Zeiss ZF 50/1.4 Nikon Lenses On the Way!

[VinceC]

Argh. I didn't realize our message folders had shrunk under the pay system. Guess I'll have to pony up.

 

[Will]

1.>>>There are a ton of very fine Nikkor 50mm (and other focal length) primes out there going for beggar's prices (pre and post-AI plus AIS).

2.>>>Can someone enlighten me on why I would spend $500 for a 50mm/1.4 ZF lens in 2006? 😕 😕[/QUOTE]


Yes, there are lots of great Nikkor standard lens at dirt cheap prices.

I take a new CZ over an used Nikkor any day but not at 3 or 4 time the price!





Will

 

[enochRoot]

Argh. I didn't realize our message folders had shrunk under the pay system. Guess I'll have to pony up.

yeah...shocked me the other day. hard to keep it under 20 at times!

 

[jonasv]

Why do you think it's nonsense? Pls explain. Thank you.

And also they are his views as he states clearly here.

Do you actually believe the stuff he writes? He contradicts himself all the time. And saying that it's just "his" views is nonsense, he mentions that nowhere in the actual review, and he's stating things in such manner to make it sound like the one and only truth.

Some quotes - think about them for yourself:

"Nikon lenses are superior photographically because they are autofocus"

"Almost no one uses fixed lenses on 35 mm anymore."

"the zooms are 20 years more advanced, have fewer ghosts and are sharper than the fixed lenses were."

"When photographers want quality they use larger format cameras, not 35 mm."

"Leica doesn't even make the two lenses most important to professional 35mm photographers: a 17 - 35 f/2.8 and 80 - 200 f/2.8."

 

[einolu]

Some quotes - think about them for yourself:

"Nikon lenses are superior photographically because they are autofocus"

"Almost no one uses fixed lenses on 35 mm anymore."

"the zooms are 20 years more advanced, have fewer ghosts and are sharper than the fixed lenses were."

"When photographers want quality they use larger format cameras, not 35 mm."

"Leica doesn't even make the two lenses most important to professional 35mm photographers: a 17 - 35 f/2.8 and 80 - 200 f/2.8."

hahaha, thanks for those!

 

[enochRoot]

yeah...that whole piece was quite laughable for me!

 

[Avotius]

if I had a nikon film body that would take that lens then I would get one probably, not just because I live zeiss glass, but because its a lot of character going on there, even if the film slr sales are dead doesnt mean there are not a few thousand people world wide that are not interested in sticking one of these in front of their camera, film or digital...

 

[NIKON KIU]

IMHO...very few Nikon fans would fork out 500 bucks for a Cosina Badged Zeiss lens made in Japan....not when they can buy 3 or 4 real Nikkors.
But then, I can get Nikkors made by Cosina for a lot less 😕
Now that Mr K had his lenses badged Voitlander, Nikkor, Contax, Zeiss and Leica, whats next?
Kiu

 

[arthury]

>My opinion of Ken Rockwell just went down the toilet. What a load of crap.

I would highly second that opinion. I only go to his website for entertainment, not for facts!

 

[Kyle]

Now that Mr K had his lenses badged Voitlander, Nikkor, Contax, Zeiss and Leica, whats next?
Kiu

When are we all going to get over this ridiculous notion? Yes, Cosina assembles the ZF and ZM lenses in their Japanese factory. NO, it does not make them Cosina products. They are still Zeiss designs. They aren't Mr. K's lenses, they are Zeiss lenses, built using Mr. K's facility. There's a difference.

 

[JonasYip]

I'm not sure why people automatically associate the new ZF 50 with the "dying film SLR market"... I find that a 50 prime is perfect on a 1.5x DSLR.

I've always liked the Zeiss lenses from my Contax systems and would love to (and probably will) have a Zeiss 50 in F-mount . And I already have several Nikkor 50s.

Though it would have been nice if they did the AF/MF thing like for the Contax 645 lenses instead of making them just MF...

j

 

[NIKON KIU]

When are we all going to get over this ridiculous notion?

