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An older man wearing glasses and a cap is taking a photo with a camera equipped with a large ZEISS lens at the beach during sunset.
ZEISS Photography

ZEISS Otus ML Lenses

Focus on your story. Pure. Immersive. Control.

ZEISS Otus ML lenses are designed for photographers who are passionate about storytelling. The renowned ZEISS quality is now accessible for mirrorless cameras, catering to the needs of modern photographers.

Explore more details now
  • Optical Excellence for the Finest Details
  • Exceptional Depth of Field and a Harmonious Bokeh
  • Ultimate Control Through Precise Mechanics
  • Two ZEISS Otus 1.4/50 camera lenses are displayed side by side, showcasing their sleek black design and detailed focus markings.
    Two ZEISS Otus 1.4/50 camera lenses are displayed side by side, showcasing their sleek black design and detailed focus markings.
  • Black ZEISS camera lens with a textured focus ring, yellow and white markings, and a blue ZEISS logo on the barrel.
    Black ZEISS camera lens with a textured focus ring, yellow and white markings, and a blue ZEISS logo on the barrel.
  • Black ZEISS camera lens with blue ring and ZEISS logo, shown from the rear angle.
    Black ZEISS camera lens with blue ring and ZEISS logo, shown from the rear angle.
  • High-quality ZEISS camera lens with visible focus and aperture markings, featuring a sleek black design and the ZEISS logo.
    High-quality ZEISS camera lens with visible focus and aperture markings, featuring a sleek black design and the ZEISS logo.
  • Three ZEISS camera lenses are displayed side by side on a white background, showcasing different angles of the product.
    Three ZEISS camera lenses are displayed side by side on a white background, showcasing different angles of the product.

The ZEISS Otus ML lenses, are crafted for photographers who live to tell stories. Inspired by the legendary ZEISS Otus family, the new lenses bring ZEISS' renowned optical excellence to mirrorless system cameras (available for Sony1 E-Mount, Canon2 RF-Mount and Nikon3 Z-Mount). Designed with ultimate precise mechanics you are able to capture every detail with unparalleled sharpness, vibrant colors and a nearly three-dimensional effect that brings your story to life.

With the Otus ML, manual focusing becomes more than a technique, it's an experience itself and an indispensable tool for your creative freedom. The precisely engineered focusing allows for accurate settings, giving the confidence that every shot turns out exactly as envisioned. With the ZEISS Otus ML lens family you can rely on your lens in every situation.


Available Models

ZEISS Otus ML Lenses
  • Front view of a ZEISS Otus 1.4/50 camera lens with a black matte finish and yellow focal markings.
    ZEISS Otus ML 1.4/50

         Free Working Distance:
    0.39 m (15.35") – ∞
    Rotation Angle:
    259.5°
    Weight:
    E: 677 g (1.49 lbs)
    RF: 697 g (1.54 lbs)
    Z: 718 g (1.58 lbs)
  • Black ZEISS Otus 1.4/85 camera lens with yellow focal length and aperture markings displayed against a white background.
    ZEISS Otus ML 1.4/85

         Free Working Distance:
    0.68 m (26.77") – ∞
    Rotation Angle:
    244°
    Weight:
    E: 1033 g (2.29 lbs)
    RF: 1055 g (2.33 lbs)
    Z: 1061 g (2.34 lbs)
ZEISS Otus ML Lenses
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Close-up view of dewdrop-covered grass with a delicate spider web glistening in the sunlight.
Alexander Tobisch

Optical Excellence for Finest Details

The ZEISS Otus ML lenses represent unparalleled optical performance. Even at f/1.4, in challenging low-light conditions where your eyes might struggle, the lens reveals the finest details and textures with remarkable sharpness.

A close-up image of a high-precision ZEISS optical lens with a curved surface, set against a dark background.

Aspherical Design

The aspherical lens design ensures consistent imaging performance throughout the entire focusing range as well as sharpness to the periphery of the image. The asphere's more complex surface profile can reduce or eliminate spherical aberration and also reduce other optical aberrations compared to a simple lens.

A woman wearing eyeglasses is holding a cup and browsing books in a well-lit library or bookstore.
Gabriel Santos

The Distinctive ZEISS Look

Experience the unmistakable visual language of the ZEISS Otus ML lenses. Thanks to impressive true color rendition, outstanding sharpness, and incomparable micro contrast, a picture look is created that appears almost three-dimensional - the characteristic ZEISS 3D Pop.

Close-up view of the interior strings and felt dampers of a grand piano.
Wolf-Peter Steinheißer

Harmonious Bokeh

The ZEISS Otus ML series is characterized by an extraordinary shallow depth of field that directs the viewer's gaze precisely to what matters. At the same time, the wonderfully harmonious bokeh - shaped by ten aperture blades - creates smooth transitions, elegantly showcasing the stories' subjects.

A man is photographing a city skyline across the water using a camera equipped with a ZEISS lens.

