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PROFIFOTOSPECIAL 149ZEISS MILVUS • BATIS • LOXIA • OTUS
ZEISS MilvusThe new DSLR lens family 04
GalleryChristopher Wesser 08Harold Davis 10
ZEISS Batis for the Sony E-mountFull-frame autofocus lenses 12
ZEISS LoxiaManual focus for maximum quality 14
ZEISS OtusMedium format quality with 35mm 16
The future in focus125 years of ZEISS camera lenses 18
For DSLR
cameras
The moment your creativityis freed of limitations.The new Milvus lenses from ZEISS.
Unleash the full potential of your creativity, and your camera, with new Milvus
lenses from ZEISS. With Milvus, ZEISS has pushed the idea of what a lens system for ZE and
ZF.2 mounts can be to the next level of performance, image quality and design. From portraits
and landscapes to architectural and street photography, Milvus lenses deliver smooth and
precise focusing in a compact, ergonomic package that’s suitable for every shooting situation
and light condition. With optimum image quality, intuitive full-focus control and a sleek,
modern design, your creativity is now only limited by your imagination.
Learn more about the lenses at ZEISS dealers:
www.zeiss.com/milvus www.zeiss.com/photo/dealer
// AMBITION MADE BY ZEISS
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ZEISSMilvus • Batis • Loxia • Otus
fter Batis, Otus and Loxia comes Milvus, the fourth, modern family of premium lenses from ZEISS, complementing the
classic line-up of the brand with a proven repu-tation as a lens manufacturer. While the lenses of the Milvus and Otus series with their ZE or ZF.2 mounts are optimized for use with Canon and Nikon DSLRs, the Batis and Loxia series serve the needs of the mirrorless compact system cameras of the Sony Alpha line-up. All lenses use the full potential of high-resolution sensors, making them the ideal addition for top camera brand users. With the exception of the Batis series, ZEISS consistently relies on manual focus as an alternative to AF-driven lenses from other manufacturers. Photographers and film-makers benefit from silky smooth and precise running spirals for the focus, making manual focusing a pleasure. High speed combined with the maximum optical performance of the ZEISS lenses goes hand-in-hand with a creamy bokeh. The Editorial Office
ZEISS sets the standard for full-
frame premium lenses with its
four modern lens families
A
3_Edi-Spezial-GB.indd 3 15.10.15 14:07
Page 4 Page 5
onal applications to video and cine
applications.
Diversity of focal lengths
With its variety of focal lengths, the
ZEISS Milvus lens family covers
many of the photographer’s impor-
tant working fields where the bene-
fits of manual focus lenses can be
optimally used. “We want to provi-
de users the focusing freedom as
an artistic means because it is one
of the most important instruments
for the photographer,” says Chri-
stophe Casenave, Product Mana-
ger for ZEISS Camera Lenses. The
ZEISS Milvus lenses are geared to-
wards all owners of high-resolution
DSLR cameras, offering an additio-
nal value. In addition, they are sui-
table for photographers who speci-
alize in applications where the six
The new ZEISS Milvus lens family currently consists of six SLR lenses
focal lengths are particularly useful,
such as portrait, landscape or ma-
cro photography. The Milvus lens fa-
mily currently consists of the follow-
ing six focal lengths: ZEISS Milvus
2.8/21, 2/35, 1.4/50, 1.4/85 as well as
the two macro lenses Milvus 2/50M
and 2/100M. Additional focal lengths
will be added to the ZEISS Milvus
lens family over the next few years.
“With this variety of especially high-
quality SLR lenses, we show that,
with our Milvus lenses, we can sup-
ply the right focal length for almost
any application or personal prefe-
rence,” says Casenave.
The Milvus lenses continue the
award-winning ZEISS product de-
sign already seen in the ZEISS Otus
lenses. Precise manual focusing for
accurate settings is made possi-
ble thanks to an easy-to-grip focus
ring. The robust all-metal housing
for the lenses ensures reliability and
durability. They are also protected
against dust and spray water. The
sturdy metal lens shade is an inte-
gral part of the overall product de-
sign and is included with all Milvus
lenses.
The lenses can also be safely trans-
ported, even in rugged terrain and
humid areas, with the Milvus Lens
DSLR cameras from Nikon and Ca-
non, Milvus lenses can also be used
via a third-party adapter on Sony ca-
meras with an E-mount (e.g. the A7-
series) and offer an excellent price-
performance ratio for professional
applications.
he new Milvus lens fa-
mily with manual fo-
cus is ZEISS’ response
to the trend for sensors
with increasingly high-
er resolution which, in turn, require
higher image quality. In addition to
149 ZEISS SPECIAL
T
ZEISS MILVUS
The new DSLR lens family
ZEISS MilvusRight from the start, the new ZEISS DSLR lens family has contained six focal lengths. The manual focus lenses are optimized for high-resolution cameras with ZE for the Canon EF-mount and ZF.2 for the Nikon F-mount.
