Zeiss Batis 25mm f/2 Distagon T* Review | 4K

Zeiss Batis Distagon 25mm f/2 T* Lens Review | | Photographer Dustin Abbott gives a detailed, real world review backed up with a lot of photos. Is the Batis 25mm f/2 lens a good choice for your full frame or APS-C Sony mirrorless camera? Read the text review: bit.ly/batis225da | Batis 25mm Image Gallery: bit.ly/batis225ig.
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My filming setup: Sony a7R III: B&H Photo: bhpho.to/2D6ibNO or Amazon: amzn.to/2CNxOvH | or | Sony a9 @ B&H Photo: bhpho.to/2HyWIyt or Amazon: amzn.to/2s1vYE0
Tamron 28-75mm F2.8 RXD @B&H Photo: bhpho.to/2FA00la or Amazon amzn.to/2G2kaEr
Lights: Rotolight AEOS @B&H Photo bhpho.to/2IK7mqV | Genaray Contender @B&H Photo: bhpho.to/33HbGNM | and Aputure AL-MW: bhpho.to/2N3MtZV
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Keywords: Batis 25mm, Batis 25, Zeiss Batis 25mm, Batis225, Carl Zeiss, Zeiss Batis 25mm f/2, Batis 25mm f2, Zeiss Batis 25mm f2 review, Dustin Abbott, Zeiss Batis Distagon, Review, Video Test, Sample Images, Resolution, Distortion, Vignette, Autofocus, Speed, Accuracy, Flare Resistance, Contrast, 25mm, f2, f/2m Distagon, Real World

[@horacecarter2081]

Please continue to make Sony reviews. Your reviews are so well made and informative. You provide technical information that is very easy to digest for a photography newbie. Thank you!

[@DustinAbbottTWI]

I plan to do both Canon and Sony moving ahead.

[@jonflan691]

This is the best review on the Batis 25 that I have seen ! I’ve been obsessed with this lens and just pulled the trigger on one ! Thank you for this excellent review !

[@DustinAbbottTWI]

Enjoy your new lens!

[@JackieSemple]

Thanks for this in-depth review of what appears to be an outstanding lens.

[@DustinAbbottTWI]

It is a pretty sweet lens!

[@jakobdueck7491]

As usual, I come to Dustin for advice and he delivers. Thanks a lot!

[@DustinAbbottTWI]

My pleasure.

[@NinjaKidz]

Nice review. We just ordered it!

[@DustinAbbottTWI]

Enjoy. I'm hoping to pick one up for my own kit.

[@auxsom]

Excellent and thorough analysis of this lens. Finally getting my hands on one. Can't wait to try it out. For a couple hundred bucks, not a bad deal. Thanks for the insight, D.A.

[@DustinAbbottTWI]

That would be an amazing deal.

[@WilliamWallaceRoss]

I saw what pictures it can produce on one my a7riii FB Groups and it produced exquisite work. So, after reading several reviews on B & H and Adorama, plus, Dustin's Review, I bought one as my walk around lens. Can't wait to try it out around town next week.

[@DustinAbbottTWI]

Enjoy your new lens

[@karim1485]

Bored to death so I'll count all "you know" in the video: 0:51, 1:39, 2:52, 2:59, 3:11, 3:23, 4:31, 4:32, 4:44, 5:33, 6:15 etc.. Thank you for your videos, I love them

[@longrider9551]

Every once in awhile you get a lens that because of the focal length and the way it renders its magic I think Zeiss has created that in this lens

[@DustinAbbottTWI]

I'm definitely tempted by it myself.

[@PavlosPapageorgiou]

I really like it. It's great for indoor shots and also general people ambiance shots. It's quick to focus and doesn't miss a shot. Only a couple of negatives: The digital focus scale doesn't seem calibrated for infinity (my unit), and it has such deep depth of field that any dust specs on the lens will show up in the photos.

[@DustinAbbottTWI]

I did notice that infinity scale wasn't always perfect, but that's often true of analog distance windows as well.

[@nandopics]

Dustin, what is your sense of how well the Batis line resolves with higher resolution sensors? With the A7rIV in the horizon clocking in at 61M, can these lenses hold up? I have been happy with the Batis 135mm paired with the A7rIII, but I wonder about the increased resolution.