Never...not untill they change the sign on top of the factory 🙄
Do you think It was Zeiss who went after Mr K to have Japenese made lenses? Or do you thonk It was Voitlander?
I would never buy the Cosina made Nikkors, or Zeiss or....and to those who do, look at the resale prices on the present Cosina, oops I meant contax stuff.
Kiu

 

[ch1]

I'll grant that there might be a small, specialty market for these lenses, although since the only F-mount bodies are Nikons (even when Cosina made) I don't think there are many "Nikonians" out there who covet Zeiss glass - particularly at "Tiffany prices".

As to the dSLR angle - I cannot agree with this argument. The ZF lenses are fully manual and will not take advantage of most of the features of a D-200 (or other D camera).

Just for instance, no data recording capabilities etc. Loss of AF matrix metering etc. Yes, I am sure there are a few who would mount these lenses on a Nikon dSLR as an "experiment" but I seriously doubt that many would do so. I certainly cannot see pro shooters forfeiting all of the auto features of their dSLRs to use a manual prime. Particularly when all the current rage for Nikon lenses is for VR zooms!

So I guess I am still baffled by the "business logic" of the ZF line. True it might make a few $$ for Zeiss since it is essentially "leveraging" a proven design - but it seems to be a product that is about 25 years too late.

 

[Palaeoboy]

Sorry but 500 bucks isnt bad value when you compare it to a new Leica 50mm f1.4 for example. At one point I used Nikon everything and still have 15 manual focus Nikkors. BUT their 50mm f1.4 was never up there with other top brands in this lens catagory. Actually their slower 50mm f2 has always had a much better reputation. The MF Canon and Minolta 50mm f1.4 lenses always were superior to the Nikkor. I still have a Nikkor 50mm f1.4 cause there isnt much value in it to sell but using at f1.4 your not going to be happy with the results. The Yashica/Contax 50's both trounced the old Nikkor and the new ZF is supposedly even better. I found even the old 50's rangefinder Nkkor 50mm f1.4 that came with my S3 was better at 1.4 than the modern Nikkor lens. Nikon has some great lenses that could even be considered best in their class but sorry guys the 50mm f1.4 isnt one of them. Actually someone mentioned that Nikon has no 35mm shift lens to match the Zeiss, sorry but Nikons 35mm f2.8 shift lens is about the best 35mm focal length lens in the Nikon MF lineup although its a manual preset lens the optics in it are excellent.

 

[einolu]

Do you think It was Zeiss who went after Mr K to have Japenese made lenses? Or do you thonk It was Voitlander?
I would never buy the Cosina made Nikkors, or Zeiss or....and to those who do, look at the resale prices on the present Cosina, oops I meant contax stuff.

But have you looked at what the pictures look like, or do you only worry about the resale value? I am sure the build quality on this lens is fantastic, even though it is made by the Cosian factory that you so fear. Having seen pictures taken by the 50/2 Planar and the 35/2 Biogon, I can say that the lenses are great and have got nothing but great reviews (even in terms of feel and handling).

 

[ch1]

Sorry but 500 bucks isnt bad value when you compare it to a new Leica 50mm f1.4 for example. At one point I used Nikon everything and still have 15 manual focus Nikkors. BUT their 50mm f1.4 was never up there with other top brands in this lens catagory. Actually their slower 50mm f2 has always had a much better reputation. The MF Canon and Minolta 50mm f1.4 lenses always were superior to the Nikkor. I still have a Nikkor 50mm f1.4 cause there isnt much value in it to sell but using at f1.4 your not going to be happy with the results. The Yashica/Contax 50's both trounced the old Nikkor and the new ZF is supposedly even better. I found even the old 50's rangefinder Nkkor 50mm f1.4 that came with my S3 was better at 1.4 than the modern Nikkor lens. Nikon has some great lenses that could even be considered best in their class but sorry guys the 50mm f1.4 isnt one of them. Actually someone mentioned that Nikon has no 35mm shift lens to match the Zeiss, sorry but Nikons 35mm f2.8 shift lens is about the best 35mm focal length lens in the Nikon MF lineup although its a manual preset lens the optics in it are excellent.

