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Official! Zeiss announces a new BATIS lens line for Sony FE: 25mm f/2.0 and 85mm f/1.8 to ship in summer!

Zeiss_Batis

Preorder links:
Zeiss Batis 85mm f/1.8 lens at Adorama (Click here), Bhphoto (Click here).
Zeiss Batis 25mm f/2.0 lens at Adorama (Click here), Bhphoto (Click here).
Lens shade for 85mm at Adorama (Click here), Bhphoto (Click here).
Lens shade for 25mm at Adorama (Click here), Bhphoto (Click here).

Amazing! Zeiss just announced a new lens line for Sony FE mount! it’s the autofocus BATIS line and the two first lenses will be the 25mm f/2.0 and 85mm f/1.8. Here is the press text:

The new ZEISS Batis 2/25 and 1.8/85 lenses are the first full-frame autofocus lenses with an OLED display for the mirrorless Sony α series and therefore the pioneers of a new era. As professional tools, they enable outstanding outcomes with optimal image performance, impressive contrast and maximum resolution down to the very last detail.
The innovative OLED display shows the distance of the focal plane from the camera system and the depth of fields, therefore ideally supporting creative image composition. For the demanding photographer, the OLED display is an absolute highlight – an innovation that is currently unparalleled in camera lenses.  ZEISS Batis lenses are available in a wide-angle and portrait focal length and are the perfect match for the existing lenses offered for the system. The ZEISS Batis 2/25 and Batis 1.8/85 lenses will be available for purchase from July 2015 – place your order now!

Her eis the official trailer:

batis_85mm_25mm_zeiss_sony

This from Zeiss:
ZEISS Batis 2/25:
The ZEISS Batis 2/25 wide-angle lens has ten lens elements in eight groups and draws on the ZEISS Distagon optical design. Four of the lens elements are aspheric on both sides and five are made from special types of glass. The aspheric lens design ensures consistently high image quality over the whole image field and a sharpness that extends right to the edges of the frame. The moderate 82 degree image angle combined with a minimum focusing distance of 0.2 meters makes this wide-angle lens the perfect choice for architecture and landscape photography and many other applications besides. It encourages the user to make creative use of depth of field which can often yield surprising results, particularly in close-up photography.

Batis_85mm

ZEISS Batis 1.8/85:
The ZEISS Batis 1.8/85 is a moderate tele lens which offers 11 lens elements in eight groups and features the ZEISS Sonnar optical design. The lens elements are made from special types of glass and designed to ensure superior image quality. The ZEISS Batis 1.8/85 is a particularly good choice for wedding photography and portrait shots, offering the high speed which provides plenty of creative scope to bring out the main subject. Thanks to its optical image stabilization, the ZEISS Batis 1.8/85 can capture outstanding images even under difficult, shifting light conditions.

“The Batis family of lenses is the first time we have launched autofocus lenses for Sony’s full- frame E-mount cameras which are ZEISS through and through – in other words exclusively developed and distributed by us,” says Dr. Michael Pollmann, Product Manager at ZEISS Camera Lenses. The Sony alpha full-frame E-mount system, which currently consists of the α7 family of cameras, is one of the most innovative camera systems on the market and is becoming an increasingly popular choice for professionals and people considering switching from DSLRs. “The ZEISS Batis lenses are our way of acknowledging this trend and providing creative and ambitious photographers with the expert tools they need,” says Pollmann. The lenses are easy to use yet offer professional performance, so they are a sound investment for amateur photographers, too: “Camera sensors are constantly evolving, and so are photographers. Our Batis lenses are the perfect answer to these changing trends and herald a new era of professional photographers using mirrorless full-frame cameras,” says Pollmann.

The ZEISS Batis 2/25 and ZEISS Batis 1.8/85 lenses offer an initial choice of two focal lengths which have proved to be the most popular among users of the system: a moderate wide-angle focal length and a tele portrait focal length. The lenses make optimal use of the camera sensors, capturing every last detail with impressive contrast and high resolution. As well as offering fast and reliable autofocus, the lenses also support manual focusing, allowing users to choose the best option for each individual situation. The sleek, modern design – with smooth surfaces reminiscent of the high-end ZEISS Otus lenses – emphasizes the superior quality of this new lens family and gives the Batis lenses an unmistakable look and feel.

Preorder links:
Zeiss Batis 85mm f/1.8 lens at Adorama (Click here), Bhphoto (Click here).
Zeiss Batis 25mm f/2.0 lens at Adorama (Click here), Bhphoto (Click here).
Lens shade for 85mm at Adorama (Click here), Bhphoto (Click here).
Lens shade for 25mm at Adorama (Click here), Bhphoto (Click here).

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329 Responses

  1. Hmmm… I was on the verge of writing this off if it didn’t have a mechanical focus coupling. But maybe, just maybe that electronic focus scale saved it. It now boils down to how good that focus by wire feedback works.

    1. I hear the new models will give us our heart rate by syncing with our phones, also give email alerts and whatnot. GPS information is going to be added in 2016 but removed in 2017, so it can be announced in 2018 as innovative

  2. Aside from the 35mm f/1.4, E-Mount is still getting narrow aperture lenses
    For Canon, there’re 24mm f/1.4 or 85mm f/1.2…

    1. Mr Happy is here to brighten up everybody’s day.
      Seriously, I can’t imagine when I’d ever really need either f/1.4 on a wide angle or f/1.2 on a portrait lens. I’m happy to pay less for smaller apertures.

      1. Too bad you can’t
        The new 25mm f/2 Zeiss is $1299, according to the video – which is what the Canon 24 f/1.4 II USM costs

        1. Well the Canon seems to cost $1549.00 from the big sellers – I don’t know where you’re looking. Plus, you’re comparing to the Zeiss launch price.

          Regardless, the Canon isn’t particularly great wide open anyway.

