A few first photos from the ZI that arrived yesterday

[picker77]

BW400CN with deluxe Walgreen processing, CV 35/1.7.

I like the way this CV35 sees with this camera, now I just have to remember this isn't my RF645--I suppose it wouldn't kill me to try a landscape format shot once in a whille, LOL.

One thing I noticed that had not registered in my brain before, and I haven't seen mentioned on the forum... this thing has no self-timer (or if it does, it's cleverly hidden on the camera and in the manual). Is this an op problem or is it just not there?

 

[brainwood]

Nice shots . The cv 35/1.7 is a favourite of mine as well.
They do work well the other way round too.

 

[back alley]

no self timer...

 

[BTMarcais]

Probably not a big deal not having the self timer. I've never used the one on my M3, pretty much only use it on my DSLR, and rarely then.
YMMV of course.

-Brian

 

[picker77]

Me too, I suppose. I'm glad to hear it doesn't have one, I'd hate to think it did and I couldn't find it. LOL.

Tomorrow I'll try a Jupiter-8 and Industar 61 L/D on it. My M2 should arrive late this week, then I'll be able to compare the feel of the ZI with a classic Leica, which I've never owned before. I expect to like them both.

 

[leica M2 fan]

Picker, you will like them both, they're very nice cameras.

 

[payasam]

The ZI's theoretically more accurate range-finder is tempting, as is its automatic exposure ability.

 

[picker77]

Only two rolls of experience so far, but it's apparent that the metering will cheerfully encourage blowing out skies if you aren't careful. High-contrast scenes require pointing the camera a bit into the darker areas, punching the AE lock with your thumb, re-composing, and shooting. No big deal and quick to do--Zeiss made it easy with a perfectly located "20-second AE Lock" button, but it's something to keep in mind, especially when shooting slides. An F100 meter this is not. But it's a nice liberated feeling to have confidence in RF exposures without dragging out a handheld meter. I'm going to try some Velvia 100 in it, but I will certainly pay attention to metering when I do, as compared to a bit more freedom to just set the camera on "A" and blast away with Tri-X or HP5+.

Boy, what a nice camera this is. Today I'll see how it likes the Industar 61 L/D (my RF lens stable is low-budget so far). BTW, the ZI came with a nice but useless-for-anything-but-storage leather box-type case (with hidden magnetic closure buttons, no less), but I lucked into a mint Zeiss eveready case for it on eBay for $65, a beautifully made case that fits perfectly. I just wish the blue Zeiss logo on the case was on the camera instead. I didn't like Zeiss' replacing the blue logo on the ZI with the chrome version. Can't have everything.

 

[sojournerphoto]

The ZI is a great camera. I've found the AE pretty good really, except in the obvious situations. You need to remember that the pattern is weighted towards the bottom left of frame, so you must shoot verticals right hand up.

I atrted with a CV 35/1.7 and it's a nice lens. Only sold when I got a Biogon.

Welcome and keep enjoying.

Mike

 

[scorpius73]

The only thing I dont like about the ZI magnesium top plate is that it is easily scratched. The film advance on mine looks like I have bitten it with my teeth. Oh well.

 

[picker77]

Thanks for reminding me about the lower left thing, I've read that elsewhere. I'll pay a little more attention to the meter weighting from now on. The camera is so wonderful to use I can live with the softer metal top/bottom plates in return for the carrying and handling ease afforded by the light weight magnesium. Plus if I ever get lost in the woods I can scrape some of the magnesium off with my pocket knife to start a fire--although I'll admit I'd have to be pretty damned cold for that to happen. 🙂

Re Lenses: Up to now I've never used anything wider than a 50 on a 35mm RF, mostly because that's what most of them come with and this Zeiss is my first 35mm RF with interchangeable lenses (my first Leica, an M2, isn't here yet--maybe today). I almost bought a 25 or 21 instead of this CV-35/1.7, but not having to use an external finder was the clincher, because I detest messing with extras and accessories like finders and meters. That's what's kept me so far from buying a 45mm for my RF645. But now that I've tried the 35 focal length I like it a lot. Coverage is plenty wide for both street shots and landscape, the ZI has excellent 35 framelines, and at 1.7 the lens is still plenty fast for fairly low light, even with 100 or 125 film. For really low light I'll just use 400 film. To nearly fill the frame with a person in a candid shot with a 21 would seem to require being way too close for comfort (at least for MY comfort), and would seem to negate much of the advantage of using a small, discreet camera with a quiet shutter. Even the quietest shutter doesn't help much if you have to shoot from four feet away! I like to be at least out of punching range so I've got room to turn and run. LOL.

The only accessory I'm considering right now is a Tom Abramson soft release, if I can convince myself it would really be useful.

 

[picker77]

M2 arrivved, impressive camera in it's own right. Feels more "brick-like" in the hand. It's a 1961 model, well-used but operationally very smooth and in perfect mechanical condition. Compared M2 shutter "noise" to the ZI, and I honestly can't tell any difference in volume, the ZI just has a different sound, not louder. The M2 has a bit of a duller sound, the ZI a little more metallic-sounding. Both are very quiet.

 

[Tom A]

The difference in shutter sound is simply that the ZI uses a metal bladed copal shutter and the M2 the cloth shutter. The ZI is actually very well dampened when it comes to sound.
I suspect that we will see you with the 35 on the M2 and the 50 on the ZI. There is something with the M2 finder that begs for a 35!!
As for wide - you can use a 25 on the ZI and use the entire finder as a guideline. Not perfect - but hey, its a rangefinder not a Nikon F.
For a 28, look at the 28f3.5 VC - about as good as it gets - slow - but well worth it. I use mine on the ZI quite often - great walk around lens/body combination too.
For the moment I would recommend that you just keep the two bodies/lenses that you have and shoot the hell out of them. After a couple of 100 rolls - you will know what you want as a wide and can make an educated guess as to which angle of view you would be comfortable with.