New Nikon Z9 + Zeiss Otus 28mm f/1.4 | A Classic for Landscape at Night

Shooting the Carl Zeiss Otus 28mm f/1.4 on the new Nikon Z9 was a great experience. The images you will see in the video speak for themselves.
Content:
00:00 Introduction
01:30 Where does the name "Otus" come from?
02:06 Nikon FTZ Adapter for mounting the lens
02:27 Zeiss Otus 28mm f/1.4 - fully manual and for full frame sensors
02:35 Lens aperture control
03:08 Explaining all features and specifications of the lens
04:33 Manually focussing the lens
05:58 Revisiting the aperture control ring of the lens
06:27 Close-up shots and focussing / Sharpness and Bokeh
07:48 Build quality and focus ring travel way vs Nikon Noct 58mm f/0.95
08:39 A lens build for landscape photography and architecture
09:10 Landscape photo shooting at night / sample images
14:11 Conclusions
Music:
epidemicsound.com (licensed)
storyblock.com (licensed)

[@italy74]

Finally someone like me who has really discovered the true strength of this camera, being able to deal with top notch manual focus lenses as no one else. Having the body stabilized and the view magnified up to 100x or so IN the viewfinder (no more necessary to be live view on a tripod!!!) the experience of using a manual focus lens is night and day better than any DSLR camera. And you dont have any fine tune issue as well.

[@NikCan66]

Another excellent video and informative to show the old F mount lens are still worthy

[@enricomarconi8358]

I couldn't agree with you more! The whole Otus line is out of this world! Especially these: 28, 85 and 100!! (Also the 55 is a wonderful lens).Every time I use them, I feel like selling all the other glass as nothing compares to a Carl Zeiss lens... (perhaps a Schneider for different reasons). Immer gerade aus!

[@LucyS565]

Looks like an amazing lens!

[@michaelherskovitz4203]

Thanks so much for this video. I wouldn’t have thought about pairing the Otus with the Z9 but now I will give it a try. It was nice to see the comparison between the two settings as well.

[@patricksmith2553]

In my opinion the Nikon 28mm f/1.4E is a way better choice, its sharper and has autofocus and electronic aperture, it works great on both the D6 and Z9. I bought one despite already owning a very sharp copy of the 24-70mm f/2.8 VR, yes it is amazingly sharp. I believe if you compare the Nikon 28mm f/1.4E MTF chart against the Otus, you'll see it is better. Not by much but it has pretty fast and accurate autofocus and is only $1200 USD in mint used condition.

[@PhotoCalligraphy]

Great video. Can you also test the otus on your hasselblad x1d ii?

[@AndyMillerPhotoUK]

Thanks for the nice review and reminder to take mine out of the cupboard.

[@Fleet42]

Love it! I’d love to see the Otus on the R5 and the Leica SL2

[@bigboi36]

Would really like to know what Zeiss's plans moving forward. Will they bee making a dedicated Z mount in months to come? If there is a lens plan I may hold back on purchase from other manufacturers

[@user-ms8qg2rz5s]

Since Z9 have no shutter, will the future mode using Electronic ND (Like some sony FX line cine camera) and / or CPL and back ?

[@mustangshelby2740]

man .. i am jealous .. you have best of the best , Z9 + Otus 28 F1.4 , nothing better than that.

[@calvinchann1996]

How far is the distance from the sensor plane to the front of the lens?

[@dee9692]

