How common is the Zeiss wobble

Well, if you like been hosed, you could pay 1241.

For the rest of us:

The first seller has 94.9% positive feedback, way below what I trust.
The item is a counterfeit.
(Private listing)
h***b (2)Past month

Bad service, no response after refunded without any notice. And claimed items no longer available, but the items are still made available on the page. unethical seller. Will never believe such nonsense story again. Shop at your own risk!
Ghibli My Neighbor Totoro Water Garden Bonsai Figurine Kasayado Anime Rare (#295659349762)
3***t (6)
US $496.99
Past month

Hi honest Japan, I am call you dishonest Japan. Wrong item was sent, and I want to working with you to resolve this problem but you are can’t do it. Then you will get this negative.
(Private listing)
9***b (262)Past month

Terrible communication. Responded on 1st query a few days later and I have reached out multiple other times and have not received a response at all.
Tag Heuer Connected SAR8A80 Men's Wristwatch Sapphire Crystal Silver Stainless (#295648839139)
i***h (270)
US $579.99
Past 6 months

The seller is most likely a scammer! I bought a product from him on April 21st. But he still hasn't sent it and today is May 10, I wrote him 9 times!!! And he answered once that he would allegedly send it soon and disappeared again without sending anything! I will open a complaint against this seller and I do not recommend all potential buyers to contact him if your nerves, time and money are dear to you!
Sega Genesis Mini 2 16-Bit Video Game System Black US Edition 60 Games (#295603094943)
a***_ (60)
US $142.49
Past 6 months

This seller is a FRAUD! I purchased item in April 18th. Exactly 1 week later and no shipping information?? WTF!@ they still said the item was available to buy? They obviously do not know how to run a business !! AVOID SELLER !!
Fiio M11Pro Portable Digital Audio Player High Resolution Audio Equipment (#295636025850)
s***8 (36)
US $367.99
Past 6 months

🚨🚨🚨DO NOT BUY FROM THIS SCAMMER🚨🚨🚨 ORDERED MY ITEM ON 4/9/23 AND TILL THIS DAY HAVE NOT RECEIVED IT. TODAY IS 4/24/23 AND SELLER CLAIMS TO HAVE DROPPED IT OFF BUT ONCE I CONTACTER DHL THEY HAVE NO WORD ON SUCH SHIPMENT. NOW I HAVE TO CLAIM WITH EBAY. 🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨 SCAM SELLER🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨
Nintendo DSi LL Yellow Handheld Game Console Video Games with Tracking (#295565963773)
y***n (410)
US $249.99
Past 6 months

⛔️DO NOT TRUST⛔️Seller has sold the item to another seller AFTER I had won the item! Very greedy and the seller has been reported to eBay! ⛔️DO NOT TRUST⛔️
Cartier Necklace Lapis Lazuli Scarab Design K18 YellowGold Pendant Ladies (#295637998738)
u***d (1006)
US $1,532.99
Past 6 months

I purchased on 4/7/2023 and now is 04/17/2023, he still not ship anything yet. I contacted seller 8 times & no response. This is just totally unacceptable. Buyers be advised, This is just a SCAM & CROOK. He list things he does NOT actually have. DO NOT BUY FROM THIS SELLER. They NEVER SHIPPED MY ITEM & THEY DO NOT RESPOND TO MESSAGES... I HAD TO REPORT TO EBAY AND TRY TO GET A REFUND.
Carl Zeiss Lens Distagon T* 1.4/35 ZM Black ZM Mount For Leica M For Zeiss (#295562807281)
n***n (331)
US $1,599.99
Past 6 months

Unresponsive, slow to ship.
Seiko Selection Quartz Pokemon Special Model Pikachu SCXP175 Wristwatch (#295466377317)
s***s (29)
US $284.04
Past 6 months

I initially purchased an item from this seller on 3/5/2023. It is now 3/18 and the item is still not shipped. I contacted the sellor five times but all i got is zero response. I can understand delays but for over two weeks not getting any response is just unacceptable. Buyers be advised, it seems like this seller had a similar issues with different products. They post without an actual item.
Eagle Racing Motor dyno MD1-V2 (Brush Motor Only) 2493V2 Pro Spec Power (#295509938251)
0***6 (11)
US $137.74
Past 6 months

