A United Front Filter Diameter
Over the past few months, I've been buying up lenses and supporting equipment for my Sony A7C camera after much post-graduation reflection. While I'm quietly proud that I got through my cinematography eduction at university without a camera of my own, it presented a glaring hole in my cinematography skillset worth addressing.
The Zeiss Armada
The Sony A7C was my camera body of choice based on its small form factor and neutral colour reproduction. These qualities seemed great on paper whether for fun or proper work. It felt right to pair it with a Sony zoom lens, but I quickly changed gears after watching a few YouTube videos about the Zeiss Loxia lenses. Digging deeper revealed the 5-lens prime lens set as lightning-in-a-bottle barrels. All metal and glass construction, small size, and excellent image quality appealed to the lightweight candid photographer that I'd initially aspired towards.
Their primary tradeoffs are the absence of autofocus function and their fixed focal lengths. While autofocus is convenient and commonplace in modern lenses, I was willing to spin the manual-focus-only limitation as an opportunity to take finer artistic control over my images. Working with fixed focal length prime lenses is a classic paradigm with two extremes: I can stick with the single lens mounted on my camera, or I carry all the lens's weight to have all the options. Having more options is worth the extra weight, but sometimes new restrictions push photographers to make new choices.
The prospect of spending aggressively on such unfamiliar, opinionated tools was daunting, but their quirks offered a compelling, charming challenge.
Pruning the Garden
Over the months spent collecting the lenses used on MPB and B&H, I was pleasantly surprised by the benefits you reap from completing the set of five. Their aperture and focus rings are located identically so I don't need to retrain my muscle memory when switching lenses. Optical characteristics such as maximum aperture and focus breathing also require minimal adjustment. They even have the same 52mm front-filter diameter, so I can buy a single Glimmerglass or ND filter for all five barrels.
However, the burden of maintenance dawned on me after a few months' honeymoon period. Casting my anxieties into a desolate future, I wondered what I would do if I got smudges, dust, or scratchy sand on the lenses. What about the camera sensor? The classic breath and t-shirt combo would only invite micro scratches and degradation. What about storage? The Loxias have a passable home on my shelf, but they could tumble while I'm at work.
I eventually caved on a camera case with some specialised camera cleaning equipment. These days, I'm prepared for anything that could happen to any exposed glass or sensor. When the camera's not in use (which is most of the time), everything's nestled between padded dividers, kept safe from impact, water ingress, and changes in air pressure.
Going Further Beyond
Budgeting, cleaning, and storing all this equipment was a responsibility paradigm I've never taken to task before. However, I'm glad that all that work paved the way for me to have a comfortable time with technically excellent tools. Getting the case was a weirdly transformative experience. It doesn't help me take better photos outright, However, making sure they work consistently and wear gently means putting peace of mind at a premium.
These lenses aren't perfect. I have no doubt that better lenses with tempting autofocus and optics will outmode the Loxias with time. However, I'm humbled that these lenses have pushed me to be a better photographer and a more responsible steward of stuff.
