Lens Comparison: Canon 70-200 vs. Zeiss 70-200

On this video photographers, Jay P. Morgan and Kenneth Morgan (from the Slanted Lens) take a look at two 70-200mm lenses for shooting videos – the new 70-200mm Canon lens and the Zeiss Cine 70-200mm lens and how they compare on different aspects.

This is video comparison is interesting but in our view, its emphasis is somewhat misplaced. While Morgan and Kenneth do talk about some of the general differences between a consumer stills lens like the Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM and a pro Cine lens such as the ZEISS 70-200mm T2.9 Compact Zoom CZ.2 lens the majority of this video is focused on pure image quality and sharpness.

While sharpness is important it is by no means the main criterion for choosing a lens in the cinema world or even in some other areas of the pro video world. Build quality, ruggedness, focus throw, gears, focus breathing are all important as well and taken into consideration when choosing a lens.

Obviously, for smaller productions and indie films, a lens like the Zeiss will less likely be an option (at a cost of ~$1000 per day compared to less than 1/10 of that for the Canon) but these are not typically the target audience for the Zeiss Cine line.

If you want to buy any of these lenses you will see of course a huge price difference as well:

Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM – $1800.

ZEISS 70-200mm T2.9 Compact Zoom CZ.2 – $20,900.

You can check out more of videos from our photography gear guides section here on LensVid, and you can find all of Jay P. Morgan’s videos here on LensVid on the following link.

Iddo Genuth
Iddo Genuth is the founder and chief editor of LensVid.com. He has been a technology reporter working for international publications since the late 1990's and covering photography since 2009. Iddo is also a co-founder of a production company specializing in commercial food and product visual content.

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