Darren, you're a very talented photographer/videographer! It's always joy to watch watch your videos.

Darren, this review is much more professional than your previous reviews. You have really improved a lot. And you demonstrated what this lens is actually capable of producing on our latest Sony 4K cameras, which is the most basic element of a review that we could ask for. Thanks for putting in the extra effort to deliver this type of quality. Keep up the good work. I hope you don't ever go back to your previous review style, just leave those in the past! I subbed.

I own the 18 Batis and I agree with your pros and cons. As an older photographer I went for the Sony A7R3 for the smaller size and weight. The 18 Batis compliments this profile really well. It helped me stay fresh during my recent trip to Europe and my photos were better for it. It's good you are a young strong man because the Sigma Art 14-24, at well over 2 lbs, would overwhelm both the camera body and my body for any extended period of time.

@deeyammy783

5 жыл бұрын

Exactly my point! The value is too subjective, strictly from tripod point of view! Try walking around on vacation with alternatives LOL!

Another fantastic review and wow the image quality on that 18 mm is outstanding

Love the review. The Batis 18mm w the Sony a7s2 has been my go to combo for over a year now for video. Landscape, real estate and Yachts. Perfect! Highly recommend.

@vpr5562

6 жыл бұрын

Aren't you tempted by the 16-35 2.8?

Excellent review as always. I’ve owned this lens for a year now and couldn’t agree more with your review.

Amazing as always! Comprehensive but right on point!

Great review! It has been selling lately from $900 to $1200. In your value section you neglect a critical measure and relationship. Physics does not allow us to have everything. If you want a smaller, lighter lens, it will have to be in the f/2.8 (or slower) range. This may be the ultimate street/travel lens. Some commenters fail to appreciate the value of sharpness. With the a7R3 and 4 out there, one can easily crop down to the perspective desired. The marriage of ultra high optical resolution with ultra high sensor resolution... plus IBIS makes this the ultimate walk-around lens. You won’t be able to do that with most competitors. I agree the Sigma zoom is a better pro value, but I’d hate to lug it around all day sightseeing! Bonus for travelers: given the threaded front you can mount a 10x or more ND filter to take those long exposures to erase crowds from the scene. Can’t do that with the Sigma! Great lens and great review!

Now that's an intro that you deserve, good job!

Fantastic review! Insightful and honest about who this lens is for.

Darren, great review and for the record your older reviews were good and professional. I disagree with the other comment. There’s not a whole out of reviews out there on this 18mm and yours was very objective and full of good data. Great work as always!

I had this for a week and the contrast is amazing. But then I decided to invest a bit more in something that gives me more options: wider and narrower. So now I carry a much heavier 16-35mm gm zoom lens. 2 mm doesn't sound much on paper but in practice it is significant.

Can't disagree with this excellent review. Glad you managed to stick with the Batis - as evidenced in your August (Crane 2, A7RIII, Batis 18mm) Southwest Florida Real Estate shoot. The combination really is superb on the Crane 2 gimbal.

Great video and review!

Great review thanks and id know which song was that ??

I think that the price is not so high for the only autofocus 18mm Zeiss lens on the market :-) i use their 85/1.8 and 135/2.8 - color rendition makes postprocess a pleasure :-)

@DarrenMiles

6 жыл бұрын

I have to say, the output of the 18 is simply sublime!

I always appreciate your "Value"-ation of the lenses. The usefulness and versatility of a lens needs to be considered when deciding if we want to make Cinderella your wife. It's easy to fall inn love with some of the features of many Zeiss lenses, but we need to consider how the lens fits into the type of photography we're doing on a daily basis. When you're buying a Rolls Royce, you better make sure it can and will take you where you want to go! Great review Darren!

Nice lens. Owned for a while. Just can't justify the price for a prime even for landscapes. Replaced with the Batis 25mm f.2 which is faster and a for me a more useful focal length with AWESOME corner sharpness. One also have the option to stitch panoramas for wider landscape shots.

I was looking for an angle with the quality of carl zeiss and I bought the 25mm batis. Do you think it is a good alternative to your 18mm batis? In addition to indoor photography, model in hotel, restaurant, offices, I plan to use it for video in a weebill S but many told me that it is not a video lens as it does not have a serrated thread, but others told me that in AF mode and above all AF -C works without problems in gimball, how did you do with yours?

Would you do a review on the 12-24 f/4 zoom from Sony? Or do you need that 2.8 aperture for your work?

@DarrenMiles

6 жыл бұрын

Daniel Crotty I don’t need the F/2.8 aperture for my work, though it is nice to have if you need it. I reviewed the Sigma 12-24, and I really liked it. Could also be a great option for Sony FE mount cameras with an adapter. I don’t believe that lens is slated for FE native mount just yet.

@danielcrotty8697

6 жыл бұрын

Darren Miles oh Sony has created a 12-24/4 G series lens. It’s about $1,600, so much less then the $2,200 2.8 G Master. But not too much more than this Zeiss.

