Zeiss announced the new Batis 135mm f/2.8 APO Sonnar FE lens. Here is all you need to know about the lens:

Preorders:
Zeiss Batis 135mm f/2.8 lens at Adorama, Bhphoto, PhotoPorstNeuwied and ParkCameras.
Zeiss Batis 135mm lens shade at Adorama and Bhphoto.

Image samples and previews:
Official Batis 135mm page at Zeiss. Images on Flickr.
Full resolution RAW images to link at mattgranger.com/135batis.
In the Field with the Just Announced Zeiss Batis 135mm (Explora).
Full review by Amateur Photographer (says “it sets an exceptionally high bar that won’t be easy to match“)
Preview with images by Irwin Wong, Topher DeLancy and Greg Watermann on Lenspire.
Full reivew at ThePhoBlographer (says “It’s fantastic in so many ways“).
Zeiss Batis APO Sonnar 135mm f/2.8 Lens Review (VeryBigLobo).
Hands-on by Adorama.
First Look by Brian Smith.
German test by FotoMagazin.
RAw image samples at lbag (zip file). Artcile at lbag.

Videos:

Introducing the new ZEISS Batis 2.8/135

Video by Matt Granger

Topher DeLancy about the new ZEISS Batis 2.8/135

Press text:

The advanced correction of the Apo Sonnar lens design ensures extremely realistic portrayal of your subject. To avoid shaking, an optical image stabilizer has also been integrated in the design. The fast and precise autofocus is your guarantee of sharply defined images – even in difficult light. The shallow depth of field at maximum aperture allows the creative combination of focus and blur, allowing you to direct the viewer’s attention to the main subject of your photo.

The ZEISS Batis autofocus lenses were specially developed for mirrorless, full-frame system cameras from Sony. The lenses are fully compatible with all E-mount cameras and offer protection against dust and weather in addition to fast and quiet autofocus. For creative photography, the innovative OLED display shows the distance and depth of field to ensure that the focusing range can always be perfectly set. The result: images that will amaze you. The completely new design of the high-speed ZEISS Batis family offers perfect image quality.

Click on the image to enlarge:

Curiosity:
Emin: “i create a small gallery with a Batis 85mm f1.8 in a crop mode on a Sony A7RII became 127.5mm f2.7  (18mp) https://www.flickr.com/photos/em34/albums/72157678886484284“

It’sa going ot be a busy time now on SAR! Today Zeiss will announce the new Batis 135mm f/2.8 lens at 11:00 Berlin time. And hopefully Sony will announce new E-mount stuff on April 23.

To be sure to not miss any of the upcoming news do this:
Subscribe our RSS feed (Click here).
Join us on Facebook (Click here).
Follow us on Twitter (Click here).

You are ready to go? :)

Sony manager Yasuyuki Nagata got interviewed at Dpreview. Here are some key info:

1. About Tele FE lenses:
   “If a lot of professional photographers [want those lenses] we will have to create them. But for now, our main professional user base is portraits and landscape photographers.” …..That’s for our readers animalsbybarry ;)
2. Aiming Sports Photographers:
   “Maybe. Of course it’s not just the lens, it’s the body as well.“
3. 1 inch compact camera market:
   “we enjoy 60-70% market share in most regions“
4. Earthquake impact:
   The Kumamoto impact was more profound on full-frame sensors than one-inch.
5. Is the PRO market growing?
   “I believe so. Which is why pro support is getting more important for us.“
6. About the A-mount future:
   “There is a huge number of lenses for A mount, from Sony and Minolta, and we want to maintain a good relationship with those customers by providing great A mount bodies with no compromises compared to the E mount system. But we can start capturing new customers with the E mount. We we need both.”

To sum up:

• Sony was hiding their cards. As far as we know the next high End E-mount camera body will be the first that could satisfy Sports Photographers. And a new 100-400mm FE lens is rumored to be on the roadmap too.
• Sony is aware they need to improve battery life and that they need to improve and extend their PRO support. Those are also two of the main complaints of many SAR readers.
• Sony confirmed their commitment to A-mount but more on the body than on the lens side: “We have to prioritize. It’s not easy developing new lenses.“