NEW Zeiss Biogon 35mm F/2.8 just announced

I hope Tom is right re a 85mm F2.8 Zeiss in the future. Had this been available, I probably have gone with Zeiss over the old Leica and Canon glass I have slowly accumulated. I put this up in hopes that someone at Cosina is reading this forum. Cheers.
 
It's all relative I guess. Both Color Skopar and Summicron 35/2 are smaller and faster.

Well, it is a touch smaller/shorter than the new Leica summarit by the sounds of things and about the same size as the asph cron. The V4 cron is super small, but modern Leica lenses don't compete her either to be fair.
 
if this lens makes 'unique' images then i will buy it.

the elmar m 50/2.8, judging from photos seen on the net, seems to make unique photos and i am attracted to it. i would be more tempted to get one if it were not a 50 and if i didn't have the zm 50/1.5, another lens that makes a unique image.

if this 2.8 lens makes photos that appeal to me in a way that the elmar 50 appeals to me then it would be worth getting, as i like the 35 focal length much more than the 50.

i am not comparing the elmar m with this zeiss 35, only the possibility that they might both be unique in how they draw an image, unique not necessarily similar.
 
I certainly hope that it has some pretty stellar imaging qualities.... otherwise for the mere $60 price difference, my money would go on the ZM35/2.0 as a known good performer.....
I've been tossing various 35mm lens ideas back and forth with the idea, "If I'm only going to buy ONE, what would it be," and have just about settled on the 35/2.0. The skimpy price difference is helping me to decide...
 
$60 (£30) price difference:rolleyes: If they brought out a f1.4 with a $60 price difference to the f2, I wonder what 35mm lens people would plump for;)
 
From the Zeiss web page of the 35/2.8:
"You can even use the lens like a 50 mm standard lens for digital rangefinder cameras with crop factor 1.3."

Well... are there any other *digital rangefinder cameras with crop factor 1.3* other than the Leica M8? Curious wording... :)
 
Popflash lists the US dollar price of the 35/2.8 at $817.

This lens better be superb - at this price point there are many other options that really seem far more interesting. I was hoping to see it at about $600. But at $817 I'm most likely be looking elsewhere. Hope Zeiss will wake up and reduce the price if they expect to sell this lens to more than just zeiss collectors.
 
Ok...I would like to know how this lens would be better than the F2 Zeiss ZM 35mm Biogon that I have now. Which is for all realistic discussion a brand new lens. Zeiss did not offer any talking points about the advantages of this lens over the faster model they currenly offer today. Iam confused.
Am I missing something ?? Best Regards.....Laurance
 
Slower lenses tend to be optically better because it is much easier to correct aberrations and such when designing them. Also slower lenses are for the most part starting at a sweet spot so they gain little by stopping down but like all lenses loose something when stopped down too far.

I just paid less then this 35 2.8 for a Leica 35 f2 summicron, I hope this Zeiss lens is a real killer though, or that they at least take a good 200 bucks off the price point, otherwise they will not sell great....
 
Well I wish I could loan you my F2 Bigon and see exact comparison betwee the 2 zeiss 35mm lenses. I used to won a summicron 35 ASPH and while it was very good I did not like it beyond F5.6...I did not like the quality. The F2 Zeiss I have now is much better between F4 to F11 So if this F2.8 is even better then that wold be a big deal. so please post some sample images at specific F stops Good Luck....Best regards, Laurance
 
The more I think of this new Zeiss 35/2.8, the less I'm excited about it. Of course once we have some photos taken with it out there, it would be easier to make decide. But reality is - CV Skopar is already very very good, compact and FAR cheaper than this lens. I would have a very hard time justifying this lens. I wanted to get a compact 35mm as my only one now is 35/1.2. And more and more Skopar seems like it will be what I'll get. Yet I really can't wait to see some pics from this Biogon, just to see why they want so much money for it.
 
Actually thinking about ...

Actually thinking about ...

trading my Biogon 35/2 for the new 35/2.8 ... :cool:

35 isn't one of my favorite FLs, and I already have the Big Nokton...

So...
 
CV Skopar is already very very good, compact and FAR cheaper than this lens.
Interestingly of all the CV lenses I've owned -- which are quite a few -- this is the one that didn't impress me. The build quality is inferior to the others, such as the 28mm f3.5 Skopar, and it does give a rather harsh look when using b&w (at least it does to my eyes). Personally I think the Biogon sounds a lot more attractive and if I didn't already have a Cron IV, which is also nice and compact, I'd seriously consider it.
 
The current issue of Asahi Camera has a short review of the C Biogon, probably with photos...
It is unavailable on line (only a few pages of the whole issues can be read), but listed in the online Table of Contents.
 
i don't think the intent is for it to be marketed as a better lens, just different... it's all about variety... it's likely more compact and lighter than the biogon, so different ergonomics, different optical formula and therefore different image rendering...


Ok...I would like to know how this lens would be better than the F2 Zeiss ZM 35mm Biogon that I have now. Which is for all realistic discussion a brand new lens. Zeiss did not offer any talking points about the advantages of this lens over the faster model they currenly offer today. Iam confused.
Am I missing something ?? Best Regards.....Laurance
 
The Cosina Zeiss website lists the Japan release date as May 24. List price is 78,000 yen, only 3,000 more than the ZM Planar (which is incidentally the same list price as the CV 35/1.4 Nokton, although that lens generally sells at a greater retail discount). Ebay stores based in Japan generally sell the Planar 50/2 for US$665 (about 5% higher than normal retail price in japan at current exchange rate), so that should mean a price for the C Biogon at around $700 (excludes post and possible import fees).

I've read some amusing posts on Japanese sites asking why of all things Zeiss choose the Biogon design instead of reviving classic old Zeiss designs from the past.
 
I was considering getting the new Biogon C. I don't use 35mm as much as 50mm and speed isn't super important to me. I also liked the idea of a smaller 35mm lens without a focusing tab. The price, I assumed, would be significantly less than the f/2 Biogon. But, like others have said, for an extra $80 why not get the extra stop?
 
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