Carl Zeiss newsletter nr34_en_web

31

Contents

Setting My Sights

on Happines 2

Photo Contest:

Digital Culture 5

Quick and Automatic 6

Beyond the Visible 7

Fascination for the

Finer Details 10

December 200934 Carl Zeiss Camera Lens Division

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Carl Zeiss December 2009 Page 2

Camera Lens News No 34

Setting My Sights on Happiness

“Gross national happiness” is

the primary national objective in

Bhutan: every citizen has a funda-

mental right to happiness. There

is even a happiness commission

to ensure the happiness of the

population. Berlin-based photog-

rapher Philip Koschel traveled to

the Asian kingdom for the GEO

Saison magazine article “Journey

to Happiness” which appeared

in the 11/2009 issue. His lug-

gage included two Nikon D700

cam eras and various macro and

wide-angle lenses from Carl Zeiss.

He told us about his search for

happiness and his attempts to

capture it.

“Are you happy?” I asked everyone in

Bhutan whenever I took their picture.

The answer was always “Yes.” “Why?”

I pried. The reasons for happiness

were simple and moving. A young

monk, for example, told me that he

was happy to have the chance to

study in a monastery. The opportunity

to talk to me also made him happy.

I was touched. Bhutan is one of the

poorest countries in the world, yet

the people happy. This is most likely

because they have a different idea of

happiness than we do. They do not

fancy material possessions. Meeting

others, learning, expressing their feel

ings through religion – that is what

makes them happy.

On the trail of the Queen

I was invited by the Queen of Bhutan

to accompany her on a hike to a re

mote region of the country that is gen

erally off limits to foreigners. She was

on her way to a secluded village to

speak to the villagers about hy giene

and the risk of AIDS. I was allowed to

document the journey. Not only my

own fitness, but also the condition

of my material were put to the test.

It rained a lot, and a persistent mist

hung over the valleys. The camera

Like a bird’s nest: the Tiger’s Nest Monastery near Paro, Bhutan

Hanging bridge in the Paro Valley decorated with prayer flags



and lens were engulfed in a gray

haze. Nonetheless, I was able to take

several outstanding pictures with bril

liant colors. This type of weather de

mands the utmost of material; many

lenses cannot withstand the moisture.

The images are often as dreary as the

weather. The altitude and air pressure

also take their toll on the material –

more than 80 percent of the country

in the eastern Himalayas is at least

2,000 meters above sea level. During

the trip, one of my cameras took its

very last picture, but I could always

rely on my ZEISS lenses.

Macro or wide-angle – just let it

be a fixed focal length

I am not a fan of zoom lenses. Zoom

lenses are for cowards! My motto is

simply “get up close and personal.”

Photographers really have to get on

people’s nerves if they want a good

photo. That is the only way for a

picture to communicate the atmos

phere of the colors and smells. It is

also why I like to use different wide

angles. In Bhutan, I often alternated

between the Distagon T* 3,5/18, the

Distagon T*2,8/21 and the Distagon

T* 2,8/25. The wideangle lenses

from Carl Zeiss are completely relia

ble. Most importantly, there are no

chromatic aberrations and the images

are razorsharp to the edges – even

at full aperture. I have experienced

problems with chromatic aberrations

with other wideangle lenses.

There are, of course, many situations

where I cannot get as close to an

object as I would like, for example,

a close up of someone‘s face. For

something like that, I need a lens like

the MakroPlanar T* 2/100. I have

developed a real fondness for this

lens. For example, when I use it to

photograph a monk’s eye, the result

is a razorsharp image that can only

come from a ZEISS lens. At the same

time, the image fades into a hazy blur

in the background. This is particularly

good when I am only interested in a

specific detail such as the radiant eyes

in the middle of a wrinkled face.

Manual and intuitive for perfect

composition

I bought an extra Nikon camera so

that I could use the manual ZEISS

lenses. Now, many of the lenses can

be used on Canon cameras. It is an

indescribable feeling to turn the focus

Two young monks turn the prayer wheel at the Paro-Dzong Monastery

A monk at the Chorten National Memorial



ring on these lenses the first time. It’s

like the first time you hold a hand

made Swiss watch and think, “Man,

what a watch.” You can also feel the

precision of the handcrafted parts on

these lenses. It is a calming and moti

vating feeling to work with the best

materials available. The transmission

ratio when focusing the ZEISS lenses

is also very good.

