses for years.
market at the end of March 1890. On
“Carl Zeiss’ latest cameras and lenses
the occasion of its 120th anniversary,
allow me to see on screen exactly
renowned German optics manufac-
what the eye sees,” says Ballhaus.
turer Carl Zeiss, with key locations
When image quality and reliability is essential there is only one possible choice: Lenses by
in Jena and Oberkochen, can reflect
Several breakthroughs in optical
on a rich history and look to the
systems were the work of physicist
future with confidence. Throughout
and mathematician Ernst Abbe. His
the anniversary year, the company
discoveries are still the standard for
years, it manufactured microscopes
will be celebrating its breakthroughs
today’s modern high-performance
almost exclusively. Ernst Abbe, a Carl
in photographic technology with
optics. Abbe’s “sine condition”, for
Zeiss shareholder at that stage, later
activities for both customers and the
example, has to be fulfilled by all
began to expand the product port-
public. “Carl Zeiss lenses helped write
high-performance lenses and optical
folio by developing photo lenses and
photographic history. They have truly
systems. It is in this tradition that
binoculars. In the 1880s, Otto Schott
stood the test of time,” says Winfried
Carl Zeiss has continuously perfected
had begun producing new types of
Scherle, head of the Camera Lens
its calculation methods, making it the
glass with much-improved optical
Division.
world’s leading company in optics
qualities. This innovation opened up
design.
new possibilities for Carl Zeiss and
ZEISS lenses come into play when-
Carl Zeiss
it started to develop lens types with
ever extremely high image quality,
Carl Zeiss was founded in 1846 in
hitherto unheard-of light gathering
reliability and excellent results are
Jena as a workshop for precision
power.
required. The shots of the 1969
mechanics and optics. In its early Milestones in lens development In 1896 Carl Zeiss presented its Planar lens. This lens type is still found in many professional optical tools for photography on Earth and in space. The Planar is the foundation for a variety of Carl Zeiss high-performance lenses with impressive color correction, speed, image flatness and low image distortion.
Carl Zeiss: Optics manufacturer with tradition
Camera Lens News No 35 Carl Zeiss
April 2010
Page 3
Over the last 15 years, joint ventures with Sony and Nokia have allowed Carl Zeiss lenses to spread widely. Sony has been using ZEISS lenses in its compact cameras and camcorders since 1996. Since 2005, Nokia smartphone and mobile phone users have been taking photographs with integrated ZEISS lenses. Still today, the Planar lens design is the base of many optical tools.
In 1902, Carl Zeiss submitted a patent
Carl Zeiss even played a pioneering
for what would eventually become
role in computer aided lens design.
the most famous photo lens of all
The introduction of CAD-supported
time: the Tessar. This lens was charac-
lens development in 1961 replaced
terized by a relatively high speed and,
lens design by hand and has enabled
for the first time, could take extremely
a far more complex construction
sharp pictures with very little optical
and improved interaction between
effort. It paved the way for camera
lens elements ever since.
design miniaturization, a trend that continues today. Millions of lenses in contemporary, high-quality photo cameras and mobile telephones followed the Tessar’s example with its outstanding image quality. In 1935, Carl Zeiss followed with another breakthrough invention that opened up new possibilities for brilliant imaging: This anti-reflex coating is denoted by the symbol T* on today’s lenses. This vacuumdeposited coating on the lens’s glass surfaces reduces bothersome reflections and stray light in the image, and paved the way for today’s highly complex optical systems. In 1943, Carl Zeiss also developed a procedure to measure lens image quality with so-called “MTF” curves (modulation transfer function), which numerous manufacturers today use for quality control.
Developments by Carl Zeiss shaped todays technology.
