Jumping to Zeiss Ikon Advice please!

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bene

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Hi I'm a RF newbie but I love the process and how close one can get to the subject not to forget the compactness!I have been using the Minolta 7sii. I have been contemplating on a new camera which are nikon d700 , sony 850, or Zeiss Ikon. The M9 is out of my league.

I pretty muching going to move to the zeiss system and liquidate my sony set up. I expect the Zeiss to have its digital version in 3 yrs time when FF tech is mature and cheaper!

I just need more persuading and info.
I like to know what is the key difference in the minolta 7 and ikon in terms of the following.
focus patch, effective baseline, ring focus
(minolta's a little difficult to focus fast), size and so on.

and focusing with the 85 f2 ZM

I have no demo to try out =(
 
I've just recently (three months ago) returned to film, but in three months I have purchased two Ikon kits, one with the 35mm f/2.0 and the other with 21mm f/4.5 and finder. I added a few other lenses and a couple of scanners and now the purchase of an M9 looks cheap. I really like the Ikon and am loving film, especially B&W. Can't tell you what to do, but an Ikon is a good start.
 
bene said:
I have been contemplating on a new camera which are nikon d700 , sony 850, or Zeiss Ikon. The M9 is out of my league.
Click to expand...

I think you need to go back to square one to decide what kind of photography you want to do. You are comparing a film RF v. high-MP DSLR and "king of low light" DSLR. Very different tools for very different purposes.

I use my ZI for times when I want to shoot B&W film and don't want to carry a bulky DSLR. OTOH, when shooting sports or macros or just feel like shooting digital, I grab the D700. I highly recommend both for their intended purpose.

I've only read reviews of the A850, but anecdotally, it's probably not what you want if you shoot a lot of low light work.

Cheers!
 
Thanks for the input. I like the Ikon for its quiet and compact. I leave my DSLR at home most of the time . Like now cos i lug my notes and documents around. Digital Ikon is more on the plus side. I suppose Ikon lens will work on M9 if Ikon digital is not out but I think it will be ... Good glass will be good glass.
I shoot a lot of low light like street markets after 7pm....
So the Sony is going to be out of the picture then.

Zeiss seems to be logical and looks so much better than D700.
price of FIlm processing here is ok 8 USD for develop and scan
to jepg

Thanks for the advice i think i am set on
Zeiss + my current sony DSLR for shooting sessions
and Zeiss for travel and day to day
 
I agree, don't hold your breath for a digital Ikon. The big camera companies have all the technology and the market. Products like the Leica M and Zeiss Ikon serve a very small market. How would Zeiss recover development cost of a really stellar digital camera? If you can figure it out then let them know and maybe your dream will come true, otherwise buy what is on the market.
 
bene said:
Thanks for the input. I like the Ikon for its quiet and compact. I leave my DSLR at home most of the time . Like now cos i lug my notes and documents around. Digital Ikon is more on the plus side. I suppose Ikon lens will work on M9 if Ikon digital is not out but I think it will be ... Good glass will be good glass.
I shoot a lot of low light like street markets after 7pm....
So the Sony is going to be out of the picture then.

Zeiss seems to be logical and looks so much better than D700.
price of FIlm processing here is ok 8 USD for develop and scan
to jepg

Thanks for the advice i think i am set on
Zeiss + my current sony DSLR for shooting sessions
and Zeiss for travel and day to day
Click to expand...
How good are those scans? What film will you use to shoot night markets? How many shots will you take a month? What film do you shoot? I easily have spent more on film, developing and scanning in a year than the cost of my D700 which is technically better in nearly every way. I do however like carrying something smaller and lighter most of the time.
 
7 rolls a week max. Trying not to be trigger happy =)
to BWcolor I am not holding my breath for digital Ikon. If they don't come out in 3 yrsI will just get the M9.
scans are 1024 X 1024.
Self develop is much trouble and I feel it is better to shoot without chimping. More into the process.
Its true that I can get D700 for the amount of with cost film but investing into two systems? two set of lens and not to forget the weight of DSLR .
The outlay on d700 + maybe zeiss nikon lenses might be better spent on film.
I think 3 yrs time Digital rangefinder technology will be well and good.
 
bene said:
I think 3 yrs time Digital rangefinder technology will be well and good.
Click to expand...

