Zeiss Milvus lenses first impression round-up

Above: Cinema5D about Why You Should Look Into the New Zeiss Milvus Lens Lineup

The Phoblographer reviews the Zeiss Milvus 35mm f/2 (B&H Photo | Adorama)

The Zeiss 35mm f2 Milvus lens is really nice, but it’s also very expensive. You’ll get excellent image quality, weather sealing, Zeiss colors, Zeiss sharpness and only a bit of fringing that can be eliminated. It also controls distortion well. However, with autofocus on the Tamron 35mm f1.8 along with weather sealing, better sharpness and image quality overall on the Sigma 35mm f1.4, and with both lenses having a more affordable price, it’s a very tough sell.

 

The Phoblographer about the Zeiss Milvus 21mm f/2.8 (B&H Photo | Adorama)

The Zeiss 21mm f2.8 Milvus lens is what we’ve been waiting for a while. At least, we have a lens designed for a DSLR that has weather sealing, the Zeiss branding, Zeiss build quality and Zeiss image quality. What more could you ask for? At an angle this wide, autofocus isn’t really a problem because you’re shooting objects that are so wide and with such a large depth of field that you shouldn’t worry about it.

 

Long article by Ming Thein, A visit to Zeiss and thoughts on the Milvus line

The Milvus is the start of [a] change at the consumer level: the lenses are also designed to be consistent in color and overall rendering, which is why we have new 1.4/50 and 1.4/85 lenses; the old ones did have a unique rendering but were not consistent even within the rest of the ‘classic’ line (which continues to remain available). Other lenses that do not match will also be redesigned – there is a reason why we now have only six lenses for launch, but far more in the classic line. There have also been significant mechanical changes: aside from a new external design (beware pinching between the end of the barrel and hood, though) and more secure hoods, the lenses now all have full weather sealing, more visible scales, better overall gripability and a selectable clicked or steeples aperture (for video) – there is a small toggle in the rear mount, similar to the Loxia line.

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All Zeiss Milvus lenses are available for pre-order:

Zeiss Milvus lenses first impression and test footage

News Shooter had a brief hands-on with the new Zeiss Milvus lenses. They say:

The materials used and the damping on the focus ring felt very like the Otus range of lenses, and each Milvus has a very solid feel. The 50mm f1.4 and 85mm f1.4 are completely new optical designs and are said to be very close to the performance of the flagship Otus lenses.

The new Zeiss Milvus lenses can be pre-ordered:

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More Zeiss Milvus sample pictures

Zeiss Milvus
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Photography Blog posted sets of sample pictures shot with some of the Milvus lenses Zeiss announced yesterday.

The sample pictures were shot with EOS 5Ds R and Sony Alpha a7RII. Pre-order links for all new Zeiss Milvus lenses are online:

Zeiss Milvus lenses made for Sony? Lol, no they are not! (inappropriate sarcasm, sample pics, and Milvus presentation slideshow)

Zeiss Milvus
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Today’s announcement of the Zeiss Milvus lens line-up appears to excite Sony folks. I can understand. Really. With empathy.

Someone goes so far to say the Zeiss Milvus line-up is made for Sony. No, it’s not. Sorry guys but Zeiss released the Milvus lens family for Canon and Nikon, i.e. for tools used by real photographers. And they are even “affordable”, being Zeiss lenses. Sigma, are you listening? Canon, no need to listen; please take us beyond Blue Spectrum Refractive Optics, and keep us luring with 120MP promises we know you will build one day.

So, no Zeiss Milvus for Sony, D’oh! C’mon, Sony shooters have the Zeiss Loxia line-up. That’s more than enough. :-) Just kidding. No wait: Zeiss’ Milvus lenses are made for real cameras. Zeiss Milvus lenses are made for high resolution sensors and gear that works as advised, like the EOS 5Ds.

Back to serious. Sample photos shot with Zeiss’ new Milvus lenses were posted on Flickr (via Photo Rumors):

The presentation of Zeiss’ Milvus lenses can be seen at Photography Blog. Pre-order links for all new Zeiss Milvus lenses are online:

Still wishing you can use them on a Sony? Start with $3,200 for a camera that keeps you warm during winter (oops. I did it again). Sample pics (and no rants nor ravings) after the break.

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