The Unloved and the Unrivalled

Canon 24mm f1.4 L v Zeiss Contax 21mm f2.8 Distagon

Performance at f16 (Zone A)

Canon 24mm f1.4 L at f16 (centre)	Zeiss Contax 21mm f16 (centre)
4.5 points	4.75 points

Even at f16 the Zeiss retains its edge across the frame . . .

Performance at f16 (Zone B: Left Side)

Canon 24mm f1.4 L at f16 (mid-frame)	Zeiss Contax 21mm f16 (mid-frame)
4.5 points	4.75 points

Performance at f16 (Zone C)

Canon 24mm f1.4 L at f16 (extreme corner)	Zeiss Contax 21mm f16 (extreme corner)
4.5 points	5 points

The other great strength of this lens is its field flatness: near and far field objects are drawn with equal aplomb, and at any given aperture, it pulls more of a scene into focus than any other lens of its type. At f5.6, for instance, you can render an object on the horizon and five feet in front of the lens critically sharp, whereas a Canon 16-35mm, for instance, requires at least another stop to do so. Whatever you've previously used at this focal length, you will be surprised by the near-magical ability of the 21mm Distagon to deliver the depth of field you'd normally associate with f8 at much wider apertures.