Zeiss novedades diciembre 2010

Contents Getting the light right ������������� 2

The right lens for each situation – Carl Zeiss camera lens types...... 11

Photo competition: „Light is my language”................. 6

Size Matters with Bryan Adams in the Carl Zeiss Calendar.......... 14

Safely on Its Way – Lens from Carl Zeiss Accompanies NASA Space Shuttle............................... 8

A newsletter for anyone who enjoys using, writing about, buying and selling Carl Zeiss camera lenses.

Carl Zeiss Camera Lens Division

Camera Lens News

38

December 2010

Camera Lens News Nr. 38 Carl Zeiss

December 2010

Page 2

Getting the light right

Architectural photography using the Distagon T* 3,5/18 ZE: Natural light / exposure: f/8 at 1/200 sec. / ISO 200 (www.photography-kernchen.com)

Christian Kernchen is a profes-

Mr Kernchen, much of your

sures you can really bring out some

sional and highly experienced

work centers around architec-

interesting moods and contrasts.

architectural and portrait pho-

tural photography. How do you

tographer based in Munich, Ger-

work with light and shadows in

You put the Carl Zeiss

many. His work reveals a finely

that field?

Distagon T* 3,5/18 ZE to the test

balanced interplay between light,

I generally work with natural light

with a Canon 5D MK II. What

aperture, sharpness and focus.

when I take shots of buildings and

were your overall impressions?

He put three Carl Zeiss lenses

architecture, and I especially enjoy

I used the Carl Zeiss Distagon T*

through their paces, focusing on

working at dawn and dusk when the

3,5/18 ZE at twilight without a

architecture, portrait photogra-

contrasts are not so harsh. Artificial

tripod. All the shots I took were

phy and macro shots.

light produced by light shapers or

razor-sharp even though I was taking

flash units does not tend to produce

them handheld and in some instances

enough illumination for buildings.

stopping the lens down to f/8 or f/11.

High dynamic range (HDR) imaging is

The superb depth of field and level of

great for architectural photography

detail allow you to take wonderfully

– by merging a series of shots of the

dramatic and beautifully presented

same subject taken at different expo-

architectural shots that really draw

Camera Lens News Nr. 38 Carl Zeiss

December 2010

Page 3

Architectural photography using the Distagon T* 3,5/18 ZE: Natural light / exposure: f/10 at 1/250 sec. / ISO 200 (www.photography-kernchen.com)

the viewer’s attention to the pivotal

photography, and it was genuinely

with a narrow focus and by using

parts of the image. This ultra-wide-

fun to use. It will be part of my stan-

vignetting, which is when the image

angle lens is an excellent choice for

dard kit from now on!

darkens towards the edges.

you often end up working in very

You also do a lot of portrait, life-

You tried out the Carl Zeiss Pla-

confined spaces and trying to capture

style and fashion photography.

nar T* 1,4/50 ZE for your portrait

and hold a huge field of view in full

How do you deal with light on

shoot. How did it go?

frame mode. With conventional 18

those kinds of jobs?

I did the portrait shoot with the well-

millimeter lenses that often results in

The most important thing about

known model Rebecca Baur in an

distortion because full frame cameras

portrait photography is getting the

empty, modern office building. The

provide weak results at the edges,

illumination just right and making

huge windows and the bare concrete

but the ZEISS Distagon T* 3,5/18 pro-

skilled use of natural light, which

walls made it the perfect location,

duced sharp images without distor-

basically means knowing how to use

both for working with natural light

tion. I hardly lost any of the picture

light shapers, shadows and contrasts

and for taking shots in dark corners

area when I was editing the images

to emphasize or mute certain parts

with a flash unit and what we call a

and I didn’t need to use distortion

of the picture. I try to take an artistic

“beauty dish”, a device that makes

correction.

approach to the person in front of

the light softer.