@mathphotographer - I noticed that out of unsurprising interest, a couple of commentators have called for details of the focusing distance used here. Very difficult to tell just where you might actually have focused, but it is certainly an interesting exercise. For starters, I calculated the hyperfocal distance (Hfd) in PhotoPills for the Zeiss 28mm on the Z9 with aperture f/1.4. I got a reading of 18.54m and a DoF near limit of 9.62m using a focus distance of 20m for ease of good measure? [There is good sense - and mathematical support - for the wisdom of the older hands to always focus just slightly beyond the Hfd.] Should the focal (or subject) distance be increased a bit while maintaining the wide aperture, the Hfd remains the same, with only the DoF near limit increasing marginally.....as long as the other parameters remain the same. [Note: Calculation was made on the basis of the CoC for the Z9 being the same as the D850 at 0.030 with roughly the same sensor size]. There is a snow-covered rock ledge pushing into the very bottom of the frame, visually just to the left of the second foreground hut (right). Don't know about the rock ledge (it's a bit too dark to tell the degree of sharpness), but the huts are in acceptable clean focus, and then all the way to the mountains and the stars. The calculated DoF near limit of 9.62m would be somewhere between the rock ledge and the huts, but hard to tell on my 15 year-old 37" tv screen. I'd guess he put the red box on the hut on the right?? In any case, he knew something about where to focus! Perhaps the clue is in his KZbin handle? Hello.................anybody paying attention to this event? F/1.4 is actually the widest that is calculated can be shot with a Hfd of 18.54 (nominal subject distance of 20m, say) to obtain the old adage of 'acceptable sharpness' front to back. But whoever would use that aperture when the whole range of what would normally include the expected sharpest part of an obviously very capable lens is available to them? Most would simply opt for at least a few stops down out of pure habit or in the interests of more DoF. Many others are still insisting on shooting full daylight landscapes at f/16 without any discernible rationale as to how they might avoid diffraction, even without the low-light constraints. I'd need to see the file or print closer but, to my old eyes, it worked incredibly well! In the encroaching dark, and with the soft village lights twinkling so charmingly, f/1.4 was an exciting and brilliant choice! This guy, and his lens, are amazing, and pretty courageous in the aftermath of all the hyperfocal distance naysayers and haters who most often argue that the approach just does not achieve results! Of course, they never look beyond their own solipsistic claims and complaints. You may never even have given a thought to hyperfocal distance focusing, but in any case congratulations Mr mathphotographer. Care to comment?

[@Testprinz]

Nice Video, i use a Zeiss Milvus, but i like the Otus Series so much. And i use the FTZ Adapter II, cause it's better for my Nikon Z 7. And great: You have a Omega Watch, me too.😀😍

[@dakotaxu4792]

What was the adapter that you used for the Otus?

[@oorcinus]

That’s a really nice combo! Almost no coma on the stars either from what i can see! Would be funny to see it adapted to an M11 (and interesting to see how it resolves details there).

[@thomastuorto9929]

I would like to see it compared to the M11 & comparable M lens!

[@oorcinus]

@@thomastuorto9929 There is no comparable lens (optically). But yes, it would definitely be interesting to see it compared to the Lux 28/1.4 too!

[@gmalamis3901]

Have you tried adapting the otus to the fuji gfx? I'm interested to see how corner performance is on the larger sensor - thanks

[@mathphotographer]

Have not tried it but seems like a good idea, thanks.

[@dominiclester3232]

A super night pano, respect. I’d love a comparison with a pano made with a Z lens please?

[@hdrsmit]

great set up but doesn't this lens exceed the weight limits for attaching to an FTZ adapter ? of course it will be ok if hand held SAFELY, but my concerns are for when it is unsupported...which, in the real world of photography, will happen 🙂

[@dfj555]

Is it better than the Leica Summilux-M 28mm F1.4 ASPH?

[@indrajitadvani3742]

Just got my Z9 and I am selling/have sold pretty much all my F-Mount lenses - but the one I will never sell is the Zeiss Otus 50mm, which is incredible

[@dPico-digitaldurda]

💪📷👍

[@andywe7524]

Hi Math, Sunshine here near Frankfurt :-)

[@laurencemoss8049]

I have an Otus ... I tested the Lens with a calibration chart .Lens has a back focusing issue ! ... I can not fine tune the Lens ! .... If you have any suggestions please comment . I am considering using the lens for target practice @ 200yds .......

[@coachisguru4621]

Really great results from this combo! How do you think a voigtlander 28mm will perform with Z9?

[@ronbackal]

Where is that shot? I really loved the images! I consider it for video, but I think it would be great too

[@mathphotographer]

Canton Schwyz in the mountains, close to Schwyz municipality :)

[@lyfeofajet]

i wanna see what that lens can do on a film camera

[@benoitpiret9065]

I can’t just think of that size compared to a M11 and summilux 28mm…..

