Specifications#
- Brand
- Zeiss
- Model
- Carl Zeiss Jena Biotar 58mm f/2
- Lens type
- Standard prime
- Focal length
- 58 mm
- Maximum aperture
- f/2
- Image circle
- Full frame (36×24 mm)
- Mount(s)
- M42 screw mount
- Projection
- Rectilinear
- Lensfun correction profile
- Yes — distortion/vignetting/TCA
Equivalent focal length on different cameras#
Field of view and depth-of-field equivalence when this lens is used on bodies with different sensor sizes (natively or via an adapter).
| Camera format | At 58 mm | Equiv. aperture (DoF) |
|---|---|---|
| Full frame | 58 mm · 41° | f/2.0 |
| APS-C | 87 mm · 27° | f/3.0 |
| APS-C (Canon) | 93 mm · 26° | f/3.2 |
| Micro Four Thirds | 116 mm · 21° | f/4.0 |
Depth of field & background blur#
Computed on its native Full frame format (CoC 30 µm). “Blur @2 m” is the size of an out-of-focus point at infinity, as a percentage of frame width, with the subject at 2 m — a simple bokeh index. Full table: 50 mm f/2 on full frame.
| Focal | Aperture | at 1 m | at 2 m | at 5 m | at 10 m | Hyperfocal | Blur @2 m |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 58 mm | f/2 | 3.4 cm | 13.9 cm | 88.8 cm | 3.66 m | 56.1 m | 2.4% |
| 58 mm | f/4 | 6.7 cm | 27.8 cm | 1.82 m | 8.11 m | 28.1 m | 1.2% |
| 58 mm | f/8 | 13.5 cm | 56.5 cm | 4.03 m | 28.5 m | 14.1 m | 0.6% |
Handheld & night-sky limits#
NPF assumes typical 20–24 MP sensors (≈6 µm pixels on full frame, ≈3.9 µm on APS-C, ≈3.3 µm on Micro Four Thirds).
| Body | Min. handheld shutter (longest focal) | 500 rule at 58 mm | NPF at 58 mm, f/2 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Full frame | 1/60 s | 9 s | 4 s |
| APS-C | 1/80 s | 6 s | 3 s |
| APS-C (Canon) | 1/100 s | 5 s | 3 s |
| Micro Four Thirds | 1/125 s | 4 s | 3 s |
Compatible cameras#
Bodies in our database with a native M42 screw mount mount.
Adapt it to other systems#
Similar lenses#
- Zeiss Carl Zeiss Jena 1Q Biotar 1:2 f=58mm T f/2
- Pentax Super-Takumar 55mm f/1.8 f/1.8
- Pentax SMC Takumar 50mm f/1.4 f/1.4
- Pentax Super-Takumar 50mm f/1.4 f/1.4
- Voigtländer Color-Ultron 50mm f/1.8 f/1.8
- Zeiss Carl Zeiss Jena Pancolar 50mm f/1.8 f/1.8
- Zeiss Carl Zeiss Jena Tessar 50mm f/2.8 f/2.8
- Zeiss Carl Zeiss Jena Flektogon 35mm f/2.4 f/2.4
- Tokina RMC Tokina 28mm f/2.8 f/2.8
Frequently asked questions#
Is the Zeiss Carl Zeiss Jena Biotar 58mm f/2 full frame?
Yes — it covers the full 36 × 24 mm frame.
What is the Zeiss Carl Zeiss Jena Biotar 58mm f/2 equivalent to on APS-C?
On a 1.5× APS-C body it frames like 87 mm, and like 93 mm on Canon APS-C.
What is the Zeiss Carl Zeiss Jena Biotar 58mm f/2 good for?
As a standard prime it suits street, documentary, everyday and low-light shooting.
Sources & licences#
- Lensfun lens database — CC BY-SA 3.0
Last updated October 03, 2026 · How we calculate · Sources