Here is an excerpt:
“As I just said, I regard the Zeiss 15mm f/2.8 Distagon T* ZE Lens as the best-available ultra-wide angle landscape lens available. This lens is also an excellent choice for architecture and other confined-space photography. The Zeiss 15mm f/2.8 Distagon T* ZE Lens offers very impressive build quality and excellent prime lens image quality in a made-for-landscape and architecture focal length.”
I agree that The Zeiss 15mm is an outstanding lens. However, Canon shooters also have the Canon 17mm f/4L Tilt and Shift lens as a consideration. Although not as fast, it should be a top choice for architecture and landscape photography.
Wonderful lens, but I'm not unhappy with my 17 TSE, 16-35LII, and Samyang 14 -- all of which were purchased for just a little more than the Zeiss 15 sells for new! (17 TSE was purchased used)
The Zeiss is unusual in accepting front mounted - albeit very large and expensive - filters, for such a wide angle lens. Maybe if I won Lotto, it's such a beautiful lens.
I use the zeiss at night for the 2.8 and hard stop at infinity and the TS17 for dusk,dawn, day because I hate the uwa distortion that comes from an unleveled uwa lens or alternatively the loss of 1/2 the usable pixels if it is leveled.
Both great fanastic lens with the zeiss being sharper but less usable.
The only lens that comes close is the nikon 14-24 with novoflex but it yields the same problems as the zeiss for uwa distortion and is not as good at ca and other distortion.
The samyang 14 is pretty good for resolution but is not close to zeiss for anything else.
The canon 14/2.8 is only better at being 14 and cheaper than the zeiss.
Jeffrey wrote:
I was considering, but darn, that price….
I was considering it too, but found that it wasn't that much better (if at all) than my Nikon 14-24. It certainly vignettes more than the Nikon, and displays more coma effects at the edges; both aspects made it a poorer choice for night shooting than my 14-24. Overall, though, the Zeiss is a pretty awesome lens. I just love the build quality.
I think you can work out getting it removed before the dealer sends it...but I'm not sure about that. Got mine back in October of last year, so that ship has already sailed.
I've been able to use the filters that I need to use, even with the hood, although I do think about having it removed at times. But then there is NO hood option at all.
Kind of wish Bryan had a copy of the Samyang 14/2.8 to try- inferior in every way, but at 1/10th the price, I'd like to have seen just how close that magic Korean lens might come.
On a 6D, boats returning from the lake after fireworks on the Fourth:
I had been debating the merits of the Canon 17 TSE and the Zeiss 15mm for a few months. I finally opted for the Zeiss due to the ability to take standard filters, the wider field of view and the faster f/2.8 aperture. I have yet to fully explore the creative potential of this lens, but I am already impressed with the image quality in the brief time that I have had the lens.
With regard to the hood - I originally thought that I might opt for having it removed, however, after shooting the lens around waterfalls I found the hood to be really useful in keeping my polarizer more dry. After that experience I'm definitely going to keep the hood.
Finally, I want to thank Scott, Tim and Rajan for sharing their opinions on the Zeiss with me.
I keep reading that the 17mm f/4L TS-E can't be used with filters...
It's true that when the lens was introduced in 2009, there were no options for adapting filters. That was indeed a big drawback, especially for landscape photographers.
After a while, we figure out a way to adapt Lee filters on it and started shooting with a DIY adapter without any issues.
Basically, either adapter allows one to use 100mm Lee filters on it with more than half of the total amount of shift movement and full tilt.
If you want full shift while using filters, Fotodiox offers the Wonderpana adapter dedicated for this lens. I have it and can confirm that 12mm shifting can be done without vignetting.
Currently with all the choices, the 17mm TS-E has more filter options than the Zeiss 15mm.
RobDickinson wrote:
You can remove the hood , though not sure what that does to your warranty its not that difficult.
Well I assume if you have it removed by Zeiss it shouldn't affect your warranty.
I really struggled with the decision to keep or remove the hood. I would really like to use my Lee grads and solid density filters, in the end I decided against removing it and instead went the 95mm Heliopan screw in filters.
I investigated some of the filter options available for the 17 TSE and simply did not find them to be a very compact solution (particularly the Wonderpana system). I generally like to hike with a pretty small pack and often times have my lenses mounted with filters ready to go - hence using standard filters was high on my list. I would agree that if you are a frequent user of GND filters then the Lee system is an excellent option
