Limited 35mm budget: Zeiss vs Leica

[DwF]

Oh, golly gee, another poll.

Nice thing to do when in lockdown with you know what...

My usual spanner in the works. With a thousand to spend, go for a nice Contax G1, a 45mm Zeiss Planar, and one other lens - your choice of the superb 28mm Zeiss Biogon or the much maligned but just as good if used with care 90mm Zeiss Sonnar.

Once you've shot slides with the 45mm, you will never ever look back.

Trust me on this. I've done it. And am still doing it.

Why Contax didn't succeed with the Contax G line is beyond me to figure out. Such a sad ending to a superbly good camera line.

It's not "another" poll, see the date ^^^ in posts above, It was the original poll! 😉

For sure, the G line was very nice. I can only speak from my perspective and that was that I preferred the Leica in feel and form factor so there was no desire to get into another system. Also as I recall the Contax was quite pricey and while one could find deals on used Leica gear, used Contax G gear less readily available.

 

[Huss]

Why Contax didn't succeed with the Contax G line is beyond me to figure out. Such a sad ending to a superbly good camera line.

Teeny viewfinder.
Noisy and often inconsistent AF.
Limited lens selection (no aftermarket lenses)

Yes the lenses offered are excellent (bar the 35), but obviously the negatives carried the day...

 

[Deleted member 65559]

Teeny viewfinder.
Noisy and often inconsistent AF. ...

......slow shutter response

 

[jrose125]

I love my 35mm Summicron, but the Biogon is undeniably a better bang-per-buck.

 

[CharlesDAMorgan]

Just sold my Biogon 35mm f2.8. Exquisite lens, if I shot colour at all it would be the lens to be kept, but I find it, like all my Zeiss lenses, too contrasty in black and white.

I shall survive, very happily, with my goggled Summaron 35mm f2.8 which recently returned from a full service. They work on my M5 too, bringing up the 50mm framelines. This may be a little small, but at least I can see all of it!

 

[narsuitus]

Which of the 35mm´s do you like to buy for about 1000usd?

(900-1450usd)

I bought a used 35mm f/1.4 Zeiss Distagon for $1610.


Leica M6 by Narsuitus, on Flickr

 

[NaChase]

There's a 35 ZM Distagon in the classifieds here for even a few bucks less than the above post (I have no affiliation with the seller). I have this lens and it is stellar.

http://www.rangefinderforum.com/pho...distagon-t-2a-1-2c4-2f35-zm-for-leica-m/cat/2

 

[maigo]

There's a 35 ZM Distagon in the classifieds here for even a few bucks less than the above post (I have no affiliation with the seller). I have this lens and it is stellar.

http://www.rangefinderforum.com/pho...distagon-t-2a-1-2c4-2f35-zm-for-leica-m/cat/2

Date of listing is July 2019.

 

[NaChase]

Date of listing is July 2019.

No mention of it being being sold though ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Additionally, that price seems well within the range you can expect for this lens.

 

[Beemermark]

I'm sure the Zeiss 35mm lenses are nice ( have the 50mm/1.5) but why so darn big? I like my 35 Summicron because it is one of the smallest lenses for my M.

 

[Bendj]

Over the years...

I really liked the 35 Biogon f2 but it was a little large.

The 35 Summicron ASPH has great handling but I found the images a little too modern for me.

The 35 Summicron V4 was my favourite but mine had a bad case of the wobbles that couldn't be repaired. Plus it is really expensive now.

I settled on the 35mm Summaron which has fantastic image quality (especially with B&W) and outstanding handling (I like infinity locks).

Plus I have a Minolta M-Rokkor for when I need a bit more speed and it's really close in look to the Summicron V4.

 

[james.liam]

At this point, the discontinued Summarit line offers some of the best deals for Leica lenses (particularly the 35 & 75).

The 35 Summarit does in fact have an aspherical element, demonstrates no visible focus shift and has a rendering somewhere midway between the Summicron ASPH and v.4; not quite modern and not quite Classic, but a nice compromise.

 

[Bob Michaels]

I'm sure the Zeiss 35mm lenses are nice ( have the 50mm/1.5) but why so darn big? ......

Are not all lenses a series of compromise trade-offs among: speed, optical correction, price and size? No free lunch.

 

[Beemermark]

Are not all lenses a series of compromise trade-offs among: speed, optical correction, price and size? No free lunch.

Very true, but why are the Zeiss 35mm so huge, espcially compared to the competition. Did the Zeiss designers decide to make the largest 35mm M lens in the world?

 

[gavinlg]

Very true, but why are the Zeiss 35mm so huge, espcially compared to the competition. Did the Zeiss designers decide to make the largest 35mm M lens in the world?

I believe it goes something like this:

In the ZM line, the design brief was to minimise using special glass elements, instead using normal type glass and spreading optical correction over more elements. Meaning you get well corrected designs that aren't too expensive.

 

[Beemermark]

I believe it goes something like this:

In the ZM line, the design brief was to minimise using special glass elements, instead using normal type glass and spreading optical correction over more elements. Meaning you get well corrected designs that aren't too expensive.

That makes sense. Thanks.

 

[DKimg]

I voted for this ZM Biogon 35 f2. Though I'm selling mine (in classified) for a distagon (travel photography with no available light). Though I'm sacrificing size for speed, I do adore the biogon. I have examples of images and I think it's a well-rounded performer and feel on a ziess body. I love zeiss glass.. F2 its good for the no so sharp portraits but at f2.8-4 it gets sharp.

 

[Bolo Kukus]

Another eight years old poll to be exact.
So, "limited budget" and crons is just as silly as 45mm lens in 35mm thread.

Well, many things were so much better eight years ago.

For one thing, I was eight years younger...

I see the G 35mm f/2 Planar is being discussed. This lens has been much maligned by many, but I must be one of the lucky ones - mine produces images equally good (tested and proven by me under my Leitz Focomat enlarger) as the 45mm Planar.

The 45mm Planar G is a fine lens. I reckon all those Summicron owners who've paid heaps more for their Leitz 'cron and then badmouth the 45mm G, are just jealous.

One should be thankful for these small Zeiss blessings.

 

[gavinlg]

The 45mm Planar G is a fine lens. I reckon all those Summicron owners who've paid heaps more for their Leitz 'cron and then badmouth the 45mm G, are just jealous.

One should be thankful for these small Zeiss blessings.

Completely agree with you. I wish I had this lens in M mount. Same with the 28 G.

 

[chipgreenberg]

Of course this debate has been going on forever. Was going on when my Dad bought his Contax lla in 1955 and before that too.

My previous eye doctor used Leitz equipment. I said to myself, cool, but I doubt many patients took notice of the red dots.

We changed eye doctors a year back, the new one uses all Zeiss equipment! I said to myself, cool, but I doubt many patients took notice of the blue Zeiss logos.

I told her I use Zeiss camera lenses and I'm a Zeiss fan. I couldn't help myself and asked her how she ended up choosing Zeiss. Lots of good companies out there like Nikon and Leitz.

She said, well they make good stuff and they gave me a good deal at this trade show I was at.

She was completely oblivious to the issues we get religious over.