Emount zeiss 50mm macro

[deco369]

Zeiss Touit 50mm macro to ship from Feb 27.

Zeiss Touit 50mm macro to ship from February 27. | sonyalpharumors

 

[Marshmellow]

Ive done a lot of corresponding on the 50M with Zeiss. I also purchased and checked out the Z16-70 on my NA-NEX7 housing. Details of all of this can be found at: Zeiss-Sony 16-70mm E-mount NEX Zoom is Finally Here! [Archive] - ScubaBoard - Scuba Diving Forum - Diving Social Network.

The Z50 is listed by Zeiss as being "86mm from the bayonet flange to the end of the front ring" as quoted by my Zeiss contact. I've also used the ratio measurement technique from the photos that have been posted. Measuring from the width of the camera appears to make the lens longer due to distortion effect of measuring on an angle. However, Zeiss's 86mm seems to hold up using both the height of the camera body and the disclosed width they also sent me as being 64.85mm wide.

As to what ports the Z50 will work in? Well we can only assume (until it's actual release) that it's 86mm in length, most evidence is pointing in that direction. That given, the macro port for the Sony 30mm macro may work with the addition of the 30mm mini-port extension, as the S30 macro is 56mm long (according to Sony Store) + 30mm for the Nauticam mini-port extension = 86mm. This macro port has a 67mm threads to accommodate diopters, so I think it will handle the 65mm width of the Z50. As to Port 72, it's not so lucky, since the S18-55 fully extended is 83mm from the same measuring points. Nauticam made this a very precise fit for the kit lens; the glass being only 1mm from the end of the port glass, so there's no fudge factor like I hoped. However, the filter holder on the Z50, which also is the hood mount, is exactly 3mm in depth. So theoretically, one can remove this part of the lens barrel shortening the overall length to 83mm, exactly the same length as the S18-55 so it should work perfectly in Port 72. Of course, cutting off this part of a $1K+ lens isn't for the faint hearted, but for those who still want to use the S18-55 for it's single dive versatility or those who already own the port and it's expensive swing mount (like me), it's an option. Especially for travel conscious photographers who don't want to carry the extra ports or spend the $$.

I'm hoping the Z50 won't be 2mm too long like I calculated with the Z16-70, which actually ended up fitting perfectly when I finally received the lens. Unfortunately it didn't work out as a HQ replacement for the S18-55 due to it's longer lens travel and optics in Port 72. I like the versatility of the 18-55 as a general purpose single dive lens with it's 18mm and 55mm capability and hope to have a single Port 72 to handle it and the Z50, especially with the beautiful swing mount that Nauticam made for it.

Just wish Feb. would get here sooner :-( seems like we've been waiting forever for this lens.

Thanks Zeiss for your e-mount support.

 

[Zvalle]

Hi,
anyone with acuapazza house who now if there is options that the 50mm macro works with acuapazza port system. The 18-55 port is to short but maybe some built on system? Any one how now?

/Z

 

[Marsh]

In addition to ports for the upcoming Zeiss 50 macro, it was suggested to me that perhaps a Nauticam mini-port extension could be used with Port 72 rather than cut off the 3mm hood mount or buy another macro port that Nauticam will most likely provide once the lens is released. Since the smallest of the extensions is 20mm, this would set the lens back some 17mm from the port glass, increasing the distance from a wet diopter, which is generally not recommended (which is why I ruled it out for me from the onstart). However, I followed up the suggestion by experimenting with distances using the Sony 18-55 @55 and Sigma 60mm + 26mm extension tube and both seemed to be able to handle the 17mm distance fairly well with an Aquatica +10. This was a very crude test of holding the diopter at various distances with no optical testing being performed, but it appeared on the surface that using a 20mm mini-port extension on Port 72, while not being an optimum set-up, may provide the use of the Z50 in Port 72. I suppose in some ways using it in this manner is comparable to Olympus users using Port 72 for the 60mm macro when it first came out.

 

[alien]

Sounds good Marsh. Thanks for that.

Of course February has come and gone and no macro will arrive in time for my Palau trip. Even bigger disspaointment was my order at Reef Photos for a Zen dome and Zeiss 12mm. I leave next Sunday so will not get here in time. Zen domes hold up? Ordered this on Jan 30 for March 8 departure. very sad.

---------- Post added March 4th, 2014 at 11:30 AM ----------

Good news the dome and lens are in the mail they tracked one down for me! Thanks Reef Photo. Now will it make it to our shores and thru customsby Friday?? Will be touch and go

Sounds good Marsh. Thanks for that.

Of course February has come and gone and no macro will arrive in time for my Palau trip. Even bigger disspaointment was my order at Reef Photos for a Zen dome and Zeiss 12mm. I leave next Sunday so will not get here in time. Zen domes hold up? Ordered this on Jan 30 for March 8 departure. very sad.

 

[Marsh]

Alien,

Hope you got your 12mm set-up in time. Since I'm keeping my NEX7, at some point I'll follow with the same. Certainly the NEX7 sensor and Zeiss 12mm is one of the sharpest combinations out there from what I read. The 50 macro should be razor sharp as well and add to the system. I suggested to the Zeiss engineer that they make a high IQ 1.4 or 2X e-mount teleconverter to extend the limited e-mount lens range. He thought it was a great idea and will bring it up at product suggestions meetings, but one that I suspect will never see the light of day.LOL. Be great to own the 12, 50 and a 1.4TC with proper port extensions to round out a high IQ NEX UW system with the sharp glass available. Bumping that 50 up to a 70 or 100 would be sweet.

