Hello.
This time, I walked around the city in early summer with the "Nikon D750," a highly popular full-frame DSLR camera from Nikon, combined with the "Carl Zeiss Planar 50mm f/1.4 ZF.2 T*" (for Nikon), a manual focus lens with a strong following.
In an age where cameras with instant autofocus (AF) are the norm, looking through the viewfinder and carefully turning the focus ring with your own hands offers a different kind of joy. I'll share that "joy of taking photos" with 10 example shots.
Discovering vibrant colors in the urban landscape
With the D750 slung over my shoulder, I walked into the skyscraper district of Shinjuku. The D750's large, comfortable grip perfectly balanced the heavy metal barrel of the Planar lens. The optical viewfinder was bright, making it easy to discern the focus peak for manual focus (MF).
At the base of the buildings, I happened to glance down and saw a small patch of nature breathing.
To test the Planar's wide-open performance, I approached a white flower blooming in a planter.
The petals in the center, where focus was set, were strikingly sharp, while the surrounding areas melted into a soft bokeh. This is the three-dimensional rendering that makes Zeiss Planar so renowned.
A little further on, vibrant pink azaleas came into view. Against the backdrop of the city's linear buildings, I intentionally blurred the flowers in the foreground to add a touch of color to the scene.
Zeiss's traditional "T* (T-star) coating" provides clear color reproduction, highlighting the texture of the urban concrete and glass while rendering the pink hues without any muddiness. The smoothness of the foreground bokeh is also breathtaking.
Changing perspectives. Looking down at "Light and Shadow" from a pedestrian bridge
In urban photography, simply changing your eye level can reveal a completely different drama. I decided to stand on a pedestrian bridge and capture the people and vehicles passing below from a high vantage point.
A motorcycle zipped across my path, gracefully following a blue arrow painted on the asphalt.
Manually focusing on moving subjects can be nerve-wracking, but the moment I captured the shot perfectly with the crisp click of the D750's shutter, it brought a sense of accomplishment that AF simply can't match.
Looking to my side, a woman in a suit passed by, holding a white parasol to shield herself from the strong sunlight.
The deep shadows falling on the road, the geometric patterns of the tiles. The Planar's high contrast dramatically renders the dry light and shadow of the city.
My gaze shifted further to a businessman walking through a passage between buildings, bathed in dazzling light.
His brisk walk, paired with sneakers, perfectly captures a typical day in a modern office district. The D750's optimal 24.32-megapixel resolution retains the detail of the building tiles without overly large file sizes, making it perfect for dynamic snapshots.
In a corner of that bustling city, there was also a person who suddenly stopped and stood still.
The railing in the foreground is boldly blurred, and lush green is placed in the lower part. The back of the man in the center, sandwiched between the front and back bokeh, conveys a sense of urban solitude and tranquility.
Towards the bustling crowds, where remnants of the Showa era linger
Leaving the modern high-rise district, I headed to a downtown area lined with nostalgic signboards. There, a different kind of human energy filled the air, a stark contrast to the quietness just moments before.
A man points to something, and an old gentleman in a white jacket looks up at it. Even with a cluttered background of various signboards, the Planar's shallow depth of field (large bokeh) makes the two main subjects stand out strikingly. I captured the fleeting expressions and movements of passersby as they were, with a 50mm focal length close to human vision.
The 50mm lens: Capturing the distance between friends
My good friend was accompanying me on this walk. To conclude our photo stroll, I decided to take his portrait, making the most of the "standard lens" perspective of this 50mm focal length.
50mm offers a magical distance that allows you to click the shutter as if continuing a casual conversation, without making the subject feel intimidated.
First, I captured him walking down a tree-lined path from a slight distance.
The blurred green in the foreground creates a storybook atmosphere, as if he is being watched through a gap in the lush trees.
The moment he stopped and looked down at a street corner.
Each strand of hair translucent in the light, the texture of his clear-framed glasses. A delicate, unspoken atmosphere emanates from his downcast expression. Thanks to the D750's clear optical viewfinder, I was able to finely control the focus on his hair with my fingertips.
"Hey," I called, and he turned to look at me.
The background completely dissolves, creating an overwhelming three-dimensional effect where only he emerges from the background. The Nikon D750's warm yet faithful color reproduction, combined with the Zeiss Planar's exquisite sharpness and bokeh, came together in perfect harmony to produce one of my favorite shots.
Equipment that teaches the joy of photography
The combination of the [Nikon D750] and the [Carl Zeiss Planar 50mm f/1.4 ZF.2 T*] is certainly not a camera setup for competing on "batting average." It's a set that makes you cherish the entire process: facing each subject, carefully focusing, and pressing the shutter while reading the light.
Now that mirrorless cameras are mainstream, the sensation of "looking through the viewfinder to shoot" with a DSLR, and the charm of Zeiss MF lenses, which strongly retain the essence of old lenses, shine even brighter.
Why not head out to your usual town with your favorite camera and lens? A new story is surely waiting for you there.
1. Nikon D750
A full-frame (FX-format) digital single-lens reflex camera released in 2014.
It boasts high image quality with approximately 24.32 megapixels and excellent high-sensitivity performance, allowing for beautiful, low-noise photos even in dark environments. It features a deep grip for a secure hold and a tilting LCD monitor for shooting from various angles. Combining mobility with serious descriptive power, it remains a beloved camera trusted by professionals, advanced amateurs, and many photography enthusiasts today.
・Width, Height, Depth: Approx. 140.5mm x 113mm x 78mm
・Weight: Approx. 750g (including battery and SD memory card, excluding body cap) / Approx. 650g (body only)
2. Carl Zeiss Planar T* 1.4/50 ZF.2
A standard 50mm prime manual focus lens that inherits traditional optical design.
It boasts an incredible maximum aperture of F1.4, allowing for a large and beautiful bokeh with a shallow depth of field. The "T* (T-star) coating" provides clear, vivid images with reduced flare and ghosting. The ZF.2 mount is for Nikon cameras with a built-in CPU, supporting camera-side exposure control and shooting data recording. With the pleasant feel of its metal barrel, it's a superb lens that offers rich expressive power.
・Maximum diameter × total length: Approx. φ66mm × 48mm (up to mount surface)
・Weight: Approx. 330g
Click here for a list of Nikon D750 products
Click here for a list of Carl Zeiss Planar 50mm f/1.4 ZF.2 T* products
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