Buying ZI and lenses: need your advice

[Alex Krasotkin]

Guys, I fall in love with ZI, as it was just introduced to the market. After reading a lot of reviews I decided to invest into this system and chose:

1) ZI Chrome Body
2) 25/2.8 (chrome)
3) 50/2 (chrome)

As I understand the above two lenses are absolute jewels in a crown!

4) In addition I want to buy Leica 90/2 pre-ASPH version for shooting candid portraits.

In order to support 35mm focus range, I will keep my Konica Hexar AF with its
beautiful 35/2 lens!

Here are my questions:

1) How good and correct is meter in ZI, if shooting slidefilm?
2) If I buy everytining in silver, will it be sugnificantly heavier, then black version?
3) Do you think black lens shade will look odd on a silver lens? Price of shade is complete strip-off, although I understand that it is a must to have it, especially on 25/2.8
4) If Leica 90/2 (chrome) is a heavy lens and will I see framlelines in ZI viewfinder? Will quality of ASPH version will be marginally better?

5) What do you think about the above set-up in general?

Another system, that I have is gourgeous Contax 645 AF. As my shooting style is changing from landscapes to journalizm, people, candid photo, portraits, it is too bulky to carry this camera with 4 lenses. I may keep it for a while untill I will get sure that rangefinding system is what I really need for my photography style!

Appreciate your comments and thoughts!
Thank you very much in advance!

regards,
Alexander
http://www.krasotkin.com/

 

[Kyle]

1) I've only used the in camera meter for black and white film, but it has been very accurate as far as I can tell.
2) IIRC, the chrome ZI and lenses is paint, not actual chrome, so there should be no significant difference in weight.
3) Its a matter of personal taste, but no, I do not think a black hood will look odd on a silver camera, it should look right at home on it. If you want my advice, if you buy the 50/2 Planar, buy the Voigtlander LH-5 hood. Its $40 cheaper and from what I see in picture comparisons it looks very similar, if not the same. I use it on my 50 ZM and its great.
4)A Leica 90 will bring up the ZI's 85mm framelines. This isn't much of a problem, however, as framelines are approximations only, and 85 is close enough to 90 for the difference to be negligeble. In fact, I use a Leica 90/2.8 on my ZI.
5)Sounds like you have made some good choices. They're all great lenses and the ZI is a great camera.

 

[jano]

#2: no, same weight
#3: it looks like a silver lens with black hood 🙂 I have this combo, nothing out of the ordinary.

One more bit of advice: if possible, try to find a place that has the camera in stock so you can give try it out before buying.

 

[ronnie_retro]

I shoot mostly slides. Over the last year I used mainly my Bessa R2A which has a similar but somewhat cruder AF mode. I never had an exposure problem with the Bessa and expect the Zeiss to be even better (less likely to be fooled) for a couple of reasons:

1). The manual lists the Zeiss as having 12th stop *auto* exposure increments, which is very fine indeed; an exposure step size of just 6%. Even with the high contrast of slide film this yields exposure indexing at just perceptible steps. Keep in mind in manual mode though, the readout is just the selected shutter speed which is in 2:1 increments - 1/30, 1/60, etc.

2). The Zeiss is center weighted. Next time you change the lens take a look at the shutter side facing the lens, you'll see a light horizontal stripe down one of the blades.

FYI, I find Velvia has slightly better resolution than Provia, but Provia produces a very reliable color pallette which is not overly upset by changes in time of day, skylight etc. It also has the advantage of lower contrast than Velvia which is helpful when prints are made.

Regarding the lens choice, I'm sure everyone shoots differently and has their favorites, but myself I'd take advantage of the 28 mm framelines in the Zeiss and include it in your kit. You might try he 28/1.9 Voigtlander as a supplement. It is a very fine lens and by 2.8 or 4 competes head on with Leica glass and is very reasonably priced. Personally I'd find the need for an external viewfinder annoying if I had to use it for one of my main lenses.
Your mileage may vary.

 

[back alley]

i've been using the 25 on the zi without an external finder.
works fine and i get to use my imagination a little too.

joe

 

[Huck Finn]

No problem using the 90 Summicron with the ZI 85 frame because the ZI 85 frame lines are identical to the 90 frame lines on the M2 & are actually narrower than the 90 frame lines on the CV R2/3A!. Strange but true.

The "chrome" ZI body is silver colored metal combined with black leatherette, so the black lens hood combined with a silver lens looks just fine. I use it that way. The lens hood is expensive but it is also superb.

It sounds like a very nice set-up.