It is good to see the various manufactures taking the right turn toward better quality lenses. I had my eye on the Sigma ART lenses, early on, but my mind was actually turned by the Zeiss Otus series. Now I see that with the new 105mm f/1. Lens, Nikon has finally stopped producing mediocre lenses. Of course, I am not referring to the exotic and industrial Nikkors like the El Nikkor 105mm APO, the Printing Nikkors, CRT Nikkor, AM-ED Nikkors, etc. They always were great.
I have been surprised at the negative comments I have seen here and there about the Zeiss Otus 28mm APO f/1.4 wide-angle lens. There is no point in naming names, but well-known lens experts have said things like that they have no character, are too well-corrected (whatever that could be), are too clinical, and so on.
I was first taken aback by these kind of comments, if only because I own a Otus 28mm, plus all the other Otus lenses and the 135mm F2 APO-Sonnar (which I consider an Otus). Perhaps the most highly-corrected lens I have owned is the Coastal Optics 60mm APO f/4 lens, which I eventually sold, not because it was over-corrected, but because it had too short of a focus throw, a nasty hot-spot, and (to my taste) did not handle mottled light well enough.
As for the negative comments, I would like to hear from other actual Zeiss Otus 28mm owners as to their experience with this (to me) magnificent lens. I did eventually note that most of the complainers about the Otus 28mm did not own one and most had never even tried one. Of course, everyone commented on how expensive it is, but with Nikon’s new 105mm f/1.4, we see that is a trend now, not a singularity. Yet, IMO, you usually get what you pay for, which is true with the Otus lenses.
As for having no character, I believe I understand what folks are saying, and when they point to lenses with character, like the Noct Nikkor and other much-loved lenses, they mean that some lenses have imperfections that result in a certain draw or character. I can attest to that and love them too.
Yet, there is a pristine beauty in a lens that has none of that kind of character, but is simply a blank canvas on which we can paint. Then it is up to us to provide the character. This is where I come down on this question. The Zeiss Otus 28mm has as much character as we do.
Having used the Zeiss Otus 28mm APO for some time now, I have to shake off those negative comments, as I continue to be amazed at the wonderful images that are possible with this lens. Those comments are, IMO, either sour grapes or I don’t know what. I thought it would be nice if other users of the Otus 28mm gave their comments.
And perhaps we don’t have to comment on all of the other 28mm lenses out there that are not Otus, at least until we talk about the Otus to some extent, please.
Sample image with the Nikon D810, and the Otus 28mm APO
