Zeiss Ikon Problems

[sojournerphoto]

I bought mine (barely) used and it arrived perfect and has remained so. It has replaced my dslr for evry day shooting

 

[astroman]

1400 bucks is NOT cheap. it should buy you ZERO troubles.
i am not going to risk my 1400 dollars and spend time waiting for my camera to return from the factory.

why should i spend that kind of money and be a "light user"?
rather buy a bessa or a used M...

Your right 1400 is a lot of money.I would not worry to much as the Zeiss Ikon is a professional grade camera.The comment about light use might be coming from a leica user.Ive owned the bessas and the M6 both have there good and bad points and for the money the Zeiss its the best of both worlds

 

[George S.]

We need another choice in the poll.... "I had a minor problem but I fixed it myself"!
The the flat, chrome bottom of the flash shoe either came loose the first time I mounted a flash, or it came that way from the factory, as I was using flash for a wide interior shot with the 25mm lens the first time I used the camera. I just pressed it down hard with my finger and it very loudly and securely (I'm assuming and hoping) snapped into place.

 

[mirrored]

My experience with shutter and warranty:

http://www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/showthread.php?p=1048557#post1048557

 

[TimRoscoe]

Light Leak

Light Leak

Hi, I am real new here and hoping that someone can help. I recently purchased a Silver ZI, which turned out to be a "Limited Edition". What the heck is that all about anyway ? I got it with a 35mm/F2 Biogon. I am really impressed, both with the camera and with the lens. I love working with this camera but now that I have two rolls exposed and processed, I have discovered a problem. On both rolls I used the "Exposure Lock" feature (a feature which is absolutely brilliant, I think), on one frame in each roll. And both times there is a nasty light leak on the image. It appears as two parallel streaks from top of frame to bottom, and it does also go across the rebate.
Has anyone else ever seen this problem ?
I have emailed Zeiss but it was friday aftn so I am waiting for reply.

Tim R

 

[thegman]

I have the silver Limited Edition ZI too, never seen this problem, and I do use the AE lock a couple of times per roll. I can't imagine why using this feature would cause light leak, all it does is lock metering at a particular value.

The only thing I can imagine is that as the button is near the film door, maybe your model has an issue when you push/pull on the film door, it lets in some light.

 

[Iridium]

I haven't found yet someone with the same problem. I own an almost new black Ikon ZM (purchased a few months ago).

Last times, I was using the camera on the streets of Athens (where I live) under hot conditions for a few hours. After a couple of days of use, I realized that the rubber covering of the body had signs of wear on the spots (mainly corners) where my hand was griping the camera. I have to say that due to the hot, my hand was a bit of sweat and perhaps greasy.

After this, I emailed Carl Zeiss service and they were offered to renew my worn leatherette without any charge. I haven't sent back the body yet , cause I need it. I never expected that the rubber would be so sensitive and it could wear off that easy.

In order to protect the body from potential wear in the near future (and of course with the new leatherette on), I bought a Mr. Zhou half case. However, the case is quite tight and (instead of protection) while getting in and out the body, the rubber of the front corners is scratched from the leather of the case and finally is off...

Has anybody else detected this wear on the covering due to the griping in a such short period of time?
​

 

[Iridium]

Hello?

Noone has the problem of wear on the skin of the corners? Neither due to case in and out?

 

[thegman]

I just got my Ikon back from service at Zeiss in Germany. I managed to get some sea water on the power switch whilst in Hawaii, and it seized up a bit. Entirely my own fault.

Zeiss took the camera, fixed it, along with the popping frame lines issue, and couriered it back to me. No charge, not even shipping. For a second hand camera, out of warranty, which got damaged due to my own carelessness, I consider this wonderful service. They even give you a single point of contact to check on progress. Just brilliant, if there is a Ikon 2, I'll be first on the list*.

*Assuming it's a film camera.

 

[sojournerphoto]

I just got my Ikon back from service at Zeiss in Germany. I managed to get some sea water on the power switch whilst in Hawaii, and it seized up a bit. Entirely my own fault.

Zeiss took the camera, fixed it, along with the popping frame lines issue, and couriered it back to me. No charge, not even shipping. For a second hand camera, out of warranty, which got damaged due to my own carelessness, I consider this wonderful service. They even give you a single point of contact to check on progress. Just brilliant, if there is a Ikon 2, I'll be first on the list*.

*Assuming it's a film camera.

Great service from Zeiss.

I don't think Ikon 2 will be film...

 

[Bob Michaels]

Noone has the problem of wear on the skin of the corners? Neither due to case in and out?

I wore out the covering on mine in 2-3 years but I just consider that normal maintenance. I use the Zeiss grip and carry the camera in my right hand, (no strap, no case) sometimes 8 hours a day. So I wore out the areas where my hand holds the camera. I suspect I will wear it out again in another 2-3 years and I will just replace it again. That is just normal maintenance for a camera that gets significant use, no problem.

 

[LabasArabas]

I dropped my 4 month old Ikon 6 weeks ago. Landed on asphalt on a bottom corner. It works fine, (shutter, winding) but the rangefinder is way out. I gave it to the authorised local importer/repair place here in Melbourne (CRK) and was treated very indifferently. Three weeks later I contacted them to check on progress of the quote to repair. Told to be patient as they had sent it o/s for a quote, and wouldn't tell me where(!!) This annoyed me because I was told it would first be checked here, before potentially expensive freighting.

So, finally a few days ago, I was contacted by Mr Indifferent at CRK, and the quote is AUD$940 (about USD840) for a new rangefinder mechanism, and rewind crank/knob (which wouldn't lock in to the camera body) Also was allowed to learn that my camera is in Japan.

So now i'm trying to decide what to do. It's an expensive repair.

