Who would like a Zeiss Ikon CL?

[Archiver]

I'm very fond of my Zeiss Ikon, but there are times when I'd like a smaller rangefinder body. I wonder if it would be possible to create a rangefinder that is noticeably smaller than the Ikon but retain as much of the rangefinder baselength as possible. I like the size of the Leica CL, but it is no longer in production and doesn't have a very long baselength, and I like to shoot wide aperture lenses a lot.

Would you like a Zeiss Ikon CL?

 

[back alley]

smaller but a long base length...

is that possible?

 

[Chinasaur]

Doesn't sound like it would happen in this decade..

 

[ZeissFan]

I would like a body the size of the Contax IIa. That's a smaller body with a sufficiently wide base rangefinder. I've used it many times with a 135mm lens.

The current Zeiss Ikon is very close in dimensions to a Contax II.

 

[Roger Hicks]

A compact ZI is called a Bessa...

Yes, it's a small base length. But the ZI has not set the world alight, so why compete with themselves and fragment the market even further?

Technically, of course it's possible. Commercially? I strongly doubt it.

Cheers,

R.

 

[thegman]

Is a Bessa that much smaller, if at all? Didn't seem that way when I picked it up.

Anyway, the ZI size is fine for me, I have no need for a smaller range finder really. I'd probably prefer to see Zeiss/Cosina build a quality film SLR to go with the Zeiss lenses. Wishful thinking I know.

 

[randomm]

Cle, Cle, Cle ... 🙂

 

[raid]

Use a Zeiss lens on a Leica CL ... and your problems will be over.

 

[haempe]

I was allways thinking, the decision of Zeiss to build a direct competitor to the M in the same size and shape, was a mistake.
A "replica" of the CLE without their issues (lack of manual modus metering; lack of AE lock; failure prone shutter release) would have a larger market.

 

[Steve M.]

Well, I used to have a Bessa R2A and thought it was a great camera. Isn't it smaller than your Ikon? If you want a CL I wouldn't worry about them not being in production. There are plenty still around, and a good sample of a CL is a fine little camera.