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Questions & Answers

Lucille M : does this come for a nikon d800E?GEOFFREY K : They build these for Canon and Nikon. Look under mount type nikon. Realize that this is manual focus. I also have the 50 mm ft and the 100 mm f2. Most used is 50, 2nd most used is100. Zeiss are the sharpest lenses you can buy other than leica.ROY E. R : I'm not familiar with Nikon cameras but I do know it is available in a standard Nikon mount and a Canon mount. If the D800E has a standard Nikon mount then it will work. The however, is so exquisite it would almost be worth switching to a camera that does accept it. It has been the first real example of quality manufacturing that I have ever used. I'm still lying to my wife about the cost but it's worth it, so get it !LOUIS C : Yes. It's the Zeiss Distagon T* 21mm F/2.8 ZF.2 lens Adorama: SKU: ZI2128DTZF2 MFR: 1767823JAMES B : don't know
Shopper : How does this compare to the Canon 20mm?GEOFFREY K : This is one of the sharpest lenses you can buy for Canon. It is very expensive in comparison to the 20 mm. It and the 100. Mm Zeiss are my sharpest lenses. It is a great lens for a full frame camera, but it would need to be wider for a cropped sensor (think Tamron 10 - 16). This at 2.8 can do what Canon leNses only dream of, and I truly believe that. It is only Manual focus, so beware if you can't do MF! I own the 50 f2, 100 f2, and 21 f 2.8, as well as 2 older zeiss contax lens. The color quality of the Zeiss is truer to my eye than the Canon lenses. There is a distincy quality to these lenses--they are heavier. Look on the web for pics of these great lenses!LEE C : I never have shot with the 21mm f2.8 Canon lens. Surely you know that there are mixed reviews on the Web. But I can tell you this: The Zeiss 21mm, on a 5D MkII, enables me to produce the finest landscape pictures I have made. It's heavy and it's manual focus, but what matters are the pictures - pellucid and deep. I used to think it was malarky, the idea that a lens might have a particular "look." It isn't malarky.GREG H : Although I have no experience with the Canon 20mm, its safe to say that the difference in these two is like comparing a Ford Taurus to a Ferrari .ARNOLD K : I cannot answer that question directly as I have not owned the 20mm Canon. Remember that the Canon will autofocus while the Zeiss will not. I have since migrated to Nikon and no longer have the lens. I just found myself not shooting superwide. I loved the images coming from this lens as the color and resolution were remarkable.TERRY T : Don't have access to a Canon 20mm... But this lens is astonishing! If its quality pix you want, you won't be disapointed.
Sonam T : can i use this len for my Lumis Gxi?JOHN E S : Yes the Zeiss or Leica lens will work with proper adaptor. Google Zeiss to Lumix for various options. I use Canon bodies and am very pleased with results. Remember you won't get a 21mm photo with your Lumix as it is not a full frame cameraDUKE S : Sorry, I can't help.TY C : Hi, I'm not finding a lumis gxi camera.. Did you happen to mean a lumix gx1? If so, it won't fit because that sort of body is a micro 4/3rds body and this lens is for Canon DSLR cameras. The mount is different. I've one of these lenses on my Canon 5d mark 2 and its excellence knows no bounds. Great lens! These sorts of lenses are what fits a Panasonic Lumix micro 4/3rds body if that's indeed what you have (if adorama allows a link to itself here): <a href="http://www.adorama.com/searchsite/default.aspx?searchinfo=Lumix+lenses&category=4294965965+2808" target="_blank">http://www.adorama.com/searchsite/default.aspx?searchinfo=Lumix+lenses&category=4294965965+2808</a> Best of luck, TyTUNG T : Get an m4/3 to EOS adaptor. This adaptor will allow you to mount the Zeiss ZE (EOS) to your GXi. I do not own this camera but like most Panasonic m4/3 cameras, i.e. GH2, by setting a parameter on the Panasonic to allow to shoot w/o lens. This enables you to use any EOS lens (Zeiss ZE in this case) on the GXi. Focus will be manual, of course. Hope this helps.

Reviews about this item

Review Summary

2013-12-16T19:00:00

Rated 5 out of 5

Excellent for Landscapes

I traded my Canon EF 16-35 f/2.8 L USM II for this lens. I liked the 16-35, but was unhappy with the corners. The Zeiss 21 is simply incredible. Tack-sharp and contrasty from corner-to-corner. There also is a rich, textured vibrancy to the image that is especially apparent when the image has lots of detail: the famous Zeiss micro-contrast in action. I love the images that come out of this lens. I do not miss either the zoom or the autofocus of the 16-35 for landscapes: I enjoy working with a single-focal length for my compositions, and autofocus is more of a distraction than help with landscapes. However, I also used the 16-35 for general travel and candids. This is challenging with the Zeiss.

Jeet S.