Personally, I was very impressed with

me and focus attention on specific

the lens, especially for full format

details. I find I get the best results

architectural photography because

Camera Lens News Nr. 38 Carl Zeiss

December 2010

Page 4

Portrait shot using the Carl Zeiss Planar T* 1,4/50 ZE: Natural light / exposure: f/4 at 1/200 sec. / ISO 100 (www.christian-kernchen.com)

Portrait shot using the Carl Zeiss Planar T* 1,4/50 ZE: Natural light / exposure: f/5.6 at 1/125 sec. / ISO 200 (www.christian-kernchen.com)

Camera Lens News Nr. 38 Carl Zeiss

December 2010

Page 5

Once again, I chose the Canon 5D MK II to test the Carl Zeiss Planar T* 1,4/50 ZE. Using manual focusing means you have to take your time with portraits and approach your subject calmly, without rushing. The superb bokeh you get with ZEISS lenses gives photographers real creative scope for playing around with focus and blur, and even with the aperture wide open I find I can still achieve precise focusing. I switched between natural light and flash during the shoot in order to bring out the details I wanted. The lens gives fantastic sharpness and image quality for portraits and close-up shots, both in natural light and in combination with a professional flash unit. The results were excellent – virtually none of the images were out-of-focus or shaky.

Tinkering with focus and blur is an important stylistic device in landscape and macro photography, too. What approach do you typically take in those areas?

I see my landscape photography work as a kind of counterbalance to my work as an architectural photog-

Macro shot using the Carl Zeiss Makro-Planar T* 2/100 ZE

rapher. As well as beautiful moun-

Natural light / exposure: f/2 at 1/50 sec. / ISO 100 (www.photography-kernchen.com)

tains and lakes, there are so many interesting little details waiting to be discovered. Nature contains all sorts

You also put the Carl Zeiss Mak-

good tripod, a remote trigger cable

of small, hidden wonders which you

ro-Planar T* 2/100 ZE through its

and mirror lock-up – just like with all

only find by getting as close as you

paces. What did you think of it?

macro photography. The f/2.0 lens

can to your subject, ideally with a

Once again I decided to use my

produced some interesting effects:

macro lens.

Canon 5D MK II full-format camera

The background becomes blurred

to test the Makro-Planar T* 2/100

and your gaze is immediately drawn

Christian Kernchen:

so that I could capture flowers and

to the main subject, such as a bud or

www.photography-kernchen.com

ferns from a distance without the

a flower. I got some superb, perfectly

www.christian-kernchen.com

limitations of a crop factor. The lens

focused results with the Makro-Pla-

has a very fine focus, so you need a

nar T* 2/100 even in natural light.

Camera Lens News Nr. 38 Carl Zeiss

December 2010

Page 6

Photo competition: „Light is my language” Without light there is no vision and no photography. The theme of this year’s photography competition therefore focuses on light and darkness. Under the motto „Light is my language”, photographers and photo enthusiasts from anywhere in the world are invited to submit pictures from their own perspective.

It makes no difference whether the picture is shot with an SLR single reflex lens or the camera of a mobile phone. The only requirement is to use a ZEISS lens.

ZEISS fans will help select the winners through the internet.

“Light is the most important creative

For the first time, anyone will be

Flickr gallery. From the 10 shortlisted

means in photography. Every pho-

able to follow the contest dur-ing its

images, the Flickr community will

tographer speaks his own language

entire duration on Flickr, the global

select the three best images. The

and ultimately expresses his creative

online photo com-munity. Partici-

picture that is added the most as a

messages through light and shadow,”

pants in the contest should upload

“favorite” after the start of the gallery

explains Martin Klottig, Marketing

their best image that fits the “Light is

will win.

Manager of the Carl Zeiss Camera

my language” theme and tag it with

Lens Division. There are many ways

the keyword “ZEISSContest2010”

The winner will receive a ZEISS SLR

of expressing one’s creativity through

on the official Carl Zeiss group

lens of his or her choice. The second

light and shadow. With light reflec-

on Flickr (www.flickr.com/groups/

prize is a set of cinemizer Plus video

tions, messages in bokeh (the out-

carlzeisslenses). Pictures can be sub-

glasses to-gether with a Nokia N8

of-focus area of an image), colorful

mitted until January 16, after which a

smartphone. The third-prize winner

accents derived from long exposure

jury from Carl Zeiss will select the 10

will receive a Sony DSC-TX9 compact

times or the soft glimmer of barely

best images. The jury will assess pic-

camera with ZEISS optics.

