UPDATE: The lens can be preorderd at BHphoto in the Nikon mount (Click here) and Canon mount (Click here) version.
One of our very good Zeiss sources (Many thanks man!) just told us that the new Zeiss Otus 85mm f/1.4 will be announced tomorrow (September 8). And it will cost 500 Euro more than the current [shoplink 28693 ebay]Zeiss Otus 55mm lens (around 3445 Euro here on eBay)[/shoplink]. UPDATE: I have been told US price is $4,490.00!
The price is justified by the fact that the new 85mm Otus is really “much better” than the current 55mm Otus!
Current E-mount camera owners with plenty of $$$ on their bank account could be tempted to buy that. Otherwise wait for cheaper and still amazing good 85mm FE lens that is likely to come next year 🙂
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0 Responses
Well, when you put it into perspective, it’s not much – you can buy only two Ferrari wheels with that money.
one if you’re lucky 😉
This is absurd.. screw Zeiss.. I really wanna laugh.. these lenses start being more expensive than medium format glass.. these people are out of their minds.. I don’t care how sharp these lenses are. This is just non-sense..
This glass is to compete with MF on 36×24
The price certainly seems alright. Compared to, say, modern Leica lenses, it’s okay for sure. Also, it’s a bargain compared to their Master Prime series.
You think it’s laughable nonsense to strive for top quality and performance? That’s why you cannot afford this lens.
Obviously there will be people buying it. For 99% of the people my guess is they will not see the difference in a print when compared to the Nikon 85/1.8 or 1.4 or an upcoming Sigma Art 85/1.4, as we are not standing 10cm in front of such a big print. The composition and expression transported in the picture is more important imo. For me it is not worth it, but there certainly are a few photographers (Ming Thein for one) who can really make use of it. For amateurs or the typical forum reader here it is overkill imo, but if it makes collectors happy, why not?
I agree, the Otus lenses are not designed for Sony shooters, they are for pros shooting Nikon and Canon. As you said, one needs to have the professional (studio) equipment and training to make use of lenses like these.
lol are you really the only person you doesnt know why its only available for the two most common mounts?
I don’t either, but my guess is very few or no one will buy it on any other mount so it would be a waste of manufacturing cost? or they are catering to the more common mounts in order to popularize their brand?
doesnt matter if only few people buy it. these lenses are a demonstration of their knowledge and everytime they release a new one they get publicity.
I’ll have two.
so cheap ? really ?
awesome !!!
Right… E-Mount guys have been whining about the lack of a 85mm. There you have it.
16-35 f/4 is also coming out.
Maybe Sony will finally turn to A-Mount lenses now?
with price tag $4000..lol
This is not an E-mount lens 😉
What happened to “…but with E-Mount you can adapt all kinds of lenses, that’s why it’s betterrrrrrrr!” ?
I just want an updated 35mm f/1.4, or 20mm f/2.8 this year and they’re probably Sony’s worse Alpha primes.
Why lenses for e-mount are so expensive,the e-mount is for begginers!?
E-mount is not for beginners. Sure, there are beginner options, but it expands up to professional stills photography (A7/r/s, NEX-7) and professional cinematography (NEX-FS-series).
Also, this lens does not even come with an E-mount (only Canon and Nikon mounts), so there’s no E-mount price conspiracy whatsoever here.
Counted the E-mount cameras among the pro sport photographers lately? Checked out the PJs in any news conference? How many of the top one hundred Wildlife Photographer of the Year pictures have been taken with E-mount cameras? How many E-mount cameras have you seen next to the catwalk at the London fashion week?
It’s a small, inexpensive system with a short register distance designed for amateurs to be sold in large numbers. That doesn’t mean that one cannot take ***GREAT*** pictures with E-mount cameras. It’s just not a pro system and it’s not meant to be. No amout of self-deception will change that.
Sports and wildlife photography is not the only type of “professional” photography. As to the other types of professional photography – the full frame E-mount line-up is less than a year old. You don’t expect professionals to switch in such a tight timespan, do you? That doesn’t mean that the cameras themselves aren’t up to the standards professionals demand.
The short flange focal distance is not a disadvantage by any means, so why bring up this argument? And sure, the small, inexpensive cameras are what bring the money in currently, but are you seriously saying the A7s and A7r are not able to be used for professional work? And now don’t say there are no professional lenses. Sure, most E-mount lenses are relatively cheap. But just because the FE 55mm 1.8 is cheap doesn’t mean it’s bad. In fact, it’s one of the best 50’s out there.
