Samples

The following images were taken with the Zeiss 135mm f2.0 Apo Sonnar lens mounted on a Nikon D800 or D810 body. The images are RAW files developed in Lightroom 6.6 with camera standard settings, no lens profiles, CA-removal=ON, Noise Reduction=OFF, sharpening=70/0.5/36/10 when shot with a D800 and 35/0.5/36/10 when shot on a D810.The individual exposure details are available for each image.

All of the images are available to download in their original formats for analysis at Flickr. These files are for personal evaluation only and cannot be used in another publication or website without permission.

Check out all my high-resolution Zeiss 135mm f2.0 Apo Sonnar sample images.

Above: 1/640, 135mm, f2.0, 64 ISO, Zeiss 135mm f2.0 Apo Sonnar on D810; click image to access original at Flickr

This image was also shot with the Samyang 135/2.0 ED UMC at f2.0 and with the Zeiss 85/1.4 Otus at f1.4 and f2.0.

Above: 1/80, 135mm, f2.0, 64 ISO, Zeiss 135mm f2.0 Apo Sonnar on D810; click image to access original at Flickr

This image was also shot with the Samyang 135/2.0 ED UMC at f2.0 and with the Zeiss 85/1.4 Otus at f1.4 and f2.0.

Above: 1/200, 135mm, f2.0, 100 ISO, Zeiss 135mm f2.0 Apo Sonnar on D800; click image to access original at Flickr

Above: 1/2000, 135mm, f2.0, 100 ISO, Zeiss 135mm f2.0 Apo Sonnar on D800; click image to access original at Flickr; also available at f2.8, f4.0, f5.6, f8.0

I did the same shots with the Nikon DC 135/2.0D from the same distance, same white balance:

Above: 1/2000, 135mm, f2.0, 100 ISO, Nikon DC 135mm f2.0D on D800; click image to access original at Flickr; also available at f2.8, f4.0, f5.6, f8.0

Above: 1/250, 135mm, f2.0, 100 ISO, Zeiss 135mm f2.0 Apo Sonnar on D800; click image to access original at Flickr

Above: 1/250, 135mm, f3.2, 100 ISO, Zeiss 135mm f2.0 Apo Sonnar on D800; click image to access original at Flickr

Above: 1/320, 135mm, f2.0, 640 ISO, Zeiss 135mm f2.0 Apo Sonnar on D810; click image to access original at Flickr; also available at f2.8

Above: 1/640, 135mm, f8.0, 64 ISO, Zeiss 135mm f2.0 Apo Sonnar on D810, slightly cropped; click image to access original at Flickr

Above: 1/320, 135mm, f2.0, 160 ISO, Zeiss 135mm f2.0 Apo Sonnar on D810; click image to access original at Flickr

Above: 1/8000, 135mm, f2.0, 110 ISO, Zeiss 135mm f2.0 Apo Sonnar on D800, cropped; click image to access original at Flickr

Above: 1/2000, 135mm, f2.0, 64 ISO, Zeiss 135mm f2.0 Apo Sonnar on D810; click image to access original at Flickr

Above: 1/5000, 135mm, f2.0, 100 ISO, Zeiss 135mm f2.0 Apo Sonnar on D810; click image to access original at Flickr; also available at f2.8, f4.0, f5.6

Above: 1/1600, 135mm, f2.0, 64 ISO, Zeiss 135mm f2.0 Apo Sonnar on D810, cropped; click image to access original at Flickr

Above: 1/1250, 135mm, f2.0, 64 ISO, Zeiss 135mm f2.0 Apo Sonnar on D810; click image to access original at Flickr; also available at f2.8, f4.0, f5.6

Above: 1/640, 135mm, f2.0, 100 ISO, Zeiss 135mm f2.0 Apo Sonnar on D800; click image to access original at Flickr; also available at f2.8, f4.0

Above: 1/60, 135mm, f4.0, 64 ISO, Zeiss 135mm f2.0 Apo Sonnar on D810, 1:4 magnification, 100% crops

Above: 1/160, 135mm, f2.0, 100 ISO, Zeiss 135mm f2.0 Apo Sonnar on D800; click image to access original at Flickr

As I used the Nikon DC 135/2.0D often for comparison in this review, here are some examples showing the unique ability of the Nikon lens with its Defocus-image Control. The DC can be used at 11 different settings which influence whether the space in front of or behind the plane of sharpest focus gets more blurred. The following shot shows the setting R5.6 on the left and F5.6 on the right. Focus was on the marble and was not changed between the shots.

Above: 1/1250, 135mm, f2.0, 100 ISO, Nikon DC Nikkor 135mm f2.0D on D800; click image to access original at Flickr; for the individual settings click here: Rmax, R5.6, R4, R2.8, R2, neutral, F2, F2.8, F4, F5.6, Fmax

This is something only few other lenses can do – the shorter Nikon DC 105/2.0D being one of those.