Nothing too scientific about this, but as I am trying to use the new Zeiss Otus series for close-up work, and wonder which is better for that, the Otus 55mm or the Otus 85mm. The reviews all say it is the Otus 85mm that is the lens to vet others against, but then they probably are not doing just close-up work with these particular lenses.
So here is a shot of each of these two lenses at f/16, and I threw the legendary Voitlander 125mm f/1.5 APO-Lanthar (also at f.16) into the mix for good measure.
I guess, in summary, my estimate is that the 85mm is perhaps better for longer distance shots, while if we are in close, the 55mm is just as good or better. The APO-Lanthar comes out a definite third.
As someone who has done many hundreds of thousands of stacked photos, these new lenses have really thrown a monkey-wrench into that scene. I am doing more and more single photos at f/16 or very short stacks or less than three shots.
And I provide a shot of the whole frame for the Zeiss Otus 85mm, so you see how far away I am. Camera is NikonD810 at ISO 64, and the subject is a Goatsbeard bud.
Your (kind of course) thought please.
