Zeiss Batis 18mm f/2.8 First Impressions
- Focal length - 18mm
- Angle of view - 99
- Max aperture - f/2.8
- Min aperture - f/22
- Electronic aperture
- Lens elements/groups - 11/10
- Floating elements design that minimizes aberrations
- OLED display on the barrel that shows focus distance and DOF
- Dust and weather sealed
- Weight - 11.6 oz
- Dimensions - 3.94 x 3.15"
- Price - $1,499.00 at Adorama
- Exceptionally fast autofocus
- Delightfully sharp
- Super lightweight construction, ideal for small Sony mirrorless cameras
- Excellent rubber focusing ring
- Superb weather sealing
A couple of weeks ago, I got a Zeiss Batis 85mm f/1.8 lens. In this article, I offered my first impression of it, which was, spoiler alert...that it's an incredible lens.
Well, this time around, I've got a Zeiss Batis 18mm f/2.8 lens to take for a test drive, and initial impressions are that this bad boy is every bit as good as its 85mm cousin.
Zeiss 18mm f/2.8 Batis Specs
This lens is stuffed with features that photographers of all ilks will appreciate:
Zeiss 18mm f/2.8 Batis Pros & Cons
Just as I discovered after only a few days with the Zeiss Batis 85mm lens, the 18mm lens has a number of slam-dunk features that are distinct benefits:
I think all of the above are pretty self-explanatory except perhaps for the rubber focusing ring.
I list it as a benefit of this lens because I love the tactile nature of it. It feels beefy without being cumbersome, and you feel confident dialing in the specific zoom you want thanks to its smooth motion.
As far as cons go, I don't have any thus far.
Like I noted in my first impressions of the 85mm, the OLED display is a little cumbersome to turn on and off, but other than that, this lens has impressed the hell out of me.
Who Should Buy the Zeiss Batis 18mm f/2.8?
I'm mostly a landscape photographer, so I'll advocate for this lens as being an excellent candidate for any landscape photographer's camera bag.
The 18mm focal length is perfect for capturing those wide, sweeping vistas on a full frame Sony camera. Heck, with a 99-degree angle of view, you can capture a ton of detail!
In my case, shooting with the Sony a6400, the lens has an effective focal length of 27mm, which is still plenty wide for landscapes.
And since this lens is supremely sharp, all of that detail will be beautifully displayed!
The weather-sealed design is another reason why landscape photographers need this lens in their bag. Be it rain, snow, dust, or something in between, Zeiss has made sure the interior of the lens will remain safe.
It's not the cheapest lens in the world, but, hey, you get what you pay for! Learn more about the Zeiss Batis 18mm f/2.8.