          Somehow you’re putting a negative spin on an announcement which has been pretty much universally praised.

          1. This is true.

            Even Photozone declares the Sony-Zeiss 24mm f2 SSM to be better all around than the Canon or Nikon 1.4 versions:

            “The Zeiss Distagon T* 24mm f/2 ZA SSM may not be as fast as its Canon
            and Nikon counterparts but it’s capable of delivering a better image
            quality at comparable aperture settings. It avoids the glory but also
            the difficulties of an ultra-large f/1.4 aperture in favor of a much
            higher peak performance.”

            Which makes me believe that Zeiss may not be pursuing the numbers game with fast apertures but better overall performance from moderately fast lenses.

            Besides, from 1.8 to 1.4 is only half a stop difference in light (if they are Tstops anyway) and with IBIS that half stop is negligible if technique is good.

          2. this seems to be the general trend with this system, and i have to say I for one endorse it.

            it’s why, on average, these lenses seem to perform better than similar lenses on other systems – a priority focus on IQ (maybe followed by size/weight) instead of numbers

            I mean what’s the point of using a f1.2 if its unusable for anything other than trick shots until f4?!

          3. That’s great if you have a Canon camera.

            It’s an OK lens, but recent history with Sony Zeiss and Zeiss lenses tells us the Zeiss 85/1.8 will probably wipe the floor with the Canon. You’re comparing a more than twenty year old lens to a modern lens no doubt designed for a high megapixel future.

      2. Wider aperture is great for OVF’s. Obviously the sony series doesn’t have an OVF. I also think people need to see the sony cameras for what they are. I don’t think they are simply a replacement for canon gear. The canon super telephoto lenses are amazing.

        In my opinion, the 5d mk 3 (I’ve owned it) does a lot. It’s decent in low light photography, can shoot at a decent speed, it can focus well, and it’s an all around great camera. It is not the fastest for wildlife. It does not have the greatest quality for studio use. It does not have great features for video.

        For the absolute purest, medium format is better for studio use. A smaller, lighter camera is superior for long adventures and an APS-C offers superior reach and speed for wildlife.

        An a7 camera, with an upcoming wild angle loxia, in addition to a standard focal length loxia, is going to be a great tool for travel. It’s shortcomings are build quality and sealing (I’m not saying other brands don’t suffer these, but it’s particularly important if I am going to see the a7 as a travel camera), and also other little things I won’t get into. For me, the a7 series are a more specialist camera for those that know what they want. For said people, I cannot fathom why they’d want the widest of all apertures.

        Comparing zeiss lenses with nikon is also like comparing apples to oranges

          1. No, it’s not much different to the a7r. Look at disassembly photos to see. If it were good it’s have an IP rating but it does not

          2. I am simply talking about built quality and materials. A7II is made of magnesium alloy. A7 have a lot of plastic in the body. A7II is sturdy like a brick compared to more clumsy A7 which really feels more like a toy, compared. Please try them side by side in the store 🙂

          3. It’s the subtle differences you’re noticing, somewhat akin to that between the base model and a limited addition motor car. These points are somewhat moot until one takes the time to actually drive said car. There is that same difference between the A7S & A7R, the A7S feels and operates different/better.

          4. I’ve not run across an A7ll yet, that’s great news. I do however run an A7R & A7S and the differences are extremely noticeable in the field, the A7S has none of the quirks of my A7R, it has a far better feel when you release the shutter too.

    2. So? I have Samyang 85mm 1.4 and i dont like it that much. Depth of field is soon small wide open that i really miss focus a lot. Eyebrow is sharp but eye is not. I think that if that 85mm zeiss will be sharp wide open, then 1.8 will be great aperture to work with for portraits.

    3. I’ve never had problems with 1.8. It seems to be good enough for me. At 1.2 it really don’t make much of a difference to me considering how good low light on these cameras are nowadays.

  3. That 25/2 looks SOOH-EEHT!!
    That, and the 35mm 1.4 could be the lenses that make me drop the RX1 (but the 35mm is too big and I don’t like the coma of the 35mm/2 Loxia)

    So, 25/2 – 28/2 – 35/1.4 – 35/2 – 35/2.8 – 55/1.8 – 85/1.8

    That line looks pretty sweet to me.

      1. This is very true. Since most of my work is 35mm, the only lens really getting my attention is the 35mm 1.4 and the from the stuff I have seen it looks like it isn’t as nice as the RX1’s Sonnar. That being said, I miss having at least a 50.

        I guess I will wait for the Batis 35mm..if it was to ever materialize…loving that OLED focus scale. Maybe gimmicky…but so cool.

        1. Didn’t even register that led display. Hehe.
          PS. 35mm 1.4 is apparently a masterpiece lens. Haven’t seen side by side comparison with RX1 but i doubt its worse.
          Next RX1 should have IBIS and EVF 🙂 And of course more reasonable price. That would be cool travel camera.

          1. Yes. I have seen the 35mm 1.4 stuff that’s out there for now. It is a great lens, no doubt, but when I look at the samples I feel the RX1 still edges out. Then again, I’m comparing a stop slower lens that is matched to the sensor of a camera that is lighter than an a7+35/1.4 together. Two different things.

            If Sony would have made a series of RX1s with different focal lengths, I wouldn’t even be looking at the A7 series. But that’s me.

            Next RX1 can have anything, but I really wish that it would be a true step forwards not just with IBIS, but also with MP (no need for 50, 24 and 36 are enough) DR, ARW processing by newer and more capable BIONZ processors. I am still a bit jealous how Nikon can seem to squish a bit more from the same sensors.

        2. I hope we get 135, 50 Batis too. That’s pretty much the only lens I really want. That 25 and 85 pretty much covers 50 percent of what I like in primes. As for Zooms, I’ll still wait for the right 24-70 2.8. The F4 isn’t enough for me for a zoom in that range. The 70-200 F4 right now, I’m planning to get also, but if they release a 2.8, I’ll prefer it, but not necessary for me.

