Look what came in the mail! Now it's time for tough decisions!

froyd

froyd

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The ZI (brand new) just arrived today. I'm giving it one week to decide which camera to keep, but one of these beauties will have a for-sale tag hanging from it soon.

Though, though decision. Mechanical perfection, or the wizbang new kid on the block?

On a separate note the Planar that came with the kit is stiff as hell. Maybe I'll stick it in the oven and teach it some sense. :p
 
That would be a tough one...there both real pretty...
All I can add that might help is...which one will allow you to grow in the direction you want to in photography...???
 
Francisco - I need the money for other things and I don't want more than 2, 3 max 35mm bodies around the house (I already have a Nikon SLR and a Contax G). Maybe it's the Contax G and its lenses that get the axe, but that's another tough one to let go. One reason I purchased the Planar is to compared it to the G45 and see if I can be happy trading from G to ZM lenses.
 
Take the lens off the camera, cap it and run it from closest focus to infinity, back and forth back and forth while you watch a movie on TV. It will likely be buttery smooth during the closing credits.
 
These are completely different cameras

These are completely different cameras

These are completely different cameras. ZI is a fast street camera, and it also excels with fast lenses in low light - particularly with Nokton 35/1.2. The MP is just a very well made half manual camera, more indicated for slow shooting. You should keep both.
 
Ugh.

One and a half months later and I'm still trying to make up my mind on which camera to keep. The only thing I'm clear on is that the Planar's images are inferior to the Contax G 45, so for now the Contax stays.

Between Zi and M4 I feel it's heart vs brain. On paper the ZI should be the better camera, but in practice I prefer to use the M4... unless the light is low, or I need flash, or want to travel light, or want to see around the 35mm framelines, or...
 
Both are sexy beasts! I don't envy you for having to decide which to part with. I'd keep the ZI just because I've never had one before personally but that's based purely on "I want!" and not fact. :D
 
From my experience the build on the M's is better then the ZI, but that ZI VF is stunning...

+1 For keeping both:p
 
Balto said:
From my experience the build on the M's is better then the ZI, but that ZI VF is stunning...

+1 For keeping both:p
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You know, I thought I would be more impressed by the ZI viewfinder. After all, I remember with fondness the finder in the Bessa, and the ZI is supposed to be better. However, in practical use, I never felt it put to shame the finder of the M4 (which was recently CLA'd). If anything, the magically disappearing RF patch of the ZI tilts the scale in favor of the rock-solid VF/RF of the Leica.

This is of course based on using a 50 lens. I'm sure that with a 35, the wider space around the ZI framelines woulc come handy, and it's one of the many reasons I'm hesitating.
 
froyd said:
Ugh.

One and a half months later and I'm still trying to make up my mind on which camera to keep. The only thing I'm clear on is that the Planar's images are inferior to the Contax G 45, so for now the Contax stays.
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Im surprised to hear you say that.

the ZM lens is significantly improved wide open and suppressed basically all of the remaining field curvature in the double gauss design. as a result, stopped down sharpness of the ZM50p is definitely more even across the frame for planar subjects.

unfortunately this can also make the lens render in a boring way.

if your preference, and since this is on film I feel it's a safe assumption but feel free to correct me, is that you feel the g45 images are more aesthetically appealing rather than there being a significant difference in sharpness in the plane of best focus. if it is really the latter, then I would very much like to know what film/developer combination you are using and what you are using to scan/enlarge your negatives. if it's the former, which to be frank is what I suspect, then what you are seeing is actually an imperfection that happens to be pleasing in use.
 
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