Makro Planar 120mm F4 ZV and medium format digital sensor
A review and Photo example of the Carl Zeiss Makro Planar 120mm F4 ZV with the LEICA S Typ007.
Table of contents
Gallery
The sample photos were taken using a Leica S typ007.
Review
1．Overview
The Carl Zeiss Makro Planar 120mm F4 ZV is a Hasselblad V-mount macro lens with a focal length of 120mm.
The aperture has detents every half stop, evenly spaced from f/4 to f/32. This C-type lens has no electrical contacts and can rotate approximately 250 degrees from infinity to a minimum focal length of 0.8m.
The lens is equipped with a front shutter, allowing use with the leaf shutter on compatible cameras. When used with other cameras, a preview button allows for aperture opening and closing, allowing for use with the actual aperture.
This medium-telephoto lens, equipped with a medium-format digital sensor, becomes 96mm when used with the Hasselblad X2D or LEICA S typ007. The minimum focusing distance is 0.8m, which is not as close as its macro name suggests, but perhaps thanks to this, the lens barrel is compact. It weighs 890g, making it quite heavy, and when combined with the Leica S typ007, the camera system weighs over 2kg.
2．Usability
The Carl Zeiss Makro Planar 120mm F4 ZV produces sharp images even at full aperture, and while its maximum aperture of f/4 is a bit slow, it produces sufficient bokeh.
There’s no unpleasant bokeh before or after the focal plane, and the gradual blur from the focal plane is appealing.
When used with a LEICA S typ007, the color tone is well-balanced, the tonal gradation is rich, and it’s resistant to backlight. If you don’t mind the weight, it’s a versatile medium-telephoto lens. The silver barrel is very beautiful, and the blue Zeiss emblem really stands out.
This lens was released by Cosina under the Carl Zeiss brand in 2008 as a limited edition of 1,000 units. 1,000 units for this type of lens seems like a fairly large number, and by 2010, two years after its release, it was sold at clearance prices, with the 50mm for the Y camera going for 150,000 yen, the 120mm for 120,000 yen, and the 180mm for just under 100,000 yen. It seems that the M cameras were also being cleared, but all three were priced at 280,000 yen, a milder price than the Y cameras. However, perhaps because there are fewer lenses in use after 10 years, as of 2023, prices have returned to a fairly high level.
Back in 2010, I had no interest in medium format at all, so I just glanced at the bargain prices, thinking that was just how they were, but when I was looking for a lens for my LEICA S typ007, I came across a lens with a hood at a used camera shop for a slightly higher price than the clearance price, and after hesitating for a day, I ended up buying it.
3．Summary
In conclusion, to sum up the Carl Zeiss Makro Planar 120mm F4 ZV, it is a beautiful lens with a matte, more subdued exterior than the silver of the early HASSELBLAD V lenses. The image quality is also impeccable, making it a lens that would be worth considering purchasing, depending on the price.
However, as will be explained later, the optical design is the same as the older S PLANAR 120mm F4, so it is not a lens worth paying a premium for.
Specifications, considerations, etc.
When I looked into the older V-mount S Planar 120mm, I found that the lens construction hadn’t changed at all. I understood why this lens’s minimum focusing distance of 0.8m is due to its older design.
If the intention behind this lens was simply to reproduce Hasselblad V-mount lenses, then this was probably the right choice. The lens construction is the same whether you buy the Hasselblad V-mount C, CF, CFi, or CFE.
Of course, the lens coating may differ depending on the year of manufacture, but you won’t notice any difference except in extreme situations such as backlighting. Older lenses have a Compur shutter, while newer lenses have a Prontar shutter.
Also, the S Planar 120mm f/5.6, which is slower than this lens, is sold for a lower price than the MAKRO PLANAR.
A unique lens in the MAKRO PLANAR series is the Apo Macro Planar 120mm for the CONTAX 645. It has a configuration of 8 elements in 5 groups, with 2 additional elements added behind the 6-element Planar lens in 4 groups. This lens improves color bleeding caused by the Apo and has a minimum focusing distance of 0.3m, making it a very practical lens.
| Item | Makro Planar ZV | APO Macro Planar |
| Lens mount | HASSELBLAD V | CONTAX 645 |
| focal length(mm) | 120 | 120 |
| Maximum aperture | 4 | 4 |
| Minimum aperture | 32 | 32 |
| Lens configuration | 6 elements in 4 groups | 8 elements in 5 groups |
| Leaf blade | 5 | 8 |
| Minimum distance(m) | 0.8 | 0.3 |
| Lens length(mm) | 107.6 | 104 |
| Lens max diameter(mm) | 80 | 86 |
| Filter type | 67 | 72 |
| Weight(g) | 890 | 796 |
| Release date | 2008.9 | 1999 |
Afiliate Link
- Some external links are advertisements, and clicking them may generate income for the site administrator. I would appreciate your understanding and cooperation in maintaining my page.
- Carl Zeiss Makro Planar 120mm F4 ZV・Ads by ebay
- HASSELBLAD V lens・Ads by ebay
Reference links
Update history
- 2025.8.3
- 2025.2.18
- 2024.03.26:modified article
- 2023.04.15:firest post
Leave a Reply