Manual operation is very important

to me. Composition is the key to a

good picture. This is supported by

lenses from Carl Zeiss. You can only

fully concentrate on your image, the

composition, the detail and the per

spective if you focus manually. I start

composing the picture as soon as I

put the camera in front of my eye. I

immediately see if I have to move the

detail to achieve a better effect. It is

just a good feeling.

I correct this intuitively. And this is

only possible because I am connected

to the image in a different, more

intense way when I focus manually.

Taking pictures is a structuring process

that I have to perform. It often has to

go quickly. Nonetheless, I have to take

things to another level to meet my

own high demands. The image must

have a certain concentration of detail,

but it must not be rigid and inflexible.

This is not possible with an autofocus

lens in this form. For example, if

photographers want to focus on an

object at the edge of the image, they

have to first direct their eyes to that

point and then move back to the

actual image frame. This takes a lot

of time and distracts them from the

actual composition.

Without a doubt, there were moments

when I would have enjoyed just tak

ing a simple snapshot during my tour

of Bhutan. With a manual lens, this

task is just more difficult. However, if I

focus on intermediate distances, I still

have a good chance of taking a good

picture.

Bhutan really impressed me. The

country and its inhabitants seem to

be from another planet. The people

inspired me: they seemed pure and

unadulterated; they didn’t change

just because I took their picture. They

had no ulterior motives, they didn’t

pose, didn’t cramp up and were never

impatient. Quite the opposite: they

felt honored and were happy to see

themselves in the camera display

afterwards.

Landscape in Monger in eastern Bhutan

Philip Koschel works for various

German travel and lifestyle maga

zines. During his communications

studies in Hamburg, he took pic

tures for surfing and skateboarding

magazines, which led him down

the road to fashion and advertising

photography. In 2003 he published

his first photography book: Behind

the Scenes Las Vegas, auf der

Suche nach dem Glück (Behind

the Scenes – Las Vegas, the Search

for Happiness). Since then he has

focused solely on documentaries

and traveled to the most remote

regions of the world looking for

inspiration and new horizons.

www.koschel.de



Digital is spreading. Computers,

Internet and mobile devices have

become part of everyday life.

They simplify many things and

also change the way people treat

each other, exchange information,

work, play, meet friends, make

music and much, much more.

Digital is now deeply entrenched

in our culture. The Carl Zeiss

Photo Contest is for profession-

als and hobbyists who have a

very special way of viewing and

capturing the many aspects of

the “digital culture.”

The new Carl Zeiss Photo Contest

starts on December 15. The contest

is open to anyone using ZEISS lenses.

It doesn’t matter if the picture was

taken with an SLR lens or a camera

phone.

An international jury, including well

known photographers Edith Held

and Jürgen Müller, will judge both

creativeness and implementation.

Photographers who design their im

ages before and while taking them,

and largely forego editing will score

the most points.

After January 15, 2010, the jury will

select 10 winning photos for which

prizes will be given.

Prizes:

1st prize:

Your choice of a ZEISS SLR lens

2nd prize:

Cinemizer plus, including 8 GB iPod

touch

3rd prize:

Nokia N 86

All winning photos will be published

on the Carl Zeiss website. The top

three will be highlighted in an article

for CLN. The press work from Carl

Zeiss will draw a lot of attention to

the photos. The requirement for par

ticipation is that all submitted photos

can be used without licensing. Further

information and the submission form

are available at www.zeiss.de/photo.

The Carl Zeiss Photo Contest is held

every year in December. Last year, an

international jury of photographers,

including Uwe Ommer, selected the

pictures that best depicted the “Pulse

of the City.”

Exciting prizes await the winners of this year’s Carl Zeiss Photo Contest.

Photo Contest: Digital CultureEnter the Carl Zeiss Photo Contest between now and January 15, 2010.



Quick and AutomaticThe new ZEISS ZF.2 lenses support automatic mechanismfor time, aperture and program

The new ZF.2 lenses provide

quick and easy handling, even in

the most hectic situations. The

photographer no longer needs

to adjust aperture and shutter

speed, as the lens automatically

transfers this data to the camera.