Case Set. The lens case is made
out of durable waterproof plastic
and designed for up to six lenses.
Fully compatible
The lenses support all important
operating modes of DSLR came-
ras (aperture priority, shutter priority
and program modes or manual time
and exposure settings). In addition,
they feature an interface that trans-
fers the lens data to the camera,
e.g. focal length, set aperture, etc.
This data is saved to the photo’s
EXIF data.
Equally important: their high con-
trast rendition and low levels of
stray light ensure that the lenses
meet the latest video standards
such as HDR (high dynamic ran-
ge) and resolutions of 6K and more.
They open up the field of professi-
The ZEISS Milvus Lens Case Set offers
inserts for up to six ZEISS SLR lenses
Page 6 Page 7
ZEISS Distagon optical design. This
makes it the second standard lens
after the Otus 1.4/55 to use this
high-performance optical design.
The advanced Distagon optical de-
sign enables very good image per-
formance across the entire field of
view, despite its fast speed, even
at full aperture. The 1.4/50 on a full-
frame camera correlates to the per-
spective of the human eye and is
therefore suitable for numerous pur-
poses.
The short telephoto lens Milvus
1.4/85 is made up of eleven lens
elements in nine groups and is ba-
“Due to their excellent image per-
formance, even in difficult lighting
conditions, the ZEISS Milvus lenses
are designed especially for the de-
mands of current and future high-
performance digital cameras,” said
Casenave. The lenses offer a har-
monious bokeh and excellent re-
flection reduction thanks to the T*
anti-reflective coating from ZEISS.
Further optimization of the lens
coating reduces ghosting, flares
and shading effects in critical ligh-
ting situations. All Milvus lenses
feature a Floating Elements Design
that compensates for aberrations
at different distance settings. This
is achieved by varying the axial di-
stance of single lens elements or
lens groups. The adjustment of the
distance between lens elements
is linked to the distance setting so
that this always results in the right
correction.
The new lenses enable high-quality
film recordings with soft and cine-
matic bokeh. “With their extremely
high contrast rendition, the lenses
meet the latest 6K and higher vi-
deo standards and display uniform
color characteristics,” said Casena-
ve. All six Milvus lenses have extra
long angles of focus ring rotation for
precise focusing. The rubberized fo-
cus ring features a good grip while
focus pulling. The ‘de-click’ function
in the ZF.2 mount lenses allows film-
makers to adjust the aperture freely
and smoothly, making it possible to
achieve professional results even in
changing lighting conditions.
The Milvus 1.4/50 and 1.4/85 have
been newly constructed. The Mil-
vus 1.4/50 has ten lens elements in
eight groups. The 50 mm lens has
one lens element with an aspherical
optical surface and four elements
made of special glass and uses the
sed on the ZEISS Planar optical de-
sign. It is especially suitable for the
field of portrait photography. This
lens is essential wherever the main
subject needs to be isolated from
the background and a nice bokeh
should be incorporated into the
image design. The purely spherical
optical design creates a harmonious
bokeh, and the use of seven special
types of glass ensures extremely
low chromatic aberration.
Also available: the Milvus 2.8/21 and
2/35 plus both macro lenses 2/50M
and 2/100M.
www.zeiss.com/milvus
149 ZEISS SPECIAL ZEISS MILVUS
Why don’t the Milvus lenses bear the
usual ZEISS names such as Distagon or
Planar?
The previously-used product names were
based on their optical design as well as
the designation of the T* anti-reflective
coating and are characteristics of a lens,
but do not name it. However, these can
still be found on the front ring of the lens.
Why don’t the ZEISS SLR lenses have
autofocus?
The design as a manual focus lens ma-
kes it possible to function within much
narrower margins with regards to the
construction. The integration of an au-
tofocus always means compromi-
sing the mechanical precision of the
lens construction. We want to offer the
user the focusing freedom as an arti-
stic means, because this is one of the
photographer’s most important tools. We
provide a very smooth surface feel and a
particularly precise focusing mechanism
that is only available in an all-metal lens
with manual focus.
Why are Milvus lenses so large and
heavy compared to other SLR lenses?
All Milvus lenses have a sophisticated op-
tical design and use high-quality lens ele-
ments for the best imaging performance.
The robust metal housing with dust and
splash water protection as well as a user-
friendly ergonomic design ensure durabili-
ty. These technical conditions result in the
corresponding dimensions and weight.
Do the EXIF data show a specification
such as ZEISS Milvus 1.4/50 or 50mm
f/1.4?
ZEISS encodes the Milvus lenses with a
unique lens identification number so that
images can be clearly assigned to a spe-
cific lens. In addition, we cooperate with
most major image editing software com-
panies and seek to ensure that lens iden-
tification numbers are assigned to the
correct product names. However, ZEISS
can’t offer a guarantee for the proper as-
signment.