Or gone forever, because Leica is the only one that does it, and if they go down, there is nobody to do it. Zeiss seems to have restricted themselfs to building lenses for whatever mount comes along the way. They do it for Canon, Nicon, Pentax and Leica mounts, but remember they don't have a big market share because of the lack of AF. For the look in the crystal globe, you have to get out of the RFF and maybe one or two other forums where really enthusiasts have the say and look at the bigger picture, where the money comes from. And in that case, you will see there are not that many who would buy a digital rangefinder - and we already have one in its second generation now. If Zeiss goes out with one, I wonder how many new customers they can get to the market, ie make the market grow, and not getting them away from Leica, because I don't think two struggling competitors is what we need.
Of course, since the highest price I shelled out for a camera was little over 1000EUR, I would like to see other digital rangefinders than the Leica, out of purely selfish reasons.
If you are ok with your current DSLR, keep in and get a film body ( I might suggest a Voigtlander Bessa would also be an alternative ) and start building a lens lineup and shoot a rangefinder ( that's what I am doing right now, don't know how it will work out ) and get used to the whole system. Then, maybe, one day you will get yourself a digital rangefinder in M-mount.
 
slungu said:
If you are ok with your current DSLR, keep in and get a film body ( I might suggest a Voigtlander Bessa would also be an alternative ) and start building a lens lineup and shoot a rangefinder ( that's what I am doing right now, don't know how it will work out ) and get used to the whole system. Then, maybe, one day you will get yourself a digital rangefinder in M-mount.
Click to expand...

A zeiss ikon user let me see into his viewfinder. LOVE is the word.

The M9 is stirring up quite an awesome response.
I considered the bessa but found the ikon more adept.


Selling my DSLR gear is because its just not practical to carry around. I am using my minolta 7sii more than my dslr. Using something that cost 200 while keeping another that cost 2000 in the dry cabinet just irrates me =)

I don't doubt that zeiss can make a digital rangefinder. The tech is there but it is just the cost issue. Thats why I have said 3 yrs time. or maybe photokina 2012.
If Zeiss is really risk averse maybe 8yrs? cos
PNS user wants better IQ and people like me who used a dslr but hate the size. Ricoh grd3 ,g11, X1 will drive demand for FF sensor. There will be a point where FF sensor is available to all just like the current PNS sensor. Someone will jump sooner or later.

Maybe I am just too optimistic...
 
bene said:
A zeiss ikon user let me see into his viewfinder. LOVE is the word.

The M9 is stirring up quite an awesome response.
I considered the bessa but found the ikon more adept.


Selling my DSLR gear is because its just not practical to carry around. I am using my minolta 7sii more than my dslr. Using something that cost 200 while keeping another that cost 2000 in the dry cabinet just irrates me =)

I don't doubt that zeiss can make a digital rangefinder. The tech is there but it is just the cost issue. Thats why I have said 3 yrs time. or maybe photokina 2012.
If Zeiss is really risk averse maybe 8yrs? cos
PNS user wants better IQ and people like me who used a dslr but hate the size. Ricoh grd3 ,g11, X1 will drive demand for FF sensor. There will be a point where FF sensor is available to all just like the current PNS sensor. Someone will jump sooner or later.

Maybe I am just too optimistic...
Click to expand...

Yes, you are too optimistic. Zeiss is not just risk averse: they are building-consumer-cameras averse. They'll cheerfully let someone use Zeiss names as long as they are convinced that the camera is worthy of the Zeiss name. On top of this, Kobayashi-san (of Cosina, who buildz ZIs) is digital averse.

Yes, the technology exists -- and it's locked down with Leica and Kodak patents, which means that for other people, the technology does not exist. In fact, it's worse than that. Not only do they have to do all the R&D: they then have to come up with solutions that don't infringe existing patents. Not outstandingly likely, in my view, for the tiny market segment involved.

Incidentally, for ZI, M8 and M8.2 reviews, go to http://www.rogerandfrances.com/subscription/reviews.html

Cheers,

R.
 
Last edited:
If you're in love with the Ikon... I'd get an Ikon. If you buy something else you'll still be wishing and wondering what life would be like with an Ikon. I have an Ikon and a DSLR... more often than not I pick up the Ikon. And the D700 is a great machine.... but it's sooooo big. And the good news is... if you're willing to wait 3 to 5 years for a FF digital... by then you might be able to get a user M9 for... a slightly more affordable price assuming there's no digital Ikon.
 
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