who owns a recent production zeiss ikon here?

George Bonanno, I use a ZI, a Bessa, even two or three, including Bessa L, a Leica M7, a NIkon FM3A, a Fuji S3 Pro, 4 Hasselblads and about 40 lenses between Nikkors, CVoigtlanders, Zeiss and Leica. If I had to chose 1 camera and 1 lens, it would have been the ZI with the 35mm Biogon. Please, show me what pictures you like taking and what is it that makes your other photographic tools so much better. I do want to learn from you, I want your wisdom.
Regards.
Marek
 
mfogiel said:
George Bonanno, I use a ZI, a Bessa, even two or three, including Bessa L, a Leica M7, a NIkon FM3A, a Fuji S3 Pro, 4 Hasselblads and about 40 lenses between Nikkors, CVoigtlanders, Zeiss and Leica. If I had to chose 1 camera and 1 lens, it would have been the ZI with the 35mm Biogon. Please, show me what pictures you like taking and what is it that makes your other photographic tools so much better. I do want to learn from you, I want your wisdom.
Regards.
Marek
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God forbid someone has a conflicting opinion here.
4 Hasselblads??
 
I think this thread is now at # 68 when I receive mine. Been in doubt for a while as this camera lacks a 75mm frameline. Hasn't got 40mm either, but that's ok with me, I'll use the 35 mm. Seems perfect in all other respects, and couldn't resist an offer from a reputable Dutch seller, new, at about 55-60% the normal price....
 
#69 My black ZI with 50 mm Planar just arrived today. Yummy! The old Contax G2 died, and the GAS kicked in ... I can already feel the urge for the 21 mm Biogon & the 15 mm Distagon rising, but my wallet is thin enough for the moment.
 
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Olsen said:
Then it's me. I have a black ZI with a 25/2,8 + 50/2,0 and a silver Voigtländer 50/2,5. - The black ZI look particularly elegant with this silver Voigtländer lense. You find a picture of it here: http://www.foto.no/diskusjon/images/215181.jpg - Or here: http://www.foto.no/diskusjon/images/219577.jpg

The camera works flawlessly, but I set the ISO at 100 for Kodak 160 VC to get the result that I want. The red ligth exposure values can be difficult to read at times, but it is still far more practical to work with than it's MF sister; the Hasselblad SWC905. Scanned and blown up the negs looks tiny and falls through compared to the MF variant. Although just as sharp and crispy, the small 135-system negs has far lower potential for enlargements compared to MF. For an MF guy, shooting with the ZI is like an old railway man, in full uniform playing with a model railway, size HO.

Not only me is struck by ZI's elegance. A friend of mine,- he has a university degree in 'design' - or something in that line; he finds my Canon 1Ds II just 'awfully vulgar', while he has nothing but praise for the ZI with the Voigtländer lense, which he thinks is just right for this camera... - I am in with the in-crowd...! Am I not?
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No. 24 reports. Looking back, the ZI turned out to be a reliable camera which was easy to work with and kept up appearances after heavy use for close to two years now. The viewfinder is off at infitity, but the ZI takes very sharp pictures with all the m-lenses I now have to my disposal. So, what's my problem? Since I bought the ZI I have also bought a 2.hand Leica MP. It's dead on, but does not take any sharper pictures than the ZI. I find the shutter dial marginally easier to read on the ZI compared to the MP.

- There is something with this heavy Leica quality feel, that the ZI does not have. Still I believe that the ZI is just as reliable and I find the ZI shutter more modern than that of the Leica. Both are very elegant cameras. Even after years of heavy use.

I also have 'four Hasselblads', by the way - of which two are on the picture above. And which illustrates my problem; I am an absolute camera freak that has too many cameras. Which makes it difficult to give priority to one camera, and which in the end hampers my skill as a photographer. The more cameras you have does not make you a better photographer. It is better to consentrate on a simpler gear outfit and learn how to use that. Take my word for it.

Since buying the ZI I have bought a 35 mm 2,0 Summicron 2.hand - a very impressive lense. My first Leica M lense (in modern times, - I owned a Leica many years ago). I have bought the legendary Noctilux which I think is more of a 'curiousite' than a workable lense. Aparture 1,0 is very difficult to use. It backfocuses on my M9 and MP - and I believe, ZI as well. And I have bought a 2.hand Voigtländer 15 mm 4,5 - which is a remarkable little thing. And I bought a M8 with the Tri Elmar 16-18-21 mm, early 2007.

I must admit that it is the M8 I use most extensively, these days. It take time - which I have limited of, to learn to utilize a new digital camera. I was very frustrated in the beginning, but now - nearly a year after buying it, I am getting a grip on it.
 
In a fit of insanity I sold my silver ZI to Marc-A, then sanity came back (sort of) I got a black one.

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I guess I like ZI's.
 
I waited too long to report. I wanted to be number 72 to match my age. I have been taking pictures since I was 8 years old. My first was a Baby Brownie. I shoot close-ups, telephoto, available light without hesitation or worry. One time I held at arms length the camera and took a picture of my Jack Russell and myself... it was had to tell which was the dog. Photographing should be fun and that is want I expect from the ZI.
 
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