A couple of days ago I posted an article on the Batis shipment shortage (Click here). Some readers reported that their preorder at Digitalrev got canceled because “our suppliers are not able to confirm with us when the next available stock can be ordered” (Source: Pete). Some other reported that their May 11 preorder at BH still didn’t ship and there is still no ship date (Source: Cbw).
Finally we have good news to report: After reading our article Zeiss released an official statement to clarify the future availability of Batis lenses. We deeply thank Zeiss for the helpful note! It’s a very good example of how to communicate with your own customers. Here is their text via Zeiss FB page:
The worldwide positive feedback from the first product reviews about the ZEISS Batis lenses and the demand for the lenses has been overwhelming.
We made the first shipments of the ZEISS Batis lenses to our global distribution partner network in mid-July 2015. Additional shipments were made in August 2015 and a more substantial volume of lenses is scheduled in September 2015, thanks to an expansion of the production capacity. This expansion will help serving the global markets more efficiently in the coming months.
At this time, the global demand is much higher than our current supply and we anticipate a wait of several months for orders which are placed now. If you have already ordered the lens from one of our dealers, then we will ship on a first-in, first-out basis depending on when the order was received. It is not possible for us to accurately predict when you will receive your order, since this is also dependent on our international distribution partners’ and local dealers’ allocation process which we have no influence over. In general, orders placed in late April and May should be delivered in the coming weeks, with later orders shipped in the months of October and November.
If you are interested, order immediately so as to obtain your ZEISS Batis lenses as soon as possible.
Batis store links:
Zeiss Batis 85mm f/1.8 lens in US at Adorama, Bhphoto. In Eu at Amazon DE, WexUK. In Asia at Digitalrev.
Zeiss Batis 25mm f/2.0 lens at Adorama, Bhphoto. In EU at Amazon DE, WexUK. In Asia at Digitalrev.
18 Responses
Zeiss if you are reading this, please make a 135mm F/2 or 1.8 and 24-70 F/2.8 for emount. People will complain about the size but real photographers wont care.
Some will complain. If it’s to heavy, they might worry it’ll snap their face:)
Their faces would only be snapped by the price. 🙂
You’ve got to think a 135 is coming, either by Sony or Zeiss. Honestly, if the quality matches the 35 and 55, I have no doubt a Sony version would be a killer lens, just like a Batis.
The next one is a 2/132 for sure, but with all those delays they are holding the announcement.
Here’s to second chances for public relations. Note to Zeiss: transparency is always best. Rather than cryptically responding to queries by saying that demand has outstripped production capacity and the lenses will ship when they ship (causing people to imagine the worst), it’s much better to answer like this; honestly explaining the situation and to give the best estimate you can, even if it’s an approximation.
Shows just how popular Sony Cameras gave become….
And Zeiss lenses.
When reasonable priced.
Work at Home Special Report………After earning an average of 19952 Dollars monthly,I’m finally getting 98 Dollars an hour,just working 4-5 hours daily online….It’s time to take some action and you can join it too.It is simple,dedicated and easy way to get rich.Three weeks from now you will wishyou have started today – I promise!….HERE I STARTED-TAKE A LOOK AT…fu.
➤➤➤➤ http://getsuperemtoplevelworkzone/finance/team/…. ⚛⚛⚛⚛⚛⚛⚛⚛⚛⚛⚛⚛⚛⚛⚛⚛⚛⚛⚛⚛⚛⚛⚛⚛⚛⚛⚛⚛⚛⚛⚛⚛⚛⚛⚛
My Batis 25/2 has the S/N 400.
Seems I have been a lucky guy to catch it. 🙂
After using it for a month now, I can assure everyone who ordered it – it is absolutely worth waiting for! It is a fantastic lens and a joy to use it.
Are these made in Germany?
No.
As far as I know all Zeiss photo lenses (except the OTUS) are MTO by Cosina in Japan.
in the article where they explain their relationship with Sony, they didn’t exclude the Otus of the “made in Japan” lenses.
The only “made in Germany” certified lenses are the Cine Lens line.
Maxi Claudio: there is nothing special in Germany that make lens better than if they were made elsewhere. Actually Japan as an ongoing optic business that ensure quality, price and availability that Germany can’t, that’s why Zeiss outsourced their lenses to Japan (Even the Leica Q’s lens is rumored to be design and manufactured by Konica Minolta).
The move to Japan was long ago. I doubt that Japan still has lower labor costs than Germany.
Considering the exceptional high quality of cine lenses there still is something special in Jena/Germany if they would them there.
Sourcing the photo lenses manufacture back to Germany would be too costly and would harm quantities, as these costs would need to be added as margin to the sales prices of the lenses.
Of course Japan doesn’t have a lower labor cost than Germany. Actually I’m pretty sure it’s higher in Japan.
The reason Zeiss and other still outsourced their lens to Japan is because it’s one of the last country where the optic business (R&D, network and production) is large enough to ensure an economy of scale still with high quality product.
Cine lens are niche product, meaning price and availability is not an issue. But that could be achieve everywhere in world since you have all the time and money to do it.
They maintained their production in Germany because they need to sell you a little bit of the century old manufacturer legend.
Look at how the Leica’s clients react to the engraved “made in Weitzlar” in their M. The legend marketing stunt seem to work very well even though it’s just “assembled in Weitzlar”.
Of course it’s not all marketing and the people in the Zeiss or Leica factory are the heir of the “legend” with their skills and infuse it in the final product. That’s the intangible quality that single out a brand form an other and create customer’s loyalty.
But if it’s just a question of very high end quality, made in China can match the made in Germany as long as money is not an issue.
Just the Loxia line-up.
No sign of the “SORRY” word from Zeiss for all the bland misinformation they have fed their customers. The truth is Zeiss got it wrong and didn’t put the production in place to match the PR hype of it’s latest lens line.
Just enough lenses to feed the Zeiss artisan photographers around the world telling us how wonderful this product that is unattainable to the general public, while making sure the price stays high because of the flood of publicity.
I’ll use my lens when it arrives but will always doubt the Zeiss PR machine when it says coming soon.
DS