If I understand your comment correctly, the Zeiss Batis 85 is indeed a Sonnar design ( not just branded as a Sonnar design). Most probably designed and manufactured by Tamron for Zeiss as the internet has revealed. *Many such relationships between manufacturers and various camera brands over the decades BTW. Also, from what I understand, the Sonnar formula has been used across the industry to design various lenses for non Zeiss brands.
p.12 #2 · ZEISS Otus ML line officially announced!
There are undoubtedly many high-quality native alternatives in the E-mount segment, but the situation is somewhat different with Nikon in the Z system, where the Z 50/1.2 S is optically wonderful, but absurd in terms of dimensions and weight.
I would generally classify myself in the target group of high-quality MF lenses, but Zeiss/Cosina have to deliver something special here to become my personal kryptonite like the Plena or 35/2 Apo Lanthar before it
If the speculated prices in British pounds are correct, then the Zeiss Otus 50/1.4 Z will definitely be priced at € 2.500+ with VAT in the EU.
This and the fact that Zeiss, but also Cosina, usually don't offer any discounts even over long periods of time, which is disadvantageously potentiated with VAT, makes me skeptical.
p.12 #3 · ZEISS Otus ML line officially announced!
Vento wrote:
There are undoubtedly many high-quality native alternatives in the E-mount segment, but the situation is somewhat different with Nikon in the Z system, where the Z 50/1.2 S is optically wonderful, but absurd in terms of dimensions and weight.
I would generally classify myself in the target group of high-quality MF lenses, but Zeiss/Cosina have to deliver something special here to become my personal kryptonite like the Plena or 35/2 Apo Lanthar before it
If the speculated prices in British pounds are correct, then the Zeiss Otus 50/1.4 Z will definitely be priced at € 2.500+ with VAT in the EU.
This and the fact that Zeiss, but also Cosina, usually don't offer any discounts even over long periods of time, which is disadvantageously potentiated with VAT, makes me skeptical.
It would have to be something extraordinary....Show more →
The 35/2 is exceedingly easy to nail focus even wide open.
The Plena is a fantastic AF performer and makes shooting stunning portraits and the like almost thoughtless.
You'll get neither with the Zeiss, especially on any non-Nikon platform with their sub-par focus aids.
p.12 #4 · ZEISS Otus ML line officially announced!
I am well aware of the limitations of manual focusing.
I've been shooting with MF lenses for over 40 years, the majority of my lenses are MF from all decades, SLR and medium format.
So I have more than enough practice and confidence in using MF, especially as I have always had fast prime lenses.
So I've also been practicing with 85mm f/1.2 or 50/1.2, 55/1.4 for over 40 years.
So that doesn't put me off at all and I have no problems at all with manual focus on my Nikon Z6 within the natural limitations without AF.
Especially as I still use the 85mm f/1.2 L frequently, or the Tomioka 55/1.4.
For the range for which I would use such a Zeiss Otus 50/1.4, I can easily manage without AF, especially since I also have AF solutions in the focal length.
I am therefore much more experienced with MF than with AF solutions.
I've only been using AF since the launch of the Z system and originally mainly to continue using all my MF lenses with the open Z system.
MF lenses, on the other hand, I have been using for almost half a century.
I would even go so far as to say that with a very high-quality MF lens in terms of quality, precision of focusing, the perfect amount of focus throw often offers me more precision and enables better results in terms of perfect eye sharpness than the AF modes of my Nikon Z, at least as long as there is not too much, too fast, unpredictable movement.
If the dynamics of the scenery allow it, this is still the maximum precision for me, especially in difficult lighting conditions.
p.12 #5 · ZEISS Otus ML line officially announced!
The new coming Otus lenses are manual focus it seems, and will come with mounts for most mirrorless systems.
One can wonder if they also will make the Loxia series available for other mirrorless mounts.
Feb 20, 2025 at 01:35 PM
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p.12 #6 · ZEISS Otus ML line officially announced!
lattesweden wrote:
The new coming Otus lenses are manual focus it seems, and will come with mounts for most mirrorless systems.
One can wonder if they also will make the Loxia series available for other mirrorless mounts.
