I'm surprised no one seems to be posting about the possible EOS mount Zeiss lenses

http://www.zeiss.com/C12567A8003B58B9?Open

 

Not certain of course that ZE = Zeiss EOS, but it sure seems possible.

 

I'm not a Canon user anymore, but for many this would remove the headache of adapters.

 

James

Photography RI

Why speculate? Just wait and see.

Someone did, I can't remember what the post was called, but I saw it earlier today :)

Here's the thread:

 

http://www.photo.net/canon-eos-digital-camera-forum/00QkZI

I have a 1950 Zeiss Ikonta, made in Germany. Good for a retro thrill every year or two. All the Zeiss optics I've seen in

recent decades were made in Japan by subcontractors. Does Zeiss actually make anything or does it mere rent out its

name?

AFAIK all 35mm Zeiss lenses are made by Cosina, Japan. They are designed by Zeiss Germany and seem to be produced under a relatively strict QC. At least no rumors about sample variation...

 

I would appreciate a few Zeiss lenses in EOS mount - but only if they manage an electronic, EF compatible aperture. Indeed, their f:2 50mm Macro would be a fine replacement for my good old Canon f:2.5 50mm (good close-up, sharp, distortion-free, but the worst bokeh I' ve ever seen). The Canon has a terrbile autofocus too, so manual only focus would not change my way using the lens.

Zeiss only sells the designs and name the best advise is stick to Canon lenses.

<i>"the best advise is stick to Canon lenses."</i>

<p>

I disagree. There are some excellent third party lenses out there, if you pick and choose. And when the third party

is Zeiss, they must be worth a look.

<p>

Anyway, they haven't even been announced yet!

Photozone has tested a few of the Zeiss lenses on Canon and Nikon digital bodies. The results seem to be equal or a notch up from the best Canon lenses. But I don't know if I'm ready to give up auto focus and auto aperture, especially at the $800-1400 prices the Zeiss Nikon mount lenses currently go for on B&H. The built quality is suppose to be excellent, overseen by Zeiss at the Cosina factory. They are made like lenses of old, heavy metal construction, with tight tolerances.

The EOS mount is patented and the patent is current. They are keeping all the lens sales profits.

 

M42, Leica M, and Nikon mount patents expired long ago.

I wonder when the patent on the EOS mount expires? Just curious....

I'll take a canon 50 1.2 over a zeiss any day. Function over form in my books... and Canon's form is just fine.

<i>The EOS mount is patented and the patent is current. They are keeping all the lens sales profits. </i><P>

All but the profits made by Sigma, Tokina, Tamron, and a variety of "no-name" bargain brands.

Ronald, but they have licensed other mfrs as Mike points out. I suspect that Canon would not grant a license to

Zeiss as their lenses would compete directly with the L series. Zeiss may well be superior in many cases too (wide

angles and the 50mm for example) - but you would know that...

perhaps they will make the ZE like the converted contax N series lenses done by conurus. Zeiss has made auto focus lenses before, maybe this time they will also add electronic control or the aperture. In any event I think they will be priced high enough that I will continue to use my old CY lenses with adapters and the converted N lenses I already have. It will be interesting to see if this release will have any impact on the selling prices of the old CY lenses.

that should read "of the aperture"

I started a tread on 5th of September

 

http://www.photo.net/canon-eos-digital-camera-forum/00QkZI

 

Regards Jens-Henrik

Heck, many of us have been using Zeiss lenses on our Canon EOS mount cameras for a long time. ;)<div></div>

Canon have often stated that they have never licensed the EF mount to anyone. The position is similar to that

for automotive spares and computer processors. Zeiss have clearly asked Canon for a licence as I guess they

didn't want to invest the effort in reverse engineering the mount electronics that has been made by other lens

makers, and also mount adaptor specialists such as Birger Engineering who are providing the EF mount for the RED

camera:

 

http://www.birger.com/

 

Zeiss need at a minimum simply to use the EF bayonet with no electrical connection of any kind. That wouldn't

infringe any patent or require a licence. Whether they provide any further electronic capability remains to be

seen, but I think it unlikely that they would offer AF, although MF confirm is possible, and it is probably a

less than 50% chance that they will offer auto aperture. The electronics, such as they are, may well be supplied

by a third party. However, we will find the answers to these questions, along with which focal lengths they

intend to make available on the 15th.

The ZE was actually a 1980 Mamiya camera with the first electronic mount from Japan called -- what else -- EF!

http://herron.50megs.com/ZE.htm

Ronald,

 

Regarding the EOS patent, the early EOS cameras were marketed at least as early as March 1987 (http://www.canon.com/camera-museum/camera/film/data/1986-1990/1987_eos650.html?lang=us&categ=crn&page=1986-1990).

 

US patents run no more that 20 years (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Term_of_patent_in_the_United_States).

 

Japanese patents expire 20 years after filing (http://www.epo.org/patents/patent-information/east-asian/helpdesk/japan/faq.html#term).

 

Although there are a few fine points I am glossing over, basically since the EOS cameras have already been marketed for more than 21 years the patents on the EOS mount must have already expired.

 

Alan