Order got cancelled on me
Sony MD Mini Disc Deck Record Player MDS-E12 Playback Recorder Home Audio (#295473106698)
k***o (33)
US $219.99
Past 6 months

This was only a mildly negative experience. Seller did not have the item to sell. They most likely are a middlemen that list items from other sites or stores. If they can’t secure the item they will refund your money, they are not crooks. I am ok that they are middlemen, they just take 12 or 13 days before they let you know they can’t get your item. If you have to choose between middlemen or other sellers offering the same item, my guess is they are not the fastest brokers to work with.
Schott N.Y.C Harris Tweed Perfecto Brand Riders Jacket Men's Size M Green Check (#295475079886)
n***a (107)
US $424.64
Past 6 months

Seller cancelled my purchase due to trouble shipping because of covid19, this is obviously a LIE, i've been receiving packages from japan from fedex and japan post since january and 2022. LIARS
GBL Studio Ghibli Spirited Away Rayon Skajin Men's Size L Embroideries Black (#295078585230)
e***i (111)
US $373.06
Past 6 months

SCAM. Seller contacted me trying to sell another watch, claiming the one i bought was lost in warehouse. The watch he was trying to sell me with a ridiculous discount for the 'inconvenience' was of terrible quality and obviusly a scam product. Beware as other buyers have reported the same about this seller !!!
Casio Edifice solar watch EQB-501XDB-1AJF Digital Analog Watches Men's (#295278828690)
u***v (230)
US $174.83
Past 6 months

Attention! The seller sends incomplete goods, later explains that they took out / got lost at customs. When I took the package out of the plastic courier bag, it was intact.
Casio G-Shock Ichiro Collaboration Watch DW-6600 Limited Model Vintage With Box (#295048643287)
u***l (5)
US $393.96
Past 6 months

Order was place 7 business days ago. On the 6th days, i Received notification from the seller that the item was no longer available and tried offering me similar used shoes at a discounted price (not in good condition). Offered me a refund and now doesn’t not reply to my messages. Don’t buy from this seller. Nothing honest about how they do business. Should’ve offered an immediate refund.
Nike AirJordan4 SE Black and Light Steel Canvas DH7138-006 27.5cm US9.5 (#295253627810)
p***p (365)
US $319.73
Past 6 months

This seller list things he doesn't actually have. He claimed the warehouse went out if business due to covid, so he offered a replacement and asked me to confirm which would have been acceptable. However, the same item with the same pictures he sent me was listed by another seller, and this seller hasn't responded to messages for 7 days. Seems like a scam to me. I've asked for a refund but if course no response. So now I have to wait until December to get a refund from eBay. Not happy.
Casio G-Shock GA-2100THS-1AJR Men's Wristwatch with Box & Replacement Band (#295102528662)
n***t (89)
US $230.63
Past year

Bought this item on 1st Oct. Has not been dispatched and seller has not replied any of my emails. Posting now changed to item not in stock . Obviously a scam.
Zeiss Planar T * 50mm F2 ZM Leica Mount Manual Focus Camera Lens with Box (#295104435457)
7***w (31)
US $537.53
Past year

Paid for a order on 2-10-2022. Got the message that the product wasn t available anymore and I had the option to choose an other similar product. Since then silence and no money back.
GPD Pocket 2S 3965Y Memory 8GB SSD 256GB Windows10 Black Japan Import (#295106054873)
e***i (4)
US $473.36
Past year

Steer clear of honest Japan selling a watch he did not have in his possession. I paid to have the watch verified 1.3k+ on sept 20th was notified “the warehouse he had it stored at went out of business during Covid. I am not buying this excuse 1 bit just waiting for my refund. Very disappointed
Omega Seamaster 300 Date 2561.80 Quartz Watch Display Analog Mens With box (#295005338732)
r***h (116)
US $1,203.41
Past year

SOLD ME FAKE CHANEL SHOES - I had them authenticated by two sources - Authentication First and Real Authentication both deemed fake. Do not buy designer items from this seller! They are also very slow to communicate.
Chanel Loafer Lambskin Ladies Shoes Loafer Black 24cm US 7 With Protective Bag (#295204058331)
c***c (1084)
US $833.99
Past year

This seller really doesn t reply...it took a LONGGG time until they reply and they said they don t have the item. Seller seems nice after they replied, but they need to reply sooner. Thank you!
Balenciaga Denim Jacket Crashed Back Logo MCO557351 Blue Men's Size 44 (#294809583240)
0***y (22)
US $890.99
Past year