  4. I’m on par with duott. I’m still rockin with A-mount and I was just saying myself “hey, another FE lens with 1.8, haha”.
    OK, there was a time Zeiss could produce 1.4 and less.
    Even Samyang is making better lenses, what’s the hell is happening at Sony Research Department. This, and the new Z4 as a smartphone. oooooowwwww.
    They are going from n#1 to so-so. Hurry up.

    1. Remember that apperture is not the only feature a lens may have. A good IQ, AF etc. are important too. And think about size, a good f1.4 lens is never small when it has AF. There is some balance between size of lens and camera. And look there is a 35mm f/1.4 lens for the E-mount…

    2. Jeezus. 1.4 vs 1.8 is not a big deal. Zeis makes Otus already with 1.4 and it cost 4500 green. I will take 1.8 for 1199$ in a heartbeat if it comes close with IQ. And you get autofocus too. Plus 5 axis IBIS in my A7II. Huge GAS for this lens! Great job Zeiss!

      1. It will be 3 axis, the 85/1.8 has stabilization 😉

        “Thanks to its optical image stabilization, the ZEISS Batis 1.8/85 can
        capture outstanding images even under difficult, shifting light
        conditions.”

    3. Subject distance 100 cm
      Depth of field Near limit 99.5 cmFar limit 100.5 cmTotal 1.07 cm In front of subject 0.53 cm (50%)Behind subject 0.54 cm (50%) Hyperfocal distance 17038 cmCircle of confusion 0.03 mm

      Total depth of field at 100 cm = 1.07 cm

      85mm

      1. well just like touit that come with variety mount, maybe these lenses will come with another mount if there are any other FF mirrorless camera?

        1. True. Not a bad point. That being said…Touit sold more for NEX than for Fuji…Fuji fans were more partial to their 14mm and 35mm lenses than Sony users were to the non-existing lenses on the E mount at that point.

          EDIT: Zeiss dude says “specially design for Sony alpha 7 series…”

          1. Well, there are the 35mm and the 10-18mm (roughly the same size, price and weight as the 12mm Zeiss), so not sure I’d agree with the “non-existing” part.

    1. The Loxia documentation does leave the door open for other mounts.

      Even if the other manufacturers don’t have a FF mirrorless planned, these Zeiss lenses should convince them otherwise.

      Personally, I’m hoping the next iteration for the A7S will come in the form of a Zeiss digital Ikon.

  5. Why the 25? I don’t get it. I wonder if Zeiss-Zeiss is talking to Sony-Zeiss about lens lineup and what to bring next.

    1. For the purposes of E-mount, a prime 25mm is missing and 35mm is pretty well covered today with two AF lenses and one MF lens. Also missing, to the cry of many, was a prime 85mm so now that’s covered. Maybe Sony will bring their own G 85mm at some point as well to offer it as a more affordable version.

      I estimate these lenses to be on the $1,500 mark or so.

        1. There’s the 28mm + wide-angle adapter resulting in 21mm f2.8. It may not be the best solution but the FL is there.
          But I agree, I hope for a native lens solution in that FL.

  6. Woah, that 85mm lens look great! I’m looking forward to see how it’s going to perform compared to the Samyang. Wonder if it’s going to be worth its price, optically! If I had to bet I’d bet it’ll be a great lens, but I’m waiting to see.

  7. Zeiss rep:

    “Something quite unique for a company like us: First time we have an AF, very precise and fast AF, for full format sensor camera.”

    So Contax G and Contax N didn’t count.

          1. Likely they did have a psycotherapist dealing with that…
            But…that wasn’t Zeiss’ project.
            They just designed the lenses.

        1. was this “very precise and fast AF”? I never used a Contax N Digital, but i doubt it was fast in todays standards.

          1. “The Contax N Digital was a six-megapixel digital SLR camera produced by Contax in Japan. The camera was announced in late 2000, and began to be sold in spring 2002, after several delays. ”

            What cameras in 2002 had very precise and fast AF with a FF sensor?

            Context matters.

            I had a Contax N1, the film version of the N digital, and it was as fast as a Nikon F5. The main difference between these was not the speed, but the ability to focus at very low lights and low contrast (contra-light) where Nikon was better. Contax N was among the first to stop using the screw-drive type of AF motor (relying on camera motor) so this would have been first gen AF tech for Contax. The Contax 645, with far bigger lenses, had the same AF technology and it was fast enough for MF. Faster than a Rollei Integral or the Mamiya 645 AF.

  8. Hallelujah! These focal lengths were sorely missing. $1199 for the 85/1.8? If it performs anything like the 55/1.8, shut up and take my money. Putting the ZA 85/1.4 on eBay soon 🙂

  9. I would like to know…

    Since different MP imply different, denser circles of confussion, the digital scale could adapt to different cameras’ circle of confussion to produce an accurate depth of field scale at the given apertures?

    THAT would be very useful and super cool.

    1. Not only do different MP give rise to different circles of confusion but different output types (facebook upload, 24″ print etc.) do too, so I think it would have to be able to read your mind in order to be in any way “accurate”.

      Best to use magnification and look at the actual image coming from the sensor to judge the depth of field…

      1. Aha…yes indeed, BUT if you get an accurate capture figure (say, the way Zeiss exclusively used films like technical pan to come with their lp/mm resolution figures) then at least from that point you know you are covered.

        When you come to look at it at your workstation (say the average of 24″ 1920×1200 @~92dpi) then you can make your judgement on how good would a print of XX x XX at that resolution would look good.

        As a tester, for my RX1, I printed a section of a photo I made imagining I was printing a 1.75×0.57m print @100dpi. I then noticed that the depth of field I calculated by DOFMaster (which more or less matches Leica markings) was too generous with a CoC of 0.03 and that “pixel sharp” needed a CoC of 0.02 or so.