Christophe Casenave,
Product Manager for
ZEISS Camera Lenses,
in conversation with Pro-
fiFoto on the new Milvus
lenses.
PROFIFOTO: Why were the new ZEISS
lenses developed, even though there is
a decline in the DSLR market?
Christophe Casenave: The DSLR market
is positively developing towards high-
er-quality products. With each new ca-
mera model, there is always a higher de-
mand for more megapixels, higher
ISO numbers and more dyna-
mic range.
Milvus lenses are future-proof
thanks to their outstanding
optical performance and help
to unleash the full power of
modern DSLRs.
What is the difference between the
ZEISS Milvus and Classic lenses?
All Milvus lenses feature a new, ergono-
mic and improved design as well as dust
and spray water protection. The versi-
ons with the F-mount (ZF.2) are equip-
ped with an aperture ring, which by rota-
ting a screw on the mount can be used
with either fixed f-stops (“clicked”) or with
variable aperture (“de-clicked”).
Why is the new lens family called
Milvus?
ZEISS lens series have family names to
give them a common identity. We deci-
ded to derive these surnames from Latin
bird names. These fit well because birds
usually have excellent vision and are ver-
satile and cheerful.
In addition, the names sound very at-
tractive and are generally compatible
with many languages and cultures. The
names stem from hawk-like birds of prey
(black kite and red kite) from central Eu-
rope.
Interview
Thanks to their precise and long focusing distance, the ZEISS Milvus lenses make it possible to produce high-quality videos and can be used via adapters on came-ras like the Sony PXW-FS7 with E-mount
Z E I S S G A L L E R YChristopher Wesser, www.sandbox-photos.com
Christopher Wesser’s photos are characterized by their shallow depth of field and dominant bokeh. Both are made possible by the use of different ZEISS lenses. He summari-zes his experiences with manual focusing as follows: “The ZEISS lenses are perfect for manual focusing. The really smooth focus ring works extremely well and is very precise. It feels as though you turn it three times around the lens from the minimum focusing distance to infinity. This makes focusing as accurate as possible, which is unthinkable with other lens manufacturers. Modern digital cameras all offer a ‘live view’ mode, which is quite suitable for manual focu-sing. In addition, the option on the display to zoom in sup-ports manual focusing. With full-format cameras, it’s often possible to exchange the large, bright focusing screen for one specially developed for manual focus. These focusing screens separate sharp and blurry areas more effectively, which increases the hit rate during focusing.
However, this method requires some practice. More and more new cameras also offer ‘focus peaking.’ The edges of the focused areas are highlighted by exaggerated lines. Manual focusing is also possible with cameras that don’t offer interchangeable focusing screens or don’t have a viewfinder. Therefore, even mirrorless cameras with digital viewfinders make manual focusing a breeze using ZEISS lenses. For me, manual focusing means acceleration and deceleration at the same time. Meanwhile, I take all my pic-tures manually, even when photographing moving sub-jects. I turn the focus ring once and know exactly when the focal point is hit and when it is not. At the same time, I can place the focal point exactly where I want it to be.” More photos from Christopher Wesser and other photo-graphers on the ZEISS Flickr account: https://www.flickr.com/photos/carlzeisslenses/ and in the ZEISS Flickr group: https://www.flickr.com/groups/carlzeisslenses
Photos: © Christopher Wesser
ZEISS Planar T* 1,4/50 ZE
ZEISS Distagon T* 2/25 ZE
ZEISS Planar T* 1,4/50 ZE
Z E I S S G A L L E R Y
ZEISS Milvus 2/100M, Photo: © Harold Davis
Harold Davis, www.digitalfieldguide.com
Harold Davis describes himself as a photographi-cal poet and painter of light: the lens is for him what the brush is for the painter. His “brushes” are made by ZEISS. Davis was one of the few pho-tographers who was allowed to test the new Mil-vus 2.8/21 and Milvus 2/100M before anyone else. “Both lenses are remarkable tools that help me realize my visions.” Davis has tried many diffe-rent lenses during his career. At medium settings, all are sharp but a wide-open to minimum aper-ture setting allows true quality to stand out. And it is here that the new Milvus lenses do amazing things: “In particular, the Milvus 2/100M is fantastic from f/2 to f/16.” Almost as important as sharpness is the bokeh, i.e. the intended blur in the areas in front of and behind the focal plane. An appealing bokeh is essential for a macro lens so that small objects can be separated from their background. “The bokeh of the 100-millimeter macro is really gorgeous,” says Davis. The quality of the bokeh can always be disputed – every photographer has his or her own taste. The way that a lens depicts light is also subject to opinion and hard to define. According to Davis, the Milvus lenses have a won-derful brightness. “They turn ordinary things into magic – which is exactly what I need for my pho-tography.” The capabilities of the macro lens are especially apparent in his pictures of flower blos-soms. Despite the different distances of each blos-som to the lens, the colors are always consistently bright and very saturated, without appearing artifi-cial. The lens depicts every pistil and grain of pol-len as sharp, while at the same time painting the leaves of the blossoms in a soft, beautiful way. More about Harold Davis and other photographers at www.zeiss.com/lenspire
Full-frame autofocus lenses
ZEISS Batis for Sony E-mount
Page 12
The ZEISS Batis 2/25 and 1.8/85 are the first full-frame auto-focus lenses for Sony’s E-mount cameras to be exclusively developed and distributed by ZEISS.