Featuring an electronic interface

(CPU), the ZF.2 lenses support

all relevant operating modes,

such as automatic shutter speed,

aperture and program control or

manual exposure adjustments,

even for camera casings that are

not AI-compatible. Enthusiasts of

uncomplicated photography can

use the new ZEISS lenses on all

digital single lens reflex cameras

with F-bayonet.

Not every photo enthusiast who

value creative, highquality images

wants to manually adjust his camera

for every shot. Precise creative pho

tography with high image quality is

now possible using automatic set

tings, with the high light speed and

depth of field typical for ZEISS lenses.

Carl Zeiss has developed its new ZF.2

range especially for photographers

who value convenience.

The ZF.2 lenses are tools for photo

g raphers who want to concentrate

more on their subject than on their

camera equipment. Whether at a

wedding, your daughter‘s first steps

or travelling in farflung countries, it

is all about capturing these unique

moments and encounters and preserv

ing them as a permanent memory.

These situations demand firstclass

technology that captures spontane

ous actions without too much effort

and ultimately delivers outstanding

images.

The ZF.2 lenses will be available in

eight focal lengths, six of which will

be launched at the end of November:

3,5/18, 2,8/21, 2/35, 1,4/50, 2/50

and 1,4/85. In spring, the Distagon

T* 2/28 ZF.2 and the MacroPlanar T*

2/100 ZF.2 will be available as well.

Carl Zeiss hopes to use the ZF.2 range

to supplement its proven ZF range of

lenses that is still available, but is cur

rently subject to long delivery delays

due to high demand.

For a list of compatible camera

models, please go to:

www.zeiss.com/photo



Beyond the VisibleA visual voyage of discovery with infrared photography

From the very beginning infrared

photography has fascinated pho-

tographers. Unreal, dreamlike

landscapes, snow white leaves,

dramatic cloud formations and

bizarre colors are typical of the

surprising images captured with

infrared technology (IR). How-

ever, before heading off into the

realms of enjoyment, beginners

should acquaint themselves with

certain number of facts.

What creates the typical infrared

effect?

IR photography absorbs only the

longerwave infrared rays and hides

the remaining light with shorter

wavelengths. The human eye can

see light up to a wavelength of 780

nm. In infrared photography, the

camera’s imaging sensors, coupled

with suitable lenses, enable light

beyond this range to be visualized.

Familiar images thus take on a new

appearance, show more contrast and

display different colors. The nonde

script suddenly appears spectacular.

What accessories are needed?

An infrared filter is crucial. It screens

out the shortwave radiation of the

visible light either partially or fully

depending on the filter strength. This

considerably reduces the amount

of light reaching the film or sensor,

thus increasing the exposure times.

This makes a tripod essential in most

cases.

What kind of camera do I need?

All common digital cameras are

equipped with an IR barrier filter

intended to filter out the majority of

the longwave light before it falls on

the sensor. Photographers hoping

to achieve extreme infrared effects

should remove this filter. This means

delving into the camera body, some

thing many shy away from. Infrared

images can also be taken without

removing the sensor, but this requires

Wooden bridge, captured with a Planar T* 1,4/50 ZF IR, aperture 11, shutter speed 8 sec.

The sensor in current camera models filters out a large proportion of infrared light. The use of a camera with greater IR sensitivity is recommended to achieve a more intensive IR effect.



longer exposure times and the images

will be less dramatic. Some older SLR

camera models are known for the fact

that their IR barrier filter works more

weakly on the sensor. For instance,

the Nikon D70 is popular among IR

photographers as it has a noticeably

higher infrared sensitivity. Photogra

phers working with analog cameras

are not affected by this limitation as

a special black and white infrared

film is used for exposure. The limited

control possibilities of analog photo

graphy require a certain amount of

experience, especially when it comes

to IR photography.

Which lens is best suited

to the job?

Lenses are usually equipped with a

coating intended to filter out a large

proportion of the infrared light. With

the majority of ZEISS lenses, the T*

antireflex coating prevents light

reflexes and scattered light and lets

only very little longwave radiation

through. Carl Zeiss offers the lenses

Distagon T* 2,8/25 ZF IR, Planar

T* 1,4/50 ZF IR and 1,4/85 ZF IR for

infrared photography. Originally

developed for industrial and scientific

applications, these lenses feature a

lens coating that allows considerably

more infrared radiation to pass

through. With an Fbayonet mount,

they fit common Nikon cameras that

are widely used by professionals and

amateurs alike. The high luminosity

of ZEISS fixed focal length lenses

is also advantageous with infrared

photography. This enables the longer

exposure times needed when working

with IR filters to be reduced. The IR

index printed in red on every ZEISS

lens helps to find the slightly offset

focus range.