2013-09-09T21:00:00

Rated 5 out of 5

First Zeiss lens

I haven't had the lens long enough to thoroughly evaluate it, but from what I've seen so far, it's amazing. What I noticed immediately was the wonderful color saturation. The clarity is sparkling. I am taking this to Yellowstone in a few weeks. I love this lens.

Lulu

2013-05-28T21:00:00

Rated 4 out of 5

You WILL want this lens

This is not a very versatile lens but what it does do is deliver super sharp, clear images. Build quality is excellent. Lens flar and sunstar are terrible and you can forget taking stich shots for panos etc. The more I go through my images taken with this lens the more I love it. Read my full review at http://www.fototripper.com/carl-zeiss-21mm-distagon-lens-review/

Gavin H.

2013-02-12T19:00:00

Rated 5 out of 5

Build quality as beautiful as the images

This is just such a fine piece of equipment. Heavy, sturdy,smooth...like a sports car with power to spare. I really like the images too. Manual focus isn't an issue. I've dropped this lens already and it may have dented the floor, not the lens!! Nearly had a heart attack, but geez its well built. Image quality is fantastic, great contrast, great images

Jac C.

2013-02-04T19:00:00

Rated 5 out of 5

Great Lens value

Just another great product made by Zeiss. Always consistent quality.

Darren

2012-08-25T21:00:00

Rated 5 out of 5

Sharp and easy to get the focus right

I have 28-75mm f2.8, 100mm f2.0, 35mm f2.0, 8-16mm f4 fisheye, but I did not have relatively wide lens for my 5D Mark III and 7D. I considered wide zoom lens as well as prime from Canon and other makers, but Zeiss stood out as the best lens for the sharpness, although there was no auto focus and it was expensive. However, for the landscapes I wanted the best sharpness and i went ahead and purchased the Zeiss 21mm f2.8 lens. It is very sharp and is easy to work with Canon 5D Mark III, and I cannot wait to take it to Hawaii trip next month. I am satisfied with the lens and I am sure I will be using it for the next 10-15 years (which makes the lens [$] per annum).

TAKESHI I.

2012-08-13T21:00:00

Rated 5 out of 5

Great Lenses

I love the look of photos right out of the Canon 5Diii with the 21MM Zeiss. Minimal or no computer correction needed.Great build quality and the 5D is easy to manual focus and does so spot on

JOHN J.

2012-08-05T21:00:00

Rated 5 out of 5

Really great super wide

Used for landscapes,indoor shots and very neat video. Zeiss lens are all built to the highest standards. Lack of auto focus is no problem on Canon 5Diii.photos are great straight out of camera and require little ,if any, computer enhancement

JOHN J.

2012-05-04T21:00:00

Rated 5 out of 5

Solid & Sharp

This is not typically my walk around lens since it's manual focus, I mainly use it for producing perspective shots.

SCOTT B.

2012-04-22T21:00:00

Rated 5 out of 5

Awesome lens, pricey but worth it

This is my go to lens for night photography and panoramic landscape photography.

TY C.

2011-10-03T21:00:00

Rated 5 out of 5

Better than anything Canon has to offer.

This lens absolutely kills it. I is hard to describe how exceptional this renders images. THere are extremely sharp, and contrasty. The colors are surreal. Only comparable in color to the 85 1.2II. This lens blows away the 16-35ii. To think that lens is only a few hundred less than this... Don't worry about the AF issue either. Focus confirm is great.

KEVIN M.

2011-02-08T19:00:00

Rated 5 out of 5

Amazing!

One of the best for landscape photography, very sharp, the best 21mm. wide angle lens available in my opinion.

JUAN V.

2011-01-14T19:00:00

Rated 5 out of 5

Great Lens

Amazing results and very consistent output. The color rendering and detail are truly outstanding. Sometimes I miss an extra f stop for video. But I'm really happy with the product.

Lenny

About Zeiss 21mm F/2.8

FEATURED REVIEWS

Great Lens

By Lenny

Amazing results and very consistent output. The color rendering and detail are truly outstanding. Sometimes I miss an extra f stop for video. But I'm really happy with the product.

Build quality as beautiful as the images

By Jac C.

This is just such a fine piece of equipment. Heavy, sturdy,smooth...like a sports car with power to spare. I really like the images too. Manual focus isn't an issue. I've dropped this lens already and it may have dented the floor, not the lens!! Nearly had a heart attack, but geez its well built. Image quality is fantastic, great contrast, great images

Carl Zeiss is proud to present the Distagon T* 2,8/21 ZE, an ultra-wide-angle lens with EF bayonet designed specifically for such tricky shooting moments. Designed to fit all analog and digital EOS camera models, it is ideal for architectural, landscape and a wide variety of other applications. It is also ideally suited for shooting HD video due to its wide focus rotation, superb image quality and minimal breathing characteristics. Following the recent release of the Distagon T* 3,5/18 ZE, the new Distagon T* 2,8/21 ZE is now the second Carl Zeiss wide-angle lens with EF bayonet on the market and the fourth lens in the ZE product range.