discernable light, photographers

tures on their creativity and technical

give their images meaning. “We’re

execution of the concept. The highest

looking for photographers who can

number of points will be given to ex-

For more information, visit

make something visible that would

citing images that have been created

www.zeiss.com/photo

otherwise remain hidden. The award-

before and during the shutter release,

www.zeiss.com/photo/contest

winning pictures will exude both cre-

with as little revising and adapting of

ativity and con-scious composition,”

the image as possible. The shortlisted

adds Klottig.

pictures will then be presented in a

Camera Lens News Nr. 38 Carl Zeiss

December 2010

Altes Stadthaus, Berlin, taken with Distagon T* 2,8/21

Sun over a lake, taken with Distagon T* 2,8/25

Page 7

Camera Lens News Nr. 38 Carl Zeiss

December 2010

Page 8

Safely on Its Way Lens from Carl Zeiss Accompanies NASA Space Shuttle Cape Canaveral. Night. The hustle and bustle of preparations cannot be overlooked. The employees of PCO AG, a leading manufacturer of high-speed cameras for industry and research, are anxious: the countdown for the launch of the next space shuttle mission is underway.

A camera from PCO and a lens from Carl Zeiss are recording the launch.

Artists are not the only ones who need high-speed equipment to draw attention to their subjects.

The demands of high-tech scenarios in industry, e.g. recording a nighttime launch of the space shuttle, are often much higher. More astounding is the fact that photographers use the same lenses for their art.

The United States has sent more than 100 space shuttles into space.

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration filmed each launch to learn from mistakes and make each subsequent flight safer and more reliable. The cameras and lenses

Space Shuttle before August 2009 launch

used for this purpose are subject to rigorous requirements. So rigorous that NASA has consistently stuck to

a Makro-Planar T* 2/100 ZF from

followed by a burst of light from the

traditional film cameras because, until

Carl Zeiss were there.

booster rockets. It is very difficult to

very recently, digital technology was

compensate for the resulting reflec-

still not up to the challenge. Time to

Superiority in light and darkness

tions. As with night photography, the

rethink this approach? In 2009, NASA

The material is really put to the test

cameras and lenses must feature very

asked four digital high-speed camera

while recording a shuttle launch. First

high speed. The cameras take several

makers to film the launch of a space

off, the differences in light intensity

hundreds of photos each second in

shuttle. A pco.dimax from PCO and

are enormous – the dead of night

order to capture all the details of a

Camera Lens News Nr. 38 Carl Zeiss

December 2010

Page 9

shuttle launch. The exposure times are accordingly short. The image sensors therefore have to be very sensitive and the lenses so powerful that sufficient light reaches the sensor.

Focusing on the details When photographers set out to capture the tiniest details, their primary requirement is good imaging performance. This is no different during a shuttle launch. The cameras are positioned some 300 meters from the launch pad, yet it is the close-up details of the launch that are crucial:

Following installation, various high-speed cameras and lenses were protected against the elements only by a

Did the shuttle separate correctly

small enclosure (source: PCO)

from the launch platform? Did all the engines ignite? Did the heat shield remain intact? NASA depends on this

with a very high resolution – and

shuttle launch produces incredible

information to perform its subse-

lenses that are just as good.

vibrations,” explains Gerhard Holst,

quent launch analysis, a process that

PCO’s head of research, “plus you

could enable it to determine why

What about the weather

have to deal with high humidity and

a part became detached from the

A third key quality feature is the

significant temperature variations, be-

shuttle during launch or even prevent

workmanship of cameras and lenses.

cause it gets a lot colder in Florida at

a potential catastrophe in space. Pick-

NASA’s requirements far exceed

night.” Once the cameras have been

ing out that level of detail from such

anything that photographic equip-

set up and focused, they are simply

a large distance requires cameras

ment generally encounters. “The

left outside – protected from the weather by nothing more than a mini roof – because access is subsequently prohibited for safety and security reasons. The fact that NASA had to repeatedly postpone the launch meant that the equipment was exposed to adverse weather conditions for more than a week – an indication of just how robust the systems need to be. “A standard lens wouldn’t even survive the vibrations triggered by the launch,” says Holst. So PCO chose the Makro-Planar T* 2/100 ZF from Carl Zeiss, a very fast lens that offers equally impressive resolution.