Sony takes the from bottom to top approach that worked for them so often. And when they reach the top, they’ll be a very viable choice for professionals of all kind.
Exactly, and the lack of the standard zooms 24-70 2.8 and 70-200 2.8 makes it hard to believe that those cameras will ever be used for such events. And please don’t tell me that I could use an adapter…
A-Mount could easily be a pro system but Sony doesn’t put any efford into it. Good for Canikon, the only real competitor who would have the tech and the money does not care about the needs of real proffesionals.
I am sure if the standard zooms were not already in the system through Minolta Sony even would not have developed them.
This is all sad and does not put confidence into the A-Mount.
They bought the Minolta IP so they would not have to start from scratch.
E-mount is for beginners? that’s nonsense!
E-mount is a mount like any other, and is used on cameras for beginners as well as cameras for pros. And just to make sure you got it right, this lens is for A-mount, not E.
This lens is not availabe for A-mount, just like none of the other pro Zeiss lenses are available for A-mount.
Sorry, my bad – missed the NOT in “The lens is not going to be available for A-mount but all A7 E-mount camera owners can use it on their camera via adapter!” 🙂
– http://www.sonyalpharumors.com/sr5-new-zeiss-otus-85mm-pcis-and-design-info-its-going-to-be-the-best-ff-lens-of-the-world/
Not any. EF-M and Samsung’s 1″ offering. Probably should add Nikon 1 too.
Simple economics 101. The law of supply, and demand. There is a limited supply of e-mount lenses from a single manufacturer, and demand for them easily exceeds supply.
Your lucky Sony isn’t charging more.
The e-mount is a very advance CSC compared to most being sold on the market today. IMO the Fuji is the better overall system, but the cameras like the A7s have their uses.
Fuji is 1 or two features in their bodies sony doesn’t have, and relatively fast but small lenses.
The price level is between Sony’s FF and APS-C, so it’s okay.
And the build, and the aperture ring. I hate to admit it but I think all Sony E-mount lenses are flimsy compared to Fuji lenses.
that is NO! e-mount lense!
That seems to be the problem some people have with E-mount. Sony started years ago with entry level mirrorless cameras in E-mount (NEX-3). The first lenses were nothing special (16mm and standard zoom) and just consumer standard.
I don’t say it was a mistake from Sony, but certainly not the strategy to place it as a replacement for professional users. Those professional A-mount users (and those of all other manufacturers mounts) have a hard time understanding that this mount is most future proof mount in then industry at the moment.
There have been just 2 cameras that attracted Pro’s, the NEX-7 and the A7 (r/s)
Please explain why the E-mount is the “most future proof mount in the industry”. Thanks!
FF, short flange distance, open protocols
It’s more correct to say it’s more future proof than A mount. For example, the full functionality of A mount can be had with a SLT adapter on the E mount. The lack of IBIS on E mount is likely a marketing thing… before the FF mirrorless came along there were people on sites like these saying it wasn’t possible.
Most future proof in Sony land is not the same as most future proof in the industry.
Camera, and lens sales are the only factors that determines if a company will keep or suspend the production of a mount. If mirror-less, or SLT sales plunge they’ll likely be placed on the chopping block.
The A-Mount is close to being a closed system. Sony generates more profit from its Alpha users, because its users generally buy native Sony lenses, flashes, and accessories. Its these after market sales that maintain both the Alpha’s profitability, and viability.
The FE mount on the other hand is actually less likely to succeed because of poor after market sales lens/accessory sales. Users have a tendency to use their existing non-Sony lenses instead of buying newer FE models.
This deprivation of aftermarket lens/accessory sales is not only delaying the design, and production of new lenses, it may end up killing of this platform.
Sure… right now the industry leader in mirrorless is Sony. Beyond that it’s science fiction 🙂
Mark Weir said that IBIS is not possible with a full frame sensor and e-mount to my face at PhotoPlus (debut of a7/a7r). Another Sony rep also said repeated this. So
It comes straight from the top not just people of forums.
When e-mount was designed, it was designed with OSS and compactness in mind it may be that there is no way to capture the image in the corner/edge of a full frame moving sensor given how small the diameter of the mount with a ff sensor jammed in there.
I thought SAR reported another top Sony rep saying IBIS *is* possible on E-mount? Also, is it not practical with current heat-dissipation and body sizes, or technically impossible altogether? I really doubt the latter case.
