Zeiss has long held the reputation for making some of photography’s most iconic lenses. Zeiss has consistently made some of the highest quality optics throughout the history of photography, often keeping pace with and getting ahead of the curve with emerging technologies. To that end,Zeiss continues to think ahead of the trends with a new family of Canon and Nikon mount lenses, the Zeiss Milvus line of super high resolution lenses.
As camera manufacturers continue to push the envelope with higher output sensors, the need for lenses that can handle the increased level of detail and sharpness needed to get the most out of these advanced cameras. To that effect, Zeiss’s Milvus line of sixnew lenses is built for provide photographers using extremely high-quality SLR systems with equally high-quality lenses for just about any application. The Milvus family of lenses will initially roll out with four standard prime lenses and two macro primes in a variety of focal lengths.
Standard Primes & Macro Primes
The Milvus Family of Classic manual focus lenses includes a versatile initial offering with a 21mm f/2.8, 35mm f/2.0, 50mm f/1.4, and 85mm f/1.4. For photographers that shoot Macro photography, the Milvus line includes both 50mm f/2.0 and 100mm f/2.0 lens options. The Zeiss Milvus featuring a similar design to the award-winning Otus line of lenses including a modern look paired with a robust rubberized manual focusing ring. The easy-grip ring enables precise control for precise photography. The metal construction barrel offers dust and weather resistance and are built to provide the photographer years of reliable use. Also included with each lens is Zeiss’s all metal-lens shades to add to the overall look and durability of the lens.
The two most popular focal lengths that many photographers look for, the 50mm and 85mm lenses, have a newly designed lens construction. The 50mm f/1.4 Milvus features ten lens elements in eight groups – one aspherical optical surface lens, four elements made of special glass materials, and the Zeiss Distagon optical design. This design, borrowed from the Otus 55mm f/1.4, allows the Milvus 50mm f/1.4 to capture tack-sharp images across the from the center of the lens and out through the edges, even at high shutter speeds and with the aperture wide open.
The Milvus 85mm f/1.4 is a stunning short-telephoto lens that has eleven elements in nine groups featuring the Zeiss Planar optical design. The Milvus 85mm is an ideal portrait lens with its beautiful separation between subject and background. Thanks to its purely spherical optical design, the Milvus 85mm delivers a beautiful bokeh effect and its premium glass materials ensure extremely low chromatic aberration.
More than just stills
The Zeiss Milvus family of lenses delivers such impeccable image quality thanks to their premium construction and materials,it’s often hard to remember that these lenses are not just for still photographers.The Milvus line of lenses are capable of shooting 6K resolution video and thanks to their de-click aperture feature, the Milvus lenses allow camera operators the ability to fully control the aperture to maximize flexibility even under changing lighting conditions. For photographers/cinematographers using other camera systems,no need to fret, as the Zeiss Milvus lenses are designed to work with many available third-party lens adapters. So if you’re shooting mirror-less but still want to use these high-quality lenses, the option is still available to you.
Whether you’re shooting high dynamic range stills, or super high-definition video, the Zeiss Milvus lenses are definitely looking to make their way into your gear bag. The full line of Zeiss Milvus lenses are slated for release in October but can be preordered for both Canon (EF) and Nikon (F) mounts starting now.
