Camera
"We're here, we understand our position in the industry," Zeiss discusses its new lenses and new approach
| Photo: ZEISS |
In the build-up to the announcement of Zeiss’ new 50mm and 85mm F1.4 Otus ML lenses for full-frame mirrorless, we spoke to Tony Wisniewski, Senior Manager, Creative Arts,
Zeiss Cinema and Photography.
The new lenses are Zeiss’ first photo-focused releases since the Otus 100mm, nearly six years ago, during which time there were rumors that the company had left the industry.
Where have you been?
Wisniewski says it was more of a pause: “Back before the pandemic, CIPA was being very dire in their projections of where DSLR and SLR cameras were going. The information being shared showed that sales were reducing significantly, and we were watching that. Then, as the pandemic occurred, Zeiss decided to kind of hit pause on photo, to wait and see what happens.
“So we’ve been holding back, continuing to sell and provide the lenses we currently manufacture, but we didn’t take any additional action until just recently.
“The market has found its center, it’s starting to increase: it’s looking at a four or five percent increase through 2030 year-over-year. We think that now is the time to get back into it, so we’ve decided to start manufacturing some new equipment.”
Who are these lenses for?
While expensive, the Otus ML lenses have been announced at significantly lower prices than their DSLR forebears. The 50mm F1.4 and 85mm F1.4 are priced at $2,500 and $3,000, respectively, rather than the $4,000 and $4,500 launch prices of the original 2013 Otus 55mm F1.4 and 85mm F1.4.
We wondered if this indicated a shift in who Zeiss was targeting with the new lenses.
“We’re always interested in professionals who are looking for something different, ” says Wisniewski, “something to set themselves apart in sharpness and look and really help them define their look as they build their client base.
“But really, right on down through the continuum, you get into hobbyists who are looking for something different, new and unusual, as well as people who are starting out and are moving from creating their online videos using a cell phone and a ring light, and [finding] that’s just really not enough anymore. They’re looking for something to stand out, something that sets them apart.
Photographers shouldn’t take this statement, or the ability to de-click the aperture ring as a sign that Zeiss is giving too much emphasis to video, though. “This is a photography-first lens,” says Wisniewski. “No question about that.”
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| Photo: ZEISS |
Another reason for the reduced cost is the move to mirrorless, Wisniewski explains: “We’ve been able to modify the design and update it for a [shorter, wider] mount. This allows us to use less material, essentially, so we can continue to have the same exact quality in a less expensive and much smaller lens.” But, he says, this hasn’t been achieved by adopting digital geometric correction. “Everything that we’ve done is in the lens.”
Competition
The lens environment has changed a lot since 2013, and we pointed out that the performance level of camera makers’ own lenses is constantly rising. “For Zeiss, it’s always about the technical quality and the exacting design that we offer,” Wisniewski says. “But you’re right, there’s certainly a lot of competition out there.
“The community is leaning towards lenses. They’re choosing [a lens] because of the way it looks and feels on their camera. I think that that’s a key right now. It’s not just about having the newest, biggest, best lens or camera, but it’s really about ‘what feels good to me?,’ ‘what pleases my eye?’ and as long as as the price is within a specific range that I can attain, I’m going to get that lens.
“That’s really what Zeiss is doing: starting to pivot the way that we present our equipment, not on the technical side, as we’ve done for years, but really talk about the ‘look’ and the reason someone would want to shoot with a camera lens rather than a cell phone. And talk about the artistry behind that and the ability that gives you to really, truly think and create.”
Manual focus in the mirrorless age
We asked whether they’d had any concerns about the appeal of manual focus lenses, given that the manual focus shooting experience in mirrorless cameras is very different from that on the DSLRs the previous generation of lenses was designed for.
“We wanted to move towards mirrorless because the entire world is moving towards mirrorless; DSLR is just not selling now. We have been working with the manufacturers to secure licenses for the three mounts, so we have the ability to transfer metadata from the lens to the camera… and it does [prompt the camera to] go into focus assist mode.