Well I guess you're one of those specialty niche market buyers. Enjoy the lens. 🙂

 

[Kyle]

Never...not untill they change the sign on top of the factory 🙄
Do you think It was Zeiss who went after Mr K to have Japenese made lenses? Or do you thonk It was Voitlander?
I would never buy the Cosina made Nikkors, or Zeiss or....and to those who do, look at the resale prices on the present Cosina, oops I meant contax stuff.
Kiu

I won't be buying these ZF lenses. I only own one SLR, that I never use (I keep it because it was my first camera) and it isn't a Nikon. I do, however, I own a 50/2 Planar ZM and its wonderful. Build quality, feel, handling, bokeh, sharpness, flare control are all wonderful. Its not an investment, so I don't worry about resale value. I use it to take pictures. I don't give a rats behind if it was build in Japan or Jupiter, its a great lens. I'm sure these new ZF lenses are just the same.

I really don't understand your argument, though? When Zeiss set out to manufacture their new Ikon, ZM lens line, and ZF lenses they decided to use Cosina to build everything. Zeiss simply does not have the facilities to build everything, but Cosina does. Again, that doesn't make all this stuff Cosina products, that makes them Zeiss products, built by Cosina. Yes, the Voigtlander line IS a Cosina product through and through with a different name on it, but thats a different story than this new Zeiss stuff.

 

[VinceC]

My sister spent quite a few years building Subarus in Indiana. They were Subarus, not Studabakers. The plant is switching over to building Toyotas. It will be be building Toyotas, not rebadged Studabakers or Subarus.

 

[Todd.Hanz]

Sorry but 500 bucks isnt bad value when you compare it to a new Leica 50mm f1.4 for example. At one point I used Nikon everything and still have 15 manual focus Nikkors. BUT their 50mm f1.4 was never up there with other top brands in this lens catagory. Actually their slower 50mm f2 has always had a much better reputation. The MF Canon and Minolta 50mm f1.4 lenses always were superior to the Nikkor. I still have a Nikkor 50mm f1.4 cause there isnt much value in it to sell but using at f1.4 your not going to be happy with the results. The Yashica/Contax 50's both trounced the old Nikkor and the new ZF is supposedly even better. I found even the old 50's rangefinder Nkkor 50mm f1.4 that came with my S3 was better at 1.4 than the modern Nikkor lens. Nikon has some great lenses that could even be considered best in their class but sorry guys the 50mm f1.4 isnt one of them. Actually someone mentioned that Nikon has no 35mm shift lens to match the Zeiss, sorry but Nikons 35mm f2.8 shift lens is about the best 35mm focal length lens in the Nikon MF lineup although its a manual preset lens the optics in it are excellent.

Huh? I guess that's why I keep getting crappy pics like this one... 🙂

(Fuji S2, Nikkor 50/1.4 @ f1.4)

 

[einolu]

I won't be buying these ZF lenses. I only own one SLR, that I never use (I keep it because it was my first camera) and it isn't a Nikon. I do, however, I own a 50/2 Planar ZM and its wonderful. Build quality, feel, handling, bokeh, sharpness, flare control are all wonderful. Its not an investment, so I don't worry about resale value. I use it to take pictures. I don't give a rats behind if it was build in Japan or Jupiter, its a great lens. I'm sure these new ZF lenses are just the same.

I really don't understand your argument, though? When Zeiss set out to manufacture their new Ikon, ZM lens line, and ZF lenses they decided to use Cosina to build everything. Zeiss simply does not have the facilities to build everything, but Cosina does. Again, that doesn't make all this stuff Cosina products, that makes them Zeiss products, built by Cosina. Yes, the Voigtlander line IS a Cosina product through and through with a different name on it, but thats a different story than this new Zeiss stuff.

Well said, and thats not even mentioning that the Voigtlander lenses are fantastic as well!