Zeiss Milvus APO Sonnar 135mm f/2 Final Review
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- Опубліковано 23 вер 2016
- Zeiss Milvus APO Sonnar 135mm f/2 Final Review - 2/135 | Photographer Dustin Abbott gives his final verdict of the new Zeiss Milvus 135mm f/2 lens after a month of use. See a lot of photos and real world observations. Tested on both the Canon 6D and 5D Mark IV. To visit the image gallery: bit.ly/2c1hYQ9 | To Read the Full Written Review: bit.ly/2cVZOCj | To Order the Lens: bhpho.to/2bYOYtH |
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Thanks for all your great videos!
Always the best reviews Dustin, thanks
+carey riddell Thanks. My pleasure
Another great review Dustin. I recently purchased the new Milvus 50mm 1.4 & 100mm and i'm absolutely in love! Your in depth reviews have really helped me allot deciding on glass. Looking forward to the 18mm review, i already have mine on order! Keep up the great work!
+ES KAY Nice! the Milvus 18mm review will hopefully come next week. Was out shooting Astro with it last night.
Another great review Dustin and another magnificent lens by Zeiss. I'm especially impressed with the comparison to the Rokinon which I own and know to be a fantastic lens in it's own right. The Zeiss is just in a class by itself. Thanks again Dustin.
It is an extremely special lens, and one that I'm personally very tempted by.
Gosh your reviews are excellent - thanks!
That's kind, thanks!
That short story of your friend at the board meeting just might have been a better argument for Zeiss than a lot of tech. When someone who knows nothing about camera equipment recognizes the quality just by feeling it and is inspired to take up photography... well... not much you can add to that. Hats off to Zeiss to inspiring photographers present... and future photographers as well!
I agree with that!
Fantastic review. Glass perfection!!. This lens is truly amazing!!.
Regards.
It's a stunning lens.
An excellent review, well done brother. Counting my pennies but falling somewhat short of the $2,200.00 required to join the club. I had a manual focus Nikkor 135 F2 Ai-S used for head shots, weddings, stage shows, and bodybuilding photography in the eighties and early nineties, selling it when I finally rolled with auto focus and had a persistent buyer hounding me to sell. I wish I hadn't, made beautiful images with that lens but never replaced that focal length instead relying on fast Nikkor 85 & 105 primes and a 80-200 zoom to bridge any gaps. Then came Dustin sparking that fast 135 flame yet again and a pink piggy lies shattered on the floor saddened and incapable of funding the Zeiss procurement. But save I will in hopes of snagging one in the future. Thanks for the time and effort put into your reviews and of course for helping me spend my money, much appreciated Dustin!! Cheers.
It is expensive, but there isn't much that compares to it optically.
I own several Zeiss Milvus lens and by far the 135/2 is my all time fav. Paired on the Nikon Z7 it’s a match made in heaven.
They are pretty much awesome on the newer mirrorless bodies with IBIS.
you take your 5d and massive zeiss lens into a board meeting?...LEGEND!
It isn't quite as brave as it sounds. I do serve on the board of directors, but have a concurrent position where I do all of the headshots, shoot the events, and maintain the corporate website. I did a few headshots right there (reflector as a background) for some people in new positions when they came in to meet us. My colleagues are used to seeing me with a big camera...and having it occasionally pointed at them!
On my wish list together with the Sigma 35mm Art. I look forward that this lens becomes available here in the stores in Europe.
As usual, very nice and detailed review Dustin, thank you very much. It's a pleasure to watch your reviews.
Enjoy. Both very nice lenses.
Thank you for that excellent review Dustin!
The price for a used 135mm f2.0 Canon is "only" 500-550$ on Ebay.
The Milvus is excellent.
But You can buy 4 "very good" used Canons for a new "excellent" Zeiss.
True, and you can buy nearly 40 50mm f/1.8 STMs for the price of one Otus 55mm /1.4. Price isn't really the point. Zeiss doesn't make bargain lenses, but they do make exceptional ones.