Nice review! This lens blows others out of the water (even warm Florida water) with its sharpness and contrast. I ahve all the Batis line up ones, largely due to the 'Zeiss black' they produce. The aperture could be better, but just maybe as it has never bothered me. The 25mm has 2.0 but for lamdscapes, the 18 just nails it every single time.

Nicht zu vergessen, dass auf dem Gebrauchtmarkt Zeiss-Objektive wesentlich günstiger angeboten werden. Hier sollte erwähnt werden, dass es die typischen, beinahe magischen Zeiss-Farben sind, die begeistern, da kommt auf jeden Fall Sigma nicht heran! Wenn Sie es breiter bzw. weiter haben möchten, empfehle ich die Kombination mit einem Voigtländer 10 oder 15mm, diese beiden sind sehr leicht und für Landschaftsfotografen ist eine Lichtstärke von f/5,6 ausreichend. Mehr Lichtstärke hat einen größeren Preis und ein höheres Gewicht zur Folge.

Like your new intro.

if i use f2.8 and above (f3.2-f22) with AF-S,AF-A mode the lens makes a little bit noise when looking for focus. is this normal?

@DarrenMiles

3 жыл бұрын

I never experienced that, so it doesn’t sound all that normal to me...

My fave photos of your to date... bravo, bruh! Peace...

Hi Darren. You should review the Samyang AF 14mm F2.8 It might be as good or better than the Zeiss for a much lower price Make sure you get firmware V21 because it improved the autofocus performance You may need to order the Samyang Docking Station from overseas to update your firmware if you can't find a V21

@DarrenMiles

6 жыл бұрын

Mizeratu Sir It’s is sitting in my hot little hands right now :-) the Rokinon version. I’ll start working with it today and will have a review in a few weeks.

@TheBrookElliot

6 жыл бұрын

wow awesome

Another great review. Value can be so subjective. Someone who shoots architecture could give this a 10, someone who shoots wildlife would give it a zero.

@DarrenMiles

6 жыл бұрын

So true! But i shoot real estate and I gave it a 6 :-)

@loudandclearmedia

4 жыл бұрын

@@DarrenMiles It's hard to argue with a "6" for value as it is so expensive. I also use it for real estate and am tickled when the space allows for 18mm, because I really like using it. Keep in mind that I own 5 lenses that cover 12mm-35mm alone, including some very nice GM glass (16-35 and 24mm), so reaching for the Batis when I can really says something.

Nice!

As far as I know it's the widest FE lens that can take a regular filter. It has one specific segment nailed down: Vlogging.

@DarrenMiles

6 жыл бұрын

As far as I know, you are correct (screw on regular filter) - Vlogging - good point!

@dalefrolander3583

6 жыл бұрын

What about the Venus Optics Laowa 15mm f/2 FE Zero-D Lens for Sony E? It takes a 72mm filter.

@DarrenMiles

6 жыл бұрын

Thanks Dale! Totally forgot about that one!

@EmoEmu

6 жыл бұрын

That's manual focus though. This one autofocuses and I don't think any other lens can do all that and is wider. I guess I forgot to add that in the post above, but most vloggers will prefer a lens that can track their face.

@shang-hsienyang1284

6 жыл бұрын

16-35 GM takes filters too

Great review but... :) you adjusted the value, extremely, for purely subjective reasons, when you should consider non static objects shooters.. whom are many. I feel at least a couple of points higher would be fair as the focusing is excellent and means A LOT to non realestate photographers. If you were to carry your "better choice" lenses (1.4 or 2.8 zoom) around the cruise liner I am 100% positive you would appreciate the value of a great focusing and light compact lens a few points better :))) Cheers!

@DarrenMiles

5 жыл бұрын

That's a fair point, but typically, the wider the aperture, the more expensive it would be - the Zeiss brand clearly carries a premium, no doubt, and the optics of the Zeiss are amazing, but I think at f/2.8 the premium is a bit too stiff for what it is. If it were say, $200 - $300 less, it would be a much better value. And I also admit, that value, is the most subjective part of my reviews - because it usually pertains to what and how I shoot.

I like the wideness of the lens. Great Review .- I like better the music from Your Nephew .- More content and drama with that music,-

I find this lens and the Batis 135mm f/2.8 incredibly hard to justify their purchase, especially for people like me who already own the 16-35mm GM and 70-200mm GM.

@DarrenMiles

6 жыл бұрын

I tend to agree, although there is something to be said about Zeiss optics - and I DO believe they are worth a premium - just not THAT much of a premium...

In summary Build 10, Autofocus 10, Optical 10, Value 6.

@DarrenMiles

6 жыл бұрын

KZreadism thank you for providing the cliff notes version of the review :-)

@mrfao389

5 жыл бұрын

16-35GM better!

@retardwitagun2666

5 жыл бұрын

@@mrfao389 yes but with a value of -1000

@loudandclearmedia

4 жыл бұрын

@@mrfao389 I own both. The 16-35GM is much more versatile and is overall the best zoom I've ever owned, but there's no question the Batis 18 is sharper at 18mm, as it should be.

We can’t compare Zeiss to a Sigma and value Zeiss as less desirable because of price point. It’s like comparing BMW with Kia and scoring BMW less.