        That was my impression anyway to what I believe would have been the sharper result given that technique is good enough to achieve properly sharp images.

  10. I was hoping for a 135 but the 85 is not bad either. I’m a bit skeptical about the 25, seems an odd measure to me, but I guess it will couple nicely with my 55. A bit puzzled between that and the 28 (Which is not great but hey, it costs the half).
    So now we have a fisheye, 21 (with converter), 25, 28, 35/1.4, 35/1.8, 55, 85, 90 macro. Plus the loxias. We will have a 21 batis (as he said in the interview) and next up will be a 135, at least I hope.
    Guys what would you buy: 25 or 28?

    1. I need to see more sample photos from 28/2 but I may prefer it to 25. The first samples look reasonably sharp and the availability of 21mm and 16mm converters makes it more tempting. And it is very affordable.

  11. I like how he pronounced Batis like “Bad-ass” 😀

    Looking forward for to the 85/1.8 in July. At best, it’s even better than the 85/1.4 for A mount with less CA, smaller and lighter.

  12. Would have preferred F1.4, but if the 85/1.8 performs similarly to the 55/1.8 and is wide open better than ZA 85/1.4 at F1.8 – that would push me much closer to switching from A.

  13. It looks like Zeiss has slowed down their strategy for the Loxia line with these new lenses. Initial reports said that two new Loxias would be introduced this year, however the latest reports say that only one wide-angle will be released in 2015. I suppose Zeiss is trying to get all high-end users, such as those who demand auto focus capabilities, at the expense of purely manual focus shooters. I at least hope Zeiss will offer a wider focal length the 25 being offered here.

  14. that portrait lens should be really nice, i like sonnar for my hasselblad and the way it renders out of focus areas

  15. Zeiss mentality that crept up to me: seeing that the price for 85/1.8 was $1200, my first reaction was “oooh, that’s not expensive”. Then I realized that the excellent Nikon 85/1.8 was 2.5x cheaper at $500….

      1. Exactly. That is why Zeiss should cost $800 at most. The only thing that should add to the price is OSS.
        Weather sealing = a dozen of silicone rings. I can’t see how that would add more than a dozen of dollars to the price.
        I don’t know how much 2 more blades would cost – maybe it’s not easy to implement it – but surely, these are 2 more blades and they can’t add much to the price.
        Big OLED thingies costs ~$4 when you buy a single item. Microcontroller behind it would cost another $5. Programming it (with extensive testing) takes about 3 weeks.
        So I don’t think that all these things apart from OSS cost more than $100 in total, and I can’t belive that OSS itself costs $600…..

  16. First time I see the comment section not being a bunch of crybabbies insulting Sony for being the cause of aids and WWII.

    1. I just heard someone screaming “insult” and “faux pas” because they sell the lens hood seperately. LOL

      1. All companies who were operating during 33-45 in Germany contributed to Nazi crimes. I get your point, but I would not call Zeiss criminal, like BASF (IG Farben) or some german banks.

      1. It doesn’t really matter, just I don’t want to ever have to tell someone I own this great “Batis” lens haha

  17. I think it’s joke or not?

    Thanks to its optical image stabilization, the ZEISS Batis 1.8/85 can capture outstanding images even under difficult, shifting light conditions.

  18. Hoping these optical formulas will be the basis for quicker [and less expensive] additions to Loxia line.

    1. Your family will understand. Your wife might divorce you though but she will understand. Your daughter will forgive you when she’s 30. Not much longer.

    1. These lenses do not have image stabilisation, I believe. But they work with the autofocus system in A7, which Zeiss did not do before in their own lenses, as opposed to Zeiss lenses marketed by Sony.

      1. the 85 has it “Thanks to its optical image stabilization, the ZEISS Batis 1.8/85 can capture outstanding images even under difficult, shifting light conditions.”

      1. “Thanks to its optical image stabilization, the ZEISS Batis 1.8/85 can
        capture outstanding images even under difficult, shifting light
        conditions.”

        1. That’s just crazy. Double IS (body and lens) should give super smooth video and sharp slow shutter speed photos.

      2. According to the text above ti does “Thanks to its optical image stabilization, the ZEISS Batis 1.8/85 can
        capture outstanding images even under difficult, shifting light
        conditions.”

        1. awesome, i just read it. This think is suprisingly cheap considering the IS and OLED technology at 1.8. I was expecting around 2k.

  19. finally the reason to buy into FE system 😀
    edit: hopefully this 85/1.8 has APO design and better control over CA than SAL85//1.4Z. 85 is nice, but 135/2.0 would be even better (with APO design too)

    1. Call CERN. They may want to ask Zeiss to do this again with more lenses and have a look at your wallet while they make their announcement.

  20. Can I read my SMS on the little screen too? I just don’t think that notifications are enough. We need to be able to not just reach for our phones, as we do today (which is so yesterday) but we need to be able to keet our eyes on the VF as much as we can…so can we not just integrate the camera’s software with the phone’s notification and messages so we can read the texts/emails/etc WHILE we shoot?

  21. E-mount gets the cool lenses again : ( and that 85mm has OSS… OSS probably works better than IBIS.

    1. There might be a mistake in the description. I see no OS in lens. And why should it, the A7 line has/will have sensor stabilization already. Two OS’ in lens and camera makes no sense.

        1. RX10, RX100, AX100 and many other cybershot and handycams.
          OK, they are built and designed by Sony, but…who says they wouldn’t share their tech with prime partner Zeiss?

        2. Eric Chan The 85mm has optical image stabilisation?
          Like · Reply · 58 mins
          Carl Zeiss Lenses Yes, Sir!
          Like · 1 · 53 mins

  22. Loxia wide angle to be announced later this year, the good news just keeps coming … I think I’ll stick to my plan for manual focus Loxia wide angles, but for the longer lenses this new Batis lineup is great news. Just gotta have that 85mm, oh my this is going to be an expencive year ..