Page 13
r. Michael Pollmann,
Product Manager for
ZEISS Camera Lenses,
says, “With the Batis
lens family we laun-
ched for the first time autofocus
lenses for Sony’s full-frame E-mount
cameras that were exclusively de-
veloped and distributed by ZEISS.”
The Sony Alpha full-frame family of
α7 cameras is one of the most in-
novative camera systems and is be-
coming the alternative for profes-
sionals and people considering
switching from DSLRs. “With the
Batis lenses we acknowledge this
trend and provide creative and am-
bitious photographers the expert
tools they need,” says Pollmann.
The lenses are easy to use yet pro-
fessional in performance: “Came-
ra sensors are constantly evolving,
and so are photographers. Our Ba-
tis lenses are the perfect answer to
these changing trends and herald a
new era of professional photogra-
phers using mirrorless full-frame ca-
meras,” says Pollmann.
The Batis 2/25 and 1.8/85 offer two
focal lengths which are consistent-
ly requested by users of the system:
a moderate wide-angle focal length
and a tele portrait focal length. The
lenses make optimal use of the ca-
mera sensor’s potential, captu-
ring every last detail with impres-
sive contrast and high resolution. As
well as offering fast and precise au-
tofocus, they can also be manual-
ly focused so that the user can re-
D
»Due to their outstand-ing imaging perfor-mance, fast autofocus and innovative fea-tures, the Batis lenses are in a class of their own«Dr. Michael Pollmann
149 ZEISS SPECIAL ZEISS BATIS FOR SONY E-MOUNT
innovation in the field of photogra-
phic lenses. The electronic display
is easy to read, even in low light.
The display shows – depending on
the camera system and sensor, e.g.
A7S, A7R, A7, A7R II – the distance
between the camera and the focus
plane as well as the depth of field.
In addition, the Batis lenses are dust
and splash-proof, allowing them to
be used even in the harshest wea-
ther conditions. The fast and quiet
AF drive with linear motors ensures
precise focusing even in hectic
shooting conditions. In addition, the
lenses have an easy-to-grip, rubbe-
rized focus ring that supports ma-
nual focusing and provides the user
with full creative freedom in image
composition.
Both lenses also feature a Floating
Elements Design. This compensates
for aberrations at different distance
settings. Furthermore, both lenses
offer a standard filter thread with a
67mm diameter. The Batis lenses
support all operating modes and
functions of the current range of E-
mount cameras.
ZEISS Batis 2/25
The Batis 2/25 wide-angle lens has
ten lens elements in eight groups
and uses the ZEISS Distagon optical
act quickly and independently to
different situations. The sleek, mo-
dern design, with smooth surfaces
already familiar from the ZEISS Otus
lenses, emphasizes the superior
quality and ensures the uniqueness
of the lenses.
“Due to numerous customer re-
quests, we decided to integrate a
display into the Batis lenses show-
ing the focal distance,” says Poll-
mann. The OLED display is an ab-
solute highlight for the discerning
photographer – an unprecedented
Dr. Michael Pollmann, Product Manager
for ZEISS Camera Lenses, in conversa-
tion with ProfiFoto about the ZEISS Ba-
tis lenses.
PROFIFOTO: What is the difference bet-
ween the ZEISS lenses in the Sony ran-
ge and those directly from ZEISS?
Dr. Michael Pollmann: ZEISS lenses in the
Sony range are sold exclusively through
Sony‘s sales channels and were jointly
developed and manufactured under the
control of Sony. Sony ensures that the-
se lenses meet ZEISS’ quality standards
100 percent. On the other hand, sales,
development and production of the Batis
lenses is covered exclusively by ZEISS.
Why do the Batis lenses have an elec-
tronic display?
Due to numerous customer requests af-
ter the introduction of the ZEISS Touit
APS-C lenses with E- or X-mounts, we
decided to integrate a display for the fo-
cal distance into the Batis lenses. To
keep the size and complexity of the
lenses manageable, we decided to use
an innovative OLED
display to show this
data. The electronic
display can be reliab-
ly read in low light or
even darkness. In ad-
dition, depending on the
chosen aperture, the depth of field can
be displayed more precisely.
Are additional focal lengths planned? If
yes, which ones?
There will be additional focal lengths.
But for now we would prefer not to an-
nounce any further details.
