Nikon Z7 Should Be a Solid Leica M and Zeiss ZM Lens Platform Without Modification
Get Zeiss ZM at B&H Photo and see my Nikon mirrorless wishlist and my Leica M mirrorless wishlist.
Update 2018-11-03: turns out that the 1.1mm figure from KolariVision for the sensor cover glass does not include the expoxied-on glass portion of the sensor. So the real figure is ~2.3mm total glass thickness, not 1.1mm (Nikon D850 is about ~2.5mm). Still 2.3mm is notably more thin than the 3+ mm for Sony mirrorless. I’ll have to see what actual testing shows.
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I wrote to my contact at Zeiss with this question:
As I understand it, the Zeiss ZM 35mm f/1.4 Distagon was designed for 0.8mm sensor cover glass.
If the Nikon Z7 has 1.1mm cover glass, then it seems likely that the Zeiss ZM 35/1.4 might perform reasonably well even wide open, and very well by, say, f/2.8?
The response was in the affirmative: “Everything correct, fully agree”.
All about the Zeiss ZM 35mm f/1.4 Distagon
For the first time, I can look forward to using my Leica M lenses and Zeiss ZM lenses on a much stronger and more usable camera.
There will surely be some minor impairment for the first aperture or two, but 1.1mm-thick sensor cover glass is a a lot less damaging to image quality than 2.5mm-thick sensor cover glass.
This looks to make the Nikon Z7 the pre-eminent high-resolution mirrorless platform for anyone looking to adapt lenses: Nikon F-mount with the superb Nikon FTZ lens adapter, Leica M and Zeiss ZM and Voigtlander lenses with an M-to-F-mount adapter (one already exists) and just about everything else.
The Nikon Z7 has the best resolution, best EVF, best ergonomics/haptics, all without the performance-killing thick sensor cover glass of Sony mirrorless. Its compact size and superb feature set and image quality along with compact Leica M and Zeiss ZM lenses holds huge appeal—though I don’t think some Leica M lenses will be good enough for a 45MP sensor.
I’ll be investigating the performance of the Zeiss ZM 35mm f/1.4 Distagon and various Leica M lenses on the Nikon Z7 as soon as I can obtain a high quality lens adapter.
Coverage of Zeiss ZM and Leica M lenses or any lens always g into the native guide for the lens that is covered, e.g.,diglloyd Leica. Subscribers to the FULL ACCESS deal of course have full access to that and everything else.
See also:
- All about the Zeiss ZM 35mm f/1.4 Distagon
- Zeiss ZM 35mm f/1.4 Distagon: I rate it the best M Lens Available
- Zeiss ZM 35mm f/1.4 Distagon on Leica SL — a Joy to Focus and Still the Best Overall M Lens