Photography with Passion and Precision

Manual focusing is more than a method – it's an opportunity to connect deeply with your craft, giving you unparalleled control and creative freedom. With ZEISS Otus ML lenses, manual focusing becomes an experience itself. Based on the legendary Otus family, known as best-in-class manual prime lenses, the ZEISS Otus ML offer a uniquely precise mechanical design that gives photographers full control over their images. Focusing is controlled by a smooth, metal focus ring based on a helicoid mechanism.

Close-up view of a ZEISS camera lens mount showing electronic contacts and detailed metal construction.

DeClick Feature

The ZEISS Otus ML series offers a practical DeClick function for seamless aperture control. By using the supplied tool and an adjustment screw on the bayonet surface, the locking mechanism can be disengaged, allowing for stepless and silent aperture adjustments. This enables smooth exposure transitions in video applications, ensuring precise brightness control while panning.

A ZEISS camera lens is placed on a rock with a scenic outdoor background of mountains and a blurred body of water.

Highest Craftsmanship for an Unparalleled Feel

The full metal construction of the ZEISS Otus ML lenses combines first-class craftsmanship with exceptional quality. The precise and easily readable scales in yellow allow for quick and accurate adjustments to maintain full control. This unique feeling of becoming one with your equipment is supported by the compact and lightweight design.

High-performance ZEISS Otus 1.4/85 and 1.4/50 camera lenses paired with a professional camera body, showcasing precision optics on a wooden surface.

A Perfect Fit

The ZEISS Otus ML Lenses are optimized for the latest mirrorless camera systems with Sony1 E-, Canon2 RF-, and Nikon3 Z-Mount.

 

Captured Moments

ZEISS Otus ML Lenses
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Captured Moments

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What is the Meaning of Photography?

Explore Mo's Story with the ZEISS Otus ML

"What is the meaning of photography?" This powerful question sparks Mo Xie's journey - a professional photographer and ZEISS ambassador - through the lens of the ZEISS Otus ML 1.4/50. Guided by his early influences in craftsmanship and painting, Mo takes us from the vibrant streets of Guangzhou, China, to uncover the true essence of the people and places around him. Amid the rush of the city, his lens reveals raw, authentic beauty that’s often overlooked, captured in stunning color and incredible sharpness with the ZEISS Otus ML. Explore Mo's story.

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More Than an Image - A Portrait of Identity in True Color

Explore Sinjun's Story with the ZEISS Otus ML

For Sinjun Strom, photography is about true craftsmanship and telling the stories that matter. As a creative storyteller, she focuses on capturing the unique, individual journeys of those whose voices deserve to be heard. Sinjun portrays a diverse group of Line Dancers, each with a story to tell. Through her lens, color is not just a shade, but a story, and every skin tone deserves to be portrayed in its richest truth. With the ZEISS Otus ML 1.4/85 and its renowned ZEISS look, she brings out the depth, detail, and authenticity in every portrait - portraying their story, and her own.

Technical Data

ZEISS Otus ML Lenses

  • Focal Length

    50 mm

    Aperture Range

    f/1.4 – f/16

    Camera Mount

    Sony E-Mount | Canon RF-Mount | Nikon Z-Mount

    Format Compatibility

    Full Frame

    Focusing Range

    0.50 m (19.68") – ∞

    Free Working Distance

    0.39 m (15.35") – ∞

    Angular Field4 (diag. horiz. vert.)

    47° | 39° | 27°

    Diameter of Image Field

    43 mm (1.69")

    Coverage at close Range (MOD)5

    259 x 173 mm (10.19 x 6.81")

    Image Ratio at Minimum Object Distance

    1:7.3

    Lens Elements | Groups

    14 | 11

    Flange Focal Distance

    E: 18 mm (0.70") | RF: 20 mm (0.78") | Z: 16 mm (0.62")

    Entrance Pupil Position (Front of Image Plane)

    67.6 mm (2.66")

    Autofocus

    –

    Image Stabilization

    –

    Filter Thread

    M67 x 0.75

    Rotation Angle of Focusing Ring

    259.5°

    Diameter max.

    77 mm (3.04")

    Diameter of Focusing Ring

    E: 77 mm (3.04") | RF: 77 mm (3.04") | Z: 77 mm (3.04")

    Length (With Lens Caps)

    E: 114 mm (4.48") | RF: 112 mm (4.40") | Z: 115 mm (4.53")

    Length (Without Lens Caps)

    E: 100 mm (3.93") | RF: 100 mm (3.93") | Z: 102 mm (4.02")

    Weight

    E: 677 g (1.49 lbs) | RF: 697 g (1.54 lbs) | Z: 718 g (1.58 lbs)

  • Focal Length

    85 mm

    Aperture Range

    f/1.4 – f/16

    Camera Mount

    Sony E-Mount | Canon RF-Mount | Nikon Z-Mount

    Format Compatibility

    Full Frame

    Focusing Range

    0.80 m (31.49") – ∞

    Free Working Distance

    0.68 m (26.77") – ∞

    Angular Field4 (diag. horiz. vert.)