Interview
design. It has four double-sided as-
pherical lens elements and five lens
elements made of special glass. The
aspherical lens design ensures con-
sistent image quality across the en-
tire image field as well as sharpness
on the image periphery. The mode-
rate 82 degree image angle com-
bined with the closest possible fo-
cus distance of 0.2 meters make
this wide-angle lens an ideal com-
panion for more than classical archi-
tectural and landscape photogra-
phy. Especially at close-up range,
the lens offers compositional possi-
bilities with the depth of field, which
can lead to surprising results.
ZEISS Batis 1.8/85
The Batis 1.8/85 moderate telephoto
lens offers eleven lens elements in
eight groups according to the ZEISS
Sonnar design. Three lenses made
of special glass ensure superior pic-
ture quality. The 1.8/85 is particular-
ly suitable for wedding photogra-
phy and portrait shots where, due
to high luminosity, the main subject
can be isolated. Thanks to its optical
image stabilization, the Batis 1.8/85
can capture outstanding images
even under difficult, shifting lighting
situations.
www.zeiss.com/batis
The Batis 2/25 is a compact wide-angle lens with an 82° (diagonally) angle of view
The fast ZEISS Batis 1.8/85 allows for appealing portraits with a harmonious
bokeh
ZEISS Loxia
Manual focus for maximum quality
Page 14
he ZEISS Loxia line-up is
manual focus lenses for
the E-mount full frame.
A few of the highlights
are their optimization for
digital sensors, a mechanical aper-
ture setting and the mechanical de-
activation of the aperture click (de-
click) for ambitious videography.
Giving the user compositional free-
dom in photography is a top priori-
ty with the ZEISS Loxia lenses. An
electronic interface transmits lens
data (EXIF), but also recognizes fo-
cusing movement and, if desired,
activates the camera’s magnifying
function. This supports the possibi-
lities of modern mirrorless camera
systems with electronic viewfinders.
Furthermore, Loxia lenses allow for
precise manual focusing as well as
T
149 ZEISS SPECIAL ZEISS LOXIA
The Loxia lens family has been spe-
cifically optimized for digital sen-
sors. The optical design of the Lo-
xia 2/35 is based on a Biogon and
consists of nine lens elements in
six groups. With the full-frame fo-
cal length of a standard wide-angle,
this lens is especially well suited for
nature, landscape and architectu-
ral photography. It can be creatively
used for close-ups with unusual per-
spectives thanks to its low focusing
distance of 0.3 meters.
The design of the Loxia 2/50 is ba-
sed on a Planar and has six lens
elements in four groups. As a tra-
ditional standard lens with a full-fra-
me focal length of 50 millimeters,
it offers the photographers a field
of view that corresponds to natu-
ral eyesight. The Loxia 2/50 is ideal
for a variety of situations: for travel
photography, photojournalism, por-
traiture and, with a minimum shoo-
ting distance of 0.37 meters, even
for close-ups. It’s an easy-to-use but
still high quality lens that photogra-
phers can continually keep on their
camera, allowing them to adapt to a
wide range of everyday situations.
The high speed of f/2 in these two
Loxia lenses also expands their pos-
sibilities even more: two examples
are the effective isolation of sub-
jects with a shallow depth of field
and free-handed photography, even
in poor lighting conditions.
The new Loxia 2.8/21 offers an es-
pecially wide field of view. It is the
first and only super wide-angle lens
The Loxia lenses allow a mechanical deactivation of the aperture click stops (de-click) for ambi-tious videography
a mechanical setting of the aperture
(working aperture priority).
There is a reason mirrorless came-
ra systems are currently one of the
most interesting developments on
the photo market. Many photogra-
phers appreciate the combination of
traditional operating principles with
the latest technology.
“If I had to describe the Loxia lenses
in just one sentence,” says Chris-
tophe Casenave from ZEISS, “I
would say, ‘Tradition meets moder-
nity.’ These lenses have been deve-
loped for photographers who enjoy
spontaneous shots, but do not want
to leave all the work to the camera.”
A special highlight makes the new
lens family a tool with a high de-
gree of creative potential not only
for photographers but also for am-
bitious videographers: the mecha-
nical deactivation of aperture click
stops allows for continuous and si-
lent aperture settings (de-click). Fur-
thermore, their precise manual focu-
sing even makes them suitable for
professional video production.
with a fixed focal length for Sony E
full-frame cameras. With a length
of 67mm and a weighing only 400
grams, the Loxia 2.8/21 is particu-
larly compact and light and can
be used as the landscape lens of
choice for Sony E-mount cameras.
The Distagon is made up of eleven
lens elements in nine groups, inclu-
ding an aspherical lens for high con-
trast and extremely low distortion.
Four lens elements with anomalous
partial dispersion ensure low chro-
matic aberration.
