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Batis 25 and Batis 85 - Availability and Experiences

dandrewk

New member
I thought I'd start a separate thread about these two (apparent) gems. Like many, I have both on order and anxiously await the magical ship notice from B&H.

In the meantime, post here if you've recently gotten your copy(s), along with pertinent details as your source and the date you ordered the lens.

In particular - if you know of a source (usually local stores) that have one of these available, PLEASE let us know! Yesterday I saw a link in dpreview for Popflash (LA store) that had the 85 in stock. I clicked, and sure enough they had one left. However, since I am for California, I did not want to pay the 8-9% sales tax.

And of course, if you are one of the chosen few with either of these lenses, PLEASE let us know your experiences with the lens. Images will be appreciated!
 

spence

New member
Got a chance to handle a Zeiss Rep's Batis 25 at Samy's here in L.A. this afternoon. Shorter and much lighter than I had imagined. Pretty pretty tempting...
 

philip_pj

New member
You are all lucky, Batis lenses remain a dream for the future in Australia. Our dollar is dropping in value at about the same rate as the ETA stretches out, month at a time. Zeiss appear to be running our Reserve Bank.

I feel like Yossarian building his tally of bombing missions in Catch 22, just as he reaches the magic number, Colonel Cathcart increases the required number of missions before he can go home. lol.
 

Massimo

Member
The Batis 25 isn't at all easy to come by where I live, and then only at outrageous prices.

Since I am attending a conference in Las Vegas in October I would love to try and get it there (or nearby ... will rent a car).

Any pointers to availability / price in the area will be much appreciated.

PS: Do you think amazon.com would ship the lens to my hotel, and would they add Nevada taxes to the total?
 

Guy Mancuso

Administrator, Instructor
The Batis 25 isn't at all easy to come by where I live, and then only at outrageous prices.

Since I am attending a conference in Las Vegas in October I would love to try and get it there (or nearby ... will rent a car).

Any pointers to availability / price in the area will be much appreciated.

PS: Do you think amazon.com would ship the lens to my hotel, and would they add Nevada taxes to the total?
Yes on the tax. They have a distribution center like they do in Phoenix
 

michaelstokes

New member
I am based in Ireland and know of a Batis 85 available at a European dealer. Trying to decide between it and the FE 90 2.8 macro. Has anyone experience of both?
 

dmward

Member
Any pointers to availability / price in the area will be much appreciated.

PS: Do you think amazon.com would ship the lens to my hotel, and would they add Nevada taxes to the total?
Check with either your government's or the Nevada tourist board.
I think there is a provision for refunding sales taxes on items that are purchased for use outside the jurisdiction. i.e. Nevada. Since you are traveling and will be returning with the lens to your home.

Similar to the way we Americans can fill out a form to have EU VAT refunded on items we purchase and take out of the EU.

The bigger issue is availability.

I got notification today that my 85 is shipping from Adorama and I ordered it within hours of its being available for pre-order on their site.
 

dmward

Member
My Batis 85 arrived yesterday afternoon.
Took it for a walk this afternoon.
Here is one I like from the walk. Others are kind of pedestrian.

Had one interesting experience. I shot a handheld 10 frame, two row pano of a house. Just to see how it would work.
Lightroom did a creditable job stitching it together. Ended up 13300x10300 pixels when cropped. The oddity was that one frame was out of focus. it was the upper left frame which happened to be the farthest point of the house but still, I have camera set so it won't fire unless there is focus confirmation. And it fired for the 5 frame bracket.

 

ddanois

Member
Within the past two weeks, I have obtained both Batis lenses from my local camera store, Southeastern Camera in Raleigh. After having been on the B&H waiting list for months, I decided to add my name to the waiting list at our local store. It took less than two weeks from being added to the list to get the lenses (first the 25mm and then the 85mm a week later). In each instance, they had received only one lens. They had estimated December availability for the 85mm. While I haven't taken more than a few test shots with each lens, I'm impressed by the sharpness, size, weight and rendering. Definitely Zeiss and definitely worth waiting for.

Joe
You're a lucky man Joe! I received my Batis 25 a week ago but still in holding pattern for the 85.

All the best,
Derek
 

dandrewk

New member
The current eta from B&H for the Batis 85, if ordered today, is 10/29/2015.

If so, that bodes well for those of us already queued up.

No eta on the Batis 25.
 

Mark Muse

New member
I did receive my 25 Batis, several weeks ago. And I returned it. Understand that most of my many lenses are Zeiss and all of my digital bodies are Sony (A7r, A7II, A7rII, A6000), so I am not a Zeiss or Sony basher. The 25 has much to recommend it: It is sizzling sharp by f4, contrast is high, and the uniformity of performance across the sensor is absolutely the best I have ever seen in a lens this short. But it is cold and analytical, which is not what I want in a lens for my personal work, and it is the reason I returned it. I could have learned to work with it, to get what I want from it, so perhaps I jumped the gun a bit. FWIW, that was my experience.