[@DustinAbbottTWI]

I wouldn't worry too much. A sharp lens is a sharp lens, and my experience is that sharp lenses just look better when you add more camera resolution. It will expose flaws, yes, but the sum total is typically improvement.

[@MrPedrocourelas]

Dustin, best 35mm for FE Sony. Something near from the 35L II? Your sugestion please.

[@DustinAbbottTWI]

I've got that kind of shootout planned for the future. December or January, perhaps.

[@mallred4347]

Hi Dustin, it's my impression that you have these two Batis lenses a notch or two below the Sony Zeiss 50MM f/1.4 Planar T* in terms of sharpness and rendering. Is this a fair impression? Thanks, Mike

[@DustinAbbottTWI]

It's hard to compare them, Mike, as they are completely different focal lengths and produce completely different kinds of images. So I'm not really saying that, per se.

[@vpr5562]

Dustin :) Promise u will make a review comparting the Rokinon 24 2.8 (new!) and the zeiss 25 for sony e. Its like 3x the price.

[@DustinAbbottTWI]

I can't make that promise, but I will do my best to review the new Rokinon lens.

[@DenisDavydov83]

Thanks for the review. A comparison to Sony GM 24 1.4 would be great. According to other reviews overall GM appears to be a better lens, al least in sharpness and CA.

[@DustinAbbottTWI]

Hi Denis, there are several more of the GM lenses that I need to get to, but I have a huge demand for reviews and only so much time!

[@guidoserrano2629]

I’m sorry to comment in an old video. Would you recommend the Batis line up against the GM? If size matter but not price.

[@DustinAbbottTWI]

That's a difficult question, as they are somewhat different in kind. The GM lenses have superior build and features, but optically they have unique strengths and weaknesses. I would probably lean GM in general (they are newer, for one), but its more of a lens by lens comparison.

[@k_meowington]

Hi! Is it sharp enough for a high megapixel camera like a7R II or III ? Thanks

[@DustinAbbottTWI]

Definitely. I tested in on an RIII

[@EveZeiss]

Dustin, waiting you review Zeiss Milvus 25mm f/1.4 lens

[@DustinAbbottTWI]

I've requested one from Zeiss, but I haven't heard back from them.

[@shang-hsienyang1284]

I like everything about this lens when I borrowed it for a day. It's the price that prevented me from getting one, especially considering that Sigma 24mm f/1.4 is going to be native for Sony FE very soon.

[@DustinAbbottTWI]

That's true, though Sigma's approach will leave you with a much larger, much heavier lens (twice as heavy) without weather sealing. There's definitely some tradeoffs.

[@joeblack4026]

I was thinking the same think, but decided in the end to buy the batis 25 on ebay for a reasonable price. (900EUR)

[@tangojaa3412]

I bought this lens recently using for video shooting .when I set it in gimbal moving my Sony A7S2 little backward and forward the auto focus wasn't work well ,I also have Sony FE16-35 f4 ,it work very well in auto focus when I am movement .Do you know that Is something wrong with my setting or my new lens ?

[@DustinAbbottTWI]

I've not encountered that issue. I would direct it to either Sony or Zeiss.

[@TheGirlSkateBoardCo]

Would you recommend the 16-35 F4 or 25 Batis?

[@kbruff2010]

You speak well, and you have a good continuity of technical vs general comments. You should consider using a video overlay powerpoint style bullets to sum up the pro's and cons that you talk about.

[@DustinAbbottTWI]

Hi Kevin, that's not a bad suggestion, though I'm already pretty much at the breaking point when it comes to my time and the volume of product that I cover (as a second job!!)

[@kbruff2010]

Thank you, I understand. You definitely have a professional style. Is your primary occupation professional photography?

[@DustinAbbottTWI]

I do have a photography business, but my first calling is as a Pastor of a church (20+ years).

[@kbruff2010]

@@DustinAbbottTWI Now I see the excellent speaking skills connection and manners in your videos. Thank you.

[@DustinAbbottTWI]

Yep - that's where it comes from.

