Zeiss Super Speed (Mk I, II, III)

zeiss standard speed zeiss super speed uncoated zeiss super speed

High-speed prime lenses by Carl Zeiss for cinema cameras with T1.3 aperture, available in mechanical generations Mark I, II, and III.

Overview

The Zeiss Super Speeds are a series of fast prime lenses from Carl Zeiss for 35mm cinema cameras. They have been among the classic high-speed optics since the 1980s and are still used today for low-light shooting, for shallow depth of field, and for their characteristic, slightly soft cinematic look.

The designations "Super Speed," "B-Speed," and "Mark I/II/III" did not originally come from Carl Zeiss itself but were established in rental and production practice (especially in the USA). They denote successive generations that differ little optically but significantly mechanically.

Generations (Mark I, II, III)

The predecessors to the Super Speeds were the so-called B-Speeds from the 1970s with an Arri bayonet mount and a maximum aperture of around T1.4; they are recognizable by a triangular iris shape.

Mark I: Introduced in the 1980s, maximum aperture around T1.3, PL mount, factory-fitted focus gears (suitable for follow focus).
Mark II: Early 1990s; mechanical improvements, including a factory-fitted iris gear. The rare 65mm focal length was added during this phase.
Mark III: Mid-1990s; the focus scale was rotated by 90° and enlarged, so that the focus markings on the mounted lens are upright and more legible.

Mark II and Mark III are considered optically virtually identical and interchangeable; the differences primarily concern the mechanics and scale labeling.

Focal Lengths and Optical Design

In the 35mm format, the set typically comprises five focal lengths, named after two Zeiss optical designs:

Focal Length	Design
18 mm	Distagon (Retrofocus, wide-angle)
25 mm	Distagon
35 mm	Distagon
50 mm	Planar (Standard)
85 mm	Planar

Distagon denotes the wide-angle retrofocus designs, Planar the more symmetrical designs in the standard and short telephoto range. With the Mark II generation, a rare 65mm focal length was also added.

On-Set Usage

Due to their high speed (maximum aperture around T1.3), the Super Speeds are ideal for available light and night scenes, as well as for shots with emphasized selective focus. With the PL mount (from Mark I onwards), they can be used on common 35mm film and many digital cinema cameras. As the sets have been manufactured for decades and frequently rehoused, they remain widely available for rental.

From the crafts

Perspectives

Cinematographer

Als Kameramann schätze ich die Super Speeds für ihren unverwechselbaren organischen Look und die hervorragende Lichtstärke. Die sanfte Zeichnung und das cremige Bokeh verleihen jedem Bild eine warme, cinematographische Qualität, die moderne Objektive oft vermissen lassen. Besonders in Available-Light-Situationen sind sie unschlagbar.

Director

Für mich als Regisseur verkörpern die Zeiss Super Speeds pure Filmgeschichte und emotionale Bildsprache. Sie helfen dabei, eine zeitlose, nostalgische Stimmung zu erzeugen, die perfekt zu character-driven Stories passt. Die warme Farbwiedergabe unterstützt die Intimität zwischen Schauspielern und Zuschauern auf besondere Weise.

Producer

Aus Produktionssicht sind Super Speeds eine Investition in die visuelle Qualität, die sich auszahlt. Zwar sind die Anschaffungs- oder Mietkosten höher als bei Standard-Objektiven, aber sie reduzieren den Aufwand in der Postproduktion erheblich. Der authentische Look spart Zeit und Budget beim Color Grading.