  23. Wow! Brilliant Pricing Too…. especially considering that they are Zeiss Full Frame Lenses with AF! I think their Touit Line is mostly at the same price points, although not directly comparable Focal Lengths… and its for Crop sensors only…

  24. A little bit too much on the bulky side, especially the 25/2, but besides that, both lenses are killer and will sell like hotcakes for that price. Not cheap, but defintively affordable for many. Well done, Zeiss!

    I even think about using the 25/2 on APS-C and having a future upgrade path to the A7s I’m saving for. All I need is the A7sII announcement to bring the used A7s prices down. 😉

    I see a black hole building up in my wallet…

  25. Very very sweet! 🙂

    Although I gotta say it. Not including lens hood ona a +$1000 lens is really an insult.

    Is the distance displayed distance of the focused subject under the cameras focus point or is it just lens data of what the lens is set to and where the focus plane is?

    1. I think that was thought before about a Zeiss lens, and the hoods actually come included. That’s just for a replacement. But I couldn’t be 100% totally sure with the new ones of course. – EDIT: Yep it’s included.

    2. an insult? LOL. Oh boy, tell me what is insulting about selling lens and lens hood seperately.

      These prices are very aggressive. I’dont know what your income is, but if the people who build these lenses in China would get my salery (and I’m a poor looser, thats for sure), these lenses would cost twice as much.

        1. The Zeiss lenses build in Germany, cost 2x-3x of these new Batis lenses.

          But I guess, you understood what I was trying to say. Calling the fact that the lenses are coming without a hood an insult is just… (sorry, if I speak it out, my post will probably deleted)

          1. Believe it or not but 4500$ Zeiss Otus is built in Japan as well. Not many German made Zeiss out there. From what i know its just Distagon T* 2,8/15 ZM which is 50% of the price of Otus. I really dont think Japan employees earn less than German.
            Since i think its confirmed that they do come with hood, then there is no issue. If they didn’t, i would call it very weird but that is not the case.

          2. Maybe I did not make myself clear. The point is no what people in China or Japan earn, my point is, that I seriously doubt that these Batis prices would be possible if they paid the workers as well as the the average SAR reader/Zeiss lens buyer.

            In other words, I strongly believe the one who screamed “insult” would not willing to work in a factory (all conditions, salery, insurance, health care) where these aggressivly priced products were made.

            So, I just was shaking my head about that person. That’s all.

  26. This is good thinking by Zeiss. They know that most Alpha 7 users most likely already have the Sony/Zeiss FE 1,8/55mm ZA lens. So it makes sense for 25mm and 85 mm to be the next two in line.

    In other news, it turns out George was right when he told me this.

  27. One thing that is really not cool about that lenses is that you have to buy separate hood for 55$. That is just plane wrong. But if the IQ is gonna be great, then i will survive that faux pas from Zeiss.

    1. What exactly is wrong about that? What’s your point? Would you like the lenses coming including a hood and priced $50 higher? Do you think these lenses are overpriced by $55? Or do you think, the hood is overpriced and that they should give it away for free?

      1. Yes. I would expect the lens to come with the hood. I think the lenses are priced ver well and if they were 55$ more with the hood it would be better solution. But if the hood is really included like people say, then it seems all is great. Amazing offer. I own 35mm 2.8 and right now in this moment i am buing 70-200 f4. That 85mm is gonna be great addition. 55mm 1.8 and Samyang 12mm 2.8 and i will be happy A7II system owner!

  28. Very nice indeed! And that OLED display is a nice innovation making one wonder why no-one else thought about it yet…

    The question which remains, though, is whether ‘Batis’ stands for the Epicurean philosopher, the Persian military commander, the plant, the old taxonomy for a now invalid genus of moths, or the bird 😉

    1. Bird.

      It has been widely established that there is an ornithology fan in the PR/Marketing dept there.

    2. I think many have thought of an OLED on the lens and dismissed the idea. What’s the point? Better to have the info in the EVF; now we’ll be paying for a display on each lens.

  29. Just got confirmation from Zeiss that the manual focus is fly-by-wire, but then again it’s the Loxia series they’re aiming at film makers, so I can understand. Personally I’d prefer full time manual focus, but it’s still an amazing sounding lens.

  30. Now, please, please, give a body with dual card slots for weddings, events and outdoor portrait sessions. And better low light AF and controls. Don’t really care if it’s 24, 36 or 50 megapixel.

    1. I’d be all over that. The dual SD slots is a must. I’m using the LA-EA2 on my A6000 for event stuff, so it’s a bit faster in low light than the A6000 alone, but better on-sensor PDAF wouldn’t hurt, either. Would be more helpful if there were some fast zooms for E-mount to take advantage of that, though.

  31. I’m moderate in buying stuff, but this year I’ll be looking like a tech-gadget-nerd-junkie-whatever…
    On the musthave list: A7RII, 90/2.8 Macro and the two Batis Lenses…

  32. Are the Batis a sign for the future Sony PRO-mirrorless cameras? Now, while we suffer from first GAS attacks, CaNikon looks like… not so up to date. Hope to see reviews soon and starting to write down arguments, why the purchase of this system is inevitable.

      1. Batis might define the IQ-quality standard Sony wants to reach. Small sidekick towards the barn door shutter in the A7R… But one has to admit: Sony rules!

