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