Is the Zeiss Ikon still coming?

[Roger Hicks]

Dear Popeye,

Could be. Soon as I know anything, I'll say.

Cheers,

Roger

 

[Peter L]

Roger
Thanks for the info saved me a trip in the morning.My Landrover started life in 86 as a Hardtop I bought it six months ago from a local dealer who restored it to full Defender spec
2.5 tdi, windows ,seats, galvanized steel chasis, new paint job its my pride and joy I am looking forward to my French adventure in it.

 

[Doug]

Peter, Kyocera made the recent "Contax"-branded cameras, and these cameras' Carl Zeiss lenses were made in a plant they owned. I rather hope that they'll release their arranged use of the Contax name so that it can appropriately appear on the new Zeiss Ikon RF cam produced by Cosina.

 

[Peter L]

It would be a shame to see the Contax name dissapear but in the UK the trade press is full of doom and gloom regarding the future of the Contax name

 

[Doug]

In what way, Peter? Certainly "doom and gloom" applies to Kyocera's photo products business under any name, including Yashica...

 

[Trius]

Doug: I mentioned putting the Contax badge on the new ZI, but someone reminded me that the Contax name on an RF would imply the old Contax mount. I agree, and think it should stay at Zeiss-Ikon.

Trius

 

[Roger Hicks]

Dear Peter,

Very nice too! Of course, the only proper LRs are Series, and mine is a 72 SIII which doesn't really count...

Needs a new chassis, too.

Cheers,

Roger

 

[Doug]

Trius, the old Contax RF has been out of production since before many of us were born, and the name has been recently "obscured" by its application to SLR cameras both 35mm and 645 format, and of course the "semi-RF" Contax G series, which uses an optically triangulated AF system that may technically qualify. Returning the Contax name to a manual (mostly) rangefinder camera again would seem to celebrate the heritage and a nice "retro" move.

And for what it's worth, Zeiss-Ikon produced an early 35mm SLR bearing the Contax name, inventing the popular M42 screw mount at the same time! So which IS the "Contax mount"? 🙂

 

[RJBender]

Trius, the old Contax RF has been out of production since before many of us were born, and the name has been recently "obscured" by its application to SLR cameras both 35mm and 645 format, and of course the "semi-RF" Contax G series, which uses an optically triangulated AF system that may technically qualify. Returning the Contax name to a manual (mostly) rangefinder camera again would seem to celebrate the heritage and a nice "retro" move.

And for what it's worth, Zeiss-Ikon produced an early 35mm SLR bearing the Contax name, inventing the popular M42 screw mount at the same time! So which IS the "Contax mount"? 🙂

I checked out the Zeiss Ikon website. Are these people thinking out loud or trying to sell us a camera?

"Well – the new Zeiss Ikon camera should come with a body that, first of all, enables positive grip with European size male hands. This, to us, is a very important requirement, something which seems to be much less important to many makers of consumer digital cameras and cell phones. "

Question for Zeiss: Which camera should Asian men and European women purchase?

"And the new Zeiss Ikon also should, to a certain extent, resemble the cameras that made the name Zeiss Ikon famous over many decades in camera history."

Question for Zeiss: Which older model inspired the new model?

"It also should be easily differentiated from other current 35 mm rangefinder cameras, which might be placed next to the new Zeiss Ikon camera in a dealer’s shop window or on a catalogue or magazine page."

Question for Zeiss: If the other RF camera brands are also made by Cosina, is there really a big difference in quality?


"Looking at our collection of beautiful and ugly examples from 150 years of camera design history we decided to hand over this challenging task of bringing the new Zeiss Ikon camera in good shape to a proven industrial designer. "

Question for Zeiss: Which camera was the ugliest camera produced by Zeiss Ikon?

"We also considered various alternatives for the Carl Zeiss logo to be incorporated in the product. Although some of us voted for the original blue Carl Zeiss logo, the design professionals convinced us to go with a visually quieter version – silver. "

Question for Zeiss: Why not use the blue logo if name recognition is an important consideration?