Test installation with a pco.dimax and ZEISS Makro-Planar T* 2/100 ZF in Florida (source: PCO)

Camera Lens News Nr. 38 Carl Zeiss

December 2010

Page 10

The test results were impressive, with

arena. After all, the high-speed cam-

the shots taken by PCO showing

eras from PCO and the lenses from

details such as thin cables that are

Carl Zeiss have demonstrated that

not visible on images taken by the

they are more than capable of stand-

other systems. “Even the folks at

ing up to the challenges of a space

NASA were impressed with that,”

shuttle launch regardless of the envi-

laughs Holst. It is still unclear if NASA

ronment – darkest night or incredible

will soon actually switch over to

light, rain or wind, near or far.

digital photography. The future of the American shuttle has not been written – NASA intends to discontinue the program. However, the results of the test could also be of great interest for the shuttle’s planned successor,

The ZEISS Makro-Planar T* 2/100 ZF has an

the Orion spacecraft, as well as for

excellent track record

other applications in the aerospace

Camera Lens News Nr. 38 Carl Zeiss

December 2010

Page 11

The right lens for each situation Carl Zeiss camera lens types Distagon, Planar, Tessar‌ Carl Zeiss lenses have been known by these names for decades. But what actually lies behind these long-familiar names? What distinguishes the different lens types and what were they originally designed for?

Planar: an exceptionally flat image plane The Planar was one of the first lenses developed by Carl Zeiss. Launched in 1896, this symmetrical lens was the first to achieve almost perfect image flatness, correcting both spherical and chromatic aberrations as well as astigmatism. As the name suggests, the Planar was designed to have minimal field curvature. Nowadays, the Planar

Special versions are available for

world – for NASA, enabling photos

comes in a wide range of different

industrial applications. For example,

to be taken of the dark side of the

models with focal lengths of between

Carl Zeiss designed the Planar

Moon for the very first time.

50 and 100 millimeters.

1:0,7/50 – the fastest lens in the

Distagon:

the distance between the groups

broadening your horizons

within the lens in order to provide

The lenses sold under the Distagon

excellent field flattening even at close

moniker are retrofocus lenses, in

focusing distances. Thanks to their

other words non-symmetrical, wide-

minimal distortion, Distagon lenses

angle lenses in which the distance

are the perfect choice for advertising

between the rear element and the

and architectural photography. They

film plane is significantly greater than

are available in a range of models,

the focal length. Distagon lenses use

for example as wide-angle and super

floating elements, a type of lens con-

wide-angle lenses with focal lengths

struction that automatically adjusts

of between 18 and 35 millimeters.

Camera Lens News Nr. 38 Carl Zeiss

December 2010

Page 12

Tessar:

and perfectly suited to applications

the eagle eye of your camera

where size and weight are critical

IIn 1902, Carl Zeiss developed what

– for example in Nokia cell phones

would arguably become the most

such as the Nokia N8 smart phone,

famous lens in the history of photog-

which uses Tessar lenses to obtain

raphy – the Tessar. Since then, more

maximum image quality in a remark-

than 100 million units have been sold

ably small package. Rangefinder

and the Tessar has inspired countless

cameras can tap into the benefits of

imitations. Offering unprecedented

the Tele-Tessar T* 4/85 ZM, a slim and

levels of brilliance when it was first

extremely compact tele lens that fits

launched, its crisp image definition

easily into almost any jacket pocket,

continues to impress today. By design,

making it the perfect companion for

Tessar lenses are highly compact

portrait and landscape photography.

Sonnar: bringing light and con-

were invented – and this made them

trast into 35mm photography

into the first viable fast lenses. Now

Carl Zeiss developed the Sonnar

that this baton has been passed on to

range of lenses in 1930 for 35mm

the Planar, the Sonnar has begun to

photography. The name comes from

flex its muscles in other areas. Models

the German word for sun, and it was

from this range nowadays form the

the bright aperture and high contrast

basis for compact high-performance

echoed in that name which quickly

lenses such as the C Sonnar T* 1,5/50

caught people’s attention when these

ZM, the Sonnar T* 2/85 ZM and the

lenses were launched. Sonnar lenses

Vario-Sonnar T* DT 3,5-4,5/16-80 ZA

have very few air/glass surfaces de-

for Sony DSLRs. Photographers ben-

spite their wide aperture – something

efit from the Sonnar lenses’ superb

that was of the utmost importance in

aberration correction and uniform

the days before anti-reflective coatings

illumination of the image field.