[@RobertFalconer1967]

Helluva combo that I'm sure produces stellar results. Still, given that it's a manual focus lens, and given that the Z9's real raison d'être is speed and amazing AF performance, I think I'd rather just go out with the Leica Q2 and save my back.

[@hautehussey]

Or just a z7!

[@MyContestPix]

Two questions: How does this compare to the Nikon .95 Noct lens you had? What do you focus on your landscape? Do you calculate hyperfocal distance to maximize sharpness??

[@phuocvu-harry4282]

I have same question

[@hautehussey]

It’s great, but what’s the point of using the z9 for this kinda thing? Might as well use a first gen z7!

[@jrarsenault1937]

Ok, if the lens vignettes at wide open (and it did!) at this cost send it back. I did anyway, thinking maybe QC issues with a $5k lens that also seemed to have critical focusing issues on my D850. Tried it also on a Z7, returned it. Excellent review.

[@hautehussey]

Uh, what? It’s designed that way. Vignetting isn’t a concern these days.

[@hautehussey]

Uh, what? It’s designed that way. Vignetting isn’t a concern these days.

[@jacksonjackson9474]

@@hautehussey i hear ya. definitely not huge deal in todays digital world. But i do respect the dissatisfaction of people who expect zero vignetteing form a lens of this price.

[@RolandAyala]

My god! It's a very cool setup, but very impractical IMO. For that size/weight combo, wouldn't you rather just take your Phase/ALPA when shooting landscapes?

[@cesarecannavo1134]

The Zeiss Othus professional series lens, are great. But I finding very pity, that the company Zeiss not built one 21mm and 15mm. I thinking, tha't in one photo lens equipment, are very interesting to have diverse Focal length lenses that are still missing and are: 15mm f/1.4 / 21mm f/1.4 / 24mm f/1.4 and 35mm f/1.4 Then with the current existing focal lengths: 28mm / 55mm / 85mm and the 100mm, it would complete the full set of focal lengths. On these set focal lengths: Othus 15mm / 21mm / 24mm / 28mm / 35mm / 85mm and the 100mm, would be a superlative professional set of Zeiss lenses. Of course, the prices per piece are already known, but who wants to afford such a professional Zeiss lenses, then is on the top level and quality. The Milvus ZF2 are also very interesting, but they don't have the quality of the Othus series. This are my opinion to Othus professional lens ystem. Thank for your video rezension, very interesting. Goodbye.

[@johntang4608]

I had Zeiss Otus 85mm f1.4 lens once awhile I used on my Leica SL2. Otus lens is very heavy not suitable to use for the handheld because it is hard to nail the focus. if you use Zeiss Otus lens on tripod it is good

[@oliverlison]

I am using the Milvus 85 1.4 handheld, weighing 2.7kg camera, battery grip and lens. Not easy but it is to do.

[@irfanomer8610]

Could you also give valuable comments Otus 55mm and 85mm?

[@mathphotographer]

Thanks Irfan, will consider. The 55mm Otus is fantastic, the 85mm I never shot, but will have a look for a future video.

[@italy74]

11:52 you also got the infamous Elon Musk's starlink train on top of your image, you probably didn't even notice it XD

[@jonathanjones6657]

After OutKast sang "Shake it like a Polaroid picture," Polaroid released this statement: "Shaking or waving can actually damage the image"

[@Stop_Elitists_Wars]

Sigma Art 28mm, 40mm are very comparable in image quality & only - £650

[@mathphotographer]

Indeed, Sigma makes some fantastic lenses with significantly lower price tag.

[@UnconventionalReasoning]

Calling a lens which was released only a half-dozen years ago "a classic lens" is interesting.

[@hishamosman4341]

Think that Otus cost more then the Z9...LOL

[@dmitry.sh.8946]

Cheaper

[@dominiclester3232]

“Travel way” = focus throw...

[@Pascal15B]

I know this is a lens of exceptional optical quality, but boy it is ugly.