Brilliant review as always. The video quality of the 5D Mark IV is phenomenal.
There are certainly things to criticize about the video, but I think it may be Canon's best 1080P video machine yet.
There is something wrong with the framerate - it looks like it's around 18fps
It's 29.97P.
Dustin, great review and wonderful framing on that 1080 HDR. But I agree with the comment above. There's a certain flickering with the lighting. Now I thought it may be because of the leaves but I'm willing to bet it's related to how Canon captures HDR. 60p frames of alternating frames rendered down to 30p. Did you notice any light flickering in post? I noticed it but wasn't sure if it's my monitor etc until I saw this other comment. Just wondering. Great job as always though.
BTW, what lens did you use at what focal length to shoot the review on the 5D? Is it the 50mm?
OK, I used your link and ordered a couple more Milvus lenses, so maybe they'll send you a few bucks. Thanks for the tests. I'm gonna do a shootout with the 35mm f/2 Milvus and the Sigma 35mm art lens. I like the smaller and lighter form factor of the f/2 lens. I don't need f/1.4 in a wide. I've got some preconceptions of what will happen, but we'll see. I picked up this 135mm Milvus too, and I'm quite certain there is no comparison to it. The Nikon 135mm f/2 DC lens was my least used lens, but when I did use it, dang. I know this Zeiss is even far better and focuses closer, so I can't wait to see it. Maybe I'll use an extension tube a then I can sell my macro to recoupe some costs.
Thanks for using the links, and yes, the Milvus 2/135 actually works really well with extension tubes.
Over the decades, I used the following 135mm lenses on full-frame cameras:
Takumar f/3.5
Fujinon f/3.5
Nikkor f/3.5
Nikkor f/2
I was not a big fan of the 135mm focal length until I tried the 135mm f/2 Zeiss Sonnar.
It's definitely special.
Great review. I own the Milvus 85mm and have been tempted to add the Milvus 50mm 1.4 as well as the 135mm in my kit. But with the current price difference (on second hand) APO Sonnar 135mm vs Milvus 135, I'm not entirely sure if it's worth the upgrade to Milvus. So my question is, rendering wise, is there really that much different between the APO Sonnar and the Milvus 135? Or is it different enough to make it worthwhile?
There is almost no optical difference between the two, so yes, the used Classic is an amazing value.
Nice review as always. But did you compare it for fun against the 85mm Milvus? It seems like a choose between these two for portraiture and that all depends on the field of view you want. I was just wondering about the new optics in the 85 vs the old optics in the 135
I compared it against the 100 Milvus (the one I had on hand). I will launch a companion segment with that comparison.
Excellent Justin, thank you to share, but, how the performace about zeiss against Rokinon sharpness?? Congratulations about your videos, very handful!!!
I don't have the Rokinon on hand, but the Zeiss is a little bit (not a lot) sharper in all areas.
If it wasn't for your Otus review, I would not know about the Milvus line. And more specifically the 135 here. When I am ready to buy I hope I remember your affiliate link. Thanks for all the reviews.
It's a beautiful lens. Thanks!
@@DustinAbbottTWI I'm curious, is it possible to eventually test the quality of speed boosters? You are so through and know the best lenses so well. I wonder if the quality loss is worth the adapter.
I am mostly interested in Lucadapers for the Blackmagic Pocket 6k.
great review
Thank you very much!
Definitely my top lens purchase in 2017. Great review.
It's a sweetheart.
You called the Milvus 85mm a sweetheart as well. If you could take one lens, which would it be? Milvus 85 or 135?
Color Crush Media
That's a very tough call. I have an 85mm lens that I like, so I guess the 135mm gets my vote.
What about the Milvus 100 vs the Milvus 135, which would you choose?
Color Crush Media
I have a video coming dedicated just to that...
