Zeiss

ZEISS Supreme Prime Radiance 18mm T1.5 Lens (PL, Feet) Review

Reviews
3
Score
95/100
From
MSRP $31,680
Released
January 2021

We've aggregated 3 high-signal reviews and 1 live retailer price below.

ZEISS Supreme Prime Radiance 18mm T1.5 Lens (PL, Feet)
Available
Our take
Worth buyingPreliminary

Our editorial take on the ZEISS Supreme Prime Radiance 18mm T1.5 Lens (PL, Feet)

The ZEISS Supreme Prime Radiance 18mm T1.5 securely anchors the wide end of an already legendary lens family. It delivers the pristine, near-perfect optical performance expected from a ZEISS Supreme Prime, but with the added character of the Radiance line's controlled, aesthetically pleasing flares. This is not a lens for clinical perfectionists, but for cinematographers who want technical excellence married with a gentle, consistent, and beautiful cinematic personality. The very fast T1.5 aperture offers incredible flexibility in low light situations and fine control over depth of field, even at this extremely wide focal length.

Make no mistake, this lens is squarely aimed at the highest tier of the industry. Its price tag places it firmly in the inventory of premium rental houses rather than the kits of individual owner-operators. Unlike the company's more accessible Nano Prime series for mirrorless cameras, the 18mm Radiance is a serious tool for large-scale productions using professional cinema cameras. It completes a critical focal range in the set, ensuring a consistent look from epic wide shots to intimate close-ups, making it an essential acquisition for companies servicing top-tier film and commercial projects.

Best for: High-end rental houses and top-tier cinematographers needing a premium wide-angle lens with character for feature film and commercial productions.
What's great
  • Exceptional optical quality with a cinematic character
  • Beautiful, controllable lens flares unique to the Radiance line
  • Extremely fast T1.5 maximum aperture
  • Adds a crucial wide focal length to the existing set
  • Maintains a consistent look with other Supreme Prime Radiance lenses
  • Professional, robust build for demanding productions
Watch outs
  • Prohibitively expensive for individual ownership
  • Primarily accessible only through rental houses
  • Large and heavy, requiring professional support systems

Synthesized by Geared editors from early expert reviews.

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Overview

About this product

The ZEISS Supreme Prime Radiance 18mm T1.5 Lens creates images with beautiful, controlled flares without sacrificing contrast or control, utilizing a T* blue coating. This modern large-format cinema lens ensures contrast is maintained and transmission remains consistent. It features a fast maximum aperture of T1.5 and covers large-format systems up to 46.3mm image circle.

Specs

Length
6.4" / 163 mm
Weight
5 lb / 2.27 kg
Diameter
Front: 4.5" / 114 mm
Lens Mount
Interchangeable Mount with Included ARRI PL
Focal Length
18mm
Focus Scales
Imperial
Angle Of View
Full Frame: Horizontal: 88.4°; Super 35: Horizontal: 67.9°
Gear Rotation
Focus: 300°
Gear Standard
0.8 MOD
Lens Mounting
1x 3/8"-16 (via Included Support Foot)
Maximum Aperture
T1.5
Minimum Aperture
T22
Camera Connection
LEMO 4-Pin (Cooke /i Technology Lens Data / ZEISS eXtended Lens Data) Data
Image Stabilization
No
Aperture/Iris Blades
16
Lens Format Coverage
Full-Frame (46.3 mm Image Circle)
Minimum Focus Distance
From Camera Sensor: 13.78" / 0.35 m
Electronic Communication
Yes
Live prices

Where to buy

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  • B&H Photo
    new○ Out of stock
    $31,680
    Buy