ZM 35/2 pics

[x-ray]

It was my first m-mount lens, I like it 🙂 My only niggle with it is that it's a bit large, I could do with it being a tad smaller.

Todd, I recall you asked this before, earlier in the year? These here were all done with the 35/2, variety of apertures. It was my second or third time developing film myself, so they aren't too great.

I just purchased the biogon 35 a couple of weeks ago to replace my v4 summicron. I haven't printed any images yet but have carefully examined the negs under high power magnification. I've shot at f2 down and on KB 25, one of my standard films. One of the big reasons i purchased the Biogon was because it's a little larger than the v4 Summicron. The Summicron was just too small with the aperture ring too close to the hood release clips which made it difficult to set f stops without removiung the camera from my eye. I dislike the focusing tab of the v4 and much prefer the size, position of the aperture ring and focusing ring semi/ focusing tab over the cramped design of the v4. To each his own! Optically I feel the Biogon to equal and even exceed the v4. Flare is virtually eliminated and resolution and contrast are excellent wide open and improve to a very high standard stopped down. Wide open performance of the Biogon is slightly better than the v4 on first observation. In a couple of weeks when business moderates i will post some images.

My only complaint about the Biogon is a reversible hood would have been nice but the hood for the v4 didn't reverse either.

My vote is the Biogon over the v4.

 

[Nachkebia]

Actualy I don`t have any rangefinder 35mm lens to compare my biogon, but I can compare it to my other lenses like 25 and 50 plannar, I just get the feeling that it has lower micro cotrast the images are slightly smoother in a boring way...

 

[sockeyed]

I borrowed a ZM 35/2 for a week. It was very good optically, as folks say: sharp, smooth OOF, and neutral colour balance. It is largish, and I found the focus a bit gritty, which was surprising Zeiss' QC. I liked it, but I probably prefer my CV 40/1.4.

Here are some samples on Sensia 100:

 

[venchka]

...

My vote is the Biogon over the v4.

Hmmmmmmmmm...new with hood the ZM Biogon is less expensive than a bargain priced v4 Summicron.

 

[venchka]

I borrowed a ZM 35/2 for a week. It was very good optically, as folks say: sharp, smooth OOF, and neutral colour balance. It is largish, and I found the focus a bit gritty, which was surprising Zeiss' QC. I liked it, but I probably prefer my CV 40/1.4.

I suppose what bothers me about the ZI lenses is this: Where does the Cosina personality stop and the Zeiss personality start? It's just like the Toyota vs. Lexus syndrome. C/V 40/1.4 vs. C/V 35/1.7 vs. C/V 35/1.2 vs. ZM 35/2.0 Very confusing.

Enough wandering from the topic.

 

[x-ray]

Hmmmmmmmmm...new with hood the ZI Biogon is less expensive than a bargain priced v4 Summicron.

I have both the v4 and the Biogon and previously had the summilux pre asph for about twenty years or so and the v1 summicron. I also have a CV nokton 35 for speed.

Two other observations about the Biogon, there is less fall off of illumination at the outer limits of the field with the Biogon. It's much more even illumination at f2. Also I like the construction of the Biogon over the v4. Both are smooth but the construction of the Biogon seems to be a little more solid. MY experience is Leica seems to have cut corners in construction during this period in both lens construction and in camera construction. My v4, tabbed summicron and M6 are living proof compared to my 70's and earlier equipment and my new 2006 equipment.

I'm getting ready to sell both my tabbed 50 summicron and v4 if anyone is interested. The v4 is mint minus cosmetics and mint glass with correct hood and caps and my tabbed summicron is E+ cosmetics / mint glass with correct hood and caps with the box. The 50 has a spot at 3 ft that is tight in focus and probably will need relubes one day. Otherwise everythiong is great.

V4 35 summicron - $900 with free fedex ground insured in the US, outside the US I will get the best rate and deduct the fedex US charges.

Tabbed 50 summicron $500 same on shipping.