Hi Dustin... Greetings from India.! Always love your reviews... Pls keep up the Good work.
How better is the Image Quality of the new Milvus 135mm f2 as compared to that of Zeiss Classic 135mm f2 ? Also, did you feel any difference in the focus ring dampness in both the lenses.. If yes, which one is better..?
The image quality is only a tiny amount better (improved coatings). The damping on the Milvus lenses is very, very nice, and is preferable, though there was nothing wrong with the focus ring on the classic lens.
Thanks Dustin..!
Wow....Great Stuff.. Thanks..
:)
There's something about silky smooth throw that is almost orgasmic. You get it on a lot of older lenses, but rarely do any current lenses provide the almost heavy yet effortless, smooth as silk, buttery focus.
It does have amazingly good focus action.
Thank you, Dustin. Is it warmer than the previous version? If the colors are identical I will consider buying the previous one.
I would say the color rendering should be about the same. The coatings have been improved, but when I look back at my images from the Classic they have a very similar look.
Thanks.
Thanks for your review ! There are testimonials all over the web claiming that the milvus rendering is flatter than the classic. What do you think about this ?
I think that highly unlikely considering they are the same optical formula...just a different housing.
@@DustinAbbottTWI Thank you for your feedback !
Beautiful images! I love the image quality. I know this is a strange question, but how does this lens perform on a crop sensor body? The new 80D for instance?
I haven't really shot with it in that setting. I find 135mm a little long on crop in most situations. I should throw it on there for a few shots before sending it back, though.
I'd like to see it mounted on the M3 just for laughs. Speaking of which, it would be neat if Zeiss made lenses for the Canon mirrorless mount.
I agree. I did mount the APO Classic on an M a few years ago. Beautiful results, actually.
Great review! I've checked the both Apo Sonnar and Milvus, and the price is almost the same. Is there any image quality difference between the two? Or is it only weather sealing and cosmetic changes?
Zeiss tells me that there is "barrel optimizations" and improved coatings. In the real world I don't think there will be a discernible difference in image quality; both are exceptional.
thank you!
Thanks for the review, Dustin! Have you realized any difference in color rendition between this one and the classic?
I thought they changed only the casings of these lenses, but DXO Mark has shown significant increase in sharpness on the 100mm milvus. Users also reported that the new milvus 35mm f2 is sharper than the classic (with reduced micro contrast).
I used the 135mm classic and it was almost perfect optically, but colors were a bit muted. I'm wondering if this has changed with the new lens.
Zeiss says that coatings have been improved and there is some "barrel optimization". I found color rendition fantastic from the lens, but didn't compare the old and new versions side by side.
That would be great. I don't think you'll regret getting the Milvus 2/135mm - it's a gorgeous lens!
Good review as usual. I got the Zeiss Planar 100mmF2.0 Macro and I will not get the 135mm its a little to long for woodland. I will test the 100mm on a D850 after I get a used one. If not good enouth then I have to look at the Milvus 85mm or the 135mm.
Fair enough.
Contemplating getting the newer one still. I own the APO-Sonnar, but that weather sealing makes a big difference to me.
It's a big deal, to be sure. There's probably a good chance you get
good value for your APO Sonnar, though it may not move immediately
(expensive gear frequently takes a little longer).
Dustin Abbott Don't I know it. I'm currently residing in Buenos Aires. And I technically can sell my lens for around $3000 used. Here everything imported is double (approximately) the US Market value.
Anywho, glad these lenses are rolling out from Zeiss. I'm also wondering when the new 6D Mark II might get a release date.
Neopulse00
I would venture a guess that it will be somewhere around April of 2017
Dustin Abbott That is a fair hypothesis, since by then it'd be around 4.5 years old. I really hope it stays similar body wise with great image quality and most likely bluetooth incorporated for image transferred. But, I hope the price is better than the first incarnation. Like $1699 max, since already there is much competition in the full frame sector of the market.