The Loxia lens series deliberately
forgoes autofocus. This makes them
compact and ideal for travel and
street photography. Photographers
who work in this area often do not
want to be immediately recognized
as professionals. The lenses provi-
de high resolution across the enti-
re field of view and a harmonious
bokeh in the background, especial-
ly at the maximum aperture of f/2.
In addition, the Loxia family stands
out for its superb mechanical qua-
lity. The smooth focusing operation
with a large rotation angle of appro-
ximately 180 degrees (90 degrees
with the Loxia 2.8/21) enables the fi-
nest variations while focusing. The
robust metal housing is geared for
rugged daily professional usage and
ensures a long product life. Further-
more, a special weather sealing at
the lens mount prevents spray wa-
ter from getting in between the ca-
mera and the lens.
www.zeiss.com/loxia
With a 63 degree angle of field, the wide-angle lens Loxia 2/35 shows its strengths in street photography
The Loxia 2/50 provides the perspective of the human eye with its 47 degree angle of field
With the Loxia lenses, ZEISS combines maximum image quality with classic ease-of-use for E-mount full-frame cameras. The new Loxia 2.8/21 lens has now been added to the existing Loxia 2/35 and 2/50 family.
The Loxia series received the prestigious TIPA Award in 2015 in the category “CSC Prime Lens”
ZEISS Otus
Medium format qua-lity with 35mm
Page 16
The ZEISS Otus lenses feature impressive technical func-tions for all-around professional photography with 35mm DSLR cameras. The most recent model is the Otus 1.4/28.
he ZEISS Otus lens fami-
ly and its newest mem-
ber, the Otus 1.4/28
(commercially available
beginning the second
quarter of 2016), have been spe-
cially designed to meet the high de-
mands of professional photography.
Internal focusing, a scale window
and clearly recognizable yellow sca-
le engraving, which are well-known
in the professional cine lenses like
Arri/Zeiss Master Prime, are just
a few of the features that set new
standards. Optically, the Otus series
stands out with its high image quali-
ty, even with an open aperture. Spe-
cifically, this means a neutral bokeh
in the background, highly-detailed
images without any optical artifacts,
consistent high resolution over the
entire field of view, no color fring-
ing or distortion as well as the high-
est image contrast all the way to the
edges. The image quality remains
almost consistent at all focusing di-
stances.
When used in combination with
high-definition 35mm DSLR came-
ras, ZEISS Otus lenses achieve a
medium-format quality never previ-
ously achieved. This means less in-
vestment, more compact equipment
but all with imaging excellence.
All Otus lenses are characterized by
their outstanding mechanical qua-
lity: their design as manual-focus
lenses make it possible to work with
significantly narrower tolerances in
the design. Their smooth manual fo-
cusing with a large angle of rotation
in combination with the easy-to-grip
focus ring allows for the most subtle
variations while focusing. The free-
dom to focus – one of the most im-
portant creative elements in pho-
tography – has literally been put
in the hands of the photographer
as an artistic tool. The smooth sur-
face feel and precise focusing me-
chanism can only be achieved with
a metal construction. The robust all-
metal housing is also ideally equip-
ped for the rugged workday of
professional photographers and en-
sures a long product life.
Otus 1.4/55
Presented in the fall of 2013, the
Otus 1.4/55 was the first represen-
tative of the high-end SLR Otus lens
series and has fulfilled its promise of
being “the best standard lens on the
market.” Both the trade press and
users were equally thrilled.
The Otus 1.4/55 has a Distagon op-
tics design, which is otherwise
found exclusively in wide-angle
lenses. The lens features a Floa-
ting Elements Design with 12 lens
elements in ten groups, including
a double-sided aspherical lens and
T
149 ZEISS SPECIAL ZEISS OTUS
The Otus 1.4/55 also receives high
marks in mechanical quality. The
smooth focal transition with a large
angle of rotation allows for fine vari-
ations in focusing. The robust metal
housing with an easy-to-grip focal
ring makes it perfect for the deman-
ding professional workday and at
the same time ensures a long pro-
duct life.
Otus 1.4/85
At first glance, the ZEISS Otus 1.4/85
appears to be a traditional por-
trait lens given its focal length and
speed. At second glance, it turns
out to be a fast all-rounder for pho-
tographers who accept no limi-
tations when it comes to detail
– whether for general studio pho-
tography or for fashion, advertising,
product or architectural photogra-
phy.
The Otus 1.4/85 displays all of its
many strengths in the classic short
telephoto range, i.e. portraits and
people. In comparison to the stan-
dard lens focal length, it enables
photographers to keep a decent di-
stance from the subject. Those who
like landscapes nto be more than a
background will find the Otus 1.4/85
to be a surprisingly powerful compa-
nion for nature photography.