 

[Todd.Hanz]

great pics sockeyed and thanks for your remarks X-ray, this makes things very difficult. Sooooo...is the 35 asph. summicron worth three times more than the ZM 35/2, can a handheld image have that much difference in sharpness?

Todd

 

[x-ray]

Sooooo...is the 35 asph. summicron worth three times more than the ZM 35/2, can a handheld image have that much difference in sharpness?

Todd

No and No. In real world terms No. Unless you shoot wide open and blow the images up to 24 inches or larger, No.

Please, no one take this personal!!!!!!!!

I'm fascinated by how picky people are today over their equipment. I'm not putting anyone down but many of the folks that I see picking lenses apart generally do not enlarge their images beyond full frame on 8x10 if that. Certainly not all are this way but many are just snap shooters making small prints. Very often I see people on various forums making judgements on equipment when clearly the issue is not the equipment but an obvious lack of technique and skill. Again I certainly do not want to make anyone feel bad. Overall this forum has better photographers as members than others like pnet and I value opinions from RFF members much more than other forums.

Some lenses seem to have a cult following and the v4 is one of them. I've never been able to figure this out why some have this status and others do not. I don't want to sound like a broken record but I've shot Leica professionally for nearly four decades. I've never known another pro of my generation that ever mentioned OOF, Bokeh, micro contrast or any of the new cult terms surrounding lenses. We purchased our equipment based on need and made images. No magic and no myth, just made images.

I just find it funny how serious everyone is and the magic that follows some equipment. Why?

Hope I didn't hurt any feeling here. It's not a rant just an observation that I can't explain.

My switching to the ZM 35 was based on a physical issue with the v4 being too compact not an optical one. I have no bias about brand. I have a CV 35 Nokton that i love and use regularly. I would buy any other brand if it performed to my expectations and met my requirements. Brand is not important.

If they magic exists around a particular brand or lens / camera, every magazine, ad agency, designer and art director would require every photographer to shoot thaty camera / lens combo or brand.

HOPE I DON'T LOSE FRIENDS OVER THIS!

 

[Huck Finn]

No. It's 10g heavier, 10mm shorter, 1 stop faster.

Summilux 35mm 1.4 asph
46mm long, 250g

Biogon 35mm/2.0
56mm long, 240g

The stop and the length made the difference for me.
Didier

It's hard for me to understand the complaints about size of the ZM 35/2. Its exactly the same size as a 50/2 Summicron & certainly no one complains about its size. Its not super compact like the 35/2 Summicron or the CV 40/1.4 Nokton, but these are exceptions - & in the case of the Summicron, much more expensive. It's more compact than the CV 35/1.7 Ultron, for example, & the speed of the Ultron isn't significant enough to make much difference. (It was tested by the way at f/1.8 by Pop Photo.) As you can see, it is shorter than the Summilux as well

You can't compare its size to others by referring to the published data. Zeiss' lens measuresments include the lens mounts while Leica & CV do not, so the 56 mm published length & quoted here by Didier, is really 43.3 mm when measured in the same way as Leica & Cosina. These measurements can be found on the Zeiss web pages at the Cosina site:

www.cosina.co.jp

 

[RayPA]

Todd, do NOT get the ZM 35/2. You haunted me with your CV 35/1.2 shots, to the point that my M8 savings ended up taking a big hit! 🙂

 

[Todd.Hanz]

x-ray,
I appreciate your honesty and opinion because it comes from experience. I had a V4 once and really liked it because it was very compact, but not as much an issue for me. I also had a Nokton 35/1.2, really sharp and very flare resistant, it's on the other end of the spectrum size wise though 😉.
The ZM may be a good alternative for me, thanks for everyones opinions and thoughts, that's what makes this place great.

Todd

 

[Nikon Bob]

No and No. In real world terms No. Unless you shoot wide open and blow the images up to 24 inches or larger, No.

Please, no one take this personal!!!!!!!!