 

[andersju]

So, finally a few days ago, I was contacted by Mr Indifferent at CRK, and the quote is AUD$940 (about USD840) for a new rangefinder mechanism, and rewind crank/knob (which wouldn't lock in to the camera body) Also was allowed to learn that my camera is in Japan.

So now i'm trying to decide what to do. It's an expensive repair.

Ouch! Sorry to hear that. Sounds like it's a better idea to contact Zeiss in Germany directly. For that kind of money you can get a new one... like here or possibly here (AU).

 

[thegman]

I dropped my 4 month old Ikon 6 weeks ago. Landed on asphalt on a bottom corner. It works fine, (shutter, winding) but the rangefinder is way out. I gave it to the authorised local importer/repair place here in Melbourne (CRK) and was treated very indifferently. Three weeks later I contacted them to check on progress of the quote to repair. Told to be patient as they had sent it o/s for a quote, and wouldn't tell me where(!!) This annoyed me because I was told it would first be checked here, before potentially expensive freighting.

So, finally a few days ago, I was contacted by Mr Indifferent at CRK, and the quote is AUD$940 (about USD840) for a new rangefinder mechanism, and rewind crank/knob (which wouldn't lock in to the camera body) Also was allowed to learn that my camera is in Japan.

So now i'm trying to decide what to do. It's an expensive repair.

Agree, talk to Zeiss in Germany, for 840 USD you may as well just buy a new one. My experience with them is very good.

 

[Iridium]

I haven't found yet someone with the same problem. I own an almost new black Ikon ZM (purchased a few months ago).

Last times, I was using the camera on the streets of Athens (where I live) under hot conditions for a few hours. After a couple of days of use, I realized that the rubber covering of the body had signs of wear on the spots (mainly corners) where my hand was griping the camera. I have to say that due to the hot, my hand was a bit of sweat and perhaps greasy.

After this, I emailed Carl Zeiss service and they were offered to renew my worn leatherette without any charge. I haven't sent back the body yet , cause I need it. I never expected that the rubber would be so sensitive and it could wear off that easy.

In order to protect the body from potential wear in the near future (and of course with the new leatherette on), I bought a Mr. Zhou half case. However, the case is quite tight and (instead of protection) while getting in and out the body, the rubber of the front corners is scratched from the leather of the case and finally is off...

Has anybody else detected this wear on the covering due to the griping in a such short period of time?
​

Well... I am quite impressed of the Zeiss service. I send my Ikon ZM body in 20/8 (from Athens) in order to put a new leatherette and I got it back today, 2/9. Of course I didn't pay anything apart from the postage to send it. They also included for free another leatherette! Very nice and great communication.

 

[russelljtdyer]

Unstick this Problematic Thread

Unstick this Problematic Thread

As useful and as fascinating as this thread about Zeiss Ikon problems may be, I don't think it should continue to be sticky. I think it should be cut loose and allowed to sift down in the sediment of threads.

For one thing, not all Zeiss Ikon cameras have the problems discussed in this thread. Anyone considering buying a Zeiss Ikon may be quickly discouraged from buying one after glossing over the posts here. I've had none of these problems. Neither have many other people. This forum is about Zeiss Ikon cameras and related lenses. It's meant to share our experiences, good and bad ones. It's main focus is not to warn people not to buy a Zeiss Ikon.

My second reason for wanting to unstick this thread is that it's all encompassing. Threads should have one main, moderately limited point. In a normal thread, many of the comments would be tagged as off-topic. Because this thread has such a general heading, everything negative is acceptable. Are we going to have a counter thread entitled, 'All Things Zeiss Ikon Other Than Problems'?

As an extension of the second reason, I believe this thread is becoming unruly. A thread like this with too many unrelated problems becomes difficult for users to find answers. If someone has a small problem, they'll have to go through each post in this hold-all thread to find what they want. Yes, good searching can cut down on this, but not always. Threads are more manageable if they deal with separate problems. Granted, by this method of modularizing discussions some threads may become buried in time and people who don't use the search features well may not find them, easily. Nevertheless, revisiting old problems isn't necessarily something to be discouraged--we certainly have plenty of threads comparing Leica cameras to each other and to other makes. For repeated threads, senior forum users can always point newcomers to the old threads. However, new perspectives can be brought forward when a thread is started anew. Someone may know of a new way to deal with a problem, have an experience which was not presented the first time around.

I suggest to the moderators of this forum that they unstick this thread. I suggest also that forum users who have problems with their Zeiss Ikon camera start a new thread with questions and observations. As I type this, I wonder if I should have done this in a separate thread. Well, that's not important. So, what say you?

 

[Frankie]

Brand bashing is a sport for far too many.

 

[sfox]

Mine is bought brand new and have ocassional film spacing problem - 2-3 rolls had 2 frames overlapped for about 1/4". I suspect that my hand might be touching the rewind structure during winding, not sure. The winding, seems to me, is not as solid as a Leica or a Nikon FM/FE series body. (Some say the ZI is based on a Nikon FE body)

Also, once light leak on 1 frame that I keep scratching my head why it occurred. Very weird. 😕

 

[jonmanjiro]

(Some say the ZI is based on a Nikon FE body)

FE10/FM10.

Which is not surprising as these "Nikon" cameras came out of the same factory.

 

[sfox]

That's what I mean. I should say FE10. FE10 quality is different than the real Niokn FE series. The ZI winding is too light, too smooth that does not have a sense of solid feel as a Nikon body or a Leica.

I think Zeiss should make a ZI-2 body that's based on a FM3a.
FM3a is the best. I love my FM3a

Jon, do you anyone in Japan that can put a FM3a shutter into a ZI 😀 😀 😀 ?