Unique creative possibilities are of-
fered when shooting with low ambi-
ent light. Currently, image sensors
are highly sensitive with low noi-
se, which has greatly pushed the
boundaries of what is possible even
without artificial light sources. Fast
lenses such as the Otus 1.4/85 still
offer significant advantages in com-
parison with lenses that are two
or three f-stops slower, especial-
ly when weak light meets fast-mo-
ving objects.
An inside look at the ZEISS Otus
1.4/85 shows how quality is made:
the lens consists of eleven lens ele-
ments in nine groups. One of the
lens elements has an aspherical op-
tical surface and six are made of
special glass. The optical design is
based on the Planar. With the help
of lens elements made of special
six lens elements made of special
glass with anomalous partial dis-
persion. The high image contrast to
the edges, even for low f-numbers,
and the consistent high resolution
across the entire field of view are
further sophisticated features of the
Otus 1.4/55.
Its quality performance is particular-
ly evident with night shots. When ta-
king pictures with image-dominant,
open light sources, it is common for
correction flaws to appear. Bright-
dark transitions in the image and es-
pecially highlights are depicted with
no colorful artifacts. Although it is
not a traditional focal length for ar-
chitectural and landscape photogra-
phy, the lens also delivers very good
results here. The corners are availa-
ble at all apertures without compo-
sitional limitations. In portraits, the
Otus 1.4/55 can precisely depict the
most subtle details and thanks to
the maximum aperture of f/1.4, the
photographer can intentionally play
with the depth of field and create a
harmonious bokeh.
glass with anomalous partial disper-
sion, there are almost no noticeable
chromatic aberrations on contrast-
rich edges in front of and behind the
focal plane. In addition, the varia-
ble air spaces between certain lens
groups (“Floating Elements Design”)
enable consistently high imaging
performance across the entire focu-
sing range from 0.8 m to infinity.
Otus 1.4/28
The newest member of the Otus fa-
mily is the Otus 1.4/28 with a Dis-
tagon optical design based on 16
lens elements in 13 groups. Included
is a lens element with an aspheri-
cal optical surface, a double-sided
aspherical element and additional
eight lens elements made of special
glass. This guarantees high contrast
across the entire field of view with
extremely low distortion. The clo-
sest focusing distance on the fastest
wide-angle is 0.3 meters.
All Otus lenses are available with
the EF-mount (ZE) and F-mount
(ZF.2). www.zeiss.com/otus
The Otus 1.4/55 shows low longitudinal chromatic aberration
Page 17
New in the Otus family: the 1.4/28 with Distagon optical design
The ZEISS Otus 1.4/85 with F- and EF-mount
125 years of ZEISS camera lenses
The futurein focus
Page 18
ZEISS has been producing camera lenses for more than a century – and the tradition of creating major innovations continues. The first camera lenses left the Jena production facility on 21 March 1890.
Page 19
EISS was founded as a
workshop for precisi-
on mechanics and op-
tics in the German city
of Jena in 1846. The
company’s production portfolio was
focused primarily on microscopes
until the death of company founder
Carl Zeiss in 1888. From this point
onward, Ernst Abbe, who was re-
sponsible for many outstanding de-
velopments in the early days of the
company’s history, began to expand
the product line and added came-
ra lenses as a new business sector.
These were comprised of glass ma-
terial displaying greatly enhanced
optical properties and were produ-
ced by Otto Schott for the first time
in the 1880s.
Although the main methods of pho-
tography had been discovered
about 50 years previously, it was
not until this period that they were
widely used. ZEISS developed new
types of camera lenses that were fa-
ster than previous models. Paul Ru-
dolph, a scientist who worked at
ZEISS, created the Anastigmat ca-
mera lens that was produced from
1890 onward and renamed Protar
in 1900. The basic optical design
used for some of his developments
like the ZEISS Planar and ZEISS Tes-
sar lenses is still incorporated in ca-
mera lenses to this very day. Tes-
sar lenses are used, for example,
in many Sony cameras or Microsoft
cellphones as they offer high image
definition on a tiny area. The suc-
cessors to the ZEISS camera lenses
initially produced 125 years ago are
used by millions of people around
the world today
Important developments
In 1935, ZEISS made brilliant photos
possible for the first time with the in-
troduction of an antireflective coa-
ting that is now labeled with the T*
symbol. This surface coating redu-
ces distracting reflections and stray
light. Just eight years later, ZEISS
developed a process for measuring
the image quality of lenses through
MTF (modulation transfer function)
curves that are still used by nu-
merous manufacturers today. The
introduction of CAD (computer ai-
Z
149 ZEISS SPECIAL 125 YEARS OF ZEISS CAMERA LENSES
After camera production of the
ZEISS Ikon ended in 1972, a co-
operation agreement was made with
the Japanese camera manufac-
turer Yashica, which was acquired
by Kyocera in 1983. From 1974 to
2005, numerous cameras emerged
through this cooperation under the
name Contax, and ZEISS supplied
the lenses.
“ZEISS has not only written photo-
graphic history, but continues to im-
press and inspire the world with its
first-class developments,” says Dr.