    30° | 25° | 17°

    Diameter of Image Field

    43 mm (1.69")

    Coverage at close Range (MOD)5

    289 x 193 mm (11.37 x 7.59")

    Image Ratio at Minimum Object Distance

    1:8.1

    Lens Elements | Groups

    15 | 11

    Flange Focal Distance

    E: 18 mm (0.70") | RF: 20 mm (0.78") | Z: 16 mm (0.62")

    Entrance Pupil Position (Front of Image Plane)

    42.6 mm (1.68")

    Autofocus

    –

    Image Stabilization

    –

    Filter Thread

    M77 x 0.75

    Rotation Angle of Focusing Ring

    244°

    Diameter max.

    88 mm (3.46")

    Diameter of Focusing ring

    E: 88 mm (3.46") | RF: 88 mm (3.46") | Z: 88 mm (3.46")

    Length (With Lens Caps)

    E: 127 mm (5.03") | RF: 126 mm (4.96") | Z: 129 mm (5.07")

    Length (Without Lens Caps)

    E: 113 mm (4.44") | RF: 111 mm (4.37") | Z: 116 mm (4.56")

    Weight

    E: 1033 g (2.29 lbs) | RF: 1055 g (2.33 lbs) | Z: 1061 g (2.34 lbs)
  • Wide-angle ZEISS Batis 2.8/18 camera lens with integrated OLED display showing focus distance and depth of field.
    Cross-sectional illustration of the ZEISS Batis 2.8/18 lens showing internal optical elements.

    ZEISS Otus ML 1.4/50

    Originally developed for SLR cameras requiring a long back focal distance for short focal lengths because of the mirror box (the distance between the back lens element and the film plane must be considerably longer than the focal length), the Distagon lenses (retrofocus design) are also ideal for mirrorless system cameras thanks to their optimized ray path. Even with longer focal lengths, the high-performance Distagon optical design enables consistently good correction all the way to the corners of the image and very low field curvature.

    ⬛ Distagon Design

    🟩 Lens with aspheric optical surface

    🟪 Lens made of special glass with anomalous partial dispersion

  • Front view of the ZEISS Batis 2/25 wide-angle camera lens with an integrated OLED display showing focus distance and depth of field.
    Cross-sectional diagram of the ZEISS Batis 2/25 lens showing the internal optical element configuration.

    ZEISS Otus ML 1.4/85

    A lens with relatively few glass-air surfaces, it was developed by Dr. Ludwig Bertele at ZEISS in 1930. At the time it was one of the fastest high-speed lenses for 35 mm photography, with apertures as large as 1:1.5 and high contrast thanks to effective stray light reduction. Its high speed and high contrast helped give the lens its name, which is derived from the word “sun,” the symbol of maximum brightness. You continue to find the aforementioned benefits with modern lenses in the normal and telephoto ranges whose optical design is based on this basic type.

    ⬛ Sonnar Design

    🟩 Lens with aspheric optical surface

    🟪 Lens made of special glass with anomalous partial dispersion

ZEISS camera cleaning kit including a lens cleaning brush, air blower, cleaning spray, microfiber cloths, and a black and blue carrying pouch with ZEISS branding.

ZEISS Photo Lenses Accessories

Tailored to meet your requirements.

When taking pictures, an optimal image is not the only consideration. Capturing that special experience also plays a key role. With their reliable functions, camera lenses from ZEISS ensure that photographers can fully concentrate on the image and composition, and bring their creativity to life. In order to perfect this experience, ZEISS now offers accessories tailored to the requirements of demanding photographers.

A ZEISS camera lens is displayed next to an uncapped silver fountain pen on a white background.
A ZEISS camera lens is displayed next to an uncapped silver fountain pen on a white background.

Product Registration

Obtain the extended warranty.

ZEISS grants a warranty period of two years from the date of purchase for all its photographic lenses. This may be extended to three years after registering with ZEISS Online Registration. Although the ZEISS extended warranty is already available in numerous countries, claims under warranty may only be made in the country in which the product was purchased.

Register your product
A small snail climbs a vibrant fern frond, showcasing the intricate details of nature captured with the clarity of ZEISS optics.
ZEISS Photography

Manual Focusing with AF Camera Systems

Techniques for accurate cocusing.

High-precision manual lenses, enhanced focusing screens, a well-aligned AF system, and Live View mode improve focusing accuracy for wide-aperture photography. Focus shift should be managed carefully for reproducible results, and finely graded bracketing sequences are recommended for critical focusing situations.

Manual Focusing with AF Camera Systems
ZEISS Photography

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Contact

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+44 (0) 1223 401 500

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  • 1

    Sony is a registered trademark of Sony Corporation.

  • 2

    Canon is a trademark or registered trademark of Canon Inc. and/or other members of the Canon Group.
  • 3

    Nikon is a registered trademark of the Nikon Corporation.
  • 4

    Based on APS-C format
  • 5

    At close range