ZI: I think I'm in love

K

Kyle

Guest
Well, today was a slow day. I had nothing to do and by noon I was driving myself crazy sitting around the house. So I decided to make the 70 mile drive to Freestyle Photo in LA. I went there for two things: to buy a few rolls of Neopan 1600 and to check out the Zeiss Ikon. I got there, checked out the store a bit, and then asked the person behind the counter to look at the camera. My first impression was it is a very light camera. When I had it in my hand, it was a very odd feeling because it looks like it should be much heavier, and I was expecting more heft. Its not light in a "cheap" way by any means, though. It sure did make me realize how much of a brick my M3 is. When I looked in the viewfinder I was amazed! I've looked through the finders of an M3, M4, and M6 and this was brighter and clearer than any of them. I do not wear glasses and could see the 28mm framelines fairly easily, but I can see how it would be a problem for a bespectacled user. Unfortunately, they did not have a floor model loaded with batteries so I could not fire the shutter, or even put a lens on the body, but I was more than impressed with what I saw. All in all I walked out of there really wishing for a new Zeiss Ikon. I wish I would have asked if they had any lenses in stock, because the 35/2 Biogon looks nice, but looks very hefty at the same time. I would have liked to have held it in person.

Oh, is every Zeiss Ikon a "limited edition" or is that just the first production run of the body? Also, what does everyone think of an electronic shutter and how it will fare many years down the road? I really have no idea about these sort of things, but it just seems like an electronic shutter would be very difficult to repair later on when the camera gets "tired." Is this a justified concern, or is it not an issue?

Sorry if this posts seems pointless overall. I'm just sharing my excitement with having checked out this gorgeous camera. It has me seriously thinking about selling all my cameras off and buying one as my only body.

Oh, and they were out of the Neopan 1600 :bang:
 
Posts about cameras, photography, actually anything at all related to photography on any level are never pointless. Everyone, well, not everyone, but lots of people, are looking to read about others' experiences with cameras, I spent a long time reading through various sites' postings, like RFF, Pnet, and others before buying my cameras. Done that for years. You are just adding to a body of knowledge, and adding another brick to the great house of information that RFF is to all of us, and those who lurk.
 
I want one! I want one! 🙂

-------------------------------------------------------
"Oh my God, they killed Kenny! You bastard!" ---South Park. 😀
 
kyle said:
Also, what does everyone think of an electronic shutter and how it will fare many years down the road? I really have no idea about these sort of things, but it just seems like an electronic shutter would be very difficult to repair later on when the camera gets "tired." Is this a justified concern, or is it not an issue?
Click to expand...

Are you saying you don't have any camera with an electronic shutter? 😕

Don't worry - availability of film and processing will be gone long before the shutter does. 😉
 
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Hey Kyle,

Go for it, sell your stuff (apart from the Leica) and buy that camera.
I did it for my XPan and I have never missed any of my old stuff.

Berci
 
all dslrs have electronic shutters, so it'll be a while to never until you have to worry about that.

the first production run in silver paint is limited edition. i think regular production will only be in black paint. not sure.

the 35mm biogon did not strike me as a large lens. it's a normal size. *shrug*
 
No shutter replacement is a particularly easy or inexpensive job. Depending on the shop you go to, a mechanical shutter might be a tougher thing to replace than an electromagnetic one, simply because you've got a few more tweaks to make....but it could also be the opposite.

Put it in perspective....my Nikon FG, by no means a "high end" camera, is somewhere around 25 years old and still cranking away. It also probablly sat in a garage for several years, because I picked it up at a junk store for cheap. (by the way, it's an electromagnetic shutter)

I would be a little bit worried that since it's being distributed by Hasselblad, parts may be somewhat unavailable if Hasselblad goes under (I sure hope not). However, a lot of people have been throwing around rumors that Zeiss will throw out a digital Ikon, so if that happens, shutters will indeed be around.

Buy the camera, enjoy it, don't worry about the shutter. It will last.

Now if somebody just buys the damn music box, viola and violin I've been trying to sell, then I will be the proud owner of a black Ikon! (now to down another shot of Tequila to make that an official wish!)
 
An electronic shutter is more accurate than a mechanical shutter, which depends on the tension in springs & other mechanical adjustments to remain accurate. It's a prime reason why mechanical cameras of any type need periodic CLAs. However, elecrtronic circuitry can deteriorate & is more subject to corrosion, which can be harder to replace & find available than mechanical parts. Each has its advantages & disadvantages.


Did you see the 35 Biogon, or are you inferring heft from its published dimensions.? Zeiss measures lens size differently than Leica or Cosina; Zeiss includes the lens mount in the dimensions & the others do not. The 35 Biogon is exactly the same size as a 50 Summicron. In comparison with other 35/2 lens on the market today, it appears large only in comparison with the incredibly compact 35 Summicron.
 
Yes, and it is that viewfinder alone, which is the genisis of my desire to see one of these cameras. I could care less about anything else on the camera, but the eye relief and brightness do sound so appealing.

Alas, I live in S. Florida, so it looks like I may be waiting for quite some time.
 
The "Limited Edition" Ikons were sold to those who registered for them. They've been sold out for a while now. I believe the ones that have come out now (that you can just walk into any camera store and buy, I mean) are the production run, meaning that they aren't a limited edition.

Could be wrong, though. That's just the impression I got.
 
sgy1962 said:
Yes, and it is that viewfinder alone, which is the genisis of my desire to see one of these cameras. I could care less about anything else on the camera, but the eye relief and brightness do sound so appealing.

Alas, I live in S. Florida, so it looks like I may be waiting for quite some time.
Click to expand...

Stephen, PMA is in Florida this year - late February/early March . . . I think it's in Orlando. You should be able to see one there. E-mail Hasselblad at info@zeissikon.com or contact Hasselblad-USA in New Jersey via their website.

Huck
 
That's one sweet looking camera....but for how long? Silver paint? On the lenses too? I presume on aluminum......damn. Modern paints are pretty damn good, but they ain't chrome on brass.
Please don't think this is a negative comment, just disappointed a bit. I was considering grabbing one myself, and could've swore the body and lenses were chrome from all the pics I saw.
 
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zeissIkonRFbodyChrm2.jpg
 
dadsm3 said:
Well, you shut me up quick. That's pretty.....
Click to expand...
Yes, its a very pretty camera. However, as you said, the silver paint could be an issue. If I buy one, a Luigi case will almost be mandatory to protect it. On the other hand, I don't see how silver paint can be much worse than black paint cameras. I'm sure that the paint wear and "brassing" (can a camera that isn't made of brass experience "brassing") will expose a similarly colored metal base.
 
Perhaps one day they'll be a titanium special edition at thrice the price to make the Leica heads happy. 😎
 
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