Winfried Scherle, Head of the Consu-
mer Optics business group at ZEISS.
ded design) in the development of
lenses in 1961 allowed much more
complex constructions than with ma-
nual design.
20 July 1969 marked a major miles-
tone in modern history: the first lan-
ding on the moon. The astronauts
used a Hasselblad 500EL with a
ZEISS Biogon lens to capture the
first images of the lunar surface. Be-
cause mass-produced lenses do
not work properly on the moon, this
lens was developed specially for the
mission. The “moon lens” had a dif-
ferent lubricant and no leather or
plastic parts. The mounts featured
pressure-compensating openings,
and the operating elements were
modified for use with gloves.
ZEISS Classic lenses are characterized
by a classic appearance and high opti-
cal performance. Moreover, they stand
out with their high-quality workman-
ship, high luminosity and their legenda-
ry bokeh. Unlike conventional autofocus
lenses, they offer a precise manual fo-
cus. Otherwise, they support all automa-
tic functions of common camera models.
The T* anti-reflective coating minimizes
stray light. The Classic lenses have a
nearly circular aperture with nine blades
and can be precisely adjusted by the fo-
cal ring of ZF.2 lenses in half f-stop in-
tervals with easy-to-feel lock-in posi-
tions and exact photometric graduation.
In the case of the ZE models, this ad-
justment is found on the camera. All
Classic lenses provide uniform standar-
dized color characteristics and optimal
distortion correction for all focal lengths.
The high-quality and robust all-metal
design enable long-lasting use.
The wide range of focal lengths and op-
tical designs extend from Distagon T*
2,8/15 super wide angle lens to medi-
um telephoto lens ZEISS Apo Sonnar T*
2/135.
The ZEISS Distagon T* 2,8/15 with a
field angle of 110° ensures an outstand-
ing image quality, even at full aperture
and low distortion.
The compact super wide-angle lens Dis-
tagon T* 3,5/18 is the ideal companion
for landscape and architectural photo-
graphy and enables unusual perspec-
tives.
The fast aperture of the Distagon T* 2/2
allows sharp contrast edges and high-
ly detailed landscape, architecture and
journalism shots, even without a tripod.
Thanks to its short focal distance, the
wide-angle lens T* 2,8/25 offers com-
pletely new perspectives which are sim-
ply not possible with standard macro
lenses.
The interesting combination of focal
length and fast aperture makes the Dis-
togon T*2/28 as well as the Distagon
T*1,4/35 suitable for a wide range of ap-
plications.
As a standard focal length with the per-
spective of the human eye, the Planar
T*1,4/50 will win you over with its excep-
tional compactness and high luminosity.
As a classical portrait lens, the Planar
T*1,4/85 telephoto lens focuses on the
essentials: its shallow depth of field iso-
lates the subject from the foreground
and background.
Last but not least, the Apo Sonnar
T*2/135 is perfect for medium distance
portrait photography. Its fast telephoto
lens proves with its excellent color cor-
rection. Its short focal distance extends
its versatility.
ZEISS Classic
Lenses by ZEISS have been on the moon and are used by many
famous photographers
Mount
ZE and ZF.2
ZE and ZF.2
ZF.2
ZE and ZF.2
ZE and ZF.2
ZE and ZF.2
ZE and ZF.2
ZE and ZF.2
ZE and ZF.2
Price (excl. VAT)
€ 2,184.03 / US$ 2,950
€ 1,049.58 / US$ 1,395
€ 1,217.65 / US$ 1,699
€ 755.46 / US$ 1,004
€ 965.55 / US$ 1,283
€ 1,385.71 / US$ 1,843
€ 545.38 / US$ 725
€ 965.55 / US$ 1,283
€ 1,595.80 / US$ 2,122
Distagon T* 2,8/15
Distagon T* 3,5/18
Distagon T* 2,8/25
Distagon T* 2/25
Distagon T* 2/28
Distagon T* 1,4/35
Planar T* 1,4/50
Planar T* 1,4/85
Apo Sonnar T* 2/135
Available Lenses
The first ZEISS lens: Carl Zeiss Jena Protar, Series V, 1:18
Exclusively
for the Sony
α series
The moment mirrorless photographymatches your aspiration.The new Batis lenses from ZEISS.
// NEW PRO ERA MADE BY ZEISS
ZEISS Batis 2/25 and 1.8/85 with OLED display and auto focus.
Be part of a new era of professional photography – with the ZEISS Batis lenses for
mirrorless full-frame system cameras from Sony. The lens family is not only impressive
on account of its outstanding image quality and innovative design but also thanks to
its OLED display for ideally adjusting the depth of field. Capture unique moments – no
matter if manually focused or with auto focus.
Learn more about the lenses at ZEISS dealers:
www.zeiss.com/batis www.zeiss.com/photo/dealer