REVIEWED: New Zeiss Milvus 35mm f/1.4
Get Zeiss Milvus at B&H Photo. Milvus 35/1.4 for Canon or Milvus 35/1.4 for Nikon.
The latest addition to the Milvus lineup for Nikon and Canon is the Zeiss Milvus 35mm f/1.4.
First Look at the Zeiss Milvus 35mm f/1.4 in my free articles section gives an overview of its performance and characteristics. See also all my Lenspire article here on this site or at Lenspire.Zeiss.com.
My in-depth review of the Zeiss Milvus 35mm f/1.4 is in diglloyd Zeiss DSLR Lenses.
The Milvus 35/1.4 is the 35mm DSLR lens Zeiss fans have been waiting for. As a major upgrade over its predecessor, its all-new optical design offers strict control of color aberrations wide open along with beautiful bokeh, and stopped down a bit, it delivers world-class sharpness far exceeding its ZE/ZF.2 predecessor.
The total rendering style of the Milvus 35/1.4 along with strictly controlled color aberrations makes it highly suitable for photography at dusk in blue light: shapes and colors remain free of color or shape distortions . This exceptionally natural look is seen in every image and it contributes to a strong separation of subject from background—a 3D effect.
By f/2.8 the Milvus 35/1.4 delivers outstanding world-class contrast which is eminently suitable for black and white conversions and I’d strongly recommend it for anyone doing 'street shooting' documentary work.
- Aperture Range: f/1.4 to f/16
- One Aspherical Element, Five Low Dispersion Elements, Zeiss T* Anti-Reflective Coating
- Manual Focus Design
- Anodized Metal Barrel, Rubber Focus Ring with Weather-Sealed Construction
- Rounded 9-Blade Diaphragm
See the entire aperture series for this scene in diglloyd Zeiss DSLR Lenses.
Canon EOS 5DS R + Zeiss Milvus 35mm f/1.4
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ZEISS Milvus 1.4/35 Camera Lens for DSLR Cameras
The tenth lens in the ZEISS Milvus series for DSLR cameras already shows its many benefits at full aperture
Oberkochen, 21 June 2017
Zeiss Milvus 35mm f/1.4ZEISS has launched a new lens for full-frame DSLR cameras from Canon1 and Nikon2 on the market: the ZEISS Milvus 1.4/35. Now the tenth lens in the Milvus family, the ZEISS Milvus 1.4/35 is particularly suitable for portrait photography thanks to its speed.
"The high maximum aperture enables the subject to stand out clearly against the background, and the photographer can achieve creative combinations of focus and blur," says Christophe Casenave, Product Manager at ZEISS. "The manual focus enables very exact focusing, and the creamy bokeh provides an excellent image look. And even at full aperture the image quality leaves nothing to be desired.”
The ZEISS Milvus 1.4/35 is also perfectly at home in landscape photography: "The 35- millimeter focal length is a genuine all-rounder." Like all lenses in the ZEISS Milvus family, it is protected against dust and splashes and, according to Casenave, even bad weather is no problem. The metal barrel gives the lens its robust and durable character.
Practically no chromatic aberrations thanks to a new optical design
With aspherical lens elements, special glass materials and advanced correction, ZEISS has given the lens a completely new optical design. “This means the photos are practically free from chromatic aberrations," says Casenave. Thanks to their excellent edge-to-edge imagery the ZEISS Milvus lenses are designed for high-performance digital cameras. "The resolutions of camera sensors are constantly becoming higher, and this also increases the demands made on the lenses. For ZEISS Milvus lenses this is no problem. They are a solid investment in the future."
Also suitable for filming
The ten lenses in the ZEISS Milvus family, ranging between 15 and 135 millimeters, are also suitable for film productions: the manual focus with a large rotation angle can be operated with the aid of a ZEISS Lens Gear with a follow-focus system. The de-click function allows the aperture to be set continuously in the version for Nikon cameras. A further benefit for filming: ZEISS has matched the color characteristics of the ten lenses. Filmmakers can therefore switch between the focal lengths and still have a uniform color look. "This facilitates editing enormously," says Casenave.
Price and availability
The ZEISS Milvus 1.4/35 will be available from specialist dealers and in the ZEISS Online Shop from July 2017. The recommended retail price is 1,999 euros.
