Two ZM questions

[MichaelHarris]

Heading off to Chicago next week for 8 days of street shooting, and my yearly Central Camera fix. Does anyone know if Central Camera sells Zeiss ZM stuff like the new 85 f4?

My second question is goofy, if you had a choice between taking the CV 40 1.4 and the CV 50 1.5 which would you take and why?

Thanks,
Michael

 

[Doug]

On a Zeiss Ikon I would use the 35mm or 50mm because it has framelines for those lenses. "All else being equal." True, RF camera framelines are inherently inexact, but if you use the lenses matching the framelines at least they're inexact in about the same way for each lens. 🙂 Of course there are other reasons to prefer one specific lens over another.

I've bought from Central Camera online, but I think they're off-line as I've failed to connect to their site recently... CentralCamera.com just times out on me. I wonder if the store is closed... If you go there please report back on their existence!

 

[MichaelHarris]

Thanks Doug, I was on their site yesterday and it worked fine. Hopefully it's just a web thing.

 

[ClarkChgo]

Central Camera does stock ZM bodies and lenses - I bought my ZM 50mm Planar there. If you are looking for a particular piece, I would call first. They don't necessarily have every single lens or body in both finishes in stock.

Clark.
www.clarkeverett.com

 

[Beemermark]

They are both good lenses but the 40 is a very small lens while the 50 is huge. So it depends on which you prefer - accurate framelines or smallness. I have both (and a Summilux) and I choose either the Summilux or 40 depending on what I'm shooting. If your only going to use the 40 on one camera you can modify it to bring up the 35 framelines (which is close enough for me since I never frame right to the edge). The only time I ever use the VC 50 is when there is a potential for damage (I'd prefer to lose the VC than the Leitz). I guess I should sell the VC.

 

[MichaelHarris]

Thanks guys. I decided on taking the 50 because I don't use it as much as I do the 40. One of these days I guess I need to site down and shoot them side by side to see which is better.

 

[notturtle]

In answer to you second question: Neither: I would take the 50 planar unless I absolutely had to have another stop in which case I would take the 50 1.5 due to frame line availability in the cameras I own. This way you get the same signature within the ZM line. I, however, dont do a huge amount of wide aperture shooting and I dont find RFs particularly strong here either.

 

[MichaelHarris]

thanks notturtle, I was planning on taking the 50 Planer also, I never leave home without that one. Now I find Zeiss has a new 35 so I'll have to flip a coin, the 85 or the new 35