The Zeiss Super Speed T1.3 lenses — also known as the Super Speed MK II — are one of the most iconic and beloved vintage prime lens series in the history of cinema. Designed by Zeiss for ARRI in the late 1970s and early 1980s, they were for decades the absolute benchmark in high-speed lenses for Super 35 format: the most widely used fast prime set in professional productions worldwide before the rise of modern prime lenses. With a maximum aperture of constant T1.3 across all focal lengths, an extraordinarily compact and lightweight design for their era, and a precision Zeiss mechanical construction that has withstood the test of time with exceptional durability, the Super Speed T1.3 lenses remain to this day one of the most sought-after vintage lens options on the market.
Their optical behaviour is one of the most fascinating and complex in the world of vintage lenses: between T1.3 and T2.5 they are soft, low-contrast, and prone to characteristic aberrations that give them an organic, atmospheric, and visually seductive quality — with a gentle blooming in the highlights and an image quality that evokes the classic cinema of the 1980s —; from T2.8 onwards, they gain sharpness and contrast very rapidly until they reach a performance comparable to a modern Zeiss Ultra Prime. This makes them an exceptional dual-personality set: warm and organic wide open, modern and defined at medium apertures. No geometric distortion on the 18mm. Uniform 80mm front diameter across the full set, 270° of focus rotation, and PL mount. Super 35 coverage — with extended large-format coverage from the 25mm onwards on RED sensors.
Perfect for: cinematographers seeking maximum vintage cinematic character with Zeiss glass — a uniquely dual-personality lens: organic, atmospheric, and seductive wide open, and modern and defined at medium apertures —, for auteur productions, feature films, commercials, and any project where visual character, speed, and a period look are the top priorities.