DON T BUY FROM THIS PERSON. HE/SHE DOES NOT RESPOND TO MESSAGES. NEVER SHIPPED MY ITEM FOR 2 WEEKS AFTER MESSAGING MANY TIMES UNTIL I HAD TO REPORT TO EBAY AND GET A REFUND. SAVE YOUR TIME AND MONEY AND DON T BUY FROM THEM. THEY CHANGE THEIR USERNAME CONSISTENTLY AS WELL SO BE CAREFUL. NOT TRUSTWORTHY AT ALL!
adidas Soccer Spike X Speedflow 1 FG Clear Onyx FY6866 US Size 12 Mens (#294993463818)
h***r (5)
US $110.99
Past year

As a seller I do not recommend it to anyone, they do not respond to emails, you ask for an item and they send you another, a lot of delay. I asked him for shoes number 10.5 and he sent number 10
(Private listing)

The second seller primarily sells low-cost game cartridges. Not a regular seller of camera gear. Japanese Pawn Shop? Not a camera dealer.



You can take chances with sellers like this that are far, far away. It's a gamble. Might work out, might not. If anyone buys from either of these Ebay Dealers- you are taking a big risk. Myself- Stay Far, Far away from dealers with feedback this bad. "Honest.Japan.Shop" Face it Flounder, you Trusted Them.

B&H is representative of a full-service store that sells items new, with warranty.


Ebay, buying out of Japan- figure it's like buying a used lens, if it is broken- you are stuck with it.
 
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Such a beautiful lens!

It makes my Summicron v4 look and feel cheap (just objectively, mine seems like it really is cheap, the way the aperture ring skips around and feels so flimsy - of all the lenses I have, Leica and otherwise, it’s a disappointment).
 
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Well, if you like been hosed, you could pay 1241.
I’m not picking on you for your comment, just using it to lead into my comment.

If you really want to get hosed buy a new 35mm Summicron for $3,895 or a new Apo 35 for $8,295.

I’ve owned many Leica lenses and used them heavily and had 3 fail mechanically, a 35 f2 v4, 50 f2 v3 and 90 mm Apo. I’ve also had 5 ZM and have 2 of them right now, a planar and 35 f2 Biogon and never had an issue.

My point, par many times the price for a Leica lens and you can still have problems. It there were no
Problems there would be very little need for a repair department.

Sure Zeiss could have specked them with all metal components but you’d be paying more, considerably more. When the ZM lenses were in production how many could you buy and throw away before you reach the price of a Leica lens.
 
Since y'all talking about Zeiss 35 ZM and don't want to get hosed, the Biogon 35C is the unheralded star. Higher resolving than the ZM 2/35 without the focus shift, smaller, spectacular color and contrast, flare-free. And affordable...the even more marvelous ƒ/1,4 being too damned big. The 35C has served me well ever since I tired of the focus shift of the Summicron ASPH on digital M. Over the years, have owned 5 ZF and 1 ZM lenses (still have 1 ZF and 1 ZM). Never a wobble and superb optics; even if one had wobbled, they were so much better than Nikkor AFS-G lenses by every measure, that I sold off all them and only used the Zeiss until I got out of Nikon DSLR altogether.

Just as point of reference, this is what a brand-new Nikkor 24/1.4 looked like out of the box--waited quite some time to receive mine when it was first introduced....so stop agonizing over Zeiss/Cosina:

IMG_0076.JPG
 
Since y'all talking about Zeiss 35 ZM and don't want to get hosed, the Biogon 35C is the unheralded star. Higher resolving than the ZM 2/35 without the focus shift, smaller, spectacular color and contrast, flare-free. And affordable...the even more marvelous ƒ/1,4 being too damned big. The 35C has served me well ever since I tired of the focus shift of the Summicron ASPH on digital M. Over the years, have owned 5 ZF and 1 ZM lenses (still have 1 ZF and 1 ZM). Never a wobble and superb optics; even if one had wobbled, they were so much better than Nikkor AFS-G lenses by every measure, that I sold off all them and only used the Zeiss until I got out of Nikon DSLR altogether.