How to achieve the best images?

First things first: infrared photography

is unpredictable. Many factors, from

the lighting situation, to technical

components and postproduction,

affect the process. Trial and error is

the order of the day. It is important to

realize that the focus range is slightly

offset in the infrared range. The IR

index on the focus ring helps with

correct adjustment. The IR filter is

unscrewed during focusing. Exposure

measurement is a matter of expe

The snowy landscape and long shadows create an exciting visual impression.



rience, as the automatic measurement

does not take into consideration the

IR proportions of the light. Digital SLR

photographers are at an advantage

here as they can check and adjust

the image on site. The white balance

should also be performed manually

according to your individual taste. A

green sunlit area of grass or a blue

sky are best used for this. In order

to allow for the maximum latitude

in image processing, capturing the

pictures in a RAW format is recom

mended. Infrared photography is the

discovery of the invisible, making it

hard to control. In addition to the

onsite lighting situation, three factors

affect the final image camera, lens

and filter. Surprises therefore cannot

be ruled out, but ultimately they can

create highly fascinating visual worlds.

About Thomas Lakner

38year old Thomas Lakner from

Schwaebisch Gmuend (Germany)

discovered photography at the

age of 12. His passion began

with a manual Petri MF1. The

trained Industrial Manager prefers

shooting portraits and working

with macros and infrared using

Nikon cameras in his leisure time.

www.thomaslakner.de/IR/



Fascination for the Finer DetailsJim Clark, the American nature photographer, on taking the first steps in macro photography

Photographing nature is wonder-

ful and so varied. In all its wealth

of possibilities, there is one disci-

pline I find particularly exciting

and challenging: macro photo-

g raphy. Looking through the

viewfinder, the fascinating details

of fer access to entirely new

worlds. A wild flower or colorful

ensemble of autumn leaves

can become an experience that

touches the soul and moves

the spirit.

When photographing the tiniest ob

jects and details in nature, there are

a number of points that need to be

observed regarding technique and

approach.

1. Tripod: the most important

accessory

Even though new developments are

constantly moving technical picture

stabilisation on, the tripod is, and

always will be, an essential item in

mac ro photography. The closer we

get to our motif, the more marked

the reduction in the depth of field.

This means that we have to use

smaller apertures and longer shutter

speeds to achieve a more defined pic

ture. And for this, the camera needs

to be positioned stably on the tripod.

My recommendation: buy the best

and sturdiest tripod you can afford.

If lightness is important to you, then

consider a carbon fiber tripod, as they

are some 20 to 30 percent lighter

than most metal tripods. Ensure that

the legs of the tripod can be spread

out very wide, as the most interesting

macro motifs are often to be found

on the ground. Very low positions are

difficult on tripods that have a centre

post. On newer models, however, the

centre post can be removed so the

tripod head can be positioned directly

on the tripod.

When I was photographing the day

lilies I moved the tripod as close as

possible to the flowers. This enabled

me to hide an otherwise distracting

background. Despite the very small

aperture diameter (f 19) and slow

shutter speed (1/50), thanks to the

tripod I was able to take a perfectly

focused picture. For the shot with

the pebbles, the tripod enabled me

to set the camera so that the picture

was on the same level as the pebbles.

This is important so that the depth

remains the same all over the picture,

right to the edges. However, as this

was a flat motif with little depth of

field, I could have opted for a shorter

exposure and larger aperture open



ing. But I prefer to work with slower

settings.

As you get better and your enthusiasm

for macro photography increases, you

can move on to a better tripod that is

more stable and more hardwearing. A

good quality tripod will last a lifetime,

so it is well worth the investment.

2. Excellent lenses for the best

picture quality

Macro photography is not very forgiv

ing when it comes to quality. Even the

smallest inconsistency in the lens will

be visible in the picture.