Camera Lens News No 35 Carl Zeiss
April 2010
Page 4
30 years of “BILLY” Pictures of a famous bookcase Who isn’t familiar with IKEA’s BILLY bookcase? Regardless of age, profession and gender, millions of people have chosen BILLY as the home for their books, CDs and other bits and pieces. Last year, the world’s bestselling bookcase turned 30. For its biography “BILLY – 30 years old. BILLY – 30 years young” (ZWEITAUSENDEINS, 2009), Martin Grothmaak and Tom Ziora embarked on a photographic journey through the history of this world famous piece of furniture. Their luggage included a Nikon D3, the Planar T* 1,4/50 and the Distagon T* 2,8/25 by Carl Zeiss.
in association with the bookcase.
the people in the same rooms as the
First, we chose a number of people
bookcase. And we wanted them to
from different generations, social and
look as natural as possible, which
professional groups. 30 people, one
is why we decided to work without
for each year. Then we visited them,
artificial light. But we never knew
set up an empty BILLY bookcase
in advance what to expect or how
at home for them, and then pho-
much light we would have for the
tographed two faces – one of the
shoot. We photographed our subjects
person, and the other of the book-
in completely different places and at
case. The bookcase was like a white
different times of day; sometimes we
canvas, a carrier for the owner’s
were in the midday sun, others times
thoughts that were then expressed
it was twilight, and sometimes we
by the arrangement of the objects
used studio lighting. You need very a
So what is this photographic
on the bookcase. We photographed
fast lens for “available light” photo-
journey about?
the same bookcase 30 times, but we
graphy.
The biography presents the history
showed 30 different worlds.
The versatile all-round lens: Planar T* 1,4/50 ZF
of the BILLY bookcase and how
And apart from the speed?
various generations have used it. The
What were the challenges
The optical performance of the lens
chapters are dedicated to various
that faced you in your task?
was particularly important in the
topics, such as “Rebellion”, “Love”
When we did the portrait shots, the
shots of the bookcase. After all, we
and “Lateral thinkers”. Our task was
light was one of the biggest chal-
didn’t just want to take pictures of
to visualise the topic of “Humility”
lenges. We wanted to photograph
the bookcase; we also wanted to
Camera Lens News No 35 Carl Zeiss
April 2010
Page 5
show something of the room it was in. There wasn’t always much room, so we had to use a wide-angle lens. But we usually tried to avoid doing that, because most wide angles tend to distort the pictures. This was the first time you had experienced ZEISS lenses in digital photography. Well, in the medium format range, we have had excellent results with ZEISS lenses for Hasselblad. Now we wanted to see just what we could do with it in digital photography. We were really impressed with the Distagon T* 2,8/25. Despite the wide angle distortion is minimal, and the clarity is brilliant. The Distagon T* 1,4/50 was also the right choice.
Martin Grothmaak is a
Although it is not typically used in
co-founder and partner at
portrait photography, it did enable
the Stuttgart Design Studio
us to create the style we wanted –
Projekttriangle
realistic, natural portraits. Its speed
(www.projekttriangle.com).
in particular made it ideal for our
Tom Ziora is a freelance
purposes. With both lenses, you
photographer. Both studied
can see and feel the quality on the
visual design at the FH Schwäbisch
outside. They are beautifully made,
Gmünd, and to both of them
and are equally appealing in extreme
the picture is the most decisive
or unusual situations.
medium in design. They have been working together for several
What is the most important
years, creating projects such
aspect of a lens for you?
as the “Kochbuch der verpönten
Whether a camera or a lens, the
Küche” by Wolfram Siebeck
equipment has to work brilliantly and
(Edition Braus im Wachter
do exactly what the photographer
Verlag, 2008).
wants. But ultimately, what matters most is the person behind the camera, his motif, and what he does with it.
Camera Lens News No 35 Carl Zeiss
April 2010
Page 6
Fire shapes in the cold and dark From the Weser to the Matterhorn – light art under extreme conditions
Masterpieces using long-time exposure: Light Art Performance Photography
Light artists Jan Leonardo
For the performance, that is to say
the design. A specialist photography
Wöllert and Jörg Miedza of
the performance itself and the repre-
magazine once summed it up thus:
Wuppertal in Germany design
sentation, the steps and movement
“The dance with light – the results
and photograph performances
need to be planned and implemented
are images that delight and enchant
with lasers and fire. The challen-
with absolute precision – just like
the eye and are a magnificent additi-
ges for the camera and lenses
the choreography for a dance. This
on to the language of photography.”
are tremendous.
dynamism creates its very own picture language under time exposure.
