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ZEISS Otus 55mm f/1.4 ZE Lens for Canon EF

BH #ZE5514ZEC • MFR #2010-056
ZEISS Otus 55mm f/1.4 ZE Lens for Canon EF
Key Features
  • EF-Mount Lens/Full-Frame Format
  • Aperture Range: f/1.4 to f/16
  • One Aspherical Element
  • Six Low Dispersion Elements
Employing a no-holds-barred design, the Canon EF-mount ZEISS Otus 55mm f/1.4 ZE is an optically refined normal-length prime characterized by its bright maximum aperture and advanced optics for high sharpness and color accuracy. The fast f/1.4 design excels in difficult lighting conditions and is also suitable for adjusting depth of field to isolate subject matter using selective focus. A Distagon optical concept is used to promote edge-to-edge sharpness and low field curvature, and, through the use of low dispersion and aspherical elements, this lens also achieves a well-corrected image quality void of aberrations, color fringing, and distortion. A floating elements system is also used, for consistent performance throughout the focusing and aperture ranges, in order to achieve even sharpness and clarity. An enhanced ZEISS T* anti-reflective coating has also been applied to significantly reduce ghosting and lens flare for improved contrast and color fidelity when working in strong lighting conditions.
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$3,990.00
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ZEISS Otus 55mm f/1.4 Overview

Employing a no-holds-barred design, the Canon EF-mount ZEISS Otus 55mm f/1.4 ZE is an optically refined normal-length prime characterized by its bright maximum aperture and advanced optics for high sharpness and color accuracy. The fast f/1.4 design excels in difficult lighting conditions and is also suitable for adjusting depth of field to isolate subject matter using selective focus. A Distagon optical concept is used to promote edge-to-edge sharpness and low field curvature, and, through the use of low dispersion and aspherical elements, this lens also achieves a well-corrected image quality void of aberrations, color fringing, and distortion. A floating elements system is also used, for consistent performance throughout the focusing and aperture ranges, in order to achieve even sharpness and clarity. An enhanced ZEISS T* anti-reflective coating has also been applied to significantly reduce ghosting and lens flare for improved contrast and color fidelity when working in strong lighting conditions.

Its manual focus design is complemented by a rubberized focus ring for fine-tuned, precise control over your focus position. Additionally, Otus-series lenses also feature an equally aesthetic and durable anodized metal lens barrel surface along with engraved focusing scales and distinctive high-visibility yellow paint.

Normal-length prime lens is designed for full-frame Canon EF-mount cameras, however can also be used with APS-C models where it provides an 88mm equivalent focal length.
Impressively bright f/1.4 maximum aperture is well-suited for working in low-light conditions and also provides greater control over the focus position when using shallow depth of field techniques.
Distagon optical concept affords high sharpness, well-corrected image quality from edge-to-edge, and very low field curvature.
Apochromatic optical design utilizes six anomalous partial dispersion elements to significantly reduce color fringing and chromatic aberrations for increased clarity and color fidelity.
One aspherical element controls distortion and spherical aberrations in order to produce greater sharpness and more accurate rendering.
ZEISS T* anti-reflective coating has been applied to each lens surface to help minimize reflections and provide greater contrast and color fidelity.
Floating elements system helps to maintain consistent image quality throughout the entire focusing range, from 1.6' to infinity.
Manual focus design is benefitted by focusing and depth of field scales, which are filled with a high-visibility yellow paint, along with hard stops at both infinity and minimum focusing positions.
All-metal lens barrel has a frosted, anodized surface along with a rubberized focusing ring for both durability and improved tactile control.

ZEISS Otus 55mm f/1.4 Specs

Focal Length
55mm
Maximum Aperture
f/1.4
Minimum Aperture
f/16
Lens Mount
Canon EF
Lens Format Coverage
Full-Frame
Angle of View
44°
Minimum Focus Distance
1.64' / 50 cm
Maximum Magnification
0.15x
Optical Design
12 Elements in 10 Groups
Focus Type
Manual Focus
Image Stabilization
No
Filter Size
77 mm (Front)
Dimensions (ø x L)
3.64 x 5.01" / 92.4 x 127.3 mm
Weight
2.27 lb / 1030 g
Packaging Info
Package Weight
4.465 lb
Box Dimensions (LxWxH)
11.45 x 6.9 x 5.65"

ZEISS Otus 55mm f/1.4 Reviews

Late birds get the worm!

