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."
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 [series] 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."
