New Zeiss SLR List Prices

[Patman]

Curious!

Curious!

Why are some of the top camera manufacturers dropping Zeiss?
Hasseblad, Rollie and Alpha

1. Kyocera pulled the plug on Contax killing 4 Carl Zeiss lens lines in 1 stroke, Contax RTS manual focus 35mm SLR lenses, Contax N AF 35mm SLR lenses, Contax G 35mm RangeFinder lenses, and Contax 645 MF-AF lenses. That's a hugh hit to Carl Zeiss.

2. Hasselblad currently seems more keen on pushing the Fuji/Fujinon derived H system cameras & lenses, at the expense of their more traditional V system using CZ lenses.

3. Rollei 6008 system started with CZ lenses, but subsequently began to offer Schneider lenses as well, also eroding sales of Rollei/Zeiss MF lenses.

4. Alpa switched from the Biogon 38mm lens to a Apo-Helvitar 48mm lens made for them by Schneider.

The last decade had not been too good for Carl Zeiss stills camera lens production... So it would be only logical for Carl Zeiss to look towards the creation of a premium niche lens line for the millions of Nikon F mount cameras in use.

 

[RJBender]

Looks great:

http://www.zeiss.com/C12567A8003B8B6F/GraphikTitelIntern/01/$File/01.jpg
http://www.zeiss.com/C12567A8003B8B6F/GraphikTitelIntern/02/$File/02.jpg
http://www.zeiss.com/C12567A8003B8B6F/GraphikTitelIntern/03/$File/03.jpg
http://www.zeiss.com/C12567A8003B8B6F/GraphikTitelIntern/04/$File/04.jpg
http://www.zeiss.com/C12567A8003B8B6F/GraphikTitelIntern/05/$File/05.jpg
http://www.zeiss.com/C12567A8003B8B6F/GraphikTitelIntern/06/$File/06.jpg
http://www.zeiss.com/C12567A8003B8B6F/GraphikTitelIntern/07/$File/07.jpg
http://www.zeiss.com/C12567A8003B8B6F/GraphikTitelIntern/08/$File/08.jpg
http://www.zeiss.com/C12567A8003B8B6F/GraphikTitelIntern/09/$File/09.jpg

There we go!

R.J.

 

[Uncle Bill]

Just what is it about this alliance between Carl Zeiss and Cosina that has everyone in a tizzy. CZ provided the design and quality control, Cosina makes it. I got no issue paying the street price for a 50/1.4 or the 85/1.4 if it performs. Hell at some point I want to get a 50/2 Mount for my Leica M3. I love my CV 35/2.5 and I use it often.

Bill

 

[ch1]

There we go!
R.J.

R.J.

Nice pics - I cut them here - no need to repeat them in the quote here.

The big questions: 1) are they available; 2) if not yet, when? ; 3) how much?

Hey if it gets folks to buy the F6 and FM-10, thereby keeping Nikon in the film camera biz for a while longer I think it's great.

Anyway, I'm continuing to corner the F3 market so when all the Zeissians want to get a Nikon to try out these lenses - they'll drive up the price of used Nikon classics! 😎

 

[ed1k]

There we go!

R.J.

Thanks R.J.
I do not really know anything about those lenses. I've just stolen those links to the pics from some russian speaking forum, those guys are interested in these lenses also 🙂

 

[RJBender]

R.J.

Nice pics - I cut them here - no need to repeat them in the quote here.

The big questions: 1) are they available; 2) if not yet, when? ; 3) how much?

Hey if it gets folks to buy the F6 and FM-10, thereby keeping Nikon in the film camera biz for a while longer I think it's great.

Anyway, I'm continuing to corner the F3 market so when all the Zeissians want to get a Nikon to try out these lenses - they'll drive up the price of used Nikon classics! 😎

George,

I think ed1k had some trouble getting the images in his post.
I never thought I'd ever see a Zeiss lens with rabbit ears on it.

R.J.

 

[RJBender]

Just what is it about this alliance between Carl Zeiss and Cosina that has everyone in a tizzy. CZ provided the design and quality control, Cosina makes it. I got no issue paying the street price for a 50/1.4 or the 85/1.4 if it performs. Hell at some point I want to get a 50/2 Mount for my Leica M3. I love my CV 35/2.5 and I use it often.

Bill

Which posts are you referring to, Bill?

R.J.

 

[RJBender]

Those DigiPrime® lenses look interesting.

DigiPrime®'s are cinematography lenses and they're built at CZ HQ in Oberkochen, Germany. Hmmmm. Is there a B4 to Nikon F mount adapter available? MORE

R.J.