| Focal length | 35mm (nominal) |
| Aperture range | f/1.4 - f/16 |
| Number of lens elements/groups | 14 elements in 11 groups |
| Entrance pupil position ( in front of image plane): | 4.8 in / 122mm |
| Focusing range: | 11.81 in / 30 cm - infinity |
| Rotation angle, focusing (inf - MOD): | 227° |
| Free working distance at MOD: | 5.43 in / 14 cm |
| Angular field (diag./horiz./vert.) | 64.2° / 55° / 38° |
| Diameter of image field | 43mm |
| Flange focal offset | ZF.2: 46.50 mm / 1.83 in ZE: 44.00 mm / 1.73 in |
| Coverage at close range (MOD). 36 X 24mm frame | 6.68 X 4.41 in / 169.7 X 112.1 mm |
| Image ratio at close range | 1:4.6 |
| Filter thread | 72mm |
| Length without caps | ZF.2: 4.94 in / 125.6 mm ZE: 4.91 in / 124.8 mm |
| Length with caps | ZF.2: 5.57 in / 141.5 mm ZE: 5.66 in / 143.7 mm |
| Diameter max | ZF.2: 84.8 mm / 3.34 in ZE: 84.8 mm / 3.34 in |
| Weight as weighed (ZF.2 model): | TBD |
| Weight (nominal), ZF.2: | ZF.2: 1131 g / 39.9 oz ZE: 1174 g / 41.4 oz |
| Mounts | ZF.2 (F bayonet), ZE (EF bayonet) |
See the entire aperture series for this scene in diglloyd Zeiss DSLR Lenses.
Canon EOS 5DS R + Zeiss Milvus 35mm f/1.4
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See the entire aperture series for this scene vs the ZE 35/1.4 Distagon in diglloyd Zeiss DSLR Lenses.
Canon EOS 5DS R + Zeiss Milvus 35mm f/1.4
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See the entire aperture series for this scene in diglloyd Zeiss DSLR Lenses.
Canon EOS 5DS R + Zeiss Milvus 35mm f/1.4
[low-res image for bot]
See the entire aperture series for this scene in diglloyd Zeiss DSLR Lenses.
Canon EOS 5DS R + Zeiss Milvus 35mm f/1.4
[low-res image for bot]
See the entire aperture series for this scene in diglloyd Zeiss DSLR Lenses.
Canon EOS 5DS R + Zeiss Milvus 35mm f/1.4
[low-res image for bot]
See the entire aperture series for this scene in diglloyd Zeiss DSLR Lenses.
Canon EOS 5DS R + Zeiss Milvus 35mm f/1.4
[low-res image for bot]
See the entire aperture series for this scene in diglloyd Zeiss DSLR Lenses.
Canon EOS 5DS R + Zeiss Milvus 35mm f/1.4
[low-res image for bot]
See the entire aperture series for this scene in diglloyd Zeiss DSLR Lenses.
Canon EOS 5DS R + Zeiss Milvus 35mm f/1.4
[low-res image for bot]
See the entire aperture series for this scene vs the ZE 35/1.4 Distagon in diglloyd Zeiss DSLR Lenses.
Canon EOS 5DS R + Zeiss Milvus 35mm f/1.4
[low-res image for bot]
See the entire aperture series for this scene in diglloyd Zeiss DSLR Lenses.
Canon EOS 5DS R + Zeiss Milvus 35mm f/1.4
[low-res image for bot]
See the entire aperture series for this scene in diglloyd Zeiss DSLR Lenses.
Canon EOS 5DS R + Zeiss Milvus 35mm f/1.4
[low-res image for bot]
See the entire aperture series for this scene in diglloyd Zeiss DSLR Lenses.
Canon EOS 5DS R + Zeiss Milvus 35mm f/1.4
[low-res image for bot]
See the entire aperture series for this scene in diglloyd Zeiss DSLR Lenses.
Canon EOS 5DS R + Zeiss Milvus 35mm f/1.4
[low-res image for bot]
Related articles
I’ve published a number of articles over the past year on the Zeiss Lenspire site.
These articles are also available here on this site, with higher quality image presentation.
- Focusing Zeiss DSLR Lenses For Peak Performance PART ONE: The Challenges
- Focusing Zeiss DSLR Lenses For Peak Performance PART TWO: Tips and Best Practices
- Astrophotography Tips, especially with ZEISS Otus 1.4/28 APO-Distagon
- Depth of Field Challenges: Bypass the Limits with Focus Stacking, Near or Far, Macro or Landscape
- Macro and Close-up Shooting, Especially Outdoors
- #1 – Zoom or Prime Lens? A series by Lloyd Chambers
- #2 Zoom Lens or Prime? Moderate Wide Angles (25mm, 28mm, 35mm)
- Zeiss Loxia 2.8/21: Class-Leading Performance in a Compact Package for Stills or Video on Sony Mirrorless
- Zeiss Fills Out the Milvus DSLR Lens Lineup with the 2.8/21, 2/35, 2/50M, 2/100M
- First Look at the ZEISS Milvus 1.4/35 – by Lloyd Chambers
- Zeiss Milvus 50mm f/1.4 and 85mm f/1.4 Anchor a Gorgeous New Lens Line
- Zeiss Otus 1.4/28 APO-Distagon: The Reference Standard With a Gentle Grace
- Zeiss Otus 55mm f/1.4 APO-Distagon: ″The best lens that I have ever used with a 35mm camera”