Extensive lighting equipment is no
Our motifs disappear in moments –
We light artists and photographers
less important than the skills of the
we sculpt from light. The work is
work both in front of and behind the
performance. It doesn’t have to be
created under time exposure at the
camera. We stage the most diverse
expensive – lots of lighting equip-
moment of the performance. Light
kinds of light in an impressive setting.
ment is bought from “pound shops”,
Art Performance Photography –
DIY and end-of-line outlets. We buy
LAPP – is a symbiosis between the
The results are entirely innovative and
our pyrotechnics, fire, lasers and
performance of light art, and the
unique motifs and exceptional photo-
special lighting tools from specialists.
technical execution of a photograph.
graphs with the ultimate precision in
Quite often, we combine the most
Camera Lens News No 35 Carl Zeiss
April 2010
Page 7
diverse products to create entirely
we demand and expect the utmost
and unbeatable clarity. They proved
new lighting tools. LED lights are par-
of our photographic equipment. We
astonishingly resilient in extreme cold.
ticularly useful for LAPP. Focused light
often travel far for our light perfor-
Whereas all the other lenses we have
is extremely important. Only a few
mances in order to embed the event
tried and used froze and iced over at
manufacturers such as Led Lenser are
into the appropriate setting. We have
some point, the Carl Zeiss Distagon T*
able to bundle LED light and create
to be able to rely completely on our
3,5/18 ZE never let us down.
an intensive ray. Their patented focus
photographic technology.
system enables us to control the light in the scene with absolute precision.
On the Matterhorn in Switzerland We usually photograph under
at an altitude of 3800 m and 20°C
extreme weather conditions. They
below freezing, the combination
And the new Carl Zeiss lenses on the
range from the high humidity of a
of Canon 5D MKII and Carl Zeiss
Canon 5D MII are the perfect partners
stalactite cave in China and the
Distagon T* 3,5/18 ZE performed
in our often extremely challenging
oppressive heat on the south China
superbly and without failure. Under
endeavours. In Light Art Performance
coast to freezing temperatures as
these extreme conditions there was
Photography, we subject the lenses
low as -20°C or winter storms on
already a coating of ice on both
and camera to the most extreme
the Little Matterhorn. ZEISS lenses
items, but the camera and the lens
conditions and loads. Whether direct
Distagon T* 3,5/18 ZE and Distagon T*
provided excellent results. The lens
lighting into the lens with intensive
2,8/21 ZE appealed to us on several
didn’t even mist over or develop ice!
pyrotechnics and a strong, focused
counts, and particularly for their very
On another occasion on the Weser,
LED light or the projection of lasers,
high, extremely detailed reproduction
ice crystals formed on Canon, Nikon
Camera Lens News No 35 Carl Zeiss
April 2010
Page 8
perspectives and picture composi-
if Carl Zeiss were to add a 14-mm
tions. There are only a few lenses on
ultra wide angle to its range.
the market that enable us to record images to such depths under these lighting, weather and mechanical
About LAPP
effects. We often have multi-layered
The Light Art Performance
picture compositions, and use per-
Photography (briefly LAPP) is a
spective linearities in combination
one-shot long time blub exposure
with the light performance to create
photography performed additio-
multi-dimensional spaces. Marginal
nally with a movement of light.
sharpness is extremely important,
www.lapp-pro.de
Carl Zeiss Lenses: Even under extreme conditions
and on the Distagon T* 3,5/18 ZE,
the perfect fit for your application
for instance, reaches the farthest corners even with large apertures.
and Leica lenses at temperatures of -16°C, but the 18mm Distagon
We cannot and will not be without
remained clear all through the night.
ZEISS’s new Distagon lenses any more. Hardly any other lens is so
Carl Zeiss lenses offer us tremendous
well attuned to our work and com-
freedom in creativity. Not just because
pletes our picture designs in quite
they are reliable partners in almost
the same way. In order to facilitate
any weather, but also because they
even more extreme perspectives in
enable us to photograph extreme
the future, we would be delighted
Camera Lens News No 35 Carl Zeiss
April 2010
Page 9
Rediscovering the Amber Road On foot from Venice to St. Petersburg The Swiss actor, photographer
Saving weight was one considera-
and the Planar T* 1,4/85 ZF as the
and writer Markus Zohner spent
tion – an important argument in an
telephoto. To me, the combination
nine months hiking the historical
undertaking where every gram of
of this full-format camera with the
Amber Road from Venice to
weight, every single film reel, had to
ZEISS lenses was technical perfection.
