Last year Zeiss answered the call of photographers looking for more selection for their Sony full-frame E-mount cameras (currently the a7 series) with the manual focus Loxia 35mm and 50mm lenses. Now, Zeiss continues to fill the void for professionals and enthusiasts alike with the announcement of their new BATIS 25mm and 85mm lenses.
Fans of the Loxia line asked and Zeiss came through in a big way. Both the BATIS 25mm f/2.0 and 85mm f/1.8 lenses are exclusively designed for Sony’s full-frame E-mount format. The exciting reveal is that both the 2/25mm and 1.8/85mm are the first Zeiss E-mount lenses that offer full auto-focusing capabilities.
An additional feature on the BATIS line is an OLED display that replaces the traditional Depth-of-Field indicator with a modern flare. This will still display the distance of the focal plane from the camera as well as depth of field. One can only imagine this display will prove invaluable in low-light and adverse field scenarios. Both come dust and weather sealed, which will keep it protected when your friends start to drool over your shiny new lens.
Batis 2/25 Key Features
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Wide-angle lens – 82 degree diagonal field of view
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Minimum focus distance of 0.2m / 0.7”
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Distagon optical design
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10 lens elements in 8 groups – 4 lens elements are double-sided aspherics
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Extremely high image quality
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Size (L x W): 3.6 x 3.2 inches
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Weight: 11.8 oz
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Electronic 9-blade aperture
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Standard 67mm filter thread size
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Dust and weather sealed
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Unique OLED display on lens barrel
Batis 1.8/85 Key Features
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Short tele-photo lens – 29 degree diagonal field of view
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Minimum focus distance 0.8m / 2’6”
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Sonnar optical design
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11 lens elements in 8 groups – 3 lens elements made from low dispersion glass
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Optical image stabilization – Capture images under difficult, shifting light conditions
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Extremely high image quality
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Size (L x W): 4.1 x 3.2 inches
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Weight: 16.8 oz
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Electronic 9-blade aperture
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Standard 67mm filter thread size
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Dust and weather sealed
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Unique OLED display on lens barrel
The Zeiss 25mm f/2.0 BATIS lens is available for pre-order from Adorama for $1,299.00, and Zeiss 85mm f/1.8 is available for pre-order for $1,199.00. Both have an expected release date of mid-July 2015.
By: Alberto Lima
