
Zeiss Super Speeds arguably the most capable and some of the most beautiful vintage lenses available. Their T1.3 maximum aperture is an obvious advantage and puts them in rare company. Whether you are wide-open or stopped down, the images they produce are magic. From the special glass made from rare earth materials that can no longer be used to make lenses, to Zeiss' magic T* coating, these lenses just make people look good. They produce beautiful blue and magenta lens flares, and have minimal focus breathing.
From The Shining (1980) to Straight Outta Compton (2015), there is a reason these lenses continue to be the first and only choice for many DPs. Our Super Speeds are color matched, and the set includes the rare 65mm T1.3. We also had our witness marks painted bright white, which is much easier to see in low light situations than the classic orange paint traditionally used for the imperial focus scales. You can add any of our Zeiss Standard Speed primes to round out the set.
Mk II Super Speeds
The next refresh to Zeiss’ high speed primes came in the form of an iris gear in the early 90’s. Again, all of the optical and mechanical construction remains unchanged from the Mk I. The only upgrade to the Mk II Super Speeds is the factory iris gear – a minor, yet very welcomed change that is now considered an industry standard. It’s also worth noting that around this time Zeiss took the opportunity to add the (rather rare) 65mm focal length to the line of Super Speeds.