Neopulse00
I don't trust Canon to produce the camera at a lower price point. The rumor I've heard is that it is going to move more upmarket, which = higher price.
Hi Dustin hows zeiss apo sonnar t* 2/135 zf.2 original one.? actually i was thinking to buy it for nikon d810 according to dxo its one of the sharpest optically..! what is your opinion..? thanks
It is optically very similar; it just has the Zeiss Classic build (no weather sealing) and a slight tweak to the coatings in the Milvus version. It is optically incredible.
Dustin Abbott thanks Dustin, i really appreciate your reply and always love to watch your videos.
You have sold me on that lens.
It isn't a hard sell if you love brilliant optics!
Thanks Dustin, as you may noticed I always like your reviews.
I have the previous generation of the lens. It is kind of Oxygen for me :)
I was just wondering if the new generation is better in terms of image quality but as I understood it is very barely am I right?
I am using it on my Sony A7r2 absolutely perfect combination. There is some rumors that it working on new fuji GFX if so I will be totally blown away by the quality.
It is a hair better due to some minor optimizations and new coatings, but there is little real change.
I can imagine it should be very small improvement. Because as you know better than me the previous generation is already near to be absolutely a perfect lens in every aspect.
Dustin, thank you for the review. Do have any idea when the lens will be available in the U.S.?
I had no chance to play with the Milvus 135, but I must admit the original APO is THE lens. It has some weird design and the reverse hood is annoying (actually I had to put direction labels on the hood :), but optically it's perfect, and a bargain compared to the Otus 85. The only thing I'm missing while shooting it on a Canon body (5dsr) is the image stabilization (need to keep the shutter speed around of 1/320 to get sharp images). I think that's because of the lens length and balance (have no problem shooting the Otus @ 1/100).
Looking forward to see more of your great reviews!
I'll ask Zeiss and post back here when I find out.
You sir are the man :) Thank you.
Zeiss tells me "end of October".
Thanks! It's probably a good time to put the APO on eBay :) I know there is probably zero optical difference, but the weather sealing alone is worth upgrading.
Wow, great review! I wish more of the lens reviews out there followed your same ethos. Great stuff!
I've got one question for you. I shoot large landscape panoramas with a 70-200 mm canon lens adapted to a Sony a A7Rii. I am debating on going with a few primes over the new Sony 70-200 2.8 lens. The extra weight seems well worth the dimensionality, contrast, outright sharpness, and color rendition of high end primes. I always shoot stopped down to F5.6- F16 so my question is, do you think this lens would be well-suited for such a task, and make the price worth it? Or does stopping down the lens so far take away some of it's magic? In which case, I could get away with the Rokinon equivalent? I do also shoot portraits so there would be some wonderful crossover for me. I would love to know your thoughts on this. Keep the great reviews coming!
I think it would work great for your stated purpose. It is an extremely sharp lens and should give your incredible detail.
Dustin Abbott, thank you....that's my impression from your review. Do you think this lens will be a strong performer on the Sony platform? I haven't seen or tested it myself but there has to be some slight degradation in quality with adapted lenses? Or no?
Cougar Perkins
I think they work on the Sony with an adapter without any extra lens elements. As long as no new glass is being introduced the image quality should not be impacted.
Dustin Abbott
I have the Milvus 85mm coming in tomorrow, and I'm on the waiting list for the Milvus 135. I can't wait to test it out. However, I couldn't help but notice DXO rates the Sony 85mm Gmaster higher than the Milvus. Could it be due to the fact they used the Nikon mount on the D800E? What are your thoughts on this? I put my money against DXO and went for the Zeiss. Am I splitting hairs at this point? When doing a 70+ shot panorama the small differences add up. I appreciate your time to reply to people like me, so thank you.
Cougar Perkins
I haven't shot any of the G-Master lenses, so I can't really comment. I seriously doubt you will be disappointed with the Milvus IQ. It is exceptional.