St. Petersburg. His 4000-km
be carried thousands of kilometres.
What appealed about the D700 was
journey took him through twelve
The second – no less important – was
the fabulous flexibility in setting the
different countries at the heart
logistics: did I really want to have
sensitivity. The brightness, clarity and
of Europe. In his luggage: Carl
films sent to Breslau and then, a few
light intensity meant that every look
Zeiss cameras and lenses.
hundred kilometres later, to send
through the viewfinder was a treat
them to the lab from Kalisz, before
for the eyes. I have rarely experienced
It was not an easy decision to make.
finally being able to check the scans
such incredible quality in reproduc-
But in view of the 4000-km hike
at an Internet café in Danzig? After
tion and processing.
across Europe that lay ahead of me, I
months of testing analogue and
inally decided to take a digital camera
digital materials, I opted for digital. I
The dimensions of the world shift on
with me. Despite my passion for
packed a Nikon D700 and two fabu-
a hike. Every single step tells us our
film, the advantages of digital camera
lous Carl Zeiss lenses: the Distagon T*
limitations: five kilometres mean an
technology were overwhelming.
3,5/18 ZF as my wide-angle lens,
hour, and the after-effects of a day’s
Camera Lens News No 35 Carl Zeiss
April 2010
Page 10
achievement of thirty kilometres are
with fear and dread in view of the
You don’t then pull out a machine
still with us the next morning. Ano-
rhythm of my steps and the constant
gun to capture these impressions in
ther 75 kilometres to Danzig? That’s
and undeniable slowness of my
seconds and en masse and save them
three or four days. Of course, modern
existence. One of my most personal
digitally. You live differently; you live
technology – car or the train – would
goals on this journey was also to
analogously.
have us there in an hour. But left to
apply the deceleration of my physical
our own devices – and strength – we
movement to my creative work, to
On a journey like this one, far more
realise just how big the world really
my writing and photography. Five
happens inside you than you are able
is. We experience distances, rain,
images a second is absolutely crazy.
to describe. You live so intensively
hunger, weight and tiredness far more
That’s something you realise when
that you need a tool that is a match
intensively. Technology fools us into
you can’t keep up with the sights,
for your own slowness, but also for
thinking we can master the world – or
sounds and smells of the woods and
the development of your imagination.
simply fade out its contradictions.
forests and meadows, the towns
One month in, after crossing Italy
and villages. When the icy wind of
and Slovenia, I sent the SLR back
The technical details of a modern SLR
Hungary is whistling around your ears
to Lugano. I had the Zeiss Ikon in
camera can leave us feeling dizzy.
and the hot Polish sun burning your
our office sent to Hungary together
Having a piece of equipment with me
skin; when you are welcomed by the
with two other treasures: the
that can think more quickly than I do
people of the Czech Republic or an
Distagon T* 2,8/15 ZM and the
and that is able to shoot between five
elderly lady riding a bicycle shows
Sonnar T* 2/85 ZM.
and eight images a second filled me
you the way to your accommodation.
Camera Lens News No 35 Carl Zeiss
April 2010
Page 11
Now I was in my element. I had to,
and accept that many moments
the colours. A festival of seeing.
was able to, create an image in my
would pass without being recorded.
Photography.
inner eye before shooting it. At last
Not everything is possible, and the
the camera was no longer faster than
value of things also lies in accepting
Mostly I had the Distagon T* 2,8/15
me; at last the inflation of the mass
this limitation. Once I started using
ZM on the camera, the perfect lens
of shots no longer wiped out the
the Zeiss Ikon camera, photography
for landscapes and, if I got close en-
clarity of my pictorial search. Sure,
once again became what I had been
ough and used it carefully, for people
the boundaries were getting tighter:
dreaming of this journey becoming:
as well. The extreme light intensity
the film inside the camera defined the
a clear, transparent, human tool
of the Sonnar T* 2/85 ZM made it
next 36 pictures. No quick change-
that, rather than being a highly
ideal for indoor portrait shots and
over to 12,400 ISO; no 25 shots of
complex machine between my eye
available light situations. I soon found
the same motif. But it was also these
and the people and the landscapes,
that the camera was a much lighter
boundaries that helped me to see
instead – consisting only of glass and
range finder camera than the digital
again. To concentrate. In the same
metal – became an almost invisible
SLR, which balanced out at least part
way as the walking became a medi-
extension of myself, a third eye, easy,
of the additional weight of the films.
