The Zeiss Loxia 21mm F2.8 is essentially the most wide-angle lens within the Zeiss assortment of Loxia lenses. They take their title from a classification of hen, which I’ve grown used to seeing in Zeiss lenses, this time of a ‘chunky finch’. There’s nothing chunky concerning the lens, nonetheless, because it’s refreshingly compact and light-weight for such an ultra-wide-angle prime. Just like the longer 25mm F2.4, 35mm F2, 50mm F2 and 85mm F2.4 lenses within the Loxia household, this one has a 52mm filter thread which makes it straightforward to combine and match filters throughout the board.
Specs
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Mount choices
Sony E (FE)
Lens building
11 parts in 9 teams
Angle of view
91 levels
Focus sort
Handbook focus
Minimal aperture
f/22
Minimal focus distance
0.25m
Most magnification
0.13x
Filter measurement
52mm
Dimensions
62x72mm
Weight
394g
Key options
In nowadays of high-tech digital images, one evident omission is the dearth of autofocus. You may argue that with out the cut up screens and microprisms of 35mm movie SLRs, handbook focusing is a difficult and fiddly enterprise. Nevertheless, the Sony full-frame cameras for which this lens is designed characteristic focusing aids like magnified preview and focus peaking, so I don’t really feel it’s a lot of an issue. Higher nonetheless, as a manual-focus lens, the rubberized focus ring has a prolonged 90-degree throw and permits silky-smooth and ultra-precise changes. A spotlight distance scale can also be current and proper on the lens, full with depth of subject markers for apertures of f/8 and f/22. The mixture of a 21mm focal size and f/2.8 aperture additionally make the lens a chief candidate for astrophotography, the place handbook focusing somewhat than autofocus is the order of the day (or evening) anyway.
I like that the lens options an aperture management ring, located on the rear. Though it’s now fairly commonplace, Loxia lenses had been the primary to incorporate an aperture ring click on/de-click mechanism, making them equally adept at stills and video seize. Switching between the 2 includes utilizing a provided key, the one draw back being that you need to take away the lens from the digicam to make the change.
Construct high quality feels rock stable. The weather-sealed lens includes a steel casing in addition to a steel mounting plate, and is impeccably turned out. Not like some ultra-wide-angle lenses, the petal-shaped hood is detachable, enabling the simple attachment of filters, and has the standard bayonet-mount becoming.
Efficiency
For functions like panorama images, cityscapes, structure and astrophotography, edge-to-edge sharpness is commonly a bonus. The lens does properly on this respect, particularly within the f/5.6 to f/11 sector of the aperture vary. Extensive-open edge-sharpness at f/2.8 isn’t so spectacular however nonetheless as much as the duty of astrophotography.
Together with sturdy sharpness efficiency, the lens displays negligible colour fringing and virtually no distortion by any means, That’s an enormous distinction to many wide-angle lenses designed for mirrorless cameras that rely completely on computerized in-camera correction. Picture high quality is additional boosted by way of an aspherical aspect and 4 anomalous partial dispersion parts. The well-known Zeiss T* anti-reflective coating is utilized to each floor of all parts, to spice up distinction and colour constancy whereas minimizing ghosting and flare.
Lab outcomes
We run a spread of lab exams underneath managed circumstances, utilizing the Imatest Grasp testing suite. Pictures of take a look at charts are taken throughout the vary of apertures and zooms (the place out there), then analyzed for sharpness, distortion and chromatic aberrations.
We use Imatest SFR (spatial frequency response) charts and evaluation software program to plot lens decision on the middle of the picture body, corners and mid-point distances, throughout the vary of aperture settings and, with zoom lenses, at 4 completely different focal lengths. The exams additionally measure distortion and colour fringing (chromatic aberration).
Sharpness:
Sharpness within the central area of the body is superb, even when taking pictures wide-open at f/2.8. Edges and corners come on sturdy at f/5.6, solely actually dropping off on the narrowest aperture of f/22, as a result of normal phenomenon of diffraction.
Fringing:
There’s just about no colour fringing to be seen, even out on the excessive edges and corners of the body, and that’s with out utilizing computerized in-camera correction.
Distortion: 0.07
It’s refreshing to see a wide-angle lens for mirrorless cameras that’s designed to present just about zero distortion, with out the necessity to appropriate for distortion in-camera.
Verdict
I really like the retro feel and look of the Zeiss Loxia 21mm F2.8 manual-focus lens. Not like ‘dumb’ lenses, nonetheless, it boasts a full complement of built-in electronics for communication with the host digicam physique. Construct high quality and dealing with are chic and optical efficiency is top-drawer. It’s fairly compact and light-weight as properly, making it a extremely fascinating prime if you happen to may give up your autofocus behavior.