Carl Zeiss Otus 1.4/55

If no compromise was made in the image quality, what kind of lens will be made? The Otus 1.4/55 is an answer from Carl Zeiss. Even though it's a standard 55mm single focal lens, it employs the luxurious Distagon type optical design consisting of 12 elements in 10 groups. Carl Zeiss is proud to say "perfect optical correction eliminates nearly all possible flaws" and we can't talk about modern lenses without knowing the potential of this lens. The size and weight is nothing like other standard lenses. It only supports manual focusing. And, the clear font on the barrel and the design reminds us of a cine-lens. All these distinctive features make us reaffirm our determination to shoot. Now, let's check the ultimate image quality..

( Photography : K / Text : 48 )

The resolution of the focus peak is stunning and the bokeh is natural and smooth. As a result, the texture of the subject is clearly isolated from the background. As long as it's a SLR lens, we feel its power when we look into the viewfinder. With this lens, I feel excited every time I look at the subject, frame, and focus. And, I hadn't felt like this for a long time.

The resolution of the cat's hairs and the whiskers is simply astonishing. As they say, depiction power is high to the extreme corners. And, the bokeh of the stone pavement is smooth.

Wide open near the minimum focus distance. The bokeh is remarkably smooth and massive. The outlines are gradually lost, but the subject's core still remains. It's this bokeh quality that makes the razor sharp focus peak stand out and have the 3D quality.

With this lens, you don't have to stop down to gain sharpness. Just stop down to control depth of the field or to reduce vignetting. For landscapes, stop down to F2.8 or F4.

Just stopping down by half step makes a big difference in the sharpness and the 3D quality. With the lenses in other classes, this is impossible. It can isolate the main subject from the background even if it's complicated. And, even if the background is defocused, the shape remains to the degree we can recognize what the subject is. This is not as easy as we imagine.

Image clarity and contrast are wonderful regardless of situations. In addition to that, tonal quality is great. The 3D quality of the water cannot be realized without rich dark tone. With the sharp water drops, the image looks massive.

I defocused a little intentionally. This is a picturesque approach taking advantage of the gradual and massive bokeh. If I focused, it would look too graphic. So, I hose to the depiction of not depicting completely.

According to the spec data, there should be some minor distortion, but it's not the level we should care.
By the way, the 55mm focal length reminds me of the masterpiece CONTAX Planar 55mm F1.2.

A comparison between day and night shots. They are both shot wide open at infinity. In the night shot, the aberration is well corrected. And, as for the day shot, can you believe it was shot wide open at infinity? I must say this lens belongs to another dimension.

I focused on the water drops in the hotel's bathroom. Even such trivial subject can become photographic because of the massive and natural bokeh. I still can't define "the taste of bokeh," but at least if you use this lens, you'll like the bokeh produced by this lens. It's too gorgeous to describe in words...

It's just a plain water, but the depiction is clear despite the near minimum focus distance. This is realized only after the chromatic aberration is completely eliminated. This makes ordinary shots extraordinary and this lens is unbelievable.

It's this kind of depiction that surprises our crew who have been looking at thousands of images. The bollard looks like it's floating even though it was shot from this distance. Do I need any more words?

This ultimate lens promises unequaled image quality.

It employs the apochromatic design and aspherical lenses. And, the Distagon type construction to reduce field curvature. This lens is the best lens that Carl Zeiss can offer and it generates the best image quality regardless of conditions. Perhaps, the resolution is higher than all current sensors in the market. Indeed, it has sufficient margin for future bodies, so it will show its true potential with the future bodies. The distortion-free depiction is clear and together with the wonderful bokeh, this lens draws a world that no other lenses can draw. And, it completely denies the discussions such as "Modern lenses are boring," or "If we pursue higher performance, all lenses will be the same."

Of course, this lens isn't for everyone. The barrel including expensive glasses is heavy and never handy. And, it doesn't have AF, although we honestly want it. So, in order to be able to capture "the moment," it will require instant reaction, practice, and some muscle training. And, the price never sounds casual. This lens requires a high degree of determination before and after acquisition.

Yet, the exceptional world in the viewfinder is too attractive to turn away. And, this lens will make you rethink what focusing means. The Otus 55mm F1.4 is for serious photographers who know the value of genuine products.
Take time and shoot. Use this lens for decades.