[Andrew Dutton]

I haven’t used it for video, but I own the ZE 50mm f1.4, and have used it for the last year.

Sharpness wide open isn’t the best – but it’s certainly not unusable. What it does much better than Canon at all apertures is even-ness in sharpness across the frame – Canons might have sharp centres but usually lose it a bit at the corners, whereas the Zeiss is much more even handed. Comparative shots are quite dramatic. Having said that, I’ve not used the Canon f1.2, but I’ve used every other Canon lens, prime or zoom, that covers this focal length.

Some complain about this lens being warm. I don’t find that the case at all – especially compared with other lenses – I find it wonderfully neutral with impressive colour rendition.

I find the bokeh gorgeous most of the time – very occasionally frustrating though with certain subjects where the background becomes quite busy instead of smooth.

CA sometimes problematic in bright daylight.

Physically, it’s smooth and pleasingly reassuring at all times.

On the whole I love this lens, but occasionally I feel betrayed by it where it’s relatively minor flaws all come together to ruin a shot. I still wouldn’t trade it for any of the available alternatives.

I think it’s a harder decision at the 85mm length, and one I haven’t yet made. I found flare a bit of an issue on the Zeiss when I tested it, and sharpness seemed fairly close to the Canon. Colour rendition was deeper and more neutral to my eyes on the Zeiss, but less so than on the 50mm. I also find the focus ring less comfortable to use on this lens.

Hope this info helps a little.