Camera Lens News Nr. 38 Carl Zeiss

December 2010

Page 13

able tool for documentary work. Their abilities have even been put to the test in space. On July 20, 1969, Neil Armstrong took the first pictures of the Moon using a Hasselblad EDC and a Carl Zeiss Biogon, and this lens type also proved to be a reliable companion for astronauts on subsequent Apollo missions.

Biogon: truly out of this world Biogon is a range of super wideangle lenses which were designed

Would you like to learn more

to capture as much of the photogra-

about our different types of

pher’s surroundings as possible in a

lenses?

single shot. Their almost completely

Next year we will be running a

symmetrical and highly compact lens

series of technical articles examin-

construction enables Biogon lenses

ing in much greater depth how

to produce a 90 degree field angle.

ur lenses are designed, how they

Thanks to very low distortion, excel-

work and what features they offer.

lent field flatness and superb resolving power, Biogon lenses are an unbeat-

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

Camera Lens News Nr. 38 Carl Zeiss

December 2010

Page 14

Size Matters with Bryan Adams in the Carl Zeiss Calendar

He’s not just a famous rock

Michael J. Fox, who measures 1.62

Head of Corporate Communications

singer and songwriter, but also

meters. Bryan Adams put the two

at Carl Zeiss. “The title ‘Size and the

a talented photographer: Bryan

world-famous stars in the spotlight

City’ should not be understood as a

Adams took fascinating shots of

as an imaginary romantic couple.

motto. It combines the subject of size

model Tatjana Patitz and actor

Whether they are eating a meal,

with scenes from big city life. And, of

Michael J. Fox in New York for

shopping or just out for a walk, the

course, it is a play on the title of then

the 2011 Carl Zeiss Calendar. In

goal is always to contrast big and

famous TV series.”

lavish images, all captured in

small, and far and near. Patitz takes

Manhattan, the calendar titled

a leisurely walk with a pug, for ex-

A guy who focuses on the es-

“Size and the City” has big and

ample, while Fox is being dragged off

sentials

small as its subject.

his feet by a Great Dane.

Bryan Adams, who has had No.1 hits in more than 30 countries, has made

The couple shown could not be any

“Photographing a couple of very

a name for himself as a photographer

different – especially as far as their

different sizes was Byran Adam’s

and has received numerous inter-

size is concerned: top model Tatjana

idea. He also wanted New York as

national awards for his work. Jörg

Patitz with her 1.80 meters and actor

the location,” says Jörg Nitschke,

Nitschke, who was present during the

Camera Lens News Nr. 38 Carl Zeiss

December 2010

Page 15

two-day photo shoot in New York,

The calendar has been published in

in our media contacts,” Nitschke says

describes Adams’ approach as very

a limited edition for customers and

with obvious delight and admits that

focused: “He is highly concentrated

friends of Carl Zeiss and is not avail-

it will be no easy project to follow

and in no way sees this part of his

able for purchase. “We do not wish to

next year. “Our plans for 2012 are

artistic work as a hobby or as a means

do business with the calendar. It is part

already underway. I am really excited

of relaxation between gigs. He is not

of our understanding of originality and

about what we come up with next

the type of guy that wants a lot of

an indication of how greatly we value

time.”

complicated, high-tech equipment,

our friends and partners. We want to

but starts by getting a feel for the

offer them something special, and that

location and the players and then im-

is precisely what the photos are.”

mediately begins implementing.” The

Win a 2011 Carl Zeiss Calendar!

shots were in the can after just two

On 12 October 2010, ZEISS pre-

We are organizing a drawing for

days. For Nitschke, the photos exude

sented the photos of the calendar to

three of the limited edition cal-

a sense of liberal and casual generos-

a selected, international public during

endars. Send us an email marked

ity and combine a zest for life with

a private viewing in the House of

“Win a Calendar” to photo@zeiss.

a tinge of inner reflection. They are

Photography in Hamburg, Germany.

de before 14 January 2010. The

a plea for love – also in the face of

The response in the international

winners will then be selected in a

seemingly insurmountable contrasts

press was sensational. “In October we

drawing.

and contradictions.

already surpassed the 90 million mark