ZEISS Launches High-End Otus ML Lenses with 50mm, 85mm f/1.4 Options

Legendary optics company ZEISS is announcing two new lenses, the Otus ML 50mm f/1.4 and the Otus ML 85mm f/1.4, as part of a larger launch of a new high-end lens series for mirrorless cameras. Available in Canon RF, Nikon Z, and Sony E mounts, the manual focus ML series lenses are the company’s first stills-focused release in more than five years. Here, ZEISS continues the tradition of the first Otus family—originally made for DSLR cameras and known for their outstanding imaging performance, precision mechanics, and build quality. The new ML lenses will appeal to mirrorless shooters for whom time is no object in the pursuit of creative perfection.

The natural-eye perspective 50mm f/1.4 and the portrait-friendly 85mm f/1.4 both share the same high-end optical performance demanded by creatives and professionals alike. Engineered to reveal more than the naked eye, the apochromatic and aspherical lens design reduces chromatic aberrations and distortions to produce the classic ZEISS look characterized by sharpness, color fidelity, and three-dimensional quality.

The lenses’ large maximum aperture benefits low-light work and low depth-of-field effects, to include an impressive bokeh further shaped by ten aperture blades. The 50mm has 14 lens elements in 11 groups, with the 85mm carrying a fifteenth. The renowned ZEISS T* anti-reflective coating also benefits color fidelity and while reducing lens flare.

ZEISS lenses are known for their precise and satisfying mechanical engineering, and the new Otus ML lens family is no exception. In this case, the all-metal construction is centered around the manual focus experience, where the 260° of precision-dampened throw is complemented by the ridged metal focus ring for smooth and precise focusing. The lens body’s precision scales, marked with characteristic ZEISS yellow engravings, further promote the precision manual focusing experience.

The build also yields excellent results in video applications, where dampened throw and large rotation angle benefit focus-pulling. The lenses’ internal focusing mechanism maintains the well-balanced lenses’ centers of gravity, benefiting use on gimbals and other stabilizers. A de-clicked aperture ring allows for silent, on-the-fly settings adjustments.

For photographers whose work expands beyond studio confines, the lenses were also designed for use in adverse, outdoor settings. A blue seal at the lens base protects the camera body from dust and moisture, while other sealings protect the lens body. Rated for use in temperatures ranging from –4 to 130° F, the lenses are also resistant to shocks, drops, and other disturbances.

For more information about the new lenses, including additional features, specs, and highlights, be sure to check out the detailed product pages for the Otus ML 50mm f/1.4 and Otus ML 85mm f/1.4 lenses. Or drop us a line below, and we’ll do our best to answer all your comments and questions.