Looking Pretty Sexy ... new Zeiss 25mm f/1.4 Milvus

[JKoerner007]

https://www.dpreview.com/news/7168759392/zeiss-debuts-milvus-25mm-f1-4-lens-the-11th-in-the-series

https://www.zeiss.com/camera-lenses/int/photography/products/milvus-lenses/milvus-1425.html

Priced at $400 over the lauded 35 f/.4 Milvus, this is likely going to be a sweet, sweet lens.

Importantly, it is filling the exact niche of the venerated 28mm f/2.8, allowing very close approach (~10") and a 1:4 reproduction ratio.

At this price point, I have no doubt it will make the Sigma Art and Nikkon counterparts feel pretty weak.

For me, the trouble is the 82mm front filter thread. I would have to purchase 3 stepdown rings to reverse (82-77, 77-58, 58-52) on a BR-2A.

Worse, even if I were willing to do this, the diameter of the BR-2A (at its smallest point) is 42mm. I have a strong suspicion that the the diameter of the actual glass of this new Zeiss is itself greater than 41mm, meaning it couldn't be effectively reversed, even with stepdown rings: there would be a circle on the sensor.

It would be a sweet lens to reverse (likely Apo) at ~4x magnification.

It looks to be sublime for normal use.

[Roland Vink]

I'm sure the lens will be excellent, when used normally. I would hesitate to reverse such a big heavy lens from a handling point of view, and highly corrected lenses don't always perform well when used outside their normal design envelope. If you want a lens for high magnification work I am sure there are better alternatives which are easier to manage.

Note, reproduction ratio is 1:4.6, so not as good as the AIS 28/2.8 which gets to 1:3.9 in a much smaller package.

[JKoerner007]

I'm sure the lens will be excellent, when used normally. I would hesitate to reverse such a big heavy lens from a handling point of view, and highly corrected lenses don't always perform well when used outside their normal design envelope. If you want a lens for high magnification work I am sure there are better alternatives which are easier to manage.

Note, reproduction ratio is 1:4.6, so not as good as the AIS 28/2.8 which gets to 1:3.9 in a much smaller package.

Very true, the lil 28 AI-S is a die-hard companion, and a joy to carry, because you can't feel the weight.

However, for studio reversals, if I would get a high-mag, Apo-like lens, that would surely be a bonus.

Usually 20-28mm lenses are ideal, because they reverse at 2-4x, and have small enough front elements to adapt (with or without stepdowns).

I am afraid, just by eyeballing this new gem, that its front glass (forget the filter) is going to exceed the 42mm diameter opening of the BR-2A.

Hope I am wrong though ...

[Roland Vink]

Given the 82mm filter size and the pictures of the lens, there is no doubt the front element is larger than 42mm diameter.

Any reversing adaptor will be limited by the size of the mirror-box and diameter of the F-mount - the BR-2A opening is probably as big as possible. When reversing a lens the diameter of the lens element is not important, the size of the exit pupil (entrance pupil with lens in normal position). In this case it will be 25/1.4 = 18mm.

Depending on the orientation and amount of extension, some lenses - especially fast wide lenses - cannot be used because the image plane falls inside the lens.

[JKoerner007]

Thanks, Roland.