Min DOF Photography

I got a very nice alpha 300 kit today. I was given the choice to handpick the lenses that interested me. Carl Zeiss Planar T* 85 1.4 was, of course, my first choice. From the rest of the lenses, flasguns etc I decided to take DT 11-18, since UWA lenses are always fun to use. I also got the battery grip, which is amazing. I’ve never seen such awesome ergonomics, my hand becomes one with it.

When I came home with the kit I opened up the 85 1.4 box. Damn, the lens already feels crazy. Such a solid built and you can just feel the cold though metal housing. I feels even tougher than Canon 85 1.2L aka Canonball. I guess it just because Canon is bigger and heavier, so you expect the toughness and massiveness. Besides that I think Canon was a plastic finish…I’m not sure and it doesn’t really matter. What I’m sure about is that it’s top class merchandise. But there is one thing I noticed and find a bit weird. It (CZ 85) changes length during focusing and quite a lot, around 2 cm when you move it from min focus distance to infinity. I wonder how’s this affecting durability, does it get loose in the long run etc. Even my cheap Canon 85 1.8 has internal focusing. But it’s plastic on the other hand.

Here are a couple of the kit’s pics: