MCTuomey
Veteran
+1 I like my ZMs very much and I like Mr Schleuning too. But I'm with you. No further ZMs without action from Zeiss. And if I have another serviced at $200 each, I may move to CV and Leitz.
brachal
Refrigerated User
I was about to buy the 1.5 Sonnar. This thread convinced me to stick with my Jupiter-3.
DNG
Film Friendly
My ZM 50 f/1.5 has no wobble at all...
My CV 28 f/1.9 ASPH as a few mm wobble on the front end though. The area that has the front group and f/stop ring.... left>right,. No effect on the image, but I will get it fixed anyway.
EDIT: 2-16-2011:
I have a chrome 50/1.5 that I got from Back Ally (Joe) with a trade about 6-8 months ago
My CV 28 f/1.9 ASPH as a few mm wobble on the front end though. The area that has the front group and f/stop ring.... left>right,. No effect on the image, but I will get it fixed anyway.
EDIT: 2-16-2011:
I have a chrome 50/1.5 that I got from Back Ally (Joe) with a trade about 6-8 months ago
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MCTuomey
Veteran
Bill, I have the most confidence in the 50 C-Sonnar out of the several ZMs I use. I've had it the longest - no issues at any time. The poll seems to suggest a low incidence of problems with it too.
If I had a nice J-3 though, I'd probably stick with it.
OT: It's the lens I used to shoot a couple of acts at the Spotted Cat in Merigny last year (couple in my gallery). Will be back there at the end of March, I hope.
hon910
Established
Zeiss lens wobble experience
Zeiss lens wobble experience
I had this wobble on my ZM 28mm once, so I had it send to my local Zeiss distributor in my country. To my surprise they said I gotta to send it back to Japan & had it check & repair & would probably cost more than US$300++!!!!
So I took it back & try out a local lens repair man which I know & it just cost me US$30 to get it done, and now it is working like normal.
Couldn't inmagine the support of Zeiss in my country was so bad.
Anyway, It is a great lens on my M8
Zeiss lens wobble experience
I had this wobble on my ZM 28mm once, so I had it send to my local Zeiss distributor in my country. To my surprise they said I gotta to send it back to Japan & had it check & repair & would probably cost more than US$300++!!!!
So I took it back & try out a local lens repair man which I know & it just cost me US$30 to get it done, and now it is working like normal.
Couldn't inmagine the support of Zeiss in my country was so bad.
Anyway, It is a great lens on my M8
MrDan
Member
Just got my new-to-me Zeiss 21mm Biogon and it has the infamous wobble 
It's a shame, because it's such a sharp lens.
Focus ring is tight too but my 50mm planar is that way so i just live with it.
It's a shame, because it's such a sharp lens.Focus ring is tight too but my 50mm planar is that way so i just live with it.
jarski
Veteran
based on poll, looks like 50/2 is the one to avoid, or to be careful with.
same story here. 28 on M8, slight wobble. not bad enough to prevent from using it (yet), but still noticeable. none of my CV lenses have the issue.
same story here. 28 on M8, slight wobble. not bad enough to prevent from using it (yet), but still noticeable. none of my CV lenses have the issue.
keepright
matthew
Really, without a companion poll to find out the popularity of each lens, and having the same respondents answer it, this poll indicates nothing specific at all.
viv
Viv
My 21, 28 and 50 do not wobble. Nor do they wobble issues, whatever that means.
sanmich
Veteran
I just realized how biased this poll is:
In the best case, one can understand that about half the Zeiss have a wooble problem (and frankly, I doubt it)
But about the lens distribution?
I mean, there ought to be about 100 50mm planars for every 85mm f/2 out there.
You could have the same poll results with 100% of the 85mm lenses defective, and only 1% of the Planars or Biogons defective....
I'm afraid all this poll is showing is that there is a non negligible mechanical problem with Zeiss lenses.
In the best case, one can understand that about half the Zeiss have a wooble problem (and frankly, I doubt it)
But about the lens distribution?
I mean, there ought to be about 100 50mm planars for every 85mm f/2 out there.
You could have the same poll results with 100% of the 85mm lenses defective, and only 1% of the Planars or Biogons defective....
I'm afraid all this poll is showing is that there is a non negligible mechanical problem with Zeiss lenses.
Luna
Well-known
MCTuomey
Veteran
Agree. I tend to interpret the poll results generically: half the respondents owning ZMs report problems; the other half don't report problems. The distribution of the problem reports follow the popularity/ownership of the lens. Meaning that there are probably more 35/2 biogons and 50/2 planars sold and in use, so I'd expect this poll to show more problems reported for these lens - as you say, Michael, there are simply a lot more 35/2 biogons and 50 planars out there versus 21/2.8 and 85/2 lenses.
evanbaines
Drunk the RF Kool Aid
This poll could also easily be about which ZM lenses are the most popular. The 35s and the 50s have the most wobble issues, but they are also the most popular I would imagine.
efix
RF user by conviction
I have a 28/2.8 Biogon and a 50/2 Planar, in both cases the inner lens barrel doesn't sit tightly within the outer lens barrel. I inquired with Zeiss, and they told me this wasn't normally a problem, as it wouldn't affect image quality. So far the lenses seem to perform within specifications.
On a second note, on my 28 Biogon the focusing runs silky smooth, whereas on the Planar it's pretty tight and doesn't really work by using the focusing bump. Although it has already loosened a bit during the last week, when I used it regularly.
On a second note, on my 28 Biogon the focusing runs silky smooth, whereas on the Planar it's pretty tight and doesn't really work by using the focusing bump. Although it has already loosened a bit during the last week, when I used it regularly.
johnwood
Member
I'm finding the same results: my 35 f/2 certainly dances around a bit...but even at 10x equal comparison to non-wobblers, I don't see any affect. Maybe that it's my favorite lens clouds my judgment...but I honestly could not see where the optical performance was compromised. It is disconcerting to hear a noise like that come from a lens...but seems to work.
AndySig
Established
My 35 mm 2.8 has a slight bit of play i.e. I can nudge it a mm or so right to left (if you view the camera from the front) when it is on my ZI. It is rock solid on my M6. My 18 mm 4.0 is rock solid on both of them. Tentative conclusion: the tolerances on the bayonet housing on the ZI body are not quite fine enough.