      2. I really hope that their definition of “PRO” is more than just megapixels – AF performance, ergonomics and dual card slots is the area which needs some effort. And perhaps radio wireless flash system. If this happens, I will give it a go, with additional body (A7 or A7ii) for backup, 85/1.8+35/1.4+90/2.8. Even have funds saved up, which were originally intended for a switch to Nikon from A-mount 😉

          1. So there is going to be a pro ff mirrorless A9 then?
            Have you real info about this?

      3. Hello Andrea, Why in the video the sony a7r is under the rain ( they upgraded the “not” Really wheather sealed of the camera?)
        And also the “menu” button is similar at the sony a7 mark 2 But the shoot button is the Same of tHe old a7?
        Mix of some new 7R m2?

  33. Probably great lenses. Especially interested in the 25mm for nightscapes.
    But i am not a fan of overcomplicating lenses(OLED). They soon end up
    being more complex and have more electronics than cameras.

    Then the lifetime of new lenses will be 5 years or huge repair bills?

    1. Stick to the Loxias then. They contain a minimal amount of electronics and will work fine even on a dumb E-mount to xx adapter the day E-mount is dead.

      1. They probably won’t, because E-mount already has very short flange distance, and it is unlikely anyone will create a mount with even shorter distance which would allow to mount an adapter in between 🙂

        1. 1mm. That’s all that is needed for a dumb adapter to fit. But that definitely is a future problem. Not seeing E-mount leaving the playing ground in many years.

          1. samsung NX cannot mount M lenses despite flange distance almost 3 mm shorter.

    2. That crossed my mind but really, if that little display stopped working it would just end up being like a normal sony lens.

    3. As those lenses will need some digital intelligence anyway to communicate with the camera, the display panel as such will probably be the only item that makes the design a little more complex – but then again, the OLED replaces the mechanical distance display that would be expected from a professional grade lens. Nothing to worry about, I’d say. To this day I think the most critical parts of lenses remain to be the mechanical and optical ones.

    4. of course it’s not the best possible option, but this way Zeiss lenses can show distance regardless of what Sony software does, and even on older bodies like NEX-3 🙂

  34. Sorry but that’s simply not true. Maybe you have a faulty item. I used two of them over the years, and they are excellent.

  35. I’m excited that people seem excited about these lenses and for what they add to Sony’s credibility, but it makes me worry about the Loxia line. Do they not think of those as pro lenses? Will they bother making a MF 25mm when they have an AF version? I hope they continue pursue both lineups with equal measure.

    1. I downloaded the newshooter.com video before it was taken down, and the Zeiss rep clearly said they were launching a wide angle Loxia later this year and “in the years to come more lenses”. So I wouldn’t worry there.

      1. Yeah I heard him say that. Loxia and Batis are clearly differently positioned. I’d imagine in 5 years from now there will probably be 1 of each for a given focal length.

    2. I hope they keep expanding the line too – but history with Zeiss seems to show they only deliver two lenses per line – weird. Two Fuji and E-mount. Two Otis. Two Loxia. Now two Batis. It’s like they release a lens that handles best return rate and then move on. Who knows, German analytics was never my forte.

    3. LOXIA is more video centric, aimed at a different user base, these are pure still lenses, FBW, OIS, A/F.

    1. I’ll stick with fuji and its serious, fast, small and moderately priced lenses. Not only for lenses, also because its uncompressed raw, fantastic jpg processing and serious control features…

    2. I’ll stick tu fuji and its great, serious, fast, small and good priced lenses. And uncompressed raw, great jpg processing engine, serious control features,…

        1. If full frame means worse looking images and bulky camera and lenses, no thanks. Even at high and high iso fuji files look far better than sony a7 files. Full frame will be only better if they reach far many MP, but this is not ready yet. Even if sony reach 50 MP, i suspect that the AF and high iso performance will be poor.

      1. What???? Fuji is the same size, is well known for their focus performance issues in the past, and is everything but cheap. There is no difference between Fuji and Sony in this 3 fields.

        By the way, the above lenses are full frame, Fuji is APS-C. Apples and oranges anyways.

        Fuji knows how to physically design cameras and lenses. In that regard they are miles ahead of Sony. But what you said is not an opinion, it’s just bulls**t.

  36. Zeiss saves full-frame E-mount! I really don’t like focus-by-wire mechanism, but the OLED display may be helpful. And if the 85/1.8 really has OSS it’s very cool!

    1. 2 expensive lenses don’t mean A mount is ready to die yet. The A mount still has many many more lenses available including affordable ones unlike E mount.

  37. Batis is an african flycatcher. Lets hope it doesnt mean these lenses will catch flies on the front element…

  38. For primes, with fast aperture, I meant.

    10-18 is f4 vs Touit 2.8 (I would be the guy that would care about this)
    The touit 32mm was launched before the Sony 35mm. At launch, the zoom 10-80, I believe, was there but the 35mm 1.8 from Sony wasn’t.

    1. You may care about the difference, many won’t. The 10-18 is competing with the 12mm, for the reasons I mentioned; to what precise extent is obviously arguable. No idea when the 35mm was released, but certainly not very long after. My point being, the better guess why Zeiss sold more for Sony is probably because Sony has a significantly bigger market share than Fuji.

  39. I just double checked with Mr. Brandstetter from Zeiss’ Public Relations to confirm that the 85mm has Optical Image Stabilisation (since it was omitted in the technical specs in the press release) and he confirmed that the 85mm Batis will have stabilisation!!! The final technical specs will be published in June.

      1. Maybe physical aperture rings will find itself in an 85mm f/1.4 version priced at 1699 or 1799. I would be very delighted to see that.

    1. True, but be prepared that you dont get any new friends from the A-mount crowd for that comment.

    2. I’ve been trying to learn bird and wildlife photography. Until the lenses focus as quickly on the E mount cameras as they do on the A77II (with stabilization), the A mount will live. Besides, when carrying a hefty lens, a hefty camera (not heavy) is great. Having said that, I like the E mount. Choice is good.

    3. Why? A-mount has the excellent 24 f2 Distagon which is wider and cheaper than this 25mm. In addition, A-mount has an excellent 85mm f1.4.
      In the long end, A-mount easily outclasses E-mount with the legendary Zeiss 135 f1.8 and multiple tele primes and zooms.

