ZM body compatible with googled Leitz lens?

[Huck Finn]

Summilux, the ZI body and the ZM lenses

And another thought about materials, if plastic is so bad, would they build racing cars from plastic?

Although the ZI had a "cheapo plastic" look to him, which is his legitimate impression in terms of "look", it is not in fact made of plastic. It's all metal.

 

[Socke]

Although the ZI had a "cheapo plastic" look to him, which is his legitimate impression in terms of "look", it is not in fact made of plastic. It's all metal.

I know, but plastic isn't as bad as some think it is.
The current polycarbonate bodies from Canon and Nikon stand battle in Afghanistan and Iraq as well as the old Nikon Fs did in Vietnam. And just because Leicas old tools from the late 50s can't handle anything but brass does not mean that brass is the sine qua non of camera making.

I think Canon switched to magnesium for it's mid range models was that it is easyer for them to mashine it to the needed precision at a certain price point. Shimming a lens mount for every body made is much more expensive than the savings one can expect from polycarbonate. On the other hand, the higher end and weather sealed 1 series bodies still have a polycarbonate body shell. At that price point calibration of the mount seems to be sensible.

 

[Huck Finn]

I know, but plastic isn't as bad as some think it is.
The current polycarbonate bodies from Canon and Nikon stand battle in Afghanistan and Iraq as well as the old Nikon Fs did in Vietnam. And just because Leicas old tools from the late 50s can't handle anything but brass does not mean that brass is the sine qua non of camera making.

I think Canon switched to magnesium for it's mid range models was that it is easyer for them to mashine it to the needed precision at a certain price point. Shimming a lens mount for every body made is much more expensive than the savings one can expect from polycarbonate. On the other hand, the higher end and weather sealed 1 series bodies still have a polycarbonate body shell. At that price point calibration of the mount seems to be sensible.

Excellent points. I agree completely. 🙂

Huck

 

[James Burton]

I hope mine is an isolated problem 🙁

Amen to that!.

Any idea when you're likely to get it back? I assume a few more weeks yet :-(
I feel your pain.

James

 

[Planar1.4]

Blee, I know that Stephen Gandy is charging $100 more for the black bodies, but I don't know it they will actually fetch more when this pricing experiment is tested in the market place. I haven't heard of anyone else charging this price differential.

Stephen originally announced that he would only carry the black bodies & publicly stated his disdain for the look of the silver bodies. I guess this $100 price differential is his compromise. He once asked $450 for a Canonet because it was black. I assume that it eventually sold for that price. His Canonet write-up also says how much better the black Canonets are in appearance.

There's no accounting for taste.

My understanding is that Stephen never even ordered any of the silver bodies, and he is not selling them, so the price difference is not valid, as you can't buy it.
I have yet to find a silver ZI body for cheaper than $1600 in the US- and I worry that production issues will plauge the black body with delays as well- so saying 3 months now might mean November '06 in reality!

 

[Gabriel M.A.]

Any idea when you're likely to get it back? I assume a few more weeks yet :-(
I feel your pain.

If you google for delivery times... 😉

Seriously, Huck Finn is right, the 50 DR won't mount on the Bessa (I saw a guy try) and I wouldn't think the goggles would line-up anyway. This, of course, is just my speculation, but I'd think that'd be the case, for the goggles are designed specifically for the Leica M bodies' rangefinder; the Bessas' have some measurement differences (beginning with the mag. factor).

 

[Huck Finn]

My understanding is that Stephen never even ordered any of the silver bodies, and he is not selling them, so the price difference is not valid, as you can't buy it.
I have yet to find a silver ZI body for cheaper than $1600 in the US- and I worry that production issues will plauge the black body with delays as well- so saying 3 months now might mean November '06 in reality!

Try Tony Rose at www.popflash.com. Price is $1327.

 

[summilux]

http://elekm.net/zeiss_ikon/

 

[Huck Finn]

My understanding is that Stephen never even ordered any of the silver bodies, and he is not selling them, so the price difference is not valid, as you can't buy it.

That was Stephen's original announcement, but he apparently changed his mind. The silver body is now listed on his websited at $1300.

 

[Tony Rose]

We only have one body left out of our first shipment. Free Freight

TR