18mm ƒ2.8 Batis is here!

[ShooterSteve]

Looks interesting. I just sold my Batis 25mm in favor of the Loxia 21mm. Now I'll have a new decision - Loxia 21mm or Batis 18mm. Hmmmm. I'm still hoping for more Batis lenses to fill out the lineup - 35mm, 50mm, 100mm or 135mm. Dreaming is allowed, isn't it?

Joe

I think a 35 f2 and 50 f2 Batis would sell very well!

 

[Jorgen Udvang]

Wait for the A7r IV to appear so that A7r will be affordable. :lecture:

A7R is already below $1,000 where I live. I'd call that affordable, not as affordable as a $100 Fuji S3 or Nikon D100, but still affordable. These are great times for photographers who are interested in photography rather than the latest gear.

What will be interesting to see is if this new 18mm is as good as the assortment of 21mm lenses from Zeiss.

 

[ggibson]

Links to some full size samples here:

http://3d-kraft.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=191&catid=40&Itemid=2

Gotta say, this lens is looking REALLY good! I'm not a huge fan of ultrawide primes, but 18/2.8 is pretty much exactly what I'd pick to carry around to balance FOV/speed/lens size.

 

[UHDR]

original a7r second hand is going around 650-700 pounds in the UK. fairly high depreciation if you ask me.

i still cant get over the weight gain for the mk2 over mk1, lol. oh well, that's just me. :grin:

 

[Jorgen Udvang]

Links to some full size samples here:

ZEISS Batis 2.8/18 - Another Jewel in the Batis Crown

Gotta say, this lens is looking REALLY good! I'm not a huge fan of ultrawide primes, but 18/2.8 is pretty much exactly what I'd pick to carry around to balance FOV/speed/lens size.

While it looks like a good lens, after seeing the samples, I get a feeling that it will be more at home on the 12 and 24MP varieties of the A7 than on the A7R/II. Resolution looks "stretched" with 42MP. There are also som artifacts that I don't understand. On the left side of the dolphin in the last images, there's a white edge as if some serious CA has been removed.

Very nice bokeh for an 18mm :thumbup:

 

[mazor]

This is one big lens! Like the idea of a fast ultra wide, but the question begs, why is the lens so large. From the Zeiss website, the lens elements cross section covers just over half the diameter of the total lens circumference overall. I know there are focus motors, and electronics for the distance and DOF display, but since there is not OIS built in, why does it have to be that much bigger?

 

[ggibson]

This is one big lens! Like the idea of a fast ultra wide, but the question begs, why is the lens so large. From the Zeiss website, the lens elements cross section covers just over half the diameter of the total lens circumference overall. I know there are focus motors, and electronics for the distance and DOF display, but since there is not OIS built in, why does it have to be that much bigger?

I noticed that too. I wonder if it is just to have a large enough circular filter that doesn't vignette. But that seems like a minor reason to construct the lens that way.

 

[Jorgen Udvang]

I noticed that too. I wonder if it is just to have a large enough circular filter that doesn't vignette. But that seems like a minor reason to construct the lens that way.

I'm sure the filter option is the reason for the large front diameter. For the rest of the lens, they just seem to follow their new design profile, and avoid the ugliness of the classic 21mm. They've something similar with the Milvus 21mm, but without changing the optical formula from the older ZF/ZE model. The marketing department seems to be taking over

 

[uhoh7]

It's too small

TYG I already have one


A7.mod w/ZM18 by unoh7, on Flickr

I love that thing, but usually it's on the M9:


The Great Dome by unoh7, on Flickr

 

[miska]

Kai seems to like the Zeiss 18mm Badass. A lot.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uXpDOS4wTkg

 

[jfirneno]

So do I. A lot.

I can see why. Like that sky.

Joe is the infinity focus easy to achieve? Can the lens go "beyond" infinity?

 

[iiiNelson]

I can see why. Like that sky.

Joe is the infinity focus easy to achieve? Can the lens go "beyond" infinity?

I believe it's a focus by wire lens like the other Batis lenses.

 

[thompsonkirk]

Joe, I admire the clarity, color, and detail of your farm field! But I'm still content with the 16-18-21 Tri-Elmar that you parted with a year or so ago.

And I just learned something new about it: Yesterday I compulsively photographed our back fence with all my M-mount lenses on my regular A7rII body and then on another body with the Leica-friendly Kolari mod. I didn't expect to see improvement from the mod with either the WATE or the MATE, because they're retrofocus senses. But to my pleasant surprise the corners firmed up quite a bit with the mod, even wide open.

Kirk

 

[k-hawinkler]

Joe, I admire the clarity, color, and detail of your farm field! But I'm still content with the 16-18-21 Tri-Elmar that you parted with a year or so ago.

And I just learned something new about it: Yesterday I compulsively photographed our back fence with all my M-mount lenses on my regular A7rII body and then on another body with the Leica-friendly Kolari mod. I didn't expect to see improvement from the mod with either the WATE or the MATE, because they're retrofocus senses. But to my pleasant surprise the corners firmed up quite a bit with the mod, even wide open.

Kirk

Yup! Have a look here.

http://www.getdpi.com/forum/sony/55652-a7rii-leica-m-lenses-8.html#post669823 post #74
http://www.fredmiranda.com/forum/topic/1392833/2#13289195
http://www.fredmiranda.com/forum/topic/1392833/2#13289222
http://www.fredmiranda.com/forum/topic/1392833/2#13289226
http://www.fredmiranda.com/forum/topic/1392833/2#13289229

 

[Thorkil]

I'm sure the filter option is the reason for the large front diameter. For the rest of the lens, they just seem to follow their new design profile, and avoid the ugliness of the classic 21mm. They've something similar with the Milvus 21mm, but without changing the optical formula from the older ZF/ZE model. The marketing department seems to be taking over

Off Topic:
Jorgen, clicking at your bottom-link "Things I sell" gives a Warning that it contains Malware, and that one will be open towards hackers on getdpi.
(I'm using Norton 360 Premier, never had an attack going through, try a total scan, and perhaps the Norton Power eraser, that is included)
best
Thorkil