Just as point of reference, this is what a brand-new Nikkor 24/1.4 looked like out of the box--waited quite some time to receive mine when it was first introduced....so stop agonizing over Zeiss/Cosina:

View attachment 4823888
I worked in a camera shop back in university days, 1970s. Sold a Nikkor 80~200/4.5 when it was new, a $700 lens in the day. I always opened up the box with the customer. The front element was shattered. New lens, box never opened, direct from Nikon.
 
I've bought a lot of cameras and lenses from Japan on ebay and I can only remember two occasions where I've had to return the items. Whatever you buy on ebay make sure you have right of return. As for Zeiss ZM lenses all three of mine are bought on ebay, but they were brand new in box. At some point I will get the 2.8/21mm, and I will buy a new in box this time as well.
 
I've bought a lot of cameras and lenses from Japan on ebay and I can only remember two occasions where I've had to return the items. Whatever you buy on ebay make sure you have right of return. As for Zeiss ZM lenses all three of mine are bought on ebay, but they were brand new in box. At some point I will get the 2.8/21mm, and I will buy a new in box this time as well.
Right to return is important, but an overseas seller who insists that you pay return shipping on a heavy, expensive, defective item is still giving you a hosing. If the ad says it is fully working, and you get (for example) a leaf shutter lens that is hanging up at slow speeds, that is not the item advertised, and ebay will back you up. In such a case, insist (politely) that the seller send you a call tag. My experience is that they are almost always willing to do so, to avoid a bad review. Being respectful is very important. A seller may have a lens sitting on a shelf for two years without the shutter being exercised; it was inspected and working when put on the shelf, and they are operating in good faith.
 
It's a design flaw due to the use of plastic components:


I haven't experienced it yet on my Zeiss C-Biogon 35mm, but it's probably only a question of time and use.
An intelligent, well-written, and well-reasoned article. Thanks for posting it!
Now, just a thought: Does it seem odd to anyone else that the "premium" lens line manufactured by Cosina (to Zeiss specs) used suboptimal construction, while the bread-and-butter Cosina/Voigtlander line is rock solid and most often every bit the equal of the Zeiss line, optically, for a substantially lower cost? What's in a name? Is there something here I'm missing?
 
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Chris at Skyllaney did that interview, and does the repair. I've had my C-Sonnar for 12 years now- smooth as butter. This is probably a usage issue.
The use of Teflon was probably to make the focus action smooth, not to save cost or weight. The differences in cost and weight are trivial. Having worked in an Optics Lab for decades, with optical and mechanical engineers working for me- I've seen a lot of trade-offs made.
 
6 of one, half a dozen of the the other, eh? Between what I read here, from Brian & that article/interview as well as the photos I've seen, I'll still keep the C-Sonnar on my short list

(Said short list currently being Canon 50/1.5 LTM, Leica 50/2 Summar, Nikkor AF 85/1.8 D, Micro-Nikkor AF 105/2.5 D, Voigtlander 35/2.5 Color Skopar & the Zeiss. Yes, it's an odd list ;) )
 
II haven't experienced it yet on my Zeiss C-Biogon 35mm, but it's probably only a question of time and use.
Don’t you think that’s true of anything you buy?mechanical devices will eventually fail if used enough.
 
Don’t you think that’s true of anything you buy?mechanical devices will eventually fail if used enough.
The Teflon material used in the Zeiss lenses fails, it deforms, breaks, and gets lodges in the mechanism. Metal parts can wear, but with proper cleaning and lubrication, it does not fail in a similar fashion. I have 90 year old lenses that work perfectly, original parts.
 
The Teflon material used in the Zeiss lenses fails, it deforms, breaks, and gets lodges in the mechanism. Metal parts can wear, but with proper cleaning and lubrication, it does not fail in a similar fashion. I have 90 year old lenses that work perfectly, original parts.
It does make me wonder if the wear characteristics simply didn't register when the engineer responsible was caught up in how smooth the Teflon made it feel?
 
I have a Bausch + Lomb licensed Tessar. In barrel for 5x8, f/6.3, solid brass and half a million aperture blades (well, ok, 18 IIRC). Renders insanely beautifully on 4x5. Had to have been made between 1912 (when B&L licensed the design from Zeiss) and 1914 (the outbreak of WWI and legal issues tied up the licensing. ). When you mention thinking of designing for a 100 year life span, that old beauty springs to mind :)
 
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