A candid snapshot of my wife, daughter, and our Akita Inu, taken with the Zeiss Batis 135mm f/2.8 at around 12:40 PM. The sun was shining very strongly in the background – not the best time of day for photos at this time of year, but I still really like how the bokeh turned out.
I generally love the bokeh of the Batis 135. To me, it's quite similar in character to the 85mm f/1.4 GM I, which I used for five years and experimented with extensively. The Batis doesn't have to hide behind the 85 GM – it holds its own, though it definitely has its own unique style.
I have the Batis 18 and 135 (and non-manual focusing Batis 85, where the autofocus still works for some weird reason), and I've considering the Batis 40. Looking the images on this thread, none of the photos taken with the 40mm stood out, unlike the 18 and 135 for example. Is this because 40mm is in the range of the most common focal lengths of pictures?
I like the Batis version of this model compared to the Sony 40/2.5 posted in that thread. Different focal length, etc. but it just seems to work better for me -- Dang! I like this lens even better!
I really like all the Batis lenses, with their positive and negative traits. The vibrant colors and contrasts, the strong micro-contrast, the very lifelike colors and skin tones, the powerful image rendering – especially the wonderful depth you get in some images – and the best weather sealing you could ever wish for. Add to that the moderate weight of the lenses. The design is polarizing – I think it's beautiful, like modern art exhibition pieces.
The Batis 40/2 – 40mm and f2 doesn't sound that extraordinary at first, but looking through the viewfinder makes you understand that it's an exceptional lens. If I could only use one lens from now on, I would choose the Batis 40/2 CF. By the way, the Batis 40 and Batis 18 are a wonderful, lightweight combo for a city trip.
hd_123 wrote:
I have the Batis 18 and 135 (and non-manual focusing Batis 85, where the autofocus still works for some weird reason), and I've considering the Batis 40. Looking the images on this thread, none of the photos taken with the 40mm stood out, unlike the 18 and 135 for example. Is this because 40mm is in the range of the most common focal lengths of pictures?
rob_ww wrote:
I like the Batis version of this model compared to the Sony 40/2.5 posted in that thread. Different focal length, etc. but it just seems to work better for me -- Dang! I like this lens even better!
Thanks for the kind words. I wanted a 1-2 punch combo that would fit in my Billingham 72 messenger bag thus 40G, Batis 85, Godox V1Mid S and of course the A7V + vertical grip.
jojib wrote:
Thanks for the kind words. I wanted a 1-2 punch combo that would fit in my Billingham 72 messenger bag thus 40G, Batis 85, Godox V1Mid S and of course the A7V + vertical grip.