“There’s always going to be people who prefer autofocus, and we’ve heard a little bit of that. But our philosophy on using the manual focus is that we really want to get back to creating, and back to providing the artist with a toolset that allows them maximum control over what they’re trying to capture. The manual [focus] does that; the reality is, and this is mostly my own position, that cameras do everything for you now. Really, a lot of the control you have is over aperture setting for depth of field and where you choose to focus. So we’ve really provided that back to the creator so that they have full exacting control over those attributes.”
What’s next?
Despite the announcement of two lenses, we couldn’t resist asking what Wisniewski thought the future might hold and whether it might only include manual focus lenses.
“The fundamental position is that we’ve never left the photography industry,” he said. “And we’re continuing to look at lenses that can be developed.
“That’s within the autofocus arena, maybe? Developing autofocus lenses to continue that familiarity that the Batis provides. Some of our older glass is certainly being looked at, to bring that up to a new standard and offer some of those designs as we move forward. Certainly, nothing’s off the table.
“We’re starting to talk about providing a ‘look and feel,’ rather than just tossing lenses out. That’s really what’s driving us. ‘What’s the next one in this family?’ What is the next look that we want to offer the photographic community?”
Is this announcement, then, only the beginning? “I just want to clear the air,” confirms Wisniewski. “We’re here. We understand our position in the industry. We understand that we’re a niche player, but we know that people are looking for the type of size, quality, and Zeiss look that they’ve come to know and love.”
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While visiting Dry Tortugas National Park, located 109km west of Key West, Florida, I looked down from the top of Fort Jefferson and saw this group of snorkelers just off Garden Key. Moments after this photo was taken, one of the snorkelers had the bad luck of being stung by a Portuguese man o’ war.
Photo: Dale Baskin |
The theme for our March Editors’ challenge is ‘Water’.
Show us the essence of water in its many forms, from the roaring power of the ocean to a gentle rain, reflections on a lake, smooth waterfalls, frozen ice, or even fine art. The possibilities are endless, so let your creativity flow and show us your best photos that revolve around water. Our favorites will be featured on the DPReview homepage later this month.
This challenge is open to photos taken at any time.
Photos can be submitted between Sunday, March 16, and Saturday, March 22 (GMT).
Important: Images MUST include a title and a caption of at least 25 words to be eligible. Viewers want to know the story behind your photo. We will consider both photos and captions when selecting our winners, so make sure to tell us that story!
Visit the challenge page to read the full rules and to submit your photos for consideration as soon as the challenge opens.
Visit the challenge page to see all the rules
| Images: Vanguard, Apple, Elinchrom |
CP+ may have ended last week, but that apparently hasn’t stopped the flood of accessory news. Today, we’ll look at a few lights, bags, computers and more, but first, let’s see what’s on sale.
Second-gen Goodness
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| Photo: Richard Butler |
Canon’s Stacked sensor flagship, the EOS R5 II, is currently on sale for $300 off MSRP. We reviewed it late last year, and came away very impressed – it’s a camera that excels at nearly everything.
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| Photo: Richard Butler |
Panasonic’s S5II isn’t quite as performant, but it’s still quite a good camera. It’s also substantially cheaper than the EOS R5 II, especially given the current sale that gets you $500 off.
Let there be lights
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| Image: Godox |
Godox’s latest light for videographers and photographers is the Litemons C30. It’s a tiny LED panel weighing 248g that packs an internal battery capable of putting out 30W of light for up to 45 minutes. A USB-C port lets you recharge the battery or run the light for an extended period of time.
There are two versions of the light – a bicolor model, which costs $59, and an RGB model that will run you $89.
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| Image: Elinchrom |
If you need something a little more powerful, there’s the recently released Elinchrom LED 100 C, a continuous RGB light with an integrated 72Wh battery that provides up to 40 minutes of power in the field. It comes with a diffusion dome and an adapter for Profoto light modifiers and can be charged via USB-C.
On the level
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| Image: Vanguard |
Ball-head tripods are great if you want to easily level your tripod without messing around with leg length, but what if you already have a tripod that you like? Vanguard’s LVL accessory might be for you. It’s designed to sit between your sticks and your tripod’s head, adding a bit of height and letting you level your tripod head in a matter of seconds.
