Zeiss Planar 50mm vs Yashica 50mm (f1.4)

How much are they different?

Someone from flickr suggests that they are “totally different lenses”. Well, they might need to take a closer look at the two lens with more care.

I tried digging some information from internet with regard to the lens design of zeiss planar and yashica ML 50mm 1.4. Their structures look pretty similar to me; if not, they are at least not “totally different lenses”.

Obviously, one difference is on coating where contax has proprietary T* coating from zeiss, and Yashica has ML coating.  Images from flicker captured by the two lens don’t show much difference in sharpness nor CA. Anyway, I will have the chance to take a closer look on both of them very soon.

One note is that comments from internet remind me of a branding experiment, during which an experimentee, who perfers Cocacola, would conclude the coke he/she drinks is Cocacola even though it’s actually Pepsi. It might not be an appropriate analogy in this case, but Zeiss followers would probably finds Planar 50mm “totally different” from any other lens after all.

Reference:

1. zeiss planar 50mm 1.4 design

http://slrlensreview.com/web/reviews/carl-zeiss-lenses-swhorizontalmenu-172/zeiss-standard/376-carl-zeiss-planar-t-50mm-f14-cy-lens-review

2. ML 50mm 1.4 design

http://louislam.photopage.org/Yashica/Yashica.htm

3. Tokinon’s 50mm page (a fan of all 50mm lens)

http://tokinon5014.main.jp/tokinon/50/yashica_ml50_14.htm

4. Branding Effect for Cocacola

http://www.hm-marketing.com/Blog/September-2012/Brand-loyalty-Why-do-people-think-they-prefer