[@davidk.ringel4321]

I purchased this Zeiss Batis 25mm f 2.0 about 5 months ago. However, with the Sony GM 24mm f 1.4 newly released, I'm secong-guessing my decision. My understanding is that coma is better corrected in astrophotography using the Sony 24mm - more so than the Zeiss 25mm. In addition, the Sony GM has a switchable manual/auto focusing button on it and an aperature ring on the lens - both are appealing to me. I believe both have 11 curved aperture rings which are comparable for bokeh, but the larger f 14 aperture might provide better bokeh on the GM lens. I've been satisfied with the fairly warm colors which the Zeiss 25mm lens takes in most landscapes I photograph, but, am curious to see a color science comparison between the two. Would you do us the honor of providing a review of these 2 lenses? In all seriousness, I've made many of my equipment decisions based on your reviews and value your opinions. For the small sum of $100.00, it might be wise to switch lenses. I own the a7mr3 and a6500, also.

[@DustinAbbottTWI]

Are you unhappy with the Batis? I think it's a great lens.

[@55whiplash]

I wish Sony and or Zeiss would give us a linear focus with adjustable throw for these lenses. I have it on my G9 and many Panasonic Leica lenses, and it's a great feature.

[@DustinAbbottTWI]

Most of the new Sony lenses are linear

[@55whiplash]

@@DustinAbbottTWI Thank you for getting back to me!

[@baorichard4345]

zeiss 25mm f2 VS the incoming sigma 24mm F1.4, which will be better for travel video?? want your opinion!

[@DustinAbbottTWI]

The Batis 25 doesn't have IS, actually, but I do think it is the better choice because of the native nature of the lens and it's size (Which is fabulous!)

[@user-ev4qn8wu8d]

Is this lens suitable for photographing rhythmic gymnastics group performances?

[@DustinAbbottTWI]

If the focal length works, I don't see why not.

[@Jwitherow1964]

Great job as alelways

[@DustinAbbottTWI]

Thank you.

[@kbruff2010]

Thank you.

[@DustinAbbottTWI]

My pleasure.

[@kylestewart4444]

Can anyone tell me what their favorite walk-around full frame autofocus lens is? I've got an A7III on order but it looks like it'll probably be a month or two before I actually receive it. This will be my first full frame camera and I've just sold my a6500 along with the lenses that I had for it since they were APS-C lenses. I've been looking at a few different options for FE lenses to buy while I wait for my new body and I'm having some trouble deciding. I know you aren't really supposed to blow too much of your budget on the body alone but I couldn't help it, I just had to have that A7III. The way I see it, I can either buy 2 or maybe 3 cheap lenses or I can buy 1 or maybe 2 higher quality lenses. I have around $1,100 or so left in my budget for glass so whatever I get, it'll need to last me a few months until I can get a few more dollars together to expand the collection. This 25mm seems like a very solid contender but I'm not absolutely set on starting with a wide angle. I really want the Sony 85mm 1.8 which is very affordable but I know I'd also need something like a 35mm to give me some more flexibility. I like the look of the 55mm Zeiss too. I just cannot decide between them all.

[@DustinAbbottTWI]

I think a great first lens/walkaround option for you is the new Tamron 28-75mm f/2.8 RXD. It's got great focus, great image quality, and has a very versatile focal length. It's also reasonable sized (not as small as the Batis, but reasonable).

[@kylestewart4444]

@@DustinAbbottTWI great. thanks so much for the recommendation, Dustin.

[@jimioutback]

Focus by wire is awful, at least in Canon's STM implementation: you can't make tiny adjustments like with a mechanically coupled manual lens because the input has to be above a certain overly-coarse threshold to even register and activate the motor, which for me was way too big an adjustment for the micro-tweak I needed. Drove me bonkers and I couldn't get it back to Amazon fast enough, lol.

[@DustinAbbottTWI]

While that's true in many older lenses, focus by wire is the standard for essentially all mirrorless autofocusing lenses. You won't see mechanical coupling on essentially any Sony lenses or any of the new RF Canon lenses. The good news is that the emulation of manual focus has gotten much better in many applications.

[@jimioutback]

@@DustinAbbottTWI Thanks Dustin, good to know things have improved as I adore Zeiss glass and colours.

[@CrazyMalawian]

I believe the closest lens to this in the Sony line up is the 28mm f/2. It definitely keeps up with the Batis 25mm considering the price difference.