"Toward that goal we conducted “focus groups” with photo amateurs as well as professionals. To our surprise, they clearly favored the one of our design alternatives which we considered the most conservative, the one with the least appeal. And then they decisively asked for an all black camera body in addition to the silver/black one!"

Question for Zeiss: Was your design team surprised by the focus groups' request for an all black body?

"Mr. Kobajashi and Dr. Scherle are both passionate photographers and connoisseurs of precision mechanics. True to his passion, Mr. Kobajashi also produces precision-engineered cameras for well-known brands such as Voigtländer."

Question: Doesn't Cosina license the Voigtländer name from Ringfoto?

"We at Carl Zeiss would like to make the Zeiss Ikon camera and the corresponding enthusiasm for photography accessible to as many camera lovers as possible. For this reason, we have to offer the camera and the lens at a reasonable price. This is only possible if we possess the courage to plan large quantities from the beginning, and have the financial resources available to realize such ambitious goals."

Question for Zeiss: How many will be produced?

"At Carl Zeiss there were so many ideas waiting for a chance to be realized, and now one of them is coming true. Find out more about it end of January 2005."

Question for Zeiss: It's August, where are chapters 4 and 5?

I thought KW's Praktica was the first M42 mount camera. Are you referring to the Pentacon Contax SLRs?

 

[Doug]

I thought KW's Praktica was the first M42 mount camera. Are you referring to the Pentacon Contax SLRs?

Hi, RJ... I was thinking of the Contax S of 1948, predecessor of the Pentacon and Praktica, said to be the first 35 SLR with fixed pentaprism. Might be wrong, but I think it was also the originator of the M42 mount. Pentax adopted it about 9 years later and then almost immediately enhanced it for automatic diaphragm actuation.

 

[aizan]

I checked out the Zeiss Ikon website. Are these people thinking out loud or trying to sell us a camera?

"Well – the new Zeiss Ikon camera should come with a body that, first of all, enables positive grip with European size male hands. This, to us, is a very important requirement, something which seems to be much less important to many makers of consumer digital cameras and cell phones. "

Question for Zeiss: Which camera should Asian men and European women purchase?

They're just saying that they think digicams and phonecams are too small.

"And the new Zeiss Ikon also should, to a certain extent, resemble the cameras that made the name Zeiss Ikon famous over many decades in camera history."

Question for Zeiss: Which older model inspired the new model?

Obviously, the Contax II and IIa.

"It also should be easily differentiated from other current 35 mm rangefinder cameras, which might be placed next to the new Zeiss Ikon camera in a dealer’s shop window or on a catalogue or magazine page."

Question for Zeiss: If the other RF camera brands are also made by Cosina, is there really a big difference in quality?

Didn't they say in one of these stories that the only part common to the Zeiss Ikon and Voigtlander cameras is the shutter? How big a difference in quality, that's up to Carl Zeiss.

"We also considered various alternatives for the Carl Zeiss logo to be incorporated in the product. Although some of us voted for the original blue Carl Zeiss logo, the design professionals convinced us to go with a visually quieter version – silver. "

Question for Zeiss: Why not use the blue logo if name recognition is an important consideration?

Because it's not as important as discreetness. Leicaphiles cover up the Red Dot.

"Toward that goal we conducted “focus groups” with photo amateurs as well as professionals. To our surprise, they clearly favored the one of our design alternatives which we considered the most conservative, the one with the least appeal. And then they decisively asked for an all black camera body in addition to the silver/black one!"

Question for Zeiss: Was your design team surprised by the focus groups' request for an all black body?

They don't say so, but I doubt it. The focus is supposed to be on responsiveness to our desires.

"We at Carl Zeiss would like to make the Zeiss Ikon camera and the corresponding enthusiasm for photography accessible to as many camera lovers as possible. For this reason, we have to offer the camera and the lens at a reasonable price. This is only possible if we possess the courage to plan large quantities from the beginning, and have the financial resources available to realize such ambitious goals."