You’re saying the short flange distance makes IBIS impossible without grossly sacrificing corner sharpness–maybe. I’ll have to think about it more.
Yes, seems unfortunate. However, with low light sensitivy getting still better and better (A7S anyone), I feel like I can always crank up the shutter speed to whatever makes me feel save that I won’t see any motion blur (with my vintage lenses).
Maybe IBIS would be possible, if you allow for a slight little bit of cropping (or go for APS-C – in which case I wouldn’t care anymore).
Ultimately, sensitivity may end up compensating for no IBIS. The a7s is a good proof of concept of this.
Of course they would tell you that. If you ask why the lens mount is orange they’ll tell you it can’t be done differently either.
I’d have told Mark that it can be done… in one way or another. Pick up an FF E mount camera and look at it. Don’t be so gullible and think they’re magicians.
Actually both mounts are safe so long as they generate revenue. Both mount’s user bases are growing at approximately the same pace, however the Alpha generates 31% of the imaging division’s revenue verses the mirror-less mount’s 21%.
Though their target audiences are vastly different it is safe to assume that both will succeed in today’s current market.
Do you have some sources for this (not that I don’t believe it, just curious). Is a-mount still growing? Would surprise me. E-mount for sure. Also, important are the profit margins..
The a77ii won’t have hurt sales, but the a58 and a99 are (over?)due a replacement, so my guess is its not been a great year for a-mount. On the other hand FE has been the most exciting development in photography in years and has actually got pros interested in Sony. Depending on what happens with the a7/a7rii, they’ve got a good chance to capture market share…
I’m sick of posting the info. Google the A77II launch presentation.
You sound like another Canon or Nikon user, who happens to own a Sony mirror-less product.
Your definitely not an A-Mount user. The A-Mount is expanding, and has been since the original A77 launch.
Sorry, if the facts don’t mirror your anti-Minolta Maxxum/Sony Alpha bias.
He’s obviously another paid shill. Most of the camera marketing teams are employing them to distort fact, and spread misinformation in-order to keep their flock from switching mounts.
The Alpha had the larger profit margins, because the system is essentially closed, and the only quality lenses for it are made by either Sony or Minolta.
advantages of e-mount
– Full Frame and APS-C compatible (better than Micro Four Thirds or Fuji’s Mount if you want a big sensor)
– E-mount APS-C and FF lenses are fully compatible and work flawlessly on any E-mount body regardless of sensors size (adapting APS-C lenses on FF DSLR troublesome)
– only 18mm flange distance keeps cameras small and makes it possible to adapt almost all lenses on the market (not possible on any DSLR)
– Full Electronic function, no mechanical parts
Well it is a joint mount used by both Sony alpha and the video division. So both would have to fail for it to disappear.
Well, there are only 2 professional a-mount users or so. Most popular a-mount camera was (is) the A77. All those available a-mount lenses are however FF legacy stuff from Minolta not even made for APS-C. Quite funny… So if a-mount is not for professionals, who cares if e-mount now is or not. The A7r sensor however is great, as is its price. And if you saw the SAR readers photos yesterday, seems to work just fine with a Canon 17-40mm etc.
Actually most professional users don’t frequent this site because of obvious trolls like you. You beneath them. Its a location filled with know it all gear heads.
I’m considering dedicating one of our 12-core Mac Pro’s as a web server in order to create a site for professional Maxxum/Alpha users, where registered users can converse post reviews, share tips, give advice.
It would be a mirror-less free environment.
I think lenses attach to the mount as well as any others.
so cheap?? as world no1 lens, the price should about 6000
why not 10.000? Or 500.000?
If half a mill…I’d take 2 then
SIGMA !!! Hurry with your 85mm !!!
Admin you forgot to mention the price drop on other Canon lenses!! http://www.canonrumors.com/2014/08/17133/
Am I at SAR?
Nobody cares about canon lenses here. They put then on sale because time of DSLR is over and they had been overpriced before.
Bye bye Canon
How about Nikkor or Otus?
whats up with those?
Canon will still be making and selling cameras long after Sony will have given up on still cameras and focused on the next electronics hype they think will save them.
Haaaaa, they have to stick on making Playstations, they are successful in that department after all. but to be fair they should keep making sensors to other companies.
Canon males more money on copy machines than cameras.
With the convergence of stills and video this is highly unlikely.
If you know anything about the history of photography and the industry, you know that there can be little doubt that either Nikon or Canon will be the last manufacturer to stop making still cameras for general photography. Sony is not even on the list of companies that could be the last. They will have changed course dozens of times to find new business when this sad day finally arrives.