      1. Ugh, that 24/2 Distagon is well documented as having severe focus issues – likely due to field curvature. I have owned three copies and returned every one. No thanks. Hopefully this new 25/2 will be flat and nail focus.

        The 85/1.4 is legend but it is an old design and suffers from considerable CA. I would expect the new Zeiss to out resolve it considerably. Whether it renders as well is yet to be seen.

        Agreed on the 135/1.8 though. My favorite lens but I am anxious for a modern replacement that will focus quicker and more accurately (ideally be more compact).

  40. I just received confirmation from Mr. Brandstetter (Zeiss’ Public Relations) that the 85mm 1,8 Batis will indeed have Optical Image Stabilization!!! YEY!
    A completed technical spec sheet including MTF will be published in June.

  41. Anyone have sample images yet? I searched Zeiss’ U.S. Site and the lens wasn’t even listed yet… Glad their optics are better coordinated than their launch marketing 🙂

  42. The rubber focus rings are a turn off to me. They state that it is “similar” of the Otus line of lenses, however in my mind what I see is “cost savings”. I’m unsure why Sony had to change their recipe for success with the original FE styled lenses.

        1. Your point? Is Japan a third world country now? Even some Leica lenses have rubber grips on them, whats the problem?

        2. Design and asembly is done by Zeiss in germany.
          Only the lens elements ( glass ), is manufactured at Cosina.
          This of course only relates to Zeiss’ own line of lenses, and not the
          Sony/Zeiss products.

  43. I have to admit that Sony and its partners may not be killing the A mount, but is giving less and less reasons to buy A mount stuff. Even from Zeiss all the goodies are coming for the E mount.
    I understand they are selling boatloads of these E, while A not really…
    Also rumours are pointing to more E mount cameras coming soon while we are still dealing with a FF of 24mp with all AF points in the center….. At the moment the most valid A mount camera is APSc…..

    1. It’s an 85, they’re not to hard to design & manufacture, I’d bet its pretty darn close. Plus it’s A/F, that puts it in a category of usefulness way beyond the OTUS. Nice job ZEISS!

        1. Good reason to like it, the SONY FE 1.8/55 with its A/F is the best normal lens I’ve ever used, this 85 can only get better, perfect for portraits with the A7’s fantastically accurate A/F!

  44. Like I said in previous post, Zeiss is fooling us again with overpriced items…
    Same price than the 90 mm FE lens so what for making such lens ?

    1. Fooling who and about what? The specs and price are listed correctly. If you don’t want to spend the money then don’t buy it. I like Zeiss quality and will buy it.

    2. And here was I thinking the opposite!

      $1199 for an 85mm f1.8? If it performs as well as I hope, it will be a bargain!

      1. Right. Given the price of the beautiful 55f1.8 which I own & love, & if this is on some comparable plane of excellence, this should be priced closer to 1500 dollars…! that Ian guy sure is amusing tho. .

        1. Similar thoughts regarding the 55, so I’ll be awaiting to see if this is equally good, or better!

      2. I would not go so far to call it a bargain. It is priced well or maybe aggressively, but they are still expensive lenses. The Sony 28/2 is what I call a bargain.

      3. Well to be fair the canon 85mm 1.8 is about $450 the Nikon about $500 . So it’s literally more than double what the competition if offering for a similar brand new lens.

        Is it better ? Yes I’m fairly sure it will out perform both nikon and canon. It is overpriced though. Worth the overprice? If you care about getting the best image..probably.

        1. “Well to be fair the canon 85mm 1.8 is about $450 the Nikon about $500 . So it’s literally more than double what the competition if offering for a similar brand new lens.”

          Where do you see the Canon going for $450? Current price new is $370. Don’t get me wrong, I fully expect this new lens to fantastic and to be better than the 23 year old Canon (outside of indoor sports shooting) but it’s going to have to be amazing to be worth over 3x the price.

          1. Oh I just did a quick google search and I believe B&H came up on this right side with price.

        2. Does the Canon and Nikon lenses have OS? Thought not!
          This will be good for those users though, it’ll force CaNikon to implement IS and VR in their offerings.

      4. It’s a good price in $’s however, Sony often change $ for £ and leave the number the same. At that point it becomes over priced. They have a bit of a history of doing this.

        If they do set a £ price that follows exchange rates then I think it’s a good price provided it has extremely good IQ, not average!

    3. Guess you won’t get to enjoy it then. Sucks to be your cheap ass. High quality precision instruments are expensive. Photography is expensive. Welcome to the world.

      1. i guess he doesn’t earn much to be on here whining about prices.if you can’t afford it just let the big boys play and close your mouth lan.

        1. wow i hope you don’t talk like that to your customers because they will not hire a big boy pro… First rule when someone not agree you is to keep cool if you don’t want to end with your big toy in …..

    4. So if it’s the same price as 90mm then how can you write, (quote) “it doesn’t deserve overprice”. If it;s the same price as slower f2.8 then i assume logically that 90mm is overpriced. But i guess you don’t care for logic. Comparing 90mm macro to 85mm portrait lens and making silly comments that you should get quality no matter how little you pay, and also blaming Sony for Zeiss lens price (other post) makes me think you are some sort of troll.

    5. no need to get angry about a lens you will never own. buy another one and be a happy Toni – life can be so simple.

