Comparison: Zeiss 100/2 Makro Planar to Leica 100/2.8 APO, Nikon 105/2.8G
Related: apochromatic, Death Valley, image stabilization, Leica, Leica 100mm, Leica DSLR, Leica Lenses, Leica M, Leica medium format, Leica S 100mm f/2 Summicron-S ASPH, Leica S Typ 006, Leica Summicron, medium format, Nikon, Nikon 105mm, Nikon AF-S VR Micro-NIKKOR 105mm f/2.8G IF-ED, Nikon Lenses, Zeiss, Zeiss 100mm f/2 Makro-Planar, Zeiss DSLR Lenses, Zeiss Lenses
Just published in my Guide to Zeiss ZF / ZE Lenses is a 3-way comparison of the Zeiss 100mm f/2 Makro-Planar vs the Leica 100mm f/2.8 APO-Macro-Elmarit-R and Nikon AF-S 105mm f/2.8G macro.
I decided to make a fresh comparison after being asked several times in the past few months about how the Leica 100mm f/2.8 APO-Macro-Elmarit-R does by comparison with the Zeiss 100/2 Makro-Planar. The Leica 100/2.8 APO can only be had on the used market, as Leica ceased making “R” gear in ~2009.
Well, it’s not a sexy scene, but quite instructive nonetheless.
NOTE: I expect to present comparisons with other Zeiss focal lengths over the next few months (and Leica 28mm lenses also), but I’m currently swamped with the new Zeiss 15/2.8 Distagon, and the Canon 5D Mark III and Nikon D800 arriving shortly. Also, I might reshoot new material if I deem the Nikon D800 or 5D Mark III significantly better enough to warrant shooting new material on those cameras instead of using the Nikon D3x material from Death Valley.