I'm fascinated by how picky people are today over their equipment. I'm not putting anyone down but many of the folks that I see picking lenses apart generally do not enlarge their images beyond full frame on 8x10 if that. Certainly not all are this way but many are just snap shooters making small prints. Very often I see people on various forums making judgements on equipment when clearly the issue is not the equipment but an obvious lack of technique and skill. Again I certainly do not want to make anyone feel bad. Overall this forum has better photographers as members than others like pnet and I value opinions from RFF members much more than other forums.

Some lenses seem to have a cult following and the v4 is one of them. I've never been able to figure this out why some have this status and others do not. I don't want to sound like a broken record but I've shot Leica professionally for nearly four decades. I've never known another pro of my generation that ever mentioned OOF, Bokeh, micro contrast or any of the new cult terms surrounding lenses. We purchased our equipment based on need and made images. No magic and no myth, just made images.

I just find it funny how serious everyone is and the magic that follows some equipment. Why?

Hope I didn't hurt any feeling here. It's not a rant just an observation that I can't explain.

My switching to the ZM 35 was based on a physical issue with the v4 being too compact not an optical one. I have no bias about brand. I have a CV 35 Nokton that i love and use regularly. I would buy any other brand if it performed to my expectations and met my requirements. Brand is not important.

If they magic exists around a particular brand or lens / camera, every magazine, ad agency, designer and art director would require every photographer to shoot thaty camera / lens combo or brand.

HOPE I DON'T LOOSE FRIENDS OVER THIS!

Sorry, I can't help Todd pick a lens, but I do like your post
x-ray.

Bob

 

[jano]

It's hard for me to understand the complaints about size of the ZM 35/2.

I'm not complaining. It's the only 35 I've ever used. I'd just like it smaller 🙂 Maybe the V4 is the lens for me *shrug* But I really like the ZM.

I agree with Joe, Todd should get the lens so we can see what it's capable of. Heck, Sockeyed just did that though, he seems to get some beautiful shots with various ZM lenses and that sensia film. Always perfectly color balanced! 🙂

 

[x-ray]

Todd:

I want to complement you on your work, very nice.

 

[Huck Finn]

I'm not complaining. It's the only 35 I've ever used. I'd just like it smaller 🙂 Maybe the V4 is the lens for me *shrug* But I really like the ZM.

It's small enough, but I have to admit that I too wish it was even smaller. 😱 But not at the price of a Leica. 😱

 

[back alley]

i like it's size.
a small lens might be nicer in theory, maybe nicer to look at and weigh a bit less, but in use a bigger lens is easier to hold and focus with.

and it's not that big.
joe

 

[x-ray]

i like it's size.
a small lens might be nicer in theory, maybe nicer to look at and weigh a bit less, but in use a bigger lens is easier to hold and focus with.

and it's not that big.
joe

It's the same size as the 50 summicron roughly and I don't hear complaints about it being too big.

Back Alley:

Thanks for your recommendation on the 35 ZM. I just processed a few rolls shot with it (KB 25) and the 25 ZM and could not be more pleased. Superb lens at all stops. Possibly I can scan a few negs Saturday evening and post them.

I'm really looking forward to seeing the 85 ZM and hope it pans out to perform better at close range and wide f stops vs the 90 AA summicron. The 90 AA is excellent at a distance but up close it's very lack luster.

 

[willie_901]

Hey thanks Willie, funny thing, your Flickr gallery is where I spent alot of time looking when I was trying to decide on this lens, small world. SOme good examples there, thanks.

Todd

Todd,

I'm happy to learn some of my photos were helpful to you.

Good luck with your decision,

willie

 

[jano]

Immaturity: on

Immaturity: on

but in use a bigger lens is easier to hold and focus with.

Yeah, that's what she said 😎 😀

 

[Gerold]

well I'm late to the party as usual. here are 70 more:

http://www.flickr.com/groups/zeissikon35mm/pool/

my biogon 35 is now either with Zeiss in Germany or on a roundtrip to Japan. the known. wobble / focussing ring lose - issue. I like everything about this lense except the shiny chrome front ring, but that's a micro-dislike really.

cheers gerold