Zeiss Otus 85mm f/1.4 ZF.2 Lens Review

Zeiss Otus 85mm f/1.4 Verdict

There is no doubting that as far as combined performance in sharpness, CA and distortion are concerned, there is probably no equal for this lens. If you require an 85mm lens that is capable of rendering more lines in a millimetre than any other, then this is the lens for you.

However, those with more artistic, or practical uses for this lens may find the inability of the Nikon version of this lens to work with the camera's electronic rangefinder a serious stumbling block, and the way out of focus highlights are rendered - a deal breaker, even before the £3220 price is taken into account. On the other hand, you may never notice the concentric rings in out of focus highlights, and will simply enjoy the excellent clarity delivered by this lens.

There is plenty going for this lens, but it will pay to take its limitations and quirks into account, to be sure they don't clash too much with your shooting style, and the work you wish to produce.

Zeiss Otus 85mm f/1.4 Pros

Excellent sharpness, as you'd expect from a Zeiss optic
Smooth manual focus action
Metal construction
Good contrast and control of flare
Low CA
Negligible distortion

Zeiss Otus 85mm f/1.4 Cons

Concentric rings/parallel lines in out of focus highlights
Does not like to work with electronic rangefinder in Nikon cameras used for testing
Huge size
Price

FEATURES
HANDLING
PERFORMANCE
VALUE FOR MONEY
VERDICT

Zeiss lenses are available from the following Zeiss dealers.

Specifications

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