Lens Reviews / Zeiss Lenses i Not yet tested

100mm	$4,690 average price

(From Zeiss lens literature) With the ZEISS Otus 1.4/100, ZEISS is expanding its lens family for Canon and Nikon photographers who do not want to make any compromises concerning image and build quality. Whether in the studio or on-the-go, for portrait or product photography, the tele focal length delivers high resolution and outstanding definition in any situation -- even at maximum aperture. This high-speed lens clearly sets the subject apart from the background. The exceptional level of detail and harmonic bokeh ensure the "3D pop effect", ZEISS lenses are known for.

Achieving the outstanding image quality of medium format cameras
"The extremely high imaging performance and reliable production quality set the ZEISS Otus 1.4/100 apart in this class of lenses," says Bjrn Pados, Product Manager for ZEISS Camera Lenses. "ZEISS' comprehensive expertise and many years of experience went into developing the lens. The images captured with a ZEISS Otus lens in combination with a high-resolution, full-frame DSLR camera are on par with those created using a medium format system."

The lens design, with aspheric lenses and special glass materials keeps chromatic aberrations and distortion to a minimum. Even when shooting against the light, the T* anti-reflective coating developed by ZEISS allows for extremely high contrast and minimizes stray light.

Robust and reliable
The ZEISS Otus 1.4/100 also features impressive production quality and ergonomics: the extended rotation angle and smooth operation of mechanical components enable highly precise manual focusing. The stable full-metal housing with internal focusing ensures a consistent center of gravity and optimum balance when taking photographs. "This makes the ZEISS Otus 1.4/100 well-suited for the rough conditions a professional photographer faces, and its high-quality mechanical design ensures it will last for a long time," adds Pados.

The ZEISS Otus lens series
The ZEISS Otus lens series was developed for professional photographers who expect unrestricted edge-to-edge image quality that extends across the entire aperture range. ZEISS launched its high-end SLR lens family back in 2013 with the release of the ZEISS Otus 1.4/55. This series continued with the addition of a short tele lens, the ZEISS Otus 1.4/85, in 2014. The ZEISS Otus 1.4/28 wide-angle lens followed in 2015.

Price and availability
Global delivery for the ZEISS Otus 1.4/100 will begin immediately, with a sales price of 4,500 Euros (incl. German VAT) or 4,500 US$ (excl. local taxes). A lens shade and protective caps for the front and back lenses are included.

Apochromat
Because this lens is an apochromat, chromatic aberrations (axial chromatic aberations) are corrected with elements of special glass with anomalous partial dispersion. The chromatic aberrations are therefore significantly below the defined limits. Bright-dark transitions in the image, and especially highlights, are reproduced almost completely free of color artifacts.

The ultimate in image contrast
Aberrations caused by extreme differences between shadows and highlights are particularly obvious in images captured at night. Thanks to the outstanding correction of lateral chromatic aberration, the floodlit facade is reproduced with absolute perfection.

No colour fringing
Sources of light located in front of or behind the plane of focus present particular challenges to every lens. In the case of the ZEISS Otus, longitudinal chromatic aberration is so low that practically no colour fringing occurs.

The medium format look
Thanks to its exceptional sharpness, the ZEISS Otus exploits the full potentials of contemporary high-resolution sensors and rewards photographers with images characterised by breathtaking rendition of even the finest details.

Aspherical design
The aspherical lens design ensures consistent imaging performance throughout the entire focusing range as well as sharpness to the periphery of the image. The asphere's more complex surface profile can reduce or eliminate spherical aberration and also reduce other optical aberrations compared to a simple lens.