Vanguard makes several sizes, so it should be compatible with a wide range of tripods. The smallest, the LVL 42, has a 42mm base and can support up to 20kg (44lb), while the LVL 75 can support up to 40kg (88lb) – just make sure the rest of your tripod can handle that much weight too.
In the bag
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| Image: Wandrd |
If you want to carry around some camera gear without using a massive backpack, Wandrd’s Stratus Photo 18L may be the bag for you. It’s relatively small and has built-in organization for your camera gear, as well as access hatches on both the right and left-hand side. It’s made of weather-resistant materials and has load-adjustment straps and a chest strap, which should let you carry it comfortably even if you’ve got it filled with gear.
New affordable iPads
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| Image: Apple |
People don’t always think of the iPad as a photographic tool, but nowadays Apple’s tablets have a lot of processing power and can run many of the apps photographers use on their desktops. The company’s entry-level models – the iPad Air and the plainly-named iPad – have just gotten updates that make them better than ever. The Air gets the laptop-class M3 chip, as well as a new, optional keyboard with a bigger trackpad, function row and aluminum design. The M3 iPad Air starts at $599, and the new keyboard costs $269.
The cheaper iPad, meanwhile, gets the A16 chip from the iPhone 14 and 14 Pro. While it’s not as powerful as the M-class chips and doesn’t support Apple’s suite of AI features, it should still be plenty for light photo editing and organization. Its base storage has also been doubled from 64GB to 128GB. It starts at $349, which is what its predecessor sold for ever since Apple cut the price by $100 in 2024.
That wasn’t all Apple announced this week, though…
Get caught up
Some accessory news is so big that it gets its own article during the week, but we’d feel remiss not also mentioning those products here.
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| Image: Apple |
As an example, Apple’s new computers. The company announced updates to its entry-level MacBook Air and top-of-the-line Mac Studio this week, adding its latest processors. The MacBook Air has enough processing power to handle the typical Photoshop and Lightroom tasks that most photographers need, all while being hyper-portable, while the Mac Studio can handle the highest-end photo and video editing tasks.
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| Image: Peak Design |
Also announced this week: Peak Design’s Roller Pro, the company’s first piece of roller luggage. It’s a bit of a hybrid between a hardshell case and a softshell one, with plenty of padding and a front sleeve that can hold a laptop and other everyday carry items. You can read our full coverage of it here.
It’s currently being sold via Kickstarter for a discount over its $599 MSRP, but the usual disclaimer applies: Remember to do your research with any crowdfunding project. DPReview does its best to share only the projects that look legitimate and come from reliable creators, but as with any crowdfunded campaign, there’s always the risk of the product or service never coming to fruition.
| Photo: Richard Butler |
Sony has released a firmware update that brings its Content Authenticity Solution to the a7 IV. The company announced a similar update for the a1 II, a1 and a9 III in January. However, this is the first time the tool to authenticate images will be available on something other than high-end, professional-grade cameras.
Software Ver. 5.00 for the Sony a7 IV adds support for the “Write Digital Signature” function for still images. This function allows photographers to add an electronic signature to their images to prove that they were taken with that camera. Authenticity tools such as this are becoming increasingly important with the growing prevalence of generative AI-created imagery and, as a result, the spread of fake images.
Of course, as with the update for the three pro-grade cameras in January, there are some caveats involved. The Digital Signature function requires a paid license and is only available for certain media outlets, not the general public. Unfortunately, Sony still hasn’t provided any additional information on if or when it will be available for general consumers. On the firmware update page, Sony simply says that the “timing for the provision of paid licenses to customers other than certain media outlets is yet to be determined.”
Even though the current usability is limited, Sony rolling this out to consumer models is a step in the right direction. The Content Authenticity information page also says that “more camera models will be supported in due course,” so it sounds like we should see additional cameras with the tool at some point. If Sony makes the feature more widely available beyond media outlets, the Digital Signature feature will already be on cameras and ready for use.
If you want to be prepared, or happen to work for one of the select media outlets, the Sony a7 IV firmware update Ver. 5.00 is now available for download.
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