Why the Zeiss Batis Lenses Are Ideal for Gimbal Use
As a videographer on the go using a gimbal, the thought process on what to use to get the shot changes. Part of it comes to the payload, or the maximum amount of weight, the gimbal can support. The lenses that would make sense from a photography standpoint might not make sense on a gimbal because they weigh too much to balance on the gimbal and move properly.
I’ve started to think about primarily using the Zeiss Batis prime lenses in the future when it comes to filming video on a gimbal for 3 reasons.
One part of that is weight. Prime lenses tend to be lighter than quality zoom lenses and because of that, they become much easier to balance on the gimbal and put less stress on the motors.
Second, the size of the lenses are small. Smaller prime lenses take up less space in the bag and because of that, I can save room for things like monitors, cables, and other accessories.
Third, in the case of the Zeiss Batis line, they have high transmission (i.e. more light), and being part of a set, have the same look across the lineup. When playing back the footage, the shots should look similarly once you play it back. This keeps everything uniform across your project.
As far as focal length coverage, 25mm & 85mm tends to be a popular lens pairing. As a tight shot, 85mm is perfect, and then depending on the project, would use the 40mm (for a 35mm / 50mm shot + it’s close focus feature), and then either the 18mm or 25mm depending on how wide I need to shoot.
All things considered, it makes sense to use the Zeiss Batis lenses for gimbal work. With all things considered, the weight, size and features make them ideal for filming on a gimbal.