last questions before buying ZI

[Assaf]

Hello friend,
sorry for flooding this forum with questions...
I made up my mind on buying a silver ZI.

Actually, I had an M6 until two weeks ago. A camera that for various reasons I didn't like and didn't use much. Last two month I've been using a Leica CL. A very cute camera, but the RF is not accurate enough for my needs, and was difficult to handle i n slow speed.

I handlend the ZI of a friend and really like it, and I also like the idea of a camera with aperture priority. I'd like to ask the following questions before buying one (with the money left from the selling of the M6....)
I'm sorry if these questions were asked before:

1) I noticed that RF is great but the patch tends to fade. I don't think it's a big deal, since moving the eye a bit it comes back, and I think I'll get over it handling the camera. What do you say?

2) Where are these camearas fixed? How reliable is the electronic shutter? That's the first electronic camera I use in years, and the newest one.

3) The back of the camera is covered with rubber and not vulcanite. My friend is using the camera extensively and the vulcanite wore off and looks ugly (well, that would have never happened with a Leica...). Moreover, he's a left eye shooter, so he sticks his nose in the back of the camera and made a sort of a hole in the rubber. Was it improved in newer models?

Is there any improvement in the models whatsoever, or are the camera sold today the same as the first ones in the market? I ask, in order to know if there's an advantage for buying a new camera and not a used one.

Many thanks
Assaf

 

[thomasw_]

Hi.

1-- Some claim you get used to it. I didn't. But I didn't have mine for long.

2-- Through the dealer or through Zeiss. Buy used, you will be dealing with Zeiss on your own. I had 2 ZIs both new. No shutter issues, but both had alignment problems. If that would bother you, you might consider buying your ZI new from a dealer. I dealt with my dealer and got refunds.

3-- I had no problem with the ZI 'leather'.

Good luck!

 

[pipal]

1) yes, the patch fades a bit when you misalign the eye position, but I never found it distracting in practical use. I rather see the fading only when I am looking for it and move my eye around to see it. When using the camera, it was never any problem to me.

2) as Thomasw said

3) the same here. It looks durable enough to me.

and last - I do not know about any improvements or changes made during the production. I think, that the camera is the same, but I might be mistaken.

All in all, it is a pretty fine piece of camera, don't worry about buying it. I love mine ZI.

Martin

 

[morback]

1) yes, I overcame it and forgot about it until now. Actually, come to think of it, I don't remember having it fade anymore once I learned to properly align my eye.
2) never had to repair anything
3) I'm a left eye shooter too, I stick my nasty oily nose on that leather, I shoot regularly. No problems (you can slightly tell because the leatherette a that point is slightly matte now at that spot) so far!

It's a beautiful camera. Enjoy.

m.

 

[aizan]

it's best to look through a viewfinder with your eye on-axis, because then you can see all edges of the framelines and the meter display. you end up doing this on all cameras, anyway.

when the covering wears out, you can replace it with one from cameraleather.com.