Conclusion

The Zeiss Otus 55mm f/1.4 Distagon T* is a superb standard prime lens for photographers looking for the ultimate in image quality. You’d expect sharpness to be high across both the frame and aperture range from such a premium optic, and it doesn’t disappoint. In conjunction with the Canon EOS 5DS R ful-frame DSLR camera shooting at 50 megapixel resolution, detail is exceptionally detailed and sharp. Shooting at the maximum f/1.4 aperture does reveal a very minor reduction in sharpness compared to the rest of the aperture range, but the image is already pin-sharp by f/1.8.

The Zeiss Otus 55mm f/1.4 Distagon T* is also a pleasure to use, thanks to its superb build quality and smooth focus ring. As this is a manual-focus only lens, you'd expect this aspect of the operation to be intuitive, and so it proved, although the Canon EOS 5DS R isn't really geared up for accurate manual focusing.

There is only really one drawback to the Zeiss Otus 55mm f/1.4 Distagon T* - yes, you've guessed it, the price. £2699 / €3449 / $3999 is a huge amount of money to pay for a standard prime lens, even one as good as this. If you have deep enough pockets, though, and you can learn to love the manual-focus only nature of this lens, the Zeiss Otus 55mm f/1.4 Distagon T* is a superb choice for full-frame DSLR owners that’s capable of truly stunning results.

Ratings (out of 5)
Design	5
Features	4
Ease-of-use	4
Image quality	5
Value for money	4