tation, the photography now became
clear, simple. I began to read the light
The logistics problem was solvable.
a Zen exercise.
again, to know the shutter and the
And yes, it was good and right not
time before putting the camera to my
to see the pictures immediately, but
To open oneself up to the uniqueness
eye, to judge distances, to imagine
instead to hope that one had done
of the moment, but also to admit
the way the film would respond to
what one had done to the best of
Camera Lens News No 35 Carl Zeiss
April 2010
Page 12
Camera Lens News No 35 Carl Zeiss
April 2010
Page 13
one’s ability. Thus it was that the
The Zeiss Ikon camera and its clear
scans that I viewed some weeks later
eye became a valuable companion
on a computer somewhere became
to me on this great hike, became
series with plenty of surprises.
a friend who understood me. As I understood it.
In Poland I met an old man with a wonderful face and deep, clear eyes.
Markus Zohner’s book “Die Wieder-
I asked him if I could take a picture,
entdeckung der Bernsteinstrasse”
but I had finished the film. All I could
with hundreds of black-and-white
do was change it. We started to
and coloured photographs has just
talk. The act of rewinding, removing
been published and is available
the old and inserting the new film
from selected stores. His multimedia
became a bridge. We talked about
talks delight audiences in Germany,
photography, about German camera
Austria and Switzerland.
technology, which he believed was
“Die Wiederentdeckung
still the best in the world. He then
der Bernsteinstrasse”
asked to look at the camera, and
FIZZO Photo Book Film
was delighted with the clarity that he
ISBN: 9788890456091
too was able to understand, admired
Available postage free from
the quality of the lens. I can see this
bestellungen@fizzo.ch and
warm and friendly contact on the
from bookstores.
photo that I took of him. Contact
For further information on
that was brought about by the
the project please go to
enforced slowness of the process
www.amberroad.ch
of changing the film.
Camera Lens News No 35 Carl Zeiss
April 2010
Page 14
‘Nine rounded iris blades guarantee images with a harmonic bokeh’ You probably come across this
not be bored reading this article.
that you have to respect the minor
sentence quite a lot when reading
We will show an unusual way of
flaws of each lens in order to under-
about new lenses. But what are the
how you can understand depth of
stand the meaning of ‘bokeh’. The
technical characteristics behind this
field using very little geometry.
iris itself is simply not enough – This
phrase? And what has this got to do with the iris?
much can be said in advance. Don’t worry - Aside from some simple exceptions we will not be talking
For those who are not interested
We would like to answer these
about mathematical formulas at all.
in getting into too many details
questions in this issue of our Camera
Our goal is to understand the inter-
regar-ding the camera technology
Lens News. Since the topic ‘bokeh’
actions and introduce to you some
we provide some illustrations. Have
is closely connected to depth of field
hands-on rules of thumb. Knowled-
fun reading this article.
we would like to start this article with
geable facts and figures can be found
a link to the MTF article published in
in some tables and illustrations.
issue 30 and 31. If you did not have
The complete article by Dr. Hubert Nasse can be found on
the chance to read it yet this might
After all this, it will only be a small
our web site following this link:
be an interesting supplement to this
step to fully understand what hides
www.zeiss.com/cln
article.
behind the mysterious term ‘bokeh’. While the geometric theory of depth
Indeed, this topic has been discussed
of field looks at the topics from an
several times and some of you might
idealized point of view you have to
think that this is unexciting topic.
take the real characteristics of each
But we are convinced that you will
lens into consideration. This means
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 accurate to the best of our knowledge at the time of publication. Publisher: Carl Zeiss AG Camera Lens Division Marketing 73446 Oberkochen Germany Phone: +49 (0) 7364/20-6175 Email: photo@zeiss.de Internet: www.zeiss.de/photo