Long term reliability

[percepts]

Hello,
I'm looking for some feedback on the long term reliability of the ZM. Mike Elek has kindly given me some but I'm looking for feedback from people who have put a high volume of film through the camera since owning it so maybe a 1000 rolls or more.

 

[percepts]

has no one put a high volume of film through one of these cameras or is everyone only a casual user.

 

[antiquark]

has no one put a high volume of film through one of these cameras or is everyone only a casual user.

1000 rolls is quite a bit. That's almost one roll a day for the last three years!

 

[mervynyan]

I think reasonably the ZM should be as reliable as Leica. It is relatively light-weight and standard construction of film loading, any camera shop would be able to repair if there is an issue. Unless you are using it under extreme situation, I wouldn't consider long term reliability is a liability. Even my M7 was damaged during 6 months of trip but was repaired by an experienced camera man who hasn't used M before.

 

[percepts]

1000 rolls is quite a bit. That's almost one roll a day for the last three years!

Ok 500 rolls then.

I figured a pro photographer may easily shoot 10 rolls a week. Over 4 years thats 2000 rolls !!!

 

[Ronald M]

I know wedding people who have put 250,000 exposures on M Leicas. The shutters are designed to go 400,000 without showing wear.

Zeiss is not made to these standards, but it may satisfy your demands. The problem is you may not know the engrineering specs. They don`t brag on it.

 

[antiquark]

I figured a pro photographer may easily shoot 10 rolls a week. Over 4 years thats 2000 rolls !!!

All the pros have gone digital!

From various comments in this forum, it sounds like the ikon has problems with the shutter jamming and the rangefinder patch going out of alignment.

 

[ruben]

Hello,
I'm looking for some feedback on the long term reliability of the ZM. Mike Elek has kindly given me some but I'm looking for feedback from people who have put a high volume of film through the camera since owning it so maybe a 1000 rolls or more.

Hi,
Your question is good, in principle. However you can understand that this late rangefinder camera has not been specifically designed for wedding professionals of news photographers.

This doesn't mean at all at it is second rate. On the contrary, its price insinuates it has been designed as a quality rangefinder camera.

The question is if you yourself want to give it professional standards use. In case not, i,e, in case you are not going to run hundreds of films per month, had I been in your shoes I would not worry too much.

As a second measure for the sake of its long term reliability, manipulate it with love and respect and the camera will deliver you back the same.

Cheers,
Ruben

 

[parsec1]

Hi,
As a second measure for the sake of its long term reliability, manipulate it with love and respect and the camera will deliver you back the same.

Cheers,
Ruben

As you would do with any subject you photograph particularly people.

 

[John Lawrence]

Hi,

As a second measure for the sake of its long term reliability, manipulate it with love and respect and the camera will deliver you back the same.

Cheers,
Ruben

Might work for cameras - didn't work with my (now ex) girlfriend!😉

 

[ruben]

Might work for cameras - didn't work with my (now ex) girlfriend!😉

The difference with love and respect that we deal with a machine, and on the other hand with humans, specially those who share the same bed, is interpretation.

In other words, what for us may reflect love and respect, is not necessarily the interpretation the partner will give to it. This is not only a fact, but a basic feature of humans = our individual judgement of reality. So I would say that for good relationships to develope, it is never what we intend, it is always the other side perception what we should learn first.

Cheers,
Ruben

 

[back alley]

I know wedding people who have put 250,000 exposures on M Leicas. The shutters are designed to go 400,000 without showing wear.

Zeiss is not made to these standards, but it may satisfy your demands. The problem is you may not know the engrineering specs. They don`t brag on it.

how do you KNOW that?

 

[GoneSavage]

^ My thoughts exactly!

 

[percepts]

I guess no one has put many rolls of film through their ZM then.
The shutters are probably made by copal which will be as good as any so it really comes down to whether the film advance is good for as many wind ons as the shutter is capable of shutter releases. The rangefinder seems to fixable relatively easily. Oh well I'll give it a go. If all works out it'll pay for itself quite quickly anyway. I'm just hoping its good for heavy use for 3 years as I don't want to be replacing it every year. If that's the case then an M7 may be in the offing.

 

[Mael]

The Zeiss ZM has a Copal shutter. Like the Leica M8 and M9...

 

[telemetre]

I wouldn't worry about the reliability of the camera. The only way I can think of to objectively asses the reliability of a camera would be to know the percentage repaired under warranty. I doubt any manufacturer would make these figures public, and even if they did there's also the post-warranty period to be considered... As for tolerances and quality control, unless you happen to work in the factory, hard to know really, but I don't think there will be wild variations between the cameras mentioned.

 

[percepts]

So just out of interest, how long have you had your ZM and how many rolls of film have you put through it?

 

[Neare]

At then end of all this it is an extremely well designed camera and its chance of failure is as high as any other similar camera, that is, if you abuse it you risk the chance to breaking it.
I don't feel as if the thing is just going to fall to pieces in my hands one day.

 

[ruben]

I guess no one has put many rolls of film through their ZM then.
The shutters are probably made by copal which will be as good as any so it really comes down to whether the film advance is good for as many wind ons as the shutter is capable of shutter releases. The rangefinder seems to fixable relatively easily. Oh well I'll give it a go. If all works out it'll pay for itself quite quickly anyway. I'm just hoping its good for heavy use for 3 years as I don't want to be replacing it every year. If that's the case then an M7 may be in the offing.

Hi percepts,

I understand from your post that you ARE to give it "a heavy use for 3 years". Therefore I wish the following thoughts may be of convenience to you:

a) Provided that the camera doesn't fault at early stages, there is a certain equation between its cost and the cost of the rolls - in whose case the price you will be paying for the camera will be a minor issue.

b) Just a crazy idea: Perhaps the folks of Zeiss Ikon in Germany will be interested in your tryial and agree to provide you with a free body. After all if the camera resists the pro use - then they will be able to publicize the fact and sell more cameras.

Best,
Ruben

 

[rxmd]

So just out of interest, how long have you had your ZM and how many rolls of film have you put through it?

You keep asking basically the same question over and over again.

Are you a heavy user of the kind you're interested in? Do you expect to run 10 rolls per week through your ZM? Over here at least, if you buy slide film, you can get almost get an M9 for those 1000 rolls you were asking, and you certainly will be able to in a year or two. What kind of heavy use do you usually subject your gear to - lots and lots of film, or use in unusual climatic conditions, or simply rough treatment and lots of bumping about?

Or are you a casual user who simply wants a camera that lasts a lifetime? That depends on other factors, such as care in handling it, regular checkups and services every few years, and so on. In particular, the wind mechanism and gear train are not a problem in this kind of situation.

Maybe you would be getting more satisfactory answers if it was clearer why you are asking, what you are really interested in, and what your projected usage scenario is.