Zeiss Ikon SW - Are they being stupid again?

[leafy]

Zeiss Ikon SW
This is just a glorified Bessa-L.

What does the Zeiss Ikon do well?
1. Rangefinder base length
2. Bright, clear viewfinder

And they decided to take out what they do best and sell it for 799 Euros. Go figure

 

[Kyle]

Did I miss something? 😕

**Edit: Nevermind, I didn't realize that there was a link in your post.

 

[back alley]

yeah but it comes in black too 😉

i notice they have a zeiss side grip and leather case available in october.

 

[NIKON KIU]

This is just a glorified Bessa-L
....
And they decided to take out what they do best and sell it for GBP 799. Go figure

but it comes with an extra shoe and M mount🙄
Hurry, put your orders in.
Kiu

 

[Kyle]

I agree, this looks completely ridiculous. The ONLY thing that truly sold me on the Zeiss Ikon was the viewfinder. I'm not saying that it doesn't have other great and useful features, I just didn't learn to like them until after I had owned the camera a couple months (for example, the AE function). I don't see how such a high price is justified without the rangefinder, but I guess if you're dropping $4,000 on the 15/2.8 ZM and accessory finder, then whats a few hundred more for its own dedicated camera?

Anyone think they'll come out with a Zeiss bubble level, possibly a rebadged Voigltander at 2-3x the cost?

 

[jlw]

I don't think it's necessarily stupid. There are some photographers who prefer to use an SLR for all longer-lens photography, but prefer the quality of non-SLR ultrawide lenses. Likewise, some RF photographers use a wide-angle lens so much that it makes sense for them to dedicate a camera body to this purpose.

Since ultrawide lenses hardly need rangefinder coupling, why spend the extra money if you're buying the body strictly for ultrawide use? And the Bessa L doesn't come with an M mount, so if you've standardized on M-mount lenses it isn't an option.

Also, Zeiss does have a significant base of industrial and scientific customers (you'll remember this was given as one justification for why they've gone into production of manual-focus lenses in the Nikon F mount) and there might be some demand among these customers for a finderless body that would be affixed to some kind of stand or apparatus.

So while it wouldn't make sense for most people to buy, it probably does make sense for them to sell. They probably won't sell many of them, though, hence the comparatively high price.

 

[Gabriel M.A.]

While I don't support the way this thread's been presented, I agree with the sentiment, that this $1600 non-coupled rangefinder is a boxier (80's volvo-fied?) version of the $70 Bessa-L.

It is a little...err...insulting to one's intelligence. Perhaps we need more info to see what the $1500 difference is.

 

[back alley]

that makes sense.
i have pretty much married the 21cv lens to the cl and that was why i wanted a second cl body for the 40/90 combo.

it's all making sense now...🙂

 

[aad]

Makes sense to me. It wouldn't have, though, before I got a non-coupled 25mm lens. Nothing faster than a click-stop focusing tab, either.

 

[back alley]

i don't find it insulting. if i could afford it and wanted a permanent wide angle set up, it makes sense to want a second body that you were familiar with. (hence my 2nd cl)

having a second zi for the zm 21 would be sweet.

 

[Finder]

I don't understand your venom toward Zeiss Ikon. Why build another rangefinder - they already have one. This looks like a good idea like jlw stated. It also expands their line.

Besides, how do you know rangefinders are what they do best? They have only made one. You cannot make statistical conclusions from a sample of one.

 

[Kyle]

I just noticed something... leafy said the ZI SW is being sold for 799 GBP, but on the site it actually says 799 Euros, which will put the cost a bit above $1000 USD. Unless of course I'm missing something or I'm confused.

Anyways, IMO its still too much. That probably will put the grey market cost around $700 (if grey market dealers get it at all). I can see the reasoning behind it, but I couldn't ever spend that kind of money on a camera like this.

Come to think of it, why is it being called a "glorified Bessa-L"? How about an updated Leica M1/MD? The more I think about it the more it makes sense. Again, nothing I'd ever buy, but I can see how it makes sense to some people.

 

[enochRoot]

While I don't support the way this thread's been presented, I agree with the sentiment, that this $1600 non-coupled rangefinder is a boxier (80's volvo-fied?) version of the $70 Bessa-L.

It is a little...err...insulting to one's intelligence. Perhaps we need more info to see what the $1500 difference is.

i think your math is off by $600 or so. 800 euro is not $1600. and it is most certainly not a rebadged bessa L! not that i'm gonna rush out and buy it, but i agree w/ the others it is a good product for them to offer.

 

[enochRoot]

crap...too slow. sorry kyle.

 

[amateriat]

I was casually cruising past Zeiss' site a few minutes back when I stumbled across info on the Ikon SW, then zipped over here for a head-check. Whew. I say, another film-burner in production...yay! It's truly a specialty item, and won't sell in big numbers, to be sure, but Zeiss knows this up-front (at least I imagine so), so it's All Okay. (Somebody here buy one!) 😉


- Barrett

 

[nemjo]

Are they being stupid again?

I'm pretty new here. What does that AGAIN mean?

nemjo

 

[StuartR]

I don't understand the point of this camera either. In fact, the price listed is not much more than what the regular Ikon sold for when I was in Japan (around 1200 dollars). You can buy a Bessa L for less than 100 dollars. The things that make a Ikon worth paying for (the viewfinder primarily) are absent, yet the camera is still really expensive. It would be cheaper and wiser just to buy an R3, or heck, an M3, to dedicate to super wide angle use. That way you have a fully functional body as a backup in case you want it.

I can understand how this camera could make sense if there were not more economical options, but there are so many. A Hexar RF would be an even better choice, not only do you get AE, you get a higher shutter speed 1/4000th, a motor drive with 2fps, and a great .6x viewfinder that works really well for all your normal wide angles. Beyond the Hexar RF, a Bessa R2, R3, M3, M4, M2, etc etc. They are all much better ideas. If you want a viewfinder-less camera just save your dough and get a Bessa L.

anyway, that's my take.

 

[Nachkebia]

Whatever you say, one fact is fantastic, zeiss is working 🙂 new case is what I needed (because I can not order luigi (because I don`t have pay pal)) plus its good to have little goodies for the camera 🙂 I hope flash system is comming 🙂

 

[Rich Silfver]

I agree with Stuart. The logic behind this camera is really questionable and other options seems a lot more attractive.

 

[c.poulton]

The logic behind the camera may be questionable, but at least they are developing the Ikon system and that can not be a bad thing?