Carl Zeiss presents the Distagon T* 3,5/18 wide-angle lens with EF bayonet mount
OBERKOCHEN/Germany, 14.09.2009.
Whether shooting the elegant lines of the Eiffel Tower or the vast expanses of the Grand Canyon, both situations require a lens field wide enough to reveal the unique and full dimensions of each image. With the new Distagon T* 3,5/18 from Carl Zeiss, EOS camera users now have an ultra-wide-angle lens at their disposal while benefiting from all the other optical qualities that ZEISS lenses are well-known for. The lens’s extremely wide 99°-angle view is suitable especially for full-frame sensor cameras, delivering an array of new creative possibilities. From landscape and architecture photography to advertising images, cameras equipped with the new Carl Zeiss wide-angle lens meticulously capture once-only moments and spectacular perspectives.
Despite its short focal length, the Distagon T* 3,5/18 ZE has an extremely compact design compared to other zoom lenses in its category. Internal focusing also helps to reduce its size while delivering extremely precise and smooth focus control.
To prevent image aberrations during close-ups, internal lens groups are repositioned individually during focusing in what is called a floating elements design. This allows the Distagon T* 3,5/18 ZE to deliver exceptionally high quality—from extreme close-ups to infinity. Thanks to the ZEISS T*s anti-reflective coating and meticulously crafted lenses, the ZEISS T* is not affected by reflections or stray light. The result: razor-sharp images even under the toughest lighting conditions or with wide aperture settings.
Following the Planar T* 1,4/50 ZE and 1,4/85 ZE, already long cherished by photographers around the world, the Distagon T* 3,5/18 ZE is the first wide-range lens with EF bayonet mount on the market.
The Distagon T* 3,5/18 ZE will be available in autumn 2009 at a suggested retail price of EUR 1,049.00 (excluding VAT)*.
Technical specifications
Focal length: 18 mm
Aperture range: f/3.5 – f/22 (half steps)
Number of elements/groups: 13/11
Focusing range: 0.3 m – infinity
Angular field* (diag./horiz./vert.): 99/90/67°
Coverage at close range: 44 x 29 cm
Image ratio at close range: 1:12
Filter thread: M 82 x 0.75
Mounts: ZF (F bayonet), ZK (K bayonet), ZE (EF bayonet)
Accessories: Lens shade included
cr
45 Comments
The only other Zeiss lenses available for EF are, as far as I know, manual-focus only. Is that the case here as well?
Zeiss is indeed known for superb optics, but the Zeiss 85mm f/1.4 ZE Planar T* doesn’t seem all that impressive, judging from the review of it at The Digital Picture:
http://www.the-digital-picture.com/Reviews/Zeiss-85mm-f-1.4-ZE-Planar-Lens-Review.aspx
I have the Canon EF 17-40 f/4 L, which so far has served my wide-angle needs adequately.
I used to have a whole Contax/Zeiss SLR system. I prefer Canon’s L lenses.
thats some serious $$$$ for a MF prime
I wouldn’t swap your 17-40 for this. I’ve heard the Zeiss lenses are good, but pretty much only as good as the OEM top-flight lenses.
the zeiss primes look even sillier when you pit their price and performance against Nikon’s 14-24 ultra-wide
I don’t get Sony-ites or Olympians and Panasonic-the-hedgehogs who always enjoy complaining that Canon and Nikon are cheating us on our lenses and making us pay for in-lens stabilization … blah blah
have you seen the prices of these Sony/Olympus/Panasonic lenses? where are these supposed savings?
I don’t see myself ditching Canon for Sony anytime soon … especially with some 580 EX II’s on the way …