I'll be diving in a couple weeks here in the Philippines. Next week I'm checking on Planet Dive shop located at the Twin Rocks dive spot in Anilao. From what I've read and chats with other divers the last time I was there, one can shore dive there for $15 a day with unlimited air and lunch (my kind of budget Look forward to using my Sigma 60 and extension tube set-up to see any resolution improvements over the 18-55 in super-macro. The 60 has had rave reviews for it's optical quality, so I'm hoping to see a decent bump in resolution and reduction in CA.

Also will try out my fluorescent Z-240 set-up I made, along with UV from my iTorch Pro 6 and Solar Nightsea set-up.

Soon, the Z50 will be here to add to our systems.

Happy diving in Palau,

Marsh
Quezon City-Metro Manila

 

[alien]

Hi marsh
Lens and dome only arrived today took 2 weeks to clear customs and i had to pay duty boo hoo and of course i am back from Palau which was wonderful. Oh well. Have just unpacked the stuff. the Zeiss is beautifully boxed. Dome and adapter pretty heavy. Will need to rethink how I pack my camera gear in future. May need to get a larger wheelie bag! cheers. Do you live in Manila? We are going to Anilao in August

---------- Post added March 25th, 2014 at 10:31 AM ----------

How did the 60mm go at Anilao?

 

[alien]

Marsh or anyone else any more updates on expected arrival date on the Zeiss 50mm macro?

 

[Marshmellow]

Alien,

Sorry you didn't get your Z12 and Zen port in time for your Palau trip; I was looking forward to feedback from you. Everything I've read says it's quite astounding though and eventually will make it into my system, now that I'm expanding my portfolio in WA.

Haven't heard a peep on the Z50 macro, but B&H has it set for April 27th, so we'll just have to wait it out. Hopefully you'll have it along with your WA set-up for your next trip.

On the macro front, I haven't used the Sigma 60 yet, since I've been dealing with other matters here in the Philippines (getting married to my Filipina GF-US visa stuff). We're planning on renting a house in Puerto Galera for a full month in late April to do some serious work on my portfolio though. Plus, we're traveling next week to check out the cheap dive site at the Anilao Twin Rocks Marine Sanctuary, hoping to find a room to rent within walking distance of Planet Dive shop for affordable shore diving. Imagine, lunch and unlimited air for $15 a day We depart back to the US on May 21st, so unfortunately, we won't be able to connect with you on your upcoming trip to Anilao. It would have been nice to connect in person though, maybe someday I'll keep you posted though on what we come up with in regards to affordable diving in the area.

Back to the Sigma 60 in case of more Z50 delays: I've done some surface experimenting with different extension tube combinations to see how it works with the Aquatica +10 wet diopter. It appears that the different distances from the lens to the diopter isn't affecting the image in a negative way in Port 72 with swing mount: I can use the Sigma 60 with the 10, 16, or both in a 26mm combo with no vignetting when using them with the +10. Using the +10 with the 26mm extension tube combo really increases magnification way beyond what one can get with the 18-55; the magnification is almost as high with the extension tube alone (26mm) as when using the +10 on the 18-55 @55. The extra 5mm length over the 18-55 (and perhaps the Z50 as well) really makes a difference in overall magnification. The working distance on the surface is a comfortable 2-7" or so, which is quite workable with my Z-240"s. The magnification will increase UW, along with changes in focus distance I suppose, but I won't know until I take it down. The Sigma is one of the sharpest lens available for NEX with virtually no CA, so it'll be interesting to see how it performs as an UW macro lens. Nice that it all fits perfectly in Port 72. The only downside I see over the S18-55 is it's strictly for super-macro; I'll definitely miss the single dive versatility of the kit lens. The Zeiss 50 macro will hopefully be even sharper and won't have the focus distance restraints that the extension tubes create. Nice to see these extension tube results faring well with using a 20mm extension for the Z50 in Port 72, at least with my Aquatica +10 and F.I.T +5, not sure about the others, but I suspect they will do fine.

On the subject of lens length, I noticed today that the B&H site has the approximate lens length of the Z50 listed much longer at 104mm, than the 86mm (flange to lens end) as sent to me from the engineer I've been corresponding with at Zeiss or 92mm (total length) reportedly seen by others in Zeiss announcements. The bayonet mount on e-mount is 6mm deep, so I believe the measurements I've gotten and those listed by Zeiss announcements is correct, making B&H's "approximate" measurement in error. Only the lens release will give us the actual length, something we'll hopefully see soon enough. If Zeiss did increased the lens length, this would bode well with using a 20mm extension on Port 72 (which is 84.5mm in lens depth for the 83mm long S18-55 kit), making the total depth at 104.5mm: Perhaps perfect?

Now that Sony and Zeiss are focusing their production for FF/FE (E-mount) lens development for the A7 FF series, we may eventually see some e-mount teleconverters come to light since they should work for both the FF and APS-C e-mount platforms. Matter of fact, a 70mm FE Sony G Series macro is said to be on the timetable which is good news, as FE lens will work on APS-C e-mount bodies. However, port size will continue to be a problem, but we may see an adapter from Nauticam marrying the new FE lens ports to the mini-port system creating a 2 part port system to fit the wider FE lens onto the NEX housings.

Things are starting to look up for the Sony underwater systems. Looks like our patience is finally paying off. LOL

Best,

Marsh

Marsh or anyone else any more updates on expected arrival date on the Zeiss 50mm macro?

 

[tino]

Marsh or anyone else any more updates on expected arrival date on the Zeiss 50mm macro?

According to my dealer the lens be available in early may , we hope that it is true.

Tino