[@klaymoon1]

Crazy Malawian I agree that 28mm 2.0 looks just as good

[@longrider9551]

Crazy I looked at over 100 images for each lens for several lenses in that range for e mount the 28 is good but I noticed a difference and picked up the batis

[@CrazyMalawian]

I did the opposite. I later tried the Batis at a camera store and could tell the difference, but it's not an $800 difference. The Batis is well corrected in a lot of aspects and @Dustin Abbott highlighted those really well. Just like the Sony 85mm f/18, the 28mm holds its own against its Batis counterpart.

[@PavlosPapageorgiou]

The 28 is nice but has much less contrast clarity in tricky light. It also has a weird cropping effect. when you open the file in Capture One the left and right edges seem to be cropped and you can pull them out for a more widescreen view. Probably a strange effect of Sony's distortion correction.

[@DustinAbbottTWI]

I'm happy you are enjoying your lens, but I don't put a lot of stock in the "trying a lens in a store" approach. You are limited to a set of shooting/lighting conditions that you are unlikely to hardly ever shoot in again, and trying to get a sense of images from the back of a camera. I don't think it is fair for you to tell people that the 28mm f/2 is as good based on that limited data.

[@theprince08853]

How does it stack up in 2023?

[@DustinAbbottTWI]

That’s a good question, but it has been 5+ years before I’ve spent any time with this lens.

[@dwightlooi]

My beef with the Batis 25 is that it is, well, not that wide and not any better than a lens from 20 years ago. I really feel that the 18 is too wide for a walk about lens. The 25 is well... not all that wide. I really wish that the Batis series would have a single 21mm instead of an 18 and a 25. I have the Batis 25/2, the (sony) 55/1.8 and the Batis 85/1.8. I had the 16-35/4 which I did not find inspiring... slow, big, meh in sharpness (compared to the primes anyway). Because landscapes typically do not require focusing speed or often focusing at all, I find it perfectly OK default to manual focus. If not for the massive size I'll use my good old Contax MM-mount 21mm/2.8 all day. But that thing is a bazooka. So, the Loxia 21/2.8 is become more and more enticing by the day.

[@DustinAbbottTWI]

Is it the Contax that you are saying is as good as the Batis 25? Because, to be frank, while there were some excellent normal and medium telephoto primes from times past, I've never been blown away by any vintage wide angle lenses I've used.

[@dwightlooi]

Yes, but it is massive. 15 elements, 13 groups Distagon T* with a 82mm filter thread.

[@giordanopioli1922]

"Badass 25 millimeters" 😂

[@AndreaTransition]

I'm still confused if I'm hearing "the Badass series" instead of Batis series of if he's actually saying it

[@giordanopioli1922]

@@AndreaTransition ahaha the first one I suppose

[@rhykko77]

so......Batis is ......BadAss ???

[@DustinAbbottTWI]

Hmmm, pretty much.

[@klaymoon1]

I like your reviews but can you please stop saying repeated / redundant things? It will really help your viewers. Thanks.

[@DustinAbbottTWI]

Care to be more specific?

[@davidnguyen1705]

Klay Moon dude it’s like your family’s giving you money and you’re saying to them: “hey could you stop giving me 20s, it’s repeated/redundant.” I don’t mean to be mean!! Learn to appreciate the content because he owes you nothing. If you don’t like repeated stuff, leave it out and keep what’s relevant to you. He doesn’t have the resources to cater his review to your preferences unless you’re willing to sponsor his work

[@LetsGoHelio]

I couldn’t find any noticeable redundancy in his videos, except the fact he always looks upset. Dustin is a solid reviewer. Cut him some slack.

[@freeandcriticalthinker4431]

Klay Moon, you are one u grateful Person....! If u don’t like repeated statements then maybe I don’t need to repeat how ungrateful you are and that “you can leave if you don’t like it”.😮

[@thedrvn]

BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH. If I wanted a drawn out story I would listen to a podcast. Show me dont tell me ffs

[@DustinAbbottTWI]

You do know that you can choose to not watch the video if you don’t like it. I’m very successful with what I do for a reason, but if you don’t like my style - good news! - you can choose to watch someone else.

[@thedrvn]

@@DustinAbbottTWI You do know that youtube is cluttered with crap content and voicing an opinion on said crap content is allowed? Also your straight up taking the piss with the use of the word "very" and definitely way over stretching the use of the word "successful", combining them is just embarrassing.