Question for Zeiss: How many will be produced?

Limited edition chrome, 1200. Never said how many normal production black units.

edit: 2500.

 

[Trius]

Trius, the old Contax RF has been out of production since before many of us were born, and the name has been recently "obscured" by its application to SLR cameras both 35mm and 645 format, and of course the "semi-RF" Contax G series, which uses an optically triangulated AF system that may technically qualify. Returning the Contax name to a manual (mostly) rangefinder camera again would seem to celebrate the heritage and a nice "retro" move.

And for what it's worth, Zeiss-Ikon produced an early 35mm SLR bearing the Contax name, inventing the popular M42 screw mount at the same time! So which IS the "Contax mount"? 🙂

Doug: I'm well aware of that. The Contax RF was still in production when I was born, BTW. I was just stating a thought that others have stated as well. As far as I am concerned, it doesn't matter that much. As for the Contax SLR and M42 screw mount goes, well.... it was an SLR, it's a very good bet the mounts wouldn't be the same! But this is, after all, a new RF.

Whatever, I just hope it's succesful.

Trius

 

[RJBender]

Obviously, the Contax II and IIa.

Sorry, I don't see much of a resemblance to the Contax II and IIa except for the vertical lines on each side of the lens mount. The self timer lever is on the opposite side of the lens. The front surface is flat, lacking those cool beveled edges around the viewfinder glass. The controls at the top are recessed on the new model. Hey, where's the film rewind knob? 😱

If you're looking for a retro that resembles a Contax II, you need to look at the Nikon S3 2000. :bang:

Are these new UltraPrime™ lenses going to be produced with a Leica compatible M mount? If so, do you think Leica users are going to buy the Zeiss lenses?

 

[RJBender]

Cosina has more information on their website. The 15mm Distagon and 85mm Sonnar are made in Germany. The 21, 25, 28, 35 and 50mm lenses are made in Japan.

They are Leica M mount lenses. There are some interesting posts on the Leica forum.

 

[aizan]

aside from the lens mount plate, there are the two bumps on the bottom for rewind and tripod socket. that's enough to resemble the old contaxes. and the nikon s3 2000 wasn't really a retro camera because it isn't a contemporary design. it was designed circa 1958.

the ultraprimes are for movie cameras, so they won't be made in m-mount.

 

[Huck Finn]

The self timer lever is on the opposite side of the lens.

Are these new UltraPrime™ lenses going to be produced with a Leica compatible M mount? If so, do you think Leica users are going to buy the Zeiss lenses?

It's not a self-timer lever. It is a frame selection lever. There is no self-timer on this camera.

The lenses are produced only in M-mount. Some Leica users will buy the lenses, some won't, & some already have.

Huck

 

[sgy1962]

Is the initial batch of 1200 or so sold out?

 

[hth]

Yes, on the web site you can read "The first Limited Series cameras are already fully reserved. Customer demand has greatly exceeded the limited supply. But a Limited Series has, of course, to be – limited."

/Håkan

 

[RJBender]

aside from the lens mount plate, there are the two bumps on the bottom for rewind and tripod socket. that's enough to resemble the old contaxes. and the nikon s3 2000 wasn't really a retro camera because it isn't a contemporary design. it was designed circa 1958.

The Nikon S3 2000 was manufactured in 2000 to resemble the original S3. Cameraquest calls it a "classic retro style rangefinder " HERE on their website.
(RETRO: “A fashion, decor, design, or style reminiscent of things past".)

The nIKON S was a clone of the Contax rangefinder camera. There is an interesting article HERE by the author of the Zeiss Ikon Compendium.

 

[aizan]

save for a few details, it's a replica, which is quite a bit more than a mere resemblance or reminiscence. it's a thing of the past made today! very classy move on nikon's part.