‘history of photography’
sweet, you sound so very pathetic
I’m curious about what he means by “general photography.” He seems to be alluding inarticulately to the decline of photography as an artistic medium.
General Photography – http://www.widescreenmuseum.com/widescreen/d150-patton.jpg
Dunno, do you they even make a selfie cam?
Now here’s a guy that hasn’t ever studied the topic of disruption.
Probably shorted Apple under $10 too.
bravo JJ! you’re such an…. expert!
I thought everyone owned an e-mount body, metabones and a bag full of canon L glass?
LOL. sure as far as they can be adapted on the A7R they can be Sony rumors.
More to the point: as long as admin can make some money off sponsored links, it’s relevant…
I suggest you bookmark this site as I think Lloyd Chambers has a prototype of the 85mm Otus which he has been testing for a few weeks, and all will be unveiled tomorrow, when I assume the NDA expires 😉
http://diglloyd.com/blog/2014/20140905_2254-TheProject.html
There is not 1 instance of Lloyd stating he has a Zeiss 85mm Otus in his blog.
Cause he’s under NDA? He made a similar stun last year with the Otus 55.
What mount(s) are Otus lenses available in?
Canon and Nikon only 🙂
Really at this price they should be making a fully mechanical version that has rings turning in the right direction, that’s the only future-proof version (something like this should be future-proof like Leica) of it they could make. Hell even make a ZK version so at least all mirrorless users could use it at 100% functionality, and of course Pentax users, surely a lens of this grade could yield great results even on a cropped sensor.
1140-1200g is not “30-42 oz”.
It’s 40-42 oz. (Look below the lens.)
Typo in diagram, or fake?
If the 55/1.4 OTUS was the “best lens ever” and the 85/1.4 OTUS is better than that, where is this going? 🙂
In the right direction. New lenses should be better than what’s already available. There already are more than enough cheap, poor lenses.
Zeiss have taken note of all the chart based “reviewers” out there. Some even have state of the art machines at their disposal. All makes very nice readings. 🙂
It isn’t surprising. Short telephotos are the easiest lenses to design. Just look at the Nikon 85mm f/1.8G. Even at an incredibly low price, its still one of the sharpest lenses around.
You never heard of bestest best ever X infinity ?
steal my trademark?
Hmm, at these prices and weights I think I might choose Leica S instead. I could get a used Leica S body for $8000 or so, then a wide and a short telephoto for $8000 or so.
Hmm.
Congratulations.
Wow! Will be interesting so see a comparison with the CANON 85f1.2L. I have it and could not be happier with sharpness, bokeh and speed.
That will be an impressive test. Like the Seahawks playing a Pop Warner team
I have two lenses which are even better than the Otus, can you guess what they are?
I’ve got those too. They used to be better though
Leica ?
Aquula
The illusive Sigma Doesn’t Exist 1.4 and the Leica SuckaApes Ass f1.4 ?
No they aren’t. Only higher valued.
And then the Sigma 85mm f1.4 will come along, with indistinguishable optical qualities yet autofocus, and cost 1/4. Zeiss doesn’t learn from their mistakes.
Indistinguishable on a 640 x 480 monitor that is.
You are either overestimate zeiss or underestimate sigma. Just, makes the best japanese lenses nowdays.
+1
You are paying for the precise assembly. If you have the money you buy lenses like this, or Leica, knowing you won’t have to go through several to find one that works properly.
Not sure why it matters to you, if you can get what you want from Sigma anyway?
Is “precise chunks” oxymoronic or just moronic? Why does it matter to me anyway? It doesn’t.
I wonder how much better than the ZA 85mm f1.4 it will be. The ZA is incredibly sharp, but I don’t like the feel of the focusing ring. It has a little slack, which is unacceptable for a lens that expensive.
Not sure if I should spend the money on the lens or the “Controversial Skinny Pill that’s Sweeping the Nation”.
I think you should take the slimming pill. Once you have reduced your weight from 280lbs, then you can begin focussing again on photography.
I took a big dump this AM…. 268!!!!
You shouldn’t of swallowed the 600mm f4 in the first place.
I thought we were supposed to feed the slimming pill to the Otus?!
I don’t know where you got the term ‘much better than the 55’ from but if that is really the case, what justifies the 55’s price tag since it was supposed to be the best lens ever?
