Over the weekend, I had a chance to test out the new Zeiss 85mm f/1.8 Batis lens. You'll find my sample photos throughout this post.
It wasn't long before I formed an opinion that this is one hell of a lens...
I tested it with a Sony a6400 - this lens was designed especially for the Sony E-mount system. Needless to say, I can't wait to test this thing out with the new Sony a7R IV when it comes out (hopefully later this year).
This last weekend was a toasty one here in Southern California, so my best buddy and I spent a lot of time outdoors at Disneyland and the pool. He made a great subject to follow around and test this lens.
So far, there really isn't much that I dislike about this lens.
It's ludicrously sharp, surprisingly lightweight, and has a beautiful, streamlined finish that is reminiscent of Zeiss Otus lenses.
It's got a nice feel to it, with a big rubber ring for extra grip.
Focusing is highly accurate, silent, and blazing fast.
After just three days of playing around with this lens, it's easy to see why it gets near-perfect five-star reviews!
My only major beef with this rig is that there's no Z-mount option for Nikon cameras. Hook us Nikon peeps up with this amazing glass, Zeiss!
Zeiss 85mm f/1.8 Batis Specs
Here's a quick rundown of some of this lens's specs and features:
- Focal length - 85mm
- Angle of view - 29
- Max aperture - f/1.8
- Min aperture - f/22
- Electronic aperture with 9 blades
- Fast AF drive system with linear motors
- Lens elements/groups - 11/8
- Floating elements design that minimizes aberrations
- OLED display on the barrel that shows focus distance and DOF
- Dust and weather sealed
- Weight - 1.05 pounds
- Dimensions - 3.19 x 3.62"
- Price - $1,199.00 at Adorama
Zeiss 85mm f/1.8 Batis Pros & Cons
Even after just a few days, I'm prepared to label a number of things about this lens that are absolutely stellar:
- Compact size - you'd expect a lens of this quality to be much, much heavier
- Dust and weather resistance
- Blazing fast with that big f/1.8 aperture
- Super accurate autofocusing system (there's manual override too!)
- Impeccably sharp even at f/1.8, but especially so in the mid-aperture range
In terms of things I don't like, I'm struggling to come up with anything I found especially annoying.
Sure, it would be nice to have a Z-mount option, but I suppose other than that, my only quibble is that the OLED display is cumbersome to turn on and off. You can use the OLED display in manual focus or autofocus, so I suppose that's a nice touch.
But, honestly, if that's all I have to question about this lens, I think it's safe to say we have a winner on our hands here.
Again, I've only had a few days to play around with this lens, so these are just my first impressions.
I will get into much more detail and provide an in-depth review of this lens in the coming weeks once I have a chance to really dive deep with it.
Stay tuned for that!
In the meantime, if you're so excited about this lens that you have to have one, head over to Adorama to buy one for yourself.