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Zeiss is back! (Patreon)

Published:
2025-02-27 00:47:07
Imported:
2026-06
Tags:
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Poll

Zeiss is back!

  • I would prioritize purchasing a Sony GM lens over the Zeiss Otus - even if the price was the same 165
  • I will seriously consider purchasing a Zeiss Otus lens instead of a Sony GM prime lens to acquire the famous 'Zeiss look' 22
  • I would consider owning both Sony GM and Zeiss Otus lenses at the same focal length 21
  • I have no interest owning these ultra wide-aperture lenses - preferring zooms or compact primes instead 64
  • 2025-02-27
  • 272 votes
{'title': 'Zeiss is back!', 'choices': [{'text': 'I would prioritize purchasing a Sony GM lens over the Zeiss Otus - even if the price was the same', 'votes': 165}, {'text': "I will seriously consider purchasing a Zeiss Otus lens instead of a Sony GM prime lens to acquire the famous 'Zeiss look'", 'votes': 22}, {'text': 'I would consider owning both Sony GM and Zeiss Otus lenses at the same focal length', 'votes': 21}, {'text': 'I have no interest owning these ultra wide-aperture lenses - preferring zooms or compact primes instead', 'votes': 64}], 'closes_at': None, 'created_at': datetime.datetime(2025, 2, 27, 0, 1, 50, tzinfo=datetime.timezone.utc), 'description': None, 'allow_multiple': False, 'total_votes': 272}

Content

After a gap of several years Zeiss has recently announced it will once again make full-frame lenses - for the discerning photographer. Zeiss releases its Batis lenses for E-Mount cameras back in 2015. Zeiss have just announced the Zeiss Otus ML 50mm F1.4 manual-focus prime lens that will be available for Sony, Canon and Nikon mirrorless cameras. The legendary 55mm Otus F1.4 was previously only available for Camera and Nikon DSLR cameras. There will be an 85mm F1.4 Otus manual focus lens to follow later this year.

The new Zeiss Otus ML 50mm F1.4 is nearly USD $1500 cheaper than the older , and legendary, Zeiss Otus 55mm F1.4 and carries 1/3 less weight.

The new Zeiss Otus ML 50mm F1.4 is a manual focus only lens only, and is priced at USD $2,499 and weighs in at 1.5 lb or 677 g.
In comparison the Sony 50mm F1.4 GM (an autofocus lens) costs USD $1298 and is 25% lighter than the Zeiss Otus. Sony's FE 50mm F1.2 GM (with blazingly fast AF) costs USD $1,998 (20% cheaper than the manual-focus Otus) and weighs in at 1.7 lb or 778 g (15% heavier than the 50mm Otus).

The big question is ... is there still a market in this modern era for a manual-focus ultra wide-aperture prime where the shallow depth of field could render many subjects that are moving slowly out of focus? Is the famous Zeiss 'look', that many reviewers mention, still attractive in this day and age?

Disclaimer > I have never owned a Zeiss Otus lens, but have owned four Zeiss Batis lenses (and still own the 18mm F2.8 and 135mm F2.8 lenses). I also own the Zeiss/Sony FE 35mm F2.8 and 55mm F1.8 lenses. I have also owned many manual-focus lenses, but have tended to restrict these to wide-angle lenses, where depth of field is less of an issue when focusing manually.

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Comments

Jay Hunter

Zeiss missed a real opportunity here, by making these lenses the same size/larger than GM glass. Where I would have gladly spent money would have been on a lens the size of the cupcakes, yet at f1.4 (ala m-mount glass and voigtlander) especially if they are manual focus. I have no desire to manual focus a lens the same size as my 50GM1.2, when if I need to manual focus. The GM actually has good, linear and repeatable manual focusing, so the only advantage the Otus has is that it has distance markers on the body of the lens.

Daniel Bykhovsky

If I were to use a manual focus lens on my a7IV, i'd want to try something vintage or an effects lens, like a tilt-shift lens.