New Zeiss Lens Line - DPChallenge Forums

09/10/2015 02:58:22 PM · #1

Interesting announcement today from Zeiss! I will be very interested to see what the performance of the 21/2.8 will be.

rooum

09/10/2015 03:57:04 PM · #2

Interesting that they're coming out with an 85mm 1.4 in that line so soon after the Otus 85mm. I wonder how it'll compare. It's much cheaper. I'm a huge fan of Zeiss lenses and they have been flying through lines, and crazy names, recently...Touit, Loxia, Batis. Hardly ever able to find the things in stock though.

09/10/2015 04:43:10 PM · #3

Yep, interesting indeed on the 85... I'm also wondering if the new 21/2.8 is intended to replace the current 21/2.8 Distagon? It might seem so, since the Distagon now has $300 USD in "instant savings" on BH, and the list price for the new lens is the same as full price on the old ($1843).

rooum

09/10/2015 05:37:00 PM · #4

Yes, they seem to be a replacement for most of the current Zf/ZE line and as such should be very good indeed. The 100mm f2 makro is one that i might be interested in as i really liked the current version but it has some annoying problems which they should have ironed out.

Canon 12x IS USM (S3 IS built-in Lens) -- 36-432mm (35mm EQ)

09/10/2015 06:22:16 PM · #5

Surely the 85 isn't intended to replace the Otus? The latter is 2.5x the cost, for same FL and speed! Now, that said, the biggest thing that I can see different is that the Otus claims "apochromatic" design, and I see this claim nowhere on the Milvus. So I am not expecting Otus-caliber performance. If, however, I am wrong, it may be because Zeiss has realized that Sigma will be eating their lunch in the high-quality MF lens market?

GeneralE

Canon PowerShot S3 IS

09/10/2015 11:44:23 PM · #6

Originally posted by rooum:

... crazy names, recently...Touit, Loxia, Batis.

Sounds like they've hired away consultants from the pharmaceutical industry ...

rooum

09/11/2015 02:17:54 AM · #7

Originally posted by kirbic:

Surely the 85 isn't intended to replace the Otus?

No, it seems to be a replacement for the current 85mm 1.4 Planar which is a very old design, going back to when they were Contax lenses and beyond. Same with the 21mm 2.8 and the 50mm 1.4. The two Makro's are newer designs but still getting on a bit now. i'd imagine they are keeping the Otus line as the cream of the cream although i haven't heard anything about them adding more Otus. I think their 135mm f2 apo lens is a bit on an inbetween lens. It came out just before the first Otus and i've read that it could be considered an Otus but they hadn't really had the bright idea of the outer design and name change yet. I guess that would be the very last lens to come out as a redesigned Milvus if at all.

Looking at the specs of the new line, they seem to to have put on a bit of weight. Not as heavy as the Otus though.

Message edited by author 2015-09-11 02:36:13.