 

[leafy]

Those DigiPrime® lenses look interesting.

DigiPrime®'s are cinematography lenses and they're built at CZ HQ in Oberkochen, Germany. Hmmmm. Is there a B4 to Nikon F mount adapter available? MORE
R.J.

I don't think so. Those lenses have very little back-flange distance (something like the C-mount lenses that are used on CCTV video cameras) so converting it to Nikon F mount won't be reasonable.

Also I have heard that you could buy cars for the cost of some Digiprimes.

 

[Stephanie Brim]

I can proudly say that this is what will make me think about perhaps buying an Nikon SLR again (as soon as I have some money). A manual focus SLR with a good 50mm and 85mm lens should probably be in my arsenal...as much as I love rangefinders, the closer focusing ability of an SLR is something I miss on occasion. Very seldom, though.

 

[leafy]

I can proudly say that this is what will make me think about perhaps buying an Nikon SLR again (as soon as I have some money). A manual focus SLR with a good 50mm and 85mm lens should probably be in my arsenal...as much as I love rangefinders, the closer focusing ability of an SLR is something I miss on occasion. Very seldom, though.

Will you consider FM10/FE10? That will make a perfect Cosina combo! LOL!

 

[RJBender]

I don't think so. Those lenses have very little back-flange distance (something like the C-mount lenses that are used on CCTV video cameras) so converting it to Nikon F mount won't be reasonable.

Also I have heard that you could buy cars for the cost of some Digiprimes.

If the lenses cannot be used on the Nikon F6, Zeiss must be using the DigiPrime® lenses as props (theatrical property). You can rent one for $1200 PER DAY here:
http://www.fvesco.com/rental/video/zeissdigipack.htm

R.J.

 

[RJBender]

Will you consider FM10/FE10? That will make a perfect Cosina combo! LOL!

Why don't they just paint it black, put the Voigtlander - Germany name on it and sell it as the Bessa F ?

R.J.

 

[leafy]

Why don't they just paint it black, put the Voigtlander - Germany name on it and sell it as the Bessa F ?

R.J.

Nah, people would call it "Rebranded FM10" then.

 

[leafy]

If the lenses cannot be used on the Nikon F6, Zeiss must be using the DigiPrime® lenses as props (theatrical property). You can rent one for $1200 PER DAY here:
http://www.fvesco.com/rental/video/zeissdigipack.htm

R.J.

It's like those commercials for liquor and cigars, they all come with buxom girls, but you can never buy them in the stores.

 

[yossarian]

George,

I think ed1k had some trouble getting the images in his post.
I never thought I'd ever see a Zeiss lens with rabbit ears on it.

R.J.

R.J., not only "rabbit ears", but "backward" focusing as well.

Fred

 

[ch1]

I can proudly say that this is what will make me think about perhaps buying an Nikon SLR again (as soon as I have some money). A manual focus SLR with a good 50mm and 85mm lens should probably be in my arsenal...as much as I love rangefinders, the closer focusing ability of an SLR is something I miss on occasion. Very seldom, though.

Stephanie,

I think the jury remains out as to whether these CZ-branded, Cosina F-mounts will equal, much less surpass Nikkor primes. Particularly since the CZ/Cosina's are still nothing more than web pics right now.

But if their introduction raises used Nkon SLR body prices - okay with me. I'm "long" on bodies right now!

 

[RJBender]

Nah, people would call it "Rebranded FM10" then.

R.J.

 

[ch1]

Quote:
Originally Posted by leafy
Nah, people would call it "Rebranded FM10" then.

R.J.

I like that Bessa F idea. Then they could out with a "stripped down" version and call it the Bessamat FTN! 😀

 

[Huck Finn]

Stephanie,

I think the jury remains out as to whether these CZ-branded, Cosina F-mounts will equal, much less surpass Nikkor primes. Particularly since the CZ/Cosina's are still nothing more than web pics right now.

But if their introduction raises used Nkon SLR body prices - okay with me. I'm "long" on bodies right now!

I have to agree with Stephanie on this one. There is every reason to be optimistic that these lenses will equal or surpass the Nikkor primes - & I say that as a guy who owns a lot of Nikkor lenses.

There aren't too many comparative lens tests out there, but we can use photodo as a starting point. They have tested both Nikkor & Zeiss lenses in C/Y mount. There is no reason to expect that these ZF lenses will be any worse than the CZ C/Y lenses. The CZ C/Y lenses surpassed the comparable Nikkors at both of these 2 focal lengths on photodo tests. - not by a lot, but their results were better. The difference tended to be at wider apertures & in resolution of finer detail. If those are your needs, you'll probably get better results with the CZs.