Does the HDR video require any special video editing software
No - it is output in a .mov container just like everything else.
My otus 100mm comes in this week. Is this 135 worth buying also?
It's an amazing lens, yes, but I would think you could do most of the same things with the Otus you've just purchased.
Dustin Abbott appreciate it. Maybe the 28mm otus is better choice. I rented the 55. Amazing. Appreciate u taking the time to reply
milvus 85 or 135 which one will be better for my D810? plz advice :)
That really depends on what focal length you prefer. Both are very sharp lenses. I slightly prefer the IQ from the Milvus 135, but the 85mm is the more versatile focal length.
thanks man
Does the Canon body give focus confirmation when you are manual focusing?
+LookRain Yes it does.
Okay, I'll ask...is the focus confirmation accurate? Can you really count on it to nail the focus with this lens (which I'm sure is a challenge, especially at f/2 with any slight movement) at least a high percentage of the time? Thanks, and great review!
Jonathan Bush
On my 6D with the EG-S matte focus screen it is much easier to actually SEE when something is in focus. I relied on the focus confirmation on the Mark IV and got pretty good results.
Thanks very much Dustin. I'm weighing a move to 5D mkIV or 5Dsr, the latter of which I have rented and enjoyed shooting. Coming from a Sony A7II with focus peaking, I'd love to know that using manual focus lenses will work without much eye strain. :)
Does this lens have a purple fringe at maximum aperture
This lens has essentially no fringing of any kind. It's incredible optically
Dustin Abbott thankyou
Now one more competitor in the line, Sigma 135mm Art, wonder how are these 2 compared? :p
+Zhaoyang Jin I've got a video where I directly compare the two on my channel
Disregarding the F2.0 aperture, this lens is every bit as good as the 85mm Otus. And an 135mm F1.4 would be brutally heavy... This lens already weighs ~1kg.
I agree that this lens is stunning optically. I’ve actually got it and the Otus at the moment, and there isn’t much to separate them.
Hello Mr. Abbott, can you talk more about the true precision screen in a separate video?
+TheSelfCameraman That's not a bad idea, although I'm overwhelmed with product to cover at the moment. It seems like everyone is bringing out new gear right now!
Thanks!
Hey, not being critical, but just curious - why does the video look so odd? It's like there are frames missing or something. Reminds me of watching a Chaplin film. The color is nice, though.
Not really sure what you referring to, unless it is a byproduct of my outputting in 1080 60i instead of 1080 24P. I'm experimenting with a few different sizes. It was shot at 1080 30P, though in HDR mode.
That sounds like it could be it or something to do with UA-cam. I don't know video very well so I'm not sure how to describe the effect. It seems to be more prominent at the beginning. It's like your body's movements aren't that fluid and there are frames missing that make an almost strobe-like effect. It's rather subtle but I noticed it right away. Anyway, thanks for the nice review as always.
Colin Wood
I just went and looked at the original file and it must be a UA-cam thing. The original looks fantastic.
Jesus, what camera are you using to record yourself? That DOF is gorgeous!
I don't understand how you kept your DOF and stayed in focus. Looks almost like maybe 1.8-2.8.
I shot this using the new Canon 5D Mark IV (the same camera that everyone says the video is garbage on!) and a Canon EF 100mm f/2.8L Macro IS.
I shot it at f/2.8 and relied on the DPAF servo to keep me in focus, which it did brilliantly.
I mean, I see a drastic quality difference in your video. I was really blown away. Almost thought you used a second camera man to pull focus. Just insane. I use filmconvert pro and EOSHD C-Log for colorgrading. Colorgrading 4k 4:2:2 8-bit is so much easier:)
Oh, by the way. This has no grading at all. The footage is straight from camera.
Great review, thank you for that! I am considering to buy a 135mm lens for portraits, the Samyang is one candidate and this is now the other one. I own the Milvus 50mm f1.4 and I love it. That fact and the build quality of the new Milvus 135mm keeps me on the Zeiss side :) But optically and price wise the Samyang is also a great option. Not easy to decide.