          1. You live in some strange world Ian. World that you should get great quality for cheap stuff. It would be beautiful place i guess. For buyers, not so much for people that actually work making things. They would quickly extinct 🙂

          2. no i live in the world of competitive market. The same world which made Apple drop its price because of Samsung, HTC and LG and so on… ( they announced last year to drop the price old version of iPhone to sell to the ones which did not want to pay full price). Already camera market is dropping against smartphone camera, so manufacturers should focus on innovation , selling volume instead of high price to earn their money

          3. First of all, when did ever Apple lower prices of iphones because of Samsung?
            Second, what competitive market? Who else is making lenses for E mount except Zeiss and Sony? Samyang/Rokinon? Yeah. There is your cheap option. And quality follows the price. I know as i own Samyang 85mm 1.4. When the Sigma starts releasing ART series for E mount and Tamron follows, there will be some competition. They will cost a bit less (around 1000$) and then you will have choice. I am surprised Zeiss didnt ask 2000$ for those lenses since they dont have any competition (85mm especially) people would be really force to buy them if they stay in A7 system. So yes. 1200$ for zeiss wuality is very fair price. And your whining will not change that. Id also like those lenses for 500$. But i live in reality, not a wonderland.

          4. i wait for Sigma or efficient LA-EA adapter :p but im not in hurry as photography is a hobby as you may know

          5. OK you say that this price is ridiculous and Canon is selling a 8 year old design 24mm f/1.4 L USM II for $1.549. Nikon 24 1.4 G is $1.599. Any words for Canon or Nikon? No? Oh sorry, didn’t notice that you were just trolling.. my bad.

          6. I m hot tempered, sometimes trolling and forever apprentice. But in a democracy, it s forbidden to forbid so I can complain about prices whatever You the Pro think of;)… Even if I ll buy a lens I ll surely buy an expensive 85 mm lens too :p…

        1. With such behavior, people would still pay iPhone 2, 3 and 4 same price than iphone 6.

          You would pay Sony A7R still 2500$ even one year and half. Do you think the nowadays A7R is less good than the one ppl bought in end of 2013?

          Prices decreased because of competitive market… Then why not having it at average price from the beginning and count on selling numbers to earn their living 😉

          1. I do, but this is just another German brand gouging and using ‘german engineering’ as a marketing tool.

            Otherwise why would lenses that are manufactured by Sony and have nothing to do with Zeiss got Zeiss branding on them?

            There are 30-100% mark-ups on Zeiss/Sony lenses for no apparent reason, it’s not scale of economy, it’s gouging. It’s a poor business model too if they seriously think this is the best way to steal market share from Canikon.

  45. I really don’t like the little curve lip at the end where it meets the hood. They should have kept cleaner straight lines

  46. I wonder if this is high res for my new Canon 50 mpx camera. You can use cheaper lenses on Sony low megapixel FF bodies and never see the difference.

    1. May be Zeiss has some inside information that, they know Sony will come with 50mp e-mount camera soon.

  47. Thank you Zeiss!!
    Finally a fast portrait lens, really good news. Would rather prefer it as a Loxia, anyway this I will buy immedatly!!
    Only question; is it really weathersealed as it seems on the video?

  48. The 25/2.0 is almost the same price as Canon/Nikon 24/1.4. Narrower, slower, and overpriced again! IMO this lens should be <$1000

    1. Canon
      EF 24mm f/1.4L II USM Lens is $1.549 and Nikon is $1.599usd. The price difference is $300usd and Canon is 7 years, Nikon is 5 years old. I believe the price is definitely as it should be for these reasons along with the brand name. It is a new design, and I am pretty sure it would have a higher resolution than Canon or Nikon.

    2. Yeah, and the Porsche 911 is also way overpriced even though it has the same amount of wheels as a VW Bettle. Strange, huh?… Seriously if you are serious you have no knowledge of quality, but can just compare numbers.

    3. 25mm f2.8 Biogon costs $1.200. This one is f2.0 and AF.. I find the price quite reasonable. FYI, the 25mm Biogon is an outstanding lens, extremely sharp; I think 25/2.0 would be a great one too.. (Any MTF curves somewhere?)

  49. Chances are good that they are Zeiss superb so of course they deserve it then. Otherwise steve would not say so.

  50. thanks god…… 🙂

    Finally 85mm 1.8 FE from zeiss!!!,,, i dont care about review about this lens, i believe its very good, and i will buy both!!!

    😀

  51. woohoo at last the 85mm prime.. I am SOLD if it performs awesome.. This will give huge pressure to Sony if they are planning to release the same focal length

  52. better image performance???…Have worked with Fuji image files….So calling BS on that for sure hahah wrong forum buddy

  53. The new Sigma 85mm f/1.4 for FE will be $900 and have the same quality. It won’t have OS of course – for that you can buy the IBIS body.

    1. Are you stupid? Sigma 85/1.4 doesn’t exist in FE mount and the Nikon/Canon/Sony A-mount is 760grams. Plus a 100-180gram adapter. Twice of the weight of this Batis?

  54. Hey Ph.D Dumb!!! I don’t think the beginning of your comment was necessary as he was not aggressive like I’m now. I’m sure there are a lot of fields you are not expert in then you would appreciate ppl call you stupid each time you are telling a thing they not agree 😉

  55. glad zeiss stop living in the past like canikon, and start making modern lenses!
    how many loxia zeiss could sold if they put AF in them?
    i know the touits were multiformat, designed for many mounts
    but now sony its the king of mirrorless, everyonelese is looking up
    glad zeiss is putting their bets high on FE, it will pay off for them
    by the time canikon enter ff mirrorless their lense line up will be laugable againts sony
    sony already won the future of camera market
    congratulations to all who are with the team winner

  56. Agree. I like Steve, but the 1.4/35 shows that he’s either shot very few other 35’s or is in Sony’s pocket.

    The 1.4/35 he goes on and on about is almost $2K more than the Sigma 35 Art that, in my opinion since I own both and 4 other full frame 35’s, is pretty ordinary. Whether you’re shooting charts or not, the Sigma Art is every bit as good as the 1.4/35 Zeiss/Sony which is good, but horrendously overpriced and overated.

    Sigma will make native FE mounts and they will do so, so well.

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