That was yesterday’s “best lens ever”, today it is the 85/1.4 OTUS, tomorrow it will be something else.
None come in a Sony mount so, that makes them even more esoteric and all the more important. 😉
I totally get that. It has to better (in some way or another and be it only on the spec sheet) but when I read it’s ‘much better than the 55’ I sort of think that Zeiss didn’t try very hard at that time. 😉
Not really, an 85 is always better than a 50 within the same gen. It’s much easier to design a short tele than a normal 50. Now if and when they release the a fast WA (wider than 35) and managed to be better than the 50, that would be incredulous.
I just wonder… does the scale of the lens that shows foot & meter settings is not protected with any glass or what-so-ever-modern-plastic? wow that looks like sand, dust and moisture, human finger grease… sucker area… yack!
using this lens outside is gonna be a joy!
Follow the money doubters. Most money is made by pros shooting… you guessed it, portraits. This is why pros have historically paid $4500 for the Zeiss 85 f1.2 and will have no problem plonking down for this lens. You can make it back in a session or two. Zeiss better get their ass in gear on that WA Otus though, a lot of credibility will be lost if they merely repackage the Apo Sonnar as an Otus lens.
I do believe this lens will not ideal for shooting models outside, since MF will be slow and not keeping up with the actions, studio use is possible but nah, I would use 70-200 in studio…
What makes for the best lens in the world ?
When I can afford one and you can’t.
No don’t touch it… don’t even look at it. These go to 11.
This looks like a phantastic lens. Unfortunately with around a kg of weight it looks suited mostly for studio works..
what has happened to photographers now days? It wasn’t that long ago carrying around a sinar or a rz67 was the norm.
i would love to buy one of these, but i doubt i will as its too hard to focus manually at f1.4. if it had auto focus this lens would be a no brainer imo.
Just pre-ordered 5 of them, One for every body I own or dream of owning.
O’my this is realy funny … I wonder what ever will make you happy, you photographers …
This lens is high-end optics and again it fail not even seeing a daylight on desktop in any of your photo-studios. This is hilarious …
I’m sticking to my tried and true second hand 85mm Minolta f/1.4 G (d), which probably the best 85mm available for the A-Mount IMO. I wouldn’t buy this lens because its overpriced, doesn’t auto-focus, and the difference between it and the Minolta is probably slim.
Nice to look at, but stupid to buy.
I noticed that, too. Plus, people don’t seem to understand that as the quality bar is raised on the high-end, the rising tide lifts all boats. I’ll (probably) never own a $250,000 car, but the fact they (most every auto maker) make them moves “up” how my sedan & SUV is engineered. How I engineer an optical system is greatly influenced by current art.
The $500 lens of today is better than the mortgage-your-house lens of 40 years ago. And, in ten years, lenses of this image quality will be very affordable, simply because, it now exists today.
Get it?
This lens so contradicts the pursuit of wanting smaller and lighter lenses without optical flaws…
Nevertheless, I’m interested in seeing how the new Zeiss 50mm/2 E-mount lens compares the Otus 55mm. I’m sure it will not be too far off (the 55mm/1.8 is already excellent). The new Sigma Art 85 will certainly be very good, too.
Please do NOT buy this lens. If no one buys, they will have to drop the price. If you buy it, it will slowly push the cost of all lenses higher when they believe they can ask any price and dumb consumers will buy it!
The difference in manufacturing cost between this and other high quality lenses is NOT 400%. Only a fool who has more money than they know what to do with would even think of buying this. Will it take good photos? Probably but not that good to justify this stupid high price.
Most amazing 35mm lens and yet it’s stll just that…35mm. If I want this kind of quality either I’m getting paid for it or I’ll just shoot large format.
Having this lens is the equivalent of a male penis enlargement for photographers.
Compared to a 600mm F4 it’s the equivalent of male shrinkness in a pool.
Welcome to the world of tightly toleranced, hand optimized production lenses. Ka-CHING!
I’m not going to buy one, but it still makes me 🙂
Woowww… Only $449…
Do you guys realize that the existence of this lens means we can expect a STELLAR 85mm f/1.8 AF lens for the E-mount???
This is just going by the exemplary 55mm f/1.8 AF lens vs 55mm OTUS.
There’s a sale at Penny’s!
Meanwhile, professionals will just keep on using ‘regular’ Canon and Nikon lenses. It will be show-off/insecure, well-heeled but talentless amateurs who will “need” this lens for that extra 2% of quality that will never be noticed aside outside of direct comparisons of test shots.