I still have the 85 on order. I am in a quandary over whether I should cancel the order. I have and love the Zeiss 90mm Sonnar G (and the 100mm Makro-Planar-but less loved). It is plenty sharp, but I am sure less sharp than the 85 will be. But it is small, light, and it does have character! And for most of my work manual focus is my preference anyway. Did I just talk myself out of the 85?
 

dandrewk

New member
Mark, if you're looking for the soft glow of an older lens (character?), then neither Batis will satisfy you. They're razor sharp, with high micro-contrast and seem to match the resolution of the 42MP a7RII perfectly across the frame. Personally, I prefer the "sizzling sharp", "analytical" performance of the Batis lenses for my landscape photography, but fully understand your preferences. Good luck in your search.

Joe
Agreed. If I wanted a warmer color or more glow, I have several post processing options that work quite well.

However, there is no post processing option that will make a lens "sizzling sharp".

That said, I understand the reaction some have to Batis, and likewise the FE55. Or any lens, for that matter. Sometimes they just don't "click", and no amount of MTF charting or sterling reviews can change that.

Older lenses, the ones we have worked with for years, are like an old, comfortable pair of jeans. We get sooooo used to them. Then we buy another pair and they never are as comfortable or fit quite right.
 

Mark Muse

New member
Yes, I know I might have over-reacted. I certainly would have adapted to the lens. Either that or it would have ended up in a drawer with a few other expensive should-have-returned's (25 f2.0 ZF.2 for example). That is what I was afraid of. On the other hand I have returned some that later I was sorry to have done (35 f2 ZE for example). In that case the lens was a stellar copy. Turned out it was the 5D2 that couldn't handle that level of sharpness without all kinds of nasty artifacts. At least with the Batis I could have resold it later without much pain if it came to that.

Anyway, I decided to let my order for the 85 stand. I'll keep it unless my copy is way out of spec.
 

turtle

New member
... one reason I enjoy the 645Z with Pentax lenses. Sharp but smooth and not overdosing on microcontrast. Even the 28-45 SR is high resolution but not wire sharp. Well done Pentax.

I'm looking forward to mounting some Hassy V glass on it. As long as performance is very good and consistent I am happy. Whenever a sensor (or film) is milked to death by laser sharp lenses, it can get a bit crunchy looking. Its for this reason lots of B&W landscape shooters preferred LF with modest lenses over 35mm tech pan and super duper lenses. Big real estate and lazier lenses tends to look better to my eyes. For larger prints in film days I still preferred 5x4 with lesser lenses over the 6x7 Mamiya 7, modern T-grain or delta films etc.


I did receive my 25 Batis, several weeks ago. And I returned it. Understand that most of my many lenses are Zeiss and all of my digital bodies are Sony (A7r, A7II, A7rII, A6000), so I am not a Zeiss or Sony basher. The 25 has much to recommend it: It is sizzling sharp by f4, contrast is high, and the uniformity of performance across the sensor is absolutely the best I have ever seen in a lens this short. But it is cold and analytical, which is not what I want in a lens for my personal work, and it is the reason I returned it. I could have learned to work with it, to get what I want from it, so perhaps I jumped the gun a bit. FWIW, that was my experience.

I still have the 85 on order. I am in a quandary over whether I should cancel the order. I have and love the Zeiss 90mm Sonnar G (and the 100mm Makro-Planar-but less loved). It is plenty sharp, but I am sure less sharp than the 85 will be. But it is small, light, and it does have character! And for most of my work manual focus is my preference anyway. Did I just talk myself out of the 85?
 

dmward

Member
HERE is post in another thread with images from the 85 Batis with a 10mm extension tube added. Also, some pictures with Canon 100mm L macro using Metabones IV with latest firmware.

I really like the shallow DoF that the wider aperture offers. I tend to use it in closeup situations more than I do with portraiture. AF works but I think MF will be more precise for ensuring I get plane of focus where I want it. These were all AF.
Hand holding and wind also make precise plane of focus hard.

 

Guy Mancuso

Administrator, Instructor
I shot 8o portraits yesterday with the A7rII and the Batis 85. Now I shot these at 7.1 but I also was in crop mode so effective 127mm I believe . Now when I say I backed off a ton of sharping , clarity is negative 12 and structure minus 6. Im knocking this down a lot. Still a laser. Her lips look the sharpest. I was using Eye AF


 

Guy Mancuso

Administrator, Instructor
VC 15mm III, Batis 25, Sony 35 1.4 , Batis 85, Minolta 200mm 2.8

On my very short list 55 1.8

Than see what is announced next. Im kind of all set. I need a backup body though. Heading out in morning to Iowa to shoot Wind Farms for 3 days. Really looking forward to this gig.
 
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