You're right. It is a huge price difference. Having used both, let me lay it out for you. Optically, they are fairly close. The Zeiss has more beautiful color rendering and "look" (like your Milvus 50mm), but the Samyang isn't far behind. If you don't mind waiting a bit longer and spending the money, however, you will definitely enjoy the ownership experience of the Zeiss more. It's the little things, like the handling, the build, and the actual process of capturing images with it that sets the Zeiss apart. It is a beautiful lens to use, and brings a lot of pride of ownership. If you bottom line is image quality along and the ergonomics are less important, then the Samyang is a great alternative.
Thank you for the quick response, I really appreciate it. I don't mind to wait a bit, so I think finally the Zeiss will be in my bag, and for sure I will be happy with it as I am with the 50mm Milvus. In the same time it is great to see that Samyang is performing so well and now started to release a new high quality series of lenses. Thank you again!
I agree completely. Zoltán Bereczki
I was looking at buying a Ziess 135mm f/2 until I found out none of them offer Autofocus. I've never looked at any Zeiss before so don't laugh. In Drag Racing I need autofocus... What lens would you recommend (that has autofocus) for image quality?
Are you looking specifically for a 135mm lens? Often a 70-200mm f/2.8 is a favorite for people in your situation. The new Tamron 70-200mm f/2.8 is quite nice and very reasonable.
135mm would be a very good focal length for the type of photography I shoot. I own the 70-200 2.8 v1 non IS from Canon, But often in Drag Racing it goes long into the night (11pm, I've had them go to 3am) and all drag strips are different as far as lighting goes. I did notice the 135mm Sigma 1.8 art is coming out. Also the Lens that I have seems not as sharp as it should be...
The Sigma might be a good option for you, though it is still a couple of months out.
I won't have the money for it for a little while anyways. Just got a
100-400 L Just found your channel today. Not a whole lot of people do Zeiss gear.
IMHO...The UA-cam cannot handle the HDR video.
I can't speak to that, but this isn't the original footage, either. It has been edited and then re-output in a standard .mt2s format at 1080 60i.
Because this lens's results made me weep I cannot part with it. Not while I still breathe even though others impressed immensely as well since. Does sentiment play a part? Am I biased? Well you can't improve on optical perfection so maybe there's that.
It is a lovely bit of glass.
im bleeding with its sharpness..lol
That's a very real possibility :)
Yes, so blows the Canon out of the water. Twice the price of the fastest auto focusing 24-year-old lens, with no AF. OK, so why doesnt Canon do sg like this? Maybe because they won't make MF lens (rightfully), and with AF it would be 30-50% more than this Zeiss? Honestly, how do you do a quick paced fashion shoot with a MF 135 f/2?
Sony has managed to do it with the 135mm F1.8 GM. It's just as sharp as the Milvus and has much better AF than the Canon.
@@DustinAbbottTWI OK, you're comparing companies then, not products. So, why can't Canon make sg like this in the 135 area.
Apocalyptic.....
First
Waiting for the video to load and I already know this is a behemoth of a lens!
it may last for a lifetime but it will look hideous in less than 10 years when the plasticizer starts fading and the rubber-rings begin to peel off.
Any evidence of that or is that just your projection?
That is basic materials science. Simply ask any engineer ...
Mr.Chill
I suspect Zeiss may employ and engineer or two...and I suspect the question did come up.
I am sure the question "do we want our customers to be buying new lenses in 10 years" was answered in unison. the same as voigtländers engineers must have done. cosina/voigtländer, who build the zeiss lenses btw, did have a version of their fantastic 58mm with rubber focus rings. but they changed that back to metal after a few years ... now why have they done that? because the plasticizer in the rubber dried out and the rubber focusring started peeling off! its the apple way of getting people to buy new stuff - it still works but doesn't look good anymore.