I have had excellent results with the

MakroPlanar T* 2/50 ZF and Makro

Planar T* 2/100 ZF by ZEISS. Their

absolute precision makes these lenses

two of the very best that are availa

ble on the market. They are perfectly

made, and take an absolutely clear

picture with no distortion. For a

nature photographer who is out and

about in all weathers, they are sturdy,

reliable companions even in windy

situations. Shutter and depth need to

be set manually on both. This goes

well with the slow, thorough type of

macro photography that I prefer. It is

important to me that I compose the

picture “by hand”, and look carefully

at what it is in the viewfinder. For

closeups I prefer a longer focus,

which I can use to achieve a tighter

picture angle and uninterrupted

background. Which is why I was

impressed by the T* 2/50 ZF. I used it

for the pictures of the bumblebee and

the butterfly gathering nectar from

a buttonbush. Many people would

find working in the midst of hungry

bumblebees and butterflies somewhat

unnerving rather than enjoyable. I was

perfectly happy, though having been

an environmentalist, naturalist and

beekeeper for many years, I know

that these wonderful pollengatherers

are more interested in food than in

attacking. I used a Nikon R1C1 macro

flash to freeze the movement and

lighten the shadows on the flower. I

took both of these pictures by hand,

as there was enough light from the

flash.

3. Less light - more saturation.

Close-ups of autumn colors

It is important to understand light

and know how it influences the

picture composition to produce

strong pictures. Do you use frontal

light, backlight, light from the side or

diffuse light? Each type has its own

strengths, but the photographer

has to know which one suits his

purposes best.

Diffused light is my preferred choice

for macro photography, especially of

autumn colors. I really like discove

ring a pattern of freshly fallen leaves

on the forest floor. I can spend hours

composing a lovely ensemble of frag

ile ferns that are gradually changing

color.

The lighting is crucial when photo

graphing autumn leaves, ferns and

pebbles or stones. Diffused light bal

ances the colors of the composi tion

and provides rich color saturation.

The challenge that extreme shadows

and lights cause is eliminated, since

the light falls evenly over the whole

picture.

The light is diffuse either when the

sky is cloudy, or you can create it

with a diffuser. A slightly cloudy sky

will reduce contrasts. On days like

that, you can spend the whole day

taking pictures without having to

worry about the light. I often use a

polarizing filter to reduce reflections

on wet leaves and make the colors

even richer. You can use a diffuser

when the sky is clear. However, they



do have a limited range. Despite that,

though, I often use them to screen

the motif from direct light and reduce

contrasts.

I took the picture of the autumn ferns

on a cloudy day. That is why the light

is distributed evenly over the entire

area. The ZEISS MakroPlanar T*

2/100 ZF enabled me to go up close

enough to leave out the irritating

background. The arrangement of

darker ferns interwoven with lighter

ones was soon “in the can”. All I

did was find the right viewing angle

to put the observer in the scene. I

used the stems of the two ferns for

alignment.

I took the photo of the autumn leaves

on a day when the weather was

changeable and the sun was in and

out. So I used a diffuser. As the leaves

were already on the ground, I took

the liberty of arranging them in a

pretty composition. Again, I used the

100mm lens to guide the eye just to

the desired area on the forest floor.

I love nature, and I can spend hours

and days discovering tiny aspects of

it and recording them. I am able

to share my passion through my

photog raphy and hopefully also

share my enthusiasm.

Jim Clark, the American nature

photographer, is the editor of

Outdoor Photographer magazine.

He is the author and photographer

of four books. His latest book is

“Between Ocean and Bay and The

Adventures of Buddy the Beaver”,

which he wrote and photographed

with his 10yearold son, Carston.

www.jimclarkphotography.com

Camera Lens News

A newsletter for all who use, buy, sell,

like, report about and are interested in

Carl Zeiss camera lenses.

All information in Camera Lens News is

accurate to the best of our knowledge at

the time of publication.

Publisher:

Carl Zeiss AG

Camera Lens Division

Marketing

73446 Oberkochen

Germany

Phone: +49 (0) 7364/ 206175

Email: [email protected]

Internet: www.zeiss.de/photo

Carl Zeiss newsletter nr34_en_web

Documents

zeiss lenses

carl zeiss camera lenses

happiness commission

wideangle lenses

different idea of happiness

prayer flags carl zeiss

fan of zoom lenses

queen of bhutan