I think that is a good question, but it seems to me that a refreshed set of Loxia lenses for E,Z, & RF mounts would make a lot of sense to pair with this Otus series of lenses.
p.12 #7 · ZEISS Otus ML line officially announced!
lattesweden wrote:
The new coming Otus lenses are manual focus it seems, and will come with mounts for most mirrorless systems.
One can wonder if they also will make the Loxia series available for other mirrorless mounts.
p.12 #10 · ZEISS Otus ML line officially announced!
These lenses may be good, but manual focus makes them unappealing for me. Autofocus is so incredibly good today that manual focus is almost never an advantage, at least for still photography. If manual focus is needed, any autofocus lens can be made to focus manually anyway.
p.12 #12 · ZEISS Otus ML line officially announced!
Lee Saxon wrote:
Zeiss had had 85s that were Sonnars (or even Tessars) rather than Planars before that Batis, so I wouldn't read too much into that.
Yes, but none of those are f/1.4. All of Zeiss's authentic f/1.4 85mm lenses historically are Planar.
p.12 #13 · ZEISS Otus ML line officially announced!
_jim_ wrote:
If Cosina is developing these lenses, then it's entirely possible that Shimada Hirokazu will be the chief designer for them. In an article that Cosina published to promote the release of the 50mm APO-Lanthar in E-Mount he states that (in addition to designing optics for satellites) he was responsible for designing fast lenses for Zeiss:
Q: "Besides those for satellites, what other interchangeable lenses have you designed?"
A: "For Voigtlander, it's the entire Micro Four Thirds F0.95 series. For VM, it's the 21mm F1.8. The vintage 35mm F1.7. The retractable 40mm F2.8 is one example. For E-mount, the 40mm F1.2 and Macro Apo-Lanthar 65mm F2 are representative. For ZEISS, we have also designed large-aperture lenses, from telephoto to wide-angle."
You are reading too much from this. It's probably more like Cosina has their own optical designers who fit projects designed by Zeiss (and other brands) in to their factory specs. They act as a bridge between product designers and contract manufacturers. It's not like Cosina designs all Zeiss lenses and Zeiss only sticks the blue badges on them. In fact if you read Cosina's pages more you'll find that fitting Zeiss's Otus designs into factory lines was quite ambitious project from them.
p.12 #14 · ZEISS Otus ML line officially announced!
To be announced... 26th Feb
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Feb 20, 2025 at 05:33 PM
Steve Spencer Online • • • • • • • Upload & Sell: On
p.12 #15 · ZEISS Otus ML line officially announced!
MKRhodes wrote:
Yes, but none of those are f/1.4. All of Zeiss's authentic f/1.4 85mm lenses historically are Planar.
One advantage of Planar lenses is the design controls for lateral CA and distortion very well due to its symmetry. In older designs that was particularly important, but with modern lenses these issues can be handled both with new types of glass and sometimes with software correction, so it isn't surprising that Zeiss is going in a different direction with some of their newer designs like this new 85mm Otus.
p.12 #16 · ZEISS Otus ML line officially announced!
highdesertmesa wrote:
.
Well, they've piqued my interest. I'm especially curious to see mechanical quality - there's a reason I've stuck with my Loxia 25/85 pair for the bulk of my landscape shots.
p.12 #18 · ZEISS Otus ML line officially announced!
I was looking at a Loxia 85 and CV 35APO to go in lieu of my Bigma 35/1.2 and 70-200GMII for really long days on my feet/backpacking but now with this news I dunno!
p.12 #19 · ZEISS Otus ML line officially announced!
If only they released the zx1 with a larger aperture and removed that ridiculous in camera editing and upload feature....It was a promising camera and would of been better to release than rehashing the otus line imo
p.12 #20 · ZEISS Otus ML line officially announced!
A massive failure in product management. Everyone else is doing well in fixed lens luxury cameras (Leica, Fujifilm). The “problem” to solve for in these sort of gratuitously expensive cameras is not as much software (and therefore features: Lightroom in your camera!) as possible. It is as little of it as possible. Zeiss totally has no clue why people bought the Leica Q. It’s not for convenience (no zoom…. is there an app?). Luxury products are not those with the most features or highest convenience.
mboy wrote:
If only they released the zx1 with a larger aperture and removed that ridiculous in camera editing and upload feature....It was a promising camera and would of been better to release than rehashing the otus line imo
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