Zeiss launches three new Milvus manual-focus primes
posted Friday, September 9, 2016 at 5:59 AM EDT
Fancy a new manual-focus prime lens for your Canon EF-mount or Nikon F-mount camera? If so, Zeiss has several new options for you to choose from in its Milvus lens line!
The metal-bodied Zeiss Milvus 2.8/15, Milvus 2.8/18 and Milvus 2/135 are intended for both still and video use, and each features a weather-sealed design to protect against dust and splashes. Video-friendly features include a long focus throw and on Nikon F-mount variants, a de-click function that provides an optional, infinitely variable aperture. The new lenses are also compatible with follow-focus courtesy of Zeiss' Lens Gears accessories.
Zeiss suggests that the lenses should resolve sufficient detail for "most modern video standards of 6K and higher", and the company's T* coating is included for reduced ghosting and better resistance to flare. All three optics have a full-frame friendly 43mm image circle.
The Zeiss Milvus 2.8/15 has a 15mm focal length and an f/2.8 maximum aperture. It uses a Distagon lens design with 15 lens elements in 12 groups, two of them aspherics. Anomalous partial dispersion glass also features in the lens design, and the lens will focus to as close as 9.8 inches with a 1:9 magnification ratio. 95mm filter threads are provided, along with a metal removable lens hood. The Nikon-mount variant weighs 1.9 pounds, and the Canon-mount variant weighs 2.1 pounds.
The Zeiss Milvus 2.8/18 has an 18mm focal lenth and f/2.8 maximum aperture. It also has a Distagon design, this time with 14 lens elements in 12 groups, and with two aspheric elements. Focusing is possible to as close as 9.8 inches with a 1:7.4 magnification ratio, and 77mm filter threads are provided. The Nikon-mount variant weighs 1.5 pounds, and the Canon-mount variant weighs 1.6 pounds.
Finally, the Zeiss Milvus 2/135 has a 135mm focal length and f/2.0 maximum aperture. It includes 11 lens elements in eight groups, and will focus to as close as 31.4 inches, with a 1:4 magnification ratio. It also accepts 77mm threaded filters, and weighs 2.3 pounds in Nikon-mount form, or 2.5 pounds in Canon-mount form.