By Jef_1_f
Rated 5 out of 5
Date: 2023-04-25

I am one of those guys that HAD to have this lens upon release and paid the full launch price. I don't regret it at all because I have had the pleasure of using this lens almost 10 years now and many great photos as a result. One of my fondest memories of what a difference a lens like this could make was in the PNW. We came up on this beautiful lake and mountain vista one morning with the sun coming up behind the mountains. Another photographer was there with his wife and he was screaming his head off at her to hold a piece of cardboard above his lens while he tried to stop lake reflections from below with his hat. He was very frustrated. I stepped out the car, pointed the Otus directly at the shot and snapped off 4 or 5 shots of varying DOF without any optical issues. None at all. I can't recall what I paid for this lens (and the 85 and 28 that followed) but of the three, this is my favorite. The 85mm is unforgiving when it comes to how much post work needs to be done when doing portraits. It will catch every tiny hair and skin defect. The 28mm is also a specialty lens that I honestly haven't figured out good uses for that I can't do with the Nikon 14-24mm (this is about what I can carry and take traveling. My kit, a D850, Nikon 2.8 14-24, Sigma 1.4 35mm and the Otus 55mm. At the current price, this lens is a no brainer. You won't regret it.

Best, almost perfect lens.

By Robert
Rated 5 out of 5
Date: 2019-07-11

Best on the planet in terms of optical quality and correction. Manual focus.

$4,000 ZEISS Otus 1.4/55 / misaligned aperture blades

By UFUK
Rated 1 out of 5
Date: 2019-02-18

I bought an $4,000 ZEISS Otus 1.4/55 in last month. Yesterday I just aware I my copy have an alignment problem in aperture blades in f16 and immediately contact to Zeiss customer services for a replacement in Germany. After see a lot of perfect or near perfect aligned lenses on the net, mine $4,000 Otus annoyed a lot and it increased after the reply from ZEISS. Zeiss promotion these Otus lenses as Uncompromising image quality and I just started to understand not uncompromising in mechanical quality.

Top Quality

By John
Rated 5 out of 5
Date: 2018-06-30

The Otus 55 is without a doubt one of the most flawless lenses created. However, you have to know that that is what you're looking for in an image. So much work, these days, is leaning toward a distressed/vintage look. The Otus line of glass is NOT that! It is clean, distortion free, perfect bokeh, sharp as a tac and contrasty. So if that type of clean look is your bag, the Otus will deliver that, and then some!

The real thang'

By AS
Rated 5 out of 5
Date: 2018-05-17

I have had the lens for three weeks now, used it on my Canon 5DIV, and SonyA7RIII with MetaboneIV, this sure is a real thang. Have the Otus85 for the past three years, so naturally G.A.S. thing was at work and prevailed again. Great color(specially on Canon, sony a little flat and clinically sharp but cold RAW) no comparison with Canon50,1.2 which one of the few lens that I got rid of, a bit closer to Canon35,1.4II color rendition. This lens is much more versatile than my Otus85mm, but again a bit more clinical than 85MM which is my fav. focal length and lens. The more you use it the more you understand the hype, color, contrast, and overall feel of the pictures..oh so deliciously rich in nature. Most all my lenses are L glass, and G-master(24-70, 2.8, Zeiss/sony 35, 1.4) including the 85,1.4LS�and 85,1.2II, 24-70,2.8, and 70-200, 2.8II�which are convenient with AF, but again,..I keep coming back to Zeiss boys. 55MM can stay on either of my camera's all day long, even though 35MM would have more keeper with walking around and having more content in the picture. in short, If you can take your time, compose and expose correctly, a bit of manual focus practice for added flavor, you will be forever bitten and in. My (casual shooter) 2-cents worth.Good luck.

Otus

By CARLOS
Rated 1 out of 5
Date: 2018-04-02

Photographers from Brazil and the world, I want to share my experience with the technical assistance for Zeiss lenses, my Otus 85mm f / 1.4 ZF2 (with less than 50 clicks) stopped working (factory default, recurring, just search the net) and Zeiss recommends that I send the concert lens in the USA (8 thousand kilometers away from my house) so, I think I'll be at a loss, I recommend that before investing your money in Carl Zeiss equipment, think twice, when your lens present problems, you will have no manufacturer support!

Zee Best

By Grzegorz
Rated 5 out of 5
Date: 2021-12-19

Really don't know what words to use...never seen f1.4 image like the ones coming out of this lens?...10++++?....awesome?...magical?....

Works very well for video

By jorge
Rated 5 out of 5
Date: 2019-08-19

This 55mm is still one of the best 50s I’ve ever used. The Zeiss 55mm otus and Leica 50mm APO are in a league of their own.

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