# Zeiss Otus 28mm f/1.4 Review | Dustin



## TWI by Dustin Abbott (Mar 3, 2017)

Hi everyone,

I just finished up a review of the Zeiss Otus 28mm f/1.4.

Text Review: http://bit.ly/DAOtus1428
Video Review: http://bit.ly/Otus1428YT
Image Gallery: http://bit.ly/Otus1428IG

The 1.4/28 was not my personal favorite in the Otus series (but neither is the 28mm focal length), but I’ve tried to give a nuanced review of the lens that hopefully speaks to the real audience for the lens while acknowledging that the average photographer won’t “get” the Otus 1.4/28mm.

Here's a few sample photos: 



Choose Your Own Adventure by Dustin Abbott, on Flickr



The Drift by Dustin Abbott, on Flickr


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## TWI by Dustin Abbott (Mar 3, 2017)

Pristine (Zeiss Otus 1.4/28mm Review) by Dustin Abbott, on Flickr


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## Sarpedon (Mar 3, 2017)

Great review as always. 

I'd be interested to see you review the Zeiss 28/2. It's one of those flawed, "connoisseur"-type lenses, and I think you would like it. 

Ming Thein's review (https://blog.mingthein.com/2012/07/19/zf28distagon/) really captures it's special qualities (though he's wrong about the direction of the field curvature) and, along with some more research, persuaded me to buy it. I've used quite a few L lenses over the last 10 years but the Zeiss has become my favorite.


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## Click (Mar 3, 2017)

Great work. 

I always enjoy looking at your very informative review.

Thank you, Dustin.


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## TWI by Dustin Abbott (Mar 3, 2017)

Sarpedon said:


> Great review as always.
> 
> I'd be interested to see you review the Zeiss 28/2. It's one of those flawed, "connoisseur"-type lenses, and I think you would like it.
> 
> Ming Thein's review (https://blog.mingthein.com/2012/07/19/zf28distagon/) really captures it's special qualities (though he's wrong about the direction of the field curvature) and, along with some more research, persuaded me to buy it. I've used quite a few L lenses over the last 10 years but the Zeiss has become my favorite.



I wondered about that one. I've heard essentially nothing about it


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## Jopa (Mar 3, 2017)

Great pictures! Very nice lens. No plans to buy one - still enjoying my 35 1.4 II, it's 7mm less wide, but optically is same exceptional


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## TWI by Dustin Abbott (Mar 3, 2017)

Jopa said:


> Great pictures! Very nice lens. No plans to buy one - still enjoying my 35 1.4 II, it's 7mm less wide, but optically is same exceptional



I feel the same way. I'm very happy with my 35L II


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## NWPhil (Mar 30, 2017)

Great review, as usual
wish Zeiss had done a 21 or 24mm instead (maybe a 21mm is not feasible anyway)
is just not the right focal for me, which saves me a bunch of money.....


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## TWI by Dustin Abbott (Mar 30, 2017)

NWPhil said:


> Great review, as usual
> wish Zeiss had done a 21 or 24mm instead (maybe a 21mm is not feasible anyway)
> is just not the right focal for me, which saves me a bunch of money.....



As I noted in the review it seems like 28mm is no longer the preferred focal length for many photographers. I think I might have favored a 35mm, myself, so I guess we've both saved some money.


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## Antono Refa (Mar 30, 2017)

TWI by Dustin Abbott said:


> As I noted in the review it seems like 28mm is no longer the preferred focal length for many photographers. I think I might have favored a 35mm, myself, so I guess we've both saved some money.



If it was preferred "back in the day", I think Canon would have made the 28mm f/1.8 an L lens.


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## Sporgon (Mar 30, 2017)

TWI by Dustin Abbott said:


> NWPhil said:
> 
> 
> > Great review, as usual
> ...



I think this lack of modern love for the 28mm focal length stems from the earlier days of 35mm photography, say '50s to late 70s, when a 24mm f/2.8 lens was twice as expensive as the equivalent quality 28mm f/2.8. So a 24mm was beyond many people's pocket. As manufacturing technology improved and the 24mm dropped down to the same price as a 28 people jumped on the 24. The 35mm had tended to be a stop faster for a little less money than the equivalent quality 28, so has always been popular as